Offensive remarks a sign of poor judgement
1/10/09An attack by Graeme Hicks on Andrew George and the residents of Penzance in today’s Western Morning News suggest he is unfit for office and the wrong man to be deciding the future of the Route Partnership’s scheme for Penzance harbour.
In the front page article Graeme Hicks again denied the scale of public opposition in Penzance, called residents opposing his plans “small minded”, and accused Andrew George of “dithering” and acting as a puppet of the protesters. Andrew George’s announcement of a public meeting in Penzance was described by Hicks as “sinister”.
Andrew George responded by saying “On the one hand Cllr Hicks accuses the people of Penzance of not being “fully appraised” of the plans for Penzance Harbour. But he doesn’t want to use the opportunity of the very first public meeting on the subject to “appraise” them; instead he issues insults and seeks to castigate those who have called for and are organising the meeting”.
We have to ask: can someone who uses this sort of intemperate language in an important public debate, on a matter crucial to the future of the town, act as an impartial judge between the two options that are being developed? He is clearly so fired up, and so intransigent, that it is hard to see how he can be approaching this decision with an open mind.
Graeme Hicks is the Council Member for Redruth South and as the Council’s transport portfolio holder is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Route Partnership scheme. He took up his post in June and lost no time in aligning himself with the Route Partnership’s preferred scheme and attacking local protesters. He immediately called into question the scale of public opposition and referred to the much loved and valued Battery Rocks area of the town as “a rocky bit of land that is virtually unused.”
The Public meeting will take place at St John’s Hall in Penzance on October 9th at 7:30pm.
Full statement from Andrew George : download pdf | view pdf
Western Morning News story