| Re: Assembly Members employing
RESEARCH OFFICERS from their Allowances:
Since the inception of the Assembly at Cardiff I have
become aware that the Assembly Members have had the
privilege of employing staff via an Allowance scheme
funded by the public purse – my money as a taxpayer
– our money as a people of Wales. What dismays
me is to hear of the number of AMs that have employed
close relatives, family, political cronies and old friends
(etc.) to jobs such as "researchers" on excellent salaries
from public funds. (More of the "etc" later). The job
of "researcher" is an essential job in order to discover
and analyse and present data and information to the
Assembly Member to assist that AM to do a good job in
the public interest of the nation of Wales. Being a
"researcher" is a complicated job that needs the correct
qualifications (generally a University graduate with
a first or higher degree) and with experience and an
analytical intellect to find out information and to
present it in a suitable manner.
How come then that political cronies and spouses and
partners suddenly sprout these hitherto unknown abilities?
There must have been an awful lot of - either "retraining"
or "nepotism", one or the other - and I believe it to
be the latter!
We need our AMs to be briefed in the best possible
manner to get Wales what it needs from the complexities
of European Grant Aid, and presenting suitable cases
to Westminster, and more importantly to assess the priorities
of needs of the people of Wales and our country as a
whole – even its landscape.
[EDITED]
I’ve referred this whole issue of jobs for cronies
generally (and gratification) to the National Audit
Office who say it’s not within their remit. I’ve
referred it to the media who say they may look at it.
Everyone says it’s a matter for the Presiding Office
as an abuse of the premises. Has he done anything about
it? Also everyone says it’s a matter for the public
at large to consider what they are paying for with these
generous allowances for "researchers" and if it is really
any value for money in terms of real research bringing
benefits to Wales, or is it just for the pockets of
the AMs cronies?
The fundamental issue here is that the AMs are keener
to line their cronies and family pockets than they are
to seek the best information with which to function
in the interests of Wales as a whole – thus they
not deserve extra "powers" until the present cohort
has gone and a new generation emerged in to Cardiff
Bay
Yours sincerely,
Ioan M. Richard
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