From: Mike Smith, Huddersfield.Sir, YOUR "Power and pay" analysis (Yorkshire Post, January 14) on the region's movers and shakers was most enlightening when viewed against the challenge of restoring our economic fortunes. Of the 50 names listed, 38 are paid directