From twitter:
So I just want to share my CORPORATE experience on Covid19 with the UK Gov. A thread.
I work for a successful medium-sized manufacturing company, which makes moderately clever electrical items.
When the UK gov asked for makers of ventilators, we responded.
We assigned one person to act as point man, who went online to register us, only to find the website the minister mentioned didn’t exist.
24hrs later there was an online form available, which he filled out.
After a week of silence we lost patience and started emailing.
None were answered. With a bit of fiddlery, we got phone numbers and started calling. We were passed from pillar to post, no-one taking responsibility.
We then contacted the local (Tory) MP, who took 24 hours and an increasingly “we’ll tell the press” tone before answering
That MP put us onto her barrelled assistant, who sounded very conciliatory and took notes, but then:
Silence.
We were then offered *VENTILATORS*- actual, functioning, certified, save-lives, VENTILATORS by a far eastern supplier who KNEW the UK was in deep, deep trouble.
We immediately offered these onto the MP and our govt. contacts.
Response – NOTHING
That was about the time the Dyson/ JCB horseshit story about ventilators broke, and I *personally* think that was proof enough, at that time, that Herd Immunity remained the strategy, just with maximal culling. There isn’t a corporate view, AFAIK. We’re a business.
We’ve heard NOTHING since. Not a squeak. Not even “no thanks”.
The offer of ventilators has passed, and I guess they are now going to a more enlightened country.
Since furloughing, we’re running the 3D printers in the labs flat out making visor parts. I’m doing the same at home.
But a whole factory & supply chain has been ignored.
With the stories of ventilator manufacturers getting contracts cancelled, I am not surprised.
So next time you hear “straining every sinew” and “Herculean efforts”, you can take it from me, they’re lying.
I don’t know if they’re incompetent, or murderous, or both, but they’re utterly, utterly dishonest.
It’s all true. The problem for companies is that they know this government is vindictive and litigious.
I have not named my company, nor signed NDAs.
However I am keen to keep my job. I see it as the role of the press to ASK companies about this. AFAIK, no calls.
Neil Cheesman
