Sceptics question St Athan ethics

IssueFebruary 2008
News by Anne Greagsby

17 January was the anniversary of the announcement that the Metrix consortium had successfully bid to build a privately-run military academy in South Wales.

The announcement was celebrated by First Minister Rhodri Morgan with a champagne-popping photo-opportunity outside the Senedd in Cardiff.

A year on, the Grim Reaper scattered replica cluster bombs outside the Senned to highlight the core role of arms company Raytheon in the Metrix Consortium.

The people of Wales have never been told that St Athan would make the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) a business partner of one of the world's largest producers of and dealers in weapons of mass destruction.

The Norwegian Government's pension fund has dropped companies involved in producing nuclear weapons or cluster munitions. Included in their decision are both Raytheon and Serco, another Metrix partner.

At the Senned this year campaigners called for WAG to have a full investigation of Raytheon's role in producing cluster bombs and other weapons of mass destruction.

With half the St Athan white elephant already dumped by government as too expensive, the champagne sprayed by Rhodri Morgan a year ago is not only flat but tastes of something vile....

Blood money perchance?

See more of: Wales