Olympic Security

[TWR]

Is the UK an embarrassment regarding security, / & Border control?

[joeluke]

Yep

[DTCwordfan]

Nope

The Press have been hunting for a goof-up story by the Olympics for months and haven't had a chance to vent their spleen against something that is highly successful and shows this nation in a good light.

The Press are also desperate to get their teeth into the Coalition for selling them down the drain as to the Leveson enquiry that was hoisted on them and all that may emerge as to recriminations and limitations.

There will be always some cock-up in the run in to any big event, ok this is it. The Army etc are more than happy to provide the service - (i) the money they make (ii) the money and bonuses for the soldiers who partake and (iii) the soldiers are delighted as there are all the opportunities of seeing events live, events that they would have had to watch on TV.

In summary, the Press need being put in their box and used as target practice for javelins, archery and shooting.

[joeluke]

.......& Border control DT?

[Messi_Ten]

...yes DT...what about border control?

[ichkeria]

I agree with your first para DT. I do think questions might have to be asked about why the current govt drastically increased the projected number of staff on coming to power and seemed to lose all contact with the problems G4S were having raising the numbers.
None of which means that the security arrangements are a joke.

[237SJ]

No but their management of immigration queues at Heathrow is atrocious at the moment and they don`t seem to be able to do anything about it. Manning the immigration booths would be a good way to start but that solution seems to be beyond their abilities.

[boxtops]

One competitor's already tweeting about his bus getting lost on the way from Heathrow to the athletes' village...

[EDDIE51]

The latest news is that very few of the guards that have been hired and trained by G4S are bothering to turn up for duty. Police forces across the country are having to send officers in to fill the gap.
The Olympics are going to be a great time to turn to crime , outside London that is.

[EDDIE51]

Link here
http://news.sky.com/s...4s-staff-fail-to-show

[EDDIE51]

Just read that in one venue less than 10 guards turned up out of 58 that were needed , the police are having to cover the rest and it is expected to get worse as more venus open fully.
Already 100s of extra police from as far away as Glasgow have had to be sent to London and it could rise to 1,000s ,that is on top of the 3,500 army personnel.
Does any one on AB actually know a G4S recruit and why so many are just not bothering to turn up?

[DTCwordfan]

No on your first part, Eddie; yes on the second - the "rewards" are so paltry to be derisory - and, to make matters worse, they are then expected to find their own accommodation on London, Weymouth etc......

Anybody know any rooms going for less than a hun a night?

The Border control has been an endemic issue for years - ask any foreigner trying to get across T3 immigration at 7am - even eight to ten years ago - I'm afraid to say, yet another legacy of our wonderful Blair regime that needs crapping out.

[237SJ]

I`m not sure that G4S should take the whole blame for the situation. The UK doesn`t seem to have the national pride that would encourage volunteers to turn up and work for the "greater good". Coupled with the lack of a work ethic in this country, we end up with a situation where we have a company whose temporary staff can`t be bothered because a) it`s too much like hard work and b) there`s not enought money in it for them

[DTCwordfan]

Agree with that, SJ, plus the "softer" rewards, like accommodation are not there.

[EDDIE51]

If as DT says there is no accommodation provided then it is hardly surprising few turn up .
My daughter is a volunteer driver and for the early shifts she has to get to Stratford by 6am to collect the car. This is impossible by public transport from North Herts where we live. They tell her not to drive there but it is impossible to get there any other way unless she goes the night before and stays somewhere near , of course they will not pay accommodation , the promised travel cost reimbursement is limited to an Oyster card which is only valid inside TFL area. The food provided for volunteers turns out to be a voucher for a burger at MacDonald each day. It is going to cost her £25 a day if she goes by train or petrol costs if she drives none of which will be refunded
If the arrangements for the G4S staff are similar it is no wonder very few are turning up.

[DTCwordfan]

Buy cheap get cheap.

[237SJ]

I agree with your daughter`s situation (I read about that on another thread) but there are 9+ million people living in London (who don`t need accommodation). Maybe they have more important things to do..

[DTCwordfan]

so what is the London unemployment rate, I have no idea....

[DTCwordfan]

I had a similar story tonight in the pub, from a father of someone driving technical gear around, Eddie......and they need accommodation, and now having to doss down with friends near Winchester.

[EDDIE51]

Forgot to mention, if she drives there she will have to pay parking and the congestion charge again nonrefundable. They have just not though this security/ volunteer thing through . I can see her telling them she can not afford to volunteer, it is going to cost her around £250 to £300 and she is single mum with only a part time job, she will also have to take unpaid leave from that as well. We are going to look after the kids for her or it really would be impossible.

[jamesnan]

I was talking to someone the other day who lies in Wolverhampton and works as a security guard. He will be working 12 hour shifts, in London, and will have a 3 hour journey before work, and again afterwards going home, for which he will not get paid. His working day will be 18 hour plus, and that is without any traffic holdup. There are going to be massive problems over the next few weeks.