Monday, May 14, 2007

Keeping it in the family

Funy guy posted a comment that deserves a full posting.

"I have just read the Caernarfon Herald and see that none other than Dafydd Iwan is heading Gwynedd Council's Gwobrau Gwynedd / Gwynedd Business awards for 2007.My question is simple, how can he be the front man in their publicity campaign and still have his own business (Sain) entered and apparently being short listed to the final?All this smells of a rat and makes you think how legitimate this and the competition in general is.Surely people inovled in this competiton (which is advertised as being a prestegious event) can also put his own company in the hat. Usually, when companies such as Cadbury's or Rowntree's run competitions, everyone involved (including family members are excluded) Dafydd Iwan and his company SAIN, should be ashamed of themselves. But then again should we be surprised about Plaid and Gwynedd Council's actions?My statement is simple, Sain should be removed from the competiton forthwith and Dafydd removed from Gwynedd - No not Gwynedd Council, but Gwynedd in General.

Concerned Resident of Gwynedd"



So I checked and sure enough there is DI on page 25 of the Herald smiling happily at the prospect of collecting a business award from his council (Creative Industries Award). I note the judging is independent of the council and see no reasaon why this successful businessman should not collect a gong from his council. Perhaps we can arrange an award for another of his succsessful companies, Arianrhod, as well given the success that was recently revealed about their property portfolio in Caernarfon.

6 comments:

Cwlcymro said...

That would be Arianrhod the not for profit organisation right? The big story you hoped the Caernarfon & Denbeigh would run on election day? The story they dropped because they realised that, as an NFPO, DI wasn't making a profit out of the increase?

Find a real story will you!

Cymro said...

Martin, I think that this is a bit below the belt. This is hardly going to get e new generation involved in local politics, is it? 'To be a councillor, you can have no connections to anyone or interests anywhere'? Councillors get a comfortable but not obscene deal - around £14,000 a year - so are we insisting that they have no other income?

If Dafydd had no part in judging, but was involved in promotion in his role as a councillor, what exactly is wrong here? I'm all in favour of scrutiny, but if you see something wrong, tell us what it is!

Martin Eaglestone said...

Sources suggest that you might need to check the "not for profit" bit as it seems the company has shares and shareholders. So someone is gaining whatever the benevolent front that is presented.

Cymro said...

Martin, it is not unusual for NPOs to have shares and shareholders. The point is that the company is not run to make a profit. So the shareholders buy shares which helps to pay for the start up of the company. Then that's it - no dividend, no profit. It's really simple actually. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and even Amnesty International run as NPOs.

And, back to the point - is there a single shred of evidence that Dafydd Iwan used his influence to get Sain shortlisted. Coupled with what I explained above, the reasons for your posting this seem to be to stir up a non-existent scandal. Why else - can you actually explain what's wrong?

Cwlcymro said...

So why didn't the C&D agre with your "sources". From what I understood this was supposed to be their big election day story until they realised it had no substance whatsoever and left it as a small letter on the letter pages instead. (Similar to your big scoop to the BBC on the Plaid posters on "public buildings" in Penygroes right?)

Cwlcymro said...

(Because lets be honest Martin, if the Labour mad C&D don't feel that a Plaid-bashing story is truthful enough to print, your 'facts' must few and very very far between!