Beppe Grillo's Blog: Eau de Paris, merde d'Italie

Eau de Paris, merde d'Italie

In defence of public water
(04:09)

In Italy we are always slightly against the flow.
In France, in Paris water will return to being public from 1st January 2010. The mayor, Bertrand Delanoe has not renewed the contracts with the multinationals Veolia and Suez. Water will be managed by a public body called “Eau de Paris”. The saving for the people of Paris will be at least 30 million euro a year.
In Italy, the non-Parliament has transformed into law, a decree that makes public water private. The Ronchi law sets out that the percentage of public capital in the companies that manage water is not more than 30%.
Water is a natural right of man. Not a business. Wherever the management of water has been privatized, its price has gone up, doubled, tripled. Whose is water? It’s ours. It belongs to our towns, our regions. It’s the rain that falls from the sky. The multinationals and the ones who voted for the Ronchi law can go and F*** off. Have they done the law? I will start a referendum to repeal it. The next V-Day will be for water, for our life. In Spring, after the elections. They will never give up (but is it in their interests?). Neither will we.

I’m publishing the text of a telephone interview I gave recently.

Matteo Incerti: "Beppe Grillo, public water is basically in great danger?"
Beppe Grillo: Look, here the tricks, rather than public/private, are in the semantics of what it means to be public and what it means to be private: we have to be very watchful, because the reaction, when you say “we want water to be public”, they say: “but it is public: the water sources are still publicly owned, give the management to the private sector with a 30 /40% public share in the management of it and so what are you grumbling about? Water is still public property and the management is private”. This is the hellish trap because, what determines the market situation, is the one that manages it and not the ownership of the source. They are the pipes, and the distribution of the water. It’s like energy, it’s the same thing: who has the pipes, the wires, has the effective ownership. Another distinction that you have to make is that when a company becomes a corporation and it handles the water for a province, for a town, for a city or for a region, it is subject to takeovers and thus a corporation that manages water can be bought and there’s another situation: that who effectively manages the corporation is not the one with the majority of public/private shares, 49 and 51%, that has nothing to do with who manages the controlling package of shares. Do you remember that “Tronchetti-the-unhappy” managed Telecom with 0-0.8% of ownership of shares? Another thing, the incredible thing is that the corporation has reference points that are not the users of water, but its shareholders and consequently it has to go off and make profits, get the share price going up, sell broken piping, not do repairs, raise the price of water. Where there’s been private management there’s been an increase in the price, there’s been chaos. Water is not only what is drunk, but it’s what is distributed in all senses. We need a substantial reform of the concept of water, how a house is built and thus the water management in the houses with double piping and the recovery of rain water, the water that goes into the washing machines and the dishwashers for the first wash, then goes into the toilet flush, the water in agriculture, where 70% is wasted. 70% of drinking water goes to agriculture, half is wasted with incredible management that is anti-technological. Water is behind any type of energy, anything is done with water, a car needs 400,000 litres, a suit 40,000 litres, a drink of orange 10 litres. There’s always water behind anything, so water is the principal thing, together with energy. It is the energy of the future and it is absolutely necessary that the word “private” disappears from its management, from its ownership and from the word “water”! “Private” and “water” are two oxymorons. They should never meet! Water is public property. It should be publicly managed by a transparent network: any spending on the water system, on the charges and on the increases should be justified to the citizens through the Internet, who can make proposals, take ownership of the charges or have a discussion on the charges, that is a transparent discussion on the prices, on the maintenance, on the real costs together with the citizens. This is the management of the future of water!”

Comments

How valuable water is? Today 31 countries are experiencing a water shortage. The World Bank said that by 2025, two-thirds of the world population will be short of clean water. The rush for water is on. Corporations are scrabling to buy water rights, privatize publically owned water systems promote bottled water and sell "bulk" water by transporting it from water rich areas to markets desperate for more water.

Ten years ago, Fortune magazine wrote, "...the dollars at stake are huge. Supplying water to individuals and companies is a 400-billion dollars-a-year industry. That's 40% of the size of the oil sector and one-third larger than global pharmaceuticals. And this is just the beginning..." Johan Bastin, of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said, "Water is the last infrastructure frontier for private investors."

If that's the case, -and that's the case-, one can understand Silvio's enthusiasm for privatizing water in Italy. A few private individuals will profit big time. And who knows where he fits in all of this. Privatization of water is theft, it will condition democracy, the water flow will be manipulated, rate hiked, service will deteriorate and no one will be accountable.

Economic factors effect other questions. In the case of water privatization the repercussions on human rights are crucial. Water is a resource basic to our very own existence. No water means dehydration and death, no water means less sanitary conditions leading to poor health. The moment prices for water are set, social inequality increases. The poorest that must do with less water, live more difficult lives, lessening their human dignity.

When water is unaffordable and not physically accessable a litany of basic human rights are denied: work first of all, adequate food, good health, enjoyment of cultural life, and the right for future generations to natural resources are all denied. Water must be protected by the state by keeping it under public domain and by passing anti-pollution laws. It must
make sure that water is available to all, especially to people that can't afford it or individuals unable to get to the water source.

