Public Services; Vultures Closing In
P Layton | 18.06.2001 15:58
The Sunday Times has published a list of companies whose share price is likely to rise as a result of farming out public services to the private capitalists.
June 17 Sunday Times 'Money' section is very gungho about the possibility for nestegg investors to cash in on the oncoming service lottery.
Heathcare &c is now big business, as the talk of diversification and mergers starts to mimic that of international offshore banking concerns.
It is a persistent question regarding exactly why Labour wants to go about it in this way, especially when the treasury has so much money to spare. The answer may lie in the GATS [#], the WTO General Agreement on Tarriffs and Services, which is specifically designed to oblige governments to open up their public services to overseas (in practice USA) health companies, who are meeting with a saturated market at home.
[#] Not to be confused with GATT, which is of course what turned into the WTO itself...
Here are the companies vying for the pie, as stated in the Sunday Times:
TOREX: Plans to replace NHS computer systems. to tune of £1 Billion. (Share Price: 645p)
iSOFT; Ditto. Uses Microsoft products (SP: 240p)
NESTOR Healthcare agency. Has 200ooo workers on its list. (SP: 572p)
MEDICAL SOLUTIONS: Pathology services, inc cancer diagnosis (SP:75p)
HUNTLEIGH: Bed manufacturer: NHS will need about 7000 more. (SP: 317p)
OASIS: Dentists chain. yes, quoted on stock exchange. (SP: 36p)
HEALTH CLINIC: Opticians, but planning to diversify into dentistry. (SP: 218p)
AMEY: Construction company. Builds roads, hostpitals, schools and is angling for a cut of the Underground sell off. (SP: 365p)
INTERSERVE. ditto. (SP: 522p)
SERCO: Ditto. (SP: 422p)
BALFOUR BEATTY: Ditto. Theres a familiar name (SP: 192p)
CAPITA: Outsourcing company. Appropriately named. Much favored by Labour government, who gave it a £50 Million cotract. Recruits teachers. (SP: 492p)
NORD ANGLIA: Runs and manages schools, esp nursery. A government 'preferred bidder'. (SP: 270p)
Heathcare &c is now big business, as the talk of diversification and mergers starts to mimic that of international offshore banking concerns.
It is a persistent question regarding exactly why Labour wants to go about it in this way, especially when the treasury has so much money to spare. The answer may lie in the GATS [#], the WTO General Agreement on Tarriffs and Services, which is specifically designed to oblige governments to open up their public services to overseas (in practice USA) health companies, who are meeting with a saturated market at home.
[#] Not to be confused with GATT, which is of course what turned into the WTO itself...
Here are the companies vying for the pie, as stated in the Sunday Times:
TOREX: Plans to replace NHS computer systems. to tune of £1 Billion. (Share Price: 645p)
iSOFT; Ditto. Uses Microsoft products (SP: 240p)
NESTOR Healthcare agency. Has 200ooo workers on its list. (SP: 572p)
MEDICAL SOLUTIONS: Pathology services, inc cancer diagnosis (SP:75p)
HUNTLEIGH: Bed manufacturer: NHS will need about 7000 more. (SP: 317p)
OASIS: Dentists chain. yes, quoted on stock exchange. (SP: 36p)
HEALTH CLINIC: Opticians, but planning to diversify into dentistry. (SP: 218p)
AMEY: Construction company. Builds roads, hostpitals, schools and is angling for a cut of the Underground sell off. (SP: 365p)
INTERSERVE. ditto. (SP: 522p)
SERCO: Ditto. (SP: 422p)
BALFOUR BEATTY: Ditto. Theres a familiar name (SP: 192p)
CAPITA: Outsourcing company. Appropriately named. Much favored by Labour government, who gave it a £50 Million cotract. Recruits teachers. (SP: 492p)
NORD ANGLIA: Runs and manages schools, esp nursery. A government 'preferred bidder'. (SP: 270p)
P Layton
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