Sundowner’s failure to cross to Dunkirk with the other little ships is nothing short of a national disgrace, a dishonour to the town of Ramsgate and the Dunkirk veterans.For some time now our local council in Ramsgate has treated our heritage here with what appears to be indifference and now we have reached a situation that is quite unacceptable.
Despite this I really did think there would be some last minute reprieve and she would be allowed to go, well she hasn’t and the council have achieved what Hitler and the Luftwaffe failed to achieve.
When I went down there this morning the crew of volunteers were standing around explaining the situation to people there and frankly it isn’t an easy thing to explain.
I have written to some of the councillors involved and now await some sort of response.
I agree, this situation is a disgrace, filling on all of the hard work of the organisers and local people involved, the Sundowner Situation, which was also picked up on the BBC news leaves a bad taste in my mouth!
ReplyDeleteNo excusses TDC, answers and action are needed.
Wouldn't it be nice for once to see some transparency on this issue from TDC.
ReplyDeleteBut the chances of that are?
The whole thing with the failure of allowing sundowner to join her fleet, to the state that the Cervia was allowed to get into and also the fact that the maritime museum is so run down is a disgrace to T.D.C. they can spend millions on a useless arts centre in Margate and leave our maritime heritage rotting away SHAME ON THEM. We had a lovely time putting on our little exhibition in the museum over 3 days and estimate more than 2,000 visitors ,so it shows that it can be done with a little work.
ReplyDeleteG Boyd.
Trouble is guys, boat is owned by someone, they do not want it to take part, for what reason i do not know. Volunteers are ok, but facts seem to pass their faces without them seeing! Stop blaming the council, and try and look at the political machinations of Cllr Watkins, syrup head of this parish
ReplyDeleteA total disgrace. National Press & TV coverage with the world looking on and we can’t get our local Dunkirk “Hero” into the water to take part. There is no excuse, it can’t even be blamed on finances which our Council so often hides behind, forgetting that they are paid to “manage” them. I don’t know who is to blame for the Sundowner incident, but I wouldn’t mind betting the Council is in there somewhere.
ReplyDeleteThe Council aren't the only ones to blame for the apparent Ramsgate Degeneration policy; we should all blame ourselves for letting the situation go on for so long. Operation Dynamo was a victory snatched from the jaws of defeat. With the Dunkirk spirit we can do the same by making our voices heard. Let’s follow up our Dynamo defeat with our own Operation Overlord and fight them at the Beach, the Harbour, the Maritime Museum, the Pavilion, the West Cliff Hall . . . .
I agree with everybody with all that is said apart from modeltugman. The Art Centre is not useless and all these important areas of interest either old or new should be supported.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do agree that TDC should be ashamed of themselves.
That this was a PR disaster is beyond dispute but, without knowing all the facts, there seems to be some conflict over ownership. One would have hoped it could be sorted and where exactly were the new Ramsgate Town Council in all this saga. Do they not have any influence or are they, as some expected at the time it was proposed, just another talking shop.
ReplyDeleteAs to the Turner money, let us please put that to bed once and for all. That money was only available for that project on a take it or lose it basis. TDC could not have redirected elsewhere even if they had wanted to.
What we must not forget is this is not an event that came as a suprise, We knew 5 years ago it would be this week and detailed planning has gone on for a year. It is an absolute disgrace emergency council meetings to lend EKO 100 grand can be organised at the drop of a hat to save directors and cabinet members bacon, but a truly inspiring evnt like this and tdc is left with egg on its face and shed loads of bad publicity. Game on TDC has done it again.
ReplyDelete