Sanctions.

[robpage]

I think one of the saddest things , and I am not pointing the finger at any government on this , but there are vast armies of consultants in the recruitment business , massaging the figures and collecting huge fees from the government , they want sanctioning first .

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, The pakistan government did not know Bin Lardtin was living in Pakistan, How could they see him with the Dollar signs in they eyes? he was a member of a well known very rich royal family, who were in the Iron ladys time great friends to her and favor customers of the U.K. The pakistan government for they help? in sorting the mess out ? had a lot more aid from the U.K.

[robpage]

re well connected but not Royal

From Wikipedia as just about accurate

The bin Laden family (Arabic: بن لادن‎, bin Lādin), also spelled bin Ladin, is a wealthy family intimately connected with the innermost circles of the Saudi royal family. The family was thrown into media spotlight through the activities of one of its members, Osama bin Laden, who was involved in the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on US government and commercial buildings. The financial interests of the bin Laden family are represented by the Saudi Binladin Group, a global oil and equity management conglomerate grossing $2 billion US annually, and the largest construction firm in the world, with offices in London, Dubai, and Geneva.
The family traces its origins to a Hadhrami named Awad bin Laden from the village of Al Rubat, in the Wadi Doan in the Tarim Valley, Hadramout governorate, Yemen. He died in 1919. His son was Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (died 1967). Mohammed bin Laden was a native of the Shafi`i (Sunni) Hadhramaut coast in southern Yemen and emigrated to Saudi Arabia prior to World War I. He set up a construction company and came to Abdul Aziz ibn Saud's attention through construction projects, later being awarded contracts for major renovations at Mecca, where he made his initial fortune from exclusive rights to all mosque and other religious building construction not only in Saudi Arabia, but as far as Ibn Saud's influence reached. Until his death, Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden had exclusive control over restorations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Soon the bin Laden corporate network extended far beyond construction sites.
Mohammed's special intimacy with the monarchy was inherited by the younger bin Laden generation. Mohammed's sons attended Victoria College, Alexandria, Egypt. Their schoolmates included King Hussein of Jordan, Zaid Al Rifai, the Kashoggi brothers (whose father was one of the king's physicians), Kamal Adham (who ran the General Intelligence Directorate under King Faisal), present-day contractors Mohammed Al Attas, Fahd Shobokshi and Ghassan Sakr and actor Omar Sharif.
When Mohammed bin Laden died in 1967, his son Salem bin Laden took over the family enterprises, until his own accidental death in 1988. Salem was one of at least 54 children by various wives.

From PBS

The bin Laden family (and Yeslam bin Laden in particular) have thus had long-standing and close ties to the London/Geneva-based Albilad company, created in the `70s by Mohammed Ben Fahd and taken over by Saud Ben Nayef in 1984. Albilad was the main instrument for negotiation of the Anglo-Saudi Al Yamama agreement. Saudi interests were represented by businessman Wafik Said, while the British side was represented by Jonathan Aitken, a minister in the Major government. It might be noted that a major player in these negotiations was none other than Mark Thatcher, son of the former Prime Minister and very close to Wafik Said.

The Thatcher Connection was through Mark not Margaret

[j.sabourn]

It never ceases to amaze me how the general public are managed by devious politicians. We have a situation here where the incumbent PM is appealing to the public for a further tax to assist in a further assist to certain sections of the physically ill. This is a heart rending plea to the general public which to me spells of political expediency. They have no way of raising the further money except by further taxation which to them will not be their problem, as they with a bit of luck will be out of office. It is a heartstring appeal to the general public. The way I see it every politician wants to leave a legacy that he/she can be remembered by, the only thing that most leave is a bad smell, and think the present one it will be a huge pong, which the general public will be feeling for many years to come. If so much money had not been wasted by such an inefficient government there would have been no need for further taxes. If any further proof was needed of an inefficient government this is it. However as usual it is hidden by smokescreens, they would have been camouflage experts in a another walk of life. John Sabourn

[Bill Bland]

I think one of the saddest things , and I am not pointing the finger at any government on this , but there are vast armies of consultants in the recruitment business , massaging the figures and collecting huge fees from the government , they want sanctioning first .

Never a trueer word spoken.

[happy daze john in oz]

The sad thing about the proposed NDIS post #85, is thta it may never get a gurnsey in the end. Both sides of politics are in favour and yes it is aimed at the heart strings of all. But it will I have no doubt be rorted by many. To date there is just the concept of this scheme which will be put to the prliament for a vote and will get up. But where is the detail in all of this. What constitutes a disability? Ten years ago we had about 140,000 persons listed as disabled in one form or another, now it is 420,000. Where did they all come from, what will happen to the current funding for disabled, why do we have to wait until 2018 befotre the scheme begins? The estimated cost will be at least twice the current estimate, why has the government, a gov that claims to be in favour of social reform, wait so long to introduce this? Maybe a last throw of the dice before they are hopefully gone.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates,Hi Rob Page What you are saying is the late Iron lady. and her son mark did not have any payed trips to there part of the world, and stay in any palaces, and had gifts off the Saudi royal family or done multi millon pound deals for arms' with them? Bin Lardtin ? die some years ago {kidney probelms} He was The so called "Black Sheep " of the family ? the Saudi royal family they never do anything thing wrong.

[Captain Kong]

The Saudi Family have to do what the Wahabis tell them.
The Saudis are the "Respectful " face of the most dangerous, the most extreme, of all extreme Islamists.
The Wahabis control, finance, [ using oil money, ] weapon and train all the world wide terrorists including Al Qeada,
A group that Cameron and Hague and Obama want to assist in Siriya, the same ones that have just killed three of our young lads in Afghanistan and the 440 others before.
Cameron, Hague and Obama should hang their heads in Shame and Get Out of Office.
Brian.

[leratty]

John S, when I read your posts I have to say I am always informed as always erudite with plenty of interesting facts, comments etc. This time I am shocked you know how to write them so well, the oil gas service ships you were on sound condition salary etc beyond appalling, just p.... me off that the owners are able to get away with it in UK. Understand elsewhere. Am I so naive to only now know this has been going on? I am not a union supporter, was not at sea either but recognise they always had their place & uses. Of course many abused their power as I have experienced in my industry some of which I have written about, however the opposite as you have written about should be-have been stamped out, why was it not, is this still going on?

One naive wood duck!

[j.sabourn]

I have lived and worked out in Australia for the past 22 years near enough, so would not know the conditions now as you asked in some uk shipping. However must be others with more up to date answers for you. Cheers John Sabourn