The ERP a guide to partying like its 1999

In my initial summing up of the launch of the Economic Renewal Programme I said that many of the ideas were ones that in should have pursued been back in 1999 when the Welsh Assembly was set up when a range of factors such as European Money favoured Wales moving on economically.

That came to mind after I read UK Progressive’s take on the launch of the ERP from Denis Campbell, its Editor who echoes similar sentiments especially in the case of Broadband roll out and the wisdom of lining BT's pockets with taxpayer’s money when cheaper alternative technology to provide broadband for rural Wales is available via Wi-Fi.

He writes ‘Broadband? Seriously, the Welsh Assembly Government is talking broadband? In 2010? We’re surely not in Kansas anymore Toto rather in a nation ready for 21st century business growth. It’s time to party in Wales like it’s… 1999.

In an era where smart Blackberry and iPhones, iPad tablet computers, social media tools, telly, radio and Web newspapers delivered via Wi-Fi and portable cloud computing tools like Google Mail/Docs proliferate to bring instant high-speed communication to people where they are, Wales just committed to investing in desktops and stringing wires? Oi vey.

The long awaited WAG economic development manifesto was released today as: “Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport Ieuan Wyn Jones outlined a vision of making Wales ‘one of the best places in the world to live, to work and to thrive’.”

I suppose that can be true if they are also magically transported back to 1999 as opposed to 2011.

As folks on Twitter would exclaim: WTF?

NOW, in the midst of a huge financial crisis the WAG is abandoning assistance to businesses? Of course this also begs the question… when did they ever really provide it?

Real numbers are the closest guarded secrets in all of the government so when a few escaped Friday, UK Progressive got tongues a wagging as several media outlets began to finally ask questions and ponder FOI requests. The last time that happened we discovered rampant expense account abuses at International Business Wales. Who knows what would be found on an 88-person business development junket with govt. leaders?

Here’s your unofficial stock tip of the day. Rush out and by some BT shares because they will benefit mightily from this new announcement. Why are we not blanketing cities and villages with Wi-Fi masts? Every computer has a wireless card or router. Are we seriously going to invest taxpayer money in technology of the last decade?

I was a guest on BBC’s Wales@Work 18-months ago when the debate about broadband was raging and even then we were 10-years behind the curve and technology. Now we’re adding salt to that wound?

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