A beaten docket
Will our only Green MLA Brian Wilson be celebrating the turn of the month, or crying into his fair trade coffee? That may depend on what happens on the world oil markets.
The North Down MLA has placed a £10 bet that the price of oil will hit US $100 a barrel by December 1st. If he wins he intends to give his winnings to the Fuel Poverty Campaign. So his bet is less a money making venture more an attempt to use the bookies as a way to illustrate his case that we will all be beaten dockets if we don't develop renewable energy sources soon.
What are his chances? Well when I checked a moment ago the oil price had fallen below US$96 down from its historic high of US$99.29 last week. Brian, your tenner may be about to go up in a carbonaceous puff of smoke.
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Apparently it's not a bad bet what with markets yielding poor returns coupled to the credit crunch those that have money are investing it in key resources. You guessed it - oil.
So when credit runs dry and people go under this then becomes compounded by the biggest inflationary driver i.e. the price of oil, it subsequently goes up because the wealthy business people start hedging their bets in stocks and shares associated with energy.
And you wonder why people hate estate agents, careless bankers and the fat cats.
It's not capitalism per se thats the main problem, it's the financial system and those heavily involved in it trying to wring out the last dollar for shareholders who don't know what its like to have a poor Christmas.
A suggestion for Brian Wilson to help Fuel Poverty Campaign is for MLA's and members of the executive to share cars instead of having hundred's of government cars driving round the country. People from the North West like Mark Durkan, Gregory Campbell and Mitchell McLaughlin should share a car and on their way in to Belfast pick up Gerry Kelly in North Belfast. It would reduce carbon emissions and boost morale. Also, Brian should lobby his colleagues in the assembly to buy their own fuel instead of getting their fuel paid for by the Tax Payers. This way Fuel Prices here in Northern Ireland and in GB will reduce. If the likes of Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling had to pay their own, then fuel would be about 70p a litre or less. The Green Party would then earn my vote.
Martin, are you suggesting that MLAs forsake one of their best perks - the tax free milage allowance? If you look at their claims, most of them must spend half of their daylight hours on the road... MLAs - bad for the environment & bad for the taxpayers' pocket.
Well it looks like its now $100 a barrel! If only Brian had held the bet untill January! Hard Luck Brian!
the solution - elect more Green MLAs. Responsible, forward-thinking and effective.