The Welsh Government’s priorities have been called into question following the First Minister’s announcement this week that it is to buy Cardiff Wales Airport from the private Spanish company Abertis.
Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, said he was astounded by the Mr Jones’ announcement and wondered where the Government’s priorities lay considering the already significant demands that exist on the public purse and the years of Government failure to improve the economy, the NHS and education provision.
He also questioned what benefits the people of Montgomeryshire would receive from this nationalisation and whether it would compromise infrastructure projects already planned for Mid Wales.
Commenting, Mr George said:
“I believe that the role of government is to provide first class public services and create the conditions for a prosperous and competitive economy rather than pursuing ideological utopia where everything is owned and controlled by the state.
“Again we see where the priorities of this Government lie – spending millions of pounds on acquiring infrastructure in South Wales – while patients in Powys are forced to wait for longer than any other patients in Wales for treatment.
“What on earth makes Welsh Government Ministers think they could run an airport when they can’t even manage the Welsh health service?
“It also begs the question of where the money to buy the airport will come from.
“Are we going to see millions of pounds sucked away from Mid Wales to fund what could become a substantial financial albatross around taxpayers’ necks?
“I sincerely hope this nationalisation does not jeopardise any of the key infrastructure projects planned for Mid Wales, otherwise the First Minister will have a lot of explaining to do.