Posted by: louis pacella | November 21, 2009 07:23 PM

WATER BELONGS TO ALL THE SPECIES , INCLUDED ALL THE HUMAN BEINGS. WATER BELONGS ABOVE ALL TO NATURE AND TO ITSELF. .

WATER MUST NOT HAVE OWNERS.
IT MUST NOT BE STOLEN ;FENCED,IMPRISONED,MADE DICTATURE.

WATER MUST NOT BE CONSIDERED PROPRIERTY OF SELFISH , SPOILING OR/AND POLLUTING ALL PEOPLE ONLY BECAUSE CRIMINAL INTO OR OUT LOWS AND RICH AND FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO ALSO WANT CLAPS FOR THEM.

WATER DOES NOT NEED OR WANT OWNERS, MASTERS...
ATERWANTS ONLY BE RESPECTED AND BEING FOR EVERYBODY AND THE OTHER SPEFCIES AND ELEMENTS.

WATER IS A FIRST RIGHT TO EVERYBODY AND ALL THE SPECIES . GOD CRATED WATER , WHATEVER WE WANT TO BELIEVE CREATED WATER , THE RICH DID NOT CRATE WATER (AND THE OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS), THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED BY GOD AND HUMAN RIGHTS OWNERS OF WATER,FOOD,LIVING SPACE.

WATER CAN NOT BECOME OR BE CONSIDERED HERITAGE OF THE RICH PEOPLE WHO CAN FENCE THE SPRINGS AND LET PEOPLE PAY FOR WATER.IT CAN NOT BELONG TO DICTSTURES, REGIMES OR MAFIA OF SEVERSAL(OR MANY ) KIND.

IWATER S FOR EVERYBODY ,FOR ALL THEW PEOPLE AND THE OTHWER SPECIES. AND WATER BELONGS TO WATER, TO ITSELF,IT IS ALIVE AND SPRING OF LIFE.

A CHI APPARTIENE L `ACQUA ? TO WHOM DOES WATER BELONG ?

The United Nation must make sure, guarantee ,defend water and food for all the huaman beings and the the other species. And the land,soild,living space,breathing good air and dignity in existing to be a must by the leaders of the States to all the people and the encironment.

To be ensured,guaranteed ,for sure , and a decent house too, a harmonious capable enough to host happily a family or two families,and the health to be ensuered,guarantead to all the people.

They should also speak (and conclude positive and very soon start for) and active
the urgent solution during the Copenhagen meeting at December 2009.

This I hope. It is time to change page and start a better inerpretation on the meaning about our staying living for what , what we are doing in this world.It is time to start really doing better for everybody,the clime,the environment,the human being everywhere and no more worst that beasts living even if we say we are better than the animals, judguinbg the facts about our behaviour at global level we are not.Animals are similar or even better than us.

We want to survive.

Prove of Text ( 2 ) :

What is water ? To whom should belong water ?

dOES ITBELONG TO YOU? hOW DO YOU DARE CRIMINAL CAPITALIST OR OTHER YOU ARE,GET OUT.WE DO NOT WANT YOU STUPID.WE WANT SURVIVE.WE WANT CHASNGE BEING A STUPID-INTELLIGENT SPECIES TO BECOME ONLY INTELLIGENT AND GENEROUS AND SOLIDARITY SPECIES. A SPECIES WHO HAS NOT TO BE ASHEMED OF ITSELF.

Who could and who could not survive,drink,eat, have a harmonious confortable house with a yard and a yard in common accordinbg the ebst intentions of the Sustanable development ?

Water is not only H2O ,not only a chimical formula ; it is much more,it is an essential part of whole life as we know life, including our same life, as human beings from the kings to the othe rpeople,etcetera,nobody exscluded. Water is an essential element for life, of whole life,as we mean this and like encompasses us too,
at global level. And at global level we want survive an have and make life better.At evely stages.If we all are involved really we can. Water is most part of our blood ,without water we all die and the other species die.

To become owner , exclusive(or by lobbies) owner,master of all the water become owner of all the world nd all the people and the othe r species,tye conqueror of wrld and may be the universe. Doe this danger really exist ?Yes indeed. It does.

Drinking water for all the people and the other speciwes, always.

Mineral water or not mineral water,water is water and nobody should be considered become poissible owner of water,we all are and the other species are too made above all by water .

Water should not have private owners and gates and off limnits. But alas ! We are not living in such a perfect world and where is man there is also his same shadow (or his same shit).

At global level nobody should be considered the only (or a group of power`s) owner of potable water , drinking water and of all the water (and all the soil,all the land and living space, and of quality breathing air and the the sky):they belong to everybody and the other species, and because of this thyey should have not private owners or off limits boarding lines or off limits.

When Human being (all the human geings) will learn to act not as selfish and cruel monsters but like having dignity and respect of the others and tehmselves creatures ?

We all are terrestrials and not extraterrestrials.Earth is our only common house and Country to live in peace,respect and solidarity.

Water,food,living space ,harmony houses, co-operation and solidariety should belong to all of us(everybody)and the other species.

Water,the soild, land ,living space, quality air and food and everything should be consideerd Human and the other species patrimon by the United Nations. Or are they already considerd being ?

Having a harmonious decent house, potable water, quality food, same quantity (in long and large) yard or common living space, paths, quality breathing air and Sustanable development should be considered a must, no not an idea, a duty, by UN (ONU ),to be considered Patrimony and culture of all Humanity in favour of Human space and the other species and the natural elements anyway .

T resure and patrimony ,Heritage of all humanity and the other species.

Today to be real patriot means defenbd all this, in peacxe and respect and against all the arrogants,overwhealming dictatures and dictators of the world even if they like to show off and say of themselves that they are democratic people.They are not.Robbers are robbers. Do we want survive ?We have,at global level,the possibiklity,a whole chamngement for dignity,respect, oeace and solidarity is needed.

Those who steal water,steal food from the mouth of the children anbd theier families or similar, stealing living space, soil ,land, trees, plants,springs,rivers,costs, mountings,savanhas ,
praterie,

the mountings, all the world ...everywhere should be considered insane , instable, dangerously crazy or dangerously criminals and treated as such ,they are dangerously crazy. Robbers are robbers and money can not be considered God.

Can some,may some, by money one or many (but not everybody) get all the things,all the world and corrompt human dignity ? No ! They should not be allowed, et `s us speak franckly.

Oil ,water,food,soil ,land,living space, quality breathing air ,and so on.

Who is going to be the next to want all for himself(or a one only Country or hundreds or few lobbies ) to consider themselevs the owner of everything ? Something or verything (and everybody) belonging only to thermselves or him,or her, and making wars an terrorism to defend what is not their own but everybody`s ?

Drink water , good water, drink and dink it as much as you can untill you can.

The trained to kill American Pit Bull Terriers Staffordshire Bull Terriers and so on( bull and type breeds,Rottwilers, sort of bandogs of any kind, will defebnd sstupidily their selfish and arrogand and overwbearing owners,masters..

They have money and influential recommnendations and controll the world.They want all the wordl and even more,tyey want to poass to history as heroes and havibng claps, the want immortality and during life get all the best anbd let not the othe rpeople have.They make suffer the needy.

Thyey want all for themselevs and also be clapped. So they want all the oilo and all the water,till the last drop.And all thge food and all the most beautiful women(or men)and all the other conforts. They woulkd like never to suffer or die,they ma<zke the other people ti suffer and to die.

The climatic warming is going on. The business for themselves is sure. If nobody will stop these crazy or criminal people, so powerful they are(if they meet a real poet they kill him or her ), they will drink all the potable water ,by they large throughts and big tommies and arses till to bang, to explode life for atomiuc. Or pollution over the top. And unjustice over the top.

Who do they think to be ? Lord Muck ?

May tyey die before they steal all the things (including drinking water and all the food,all the living space, etcetera.. at global level wwe . Please good Lord, let them all chande mind or let them die before they steal everything and let us again and again(endlessly,in a lot of manners) become and remain slaves .

May you be blessed our Good Lord.

Vladimiro Rinaldi,

born Italy, Rome,working class area of Tiburtino Terzo,on the 16th March 1942 .

www.apoesidi.com

Posted by: Vladimiro Rinaldi i | November 20, 2009 07:12 PM

This post reminds me of what happened in Puerto Rico a few years ago. The public water system was privatized with bad results. The government had to take back the water and make it a public comodity. It's simple, water is a right not a possessión to be traded or sold.

Posted by: Michael Castro | November 20, 2009 03:21 PM

The privatization of the energy and transport sectors has been a massive scandal everywhere and in particular in Britain. The cartel of corporations that control our water, electricity and gas supplies as well as trains, buses, roads and bridges have made fortunes for their directors and shareholders thanks to being able to increase prices whenever and however they wish. Customers cannot go elsewhere. Nationalized monopolies have merely become private monopolies.
But there is a danger. Privately owned companies traded on the world's stock markets can be taken over and controlled by international interests such as sovereign funds giving foreign states the power to control our energy supplies. In a world where precious energy supplies are diminishing and the demand through expanding populations, increasing, this cannot be allowed. Governments must take back control of these national assets to avoid what could be the catalyst for military conflicts in the 21st century.

Posted by: peter fieldman | November 20, 2009 11:17 AM

pity they couldnt do something about the french stealing the world cup qualifier from ireland

FIFA fair play my arse!

as far as the water is concerned its the usual shafting for the italian tax payer.

ill get the vaseline ready to try and make it less painful.
theres nothing else you can do.

we aren't looked after by anyone. no one represents us. politicians represent their own interests. berlusca is the perfect example.
Forza Italia?

Posted by: pat kerr | November 20, 2009 11:03 AM