Until we break the tape we're all losers

Jun 3 2003 By Bill Midgley, The Journal

As with many people, I am a poor loser, believing the individual who considered it more important to take part than to win was an inevitable loser.

But there's one area in which we all continue to lose and that's in the ongoing morass of red tape stifling our businesses, ingenuity, talent and all attempts to move forward.

There is a constant flow of reports on how regulation holds back development, and that regulation for its own sake is more important than looking for ways it might stimulate growth.

Reports that police are bogged down with form-filling, that a new government body prevents improvement in a railway network that would disgrace the developed world, and that bureaucracy in the Health Service prevents much-needed resources from reaching patients are but a few areas where paper is more important than action.

No doubt all involved in business can bore for England on frustrations they experience. I have waited two years for a decision on assistance from one government agency that has developed delay to a high art form. Questions are asked sequentially: one answer just leads to another enquiry, prolonging any need for a decision. No decision, no mistake, no black mark on the promotion report.

It's the process that's taken over not the need to progress. In this case other regional investment may be lost, as well as jobs and contribution to growth.

I shall be accused of being negative, yet again. But we cannot continue to let the stifling of initiative go on. Politicians have given promises, task forces been established, but nothing changes. There may be a case to stimulate jobs in government departments. But this should be a means to help, not deter.

So where do we go? Some politicians have real concern. One way to make a difference is to rebel against undue delay, unjustifiable decisions and use politicians for their purpose, to represent us.

Change will only happen if all take up responsibilities; the business community, all of it which is affected by this negative impact on its ability to compete. We ignore that challenge at our peril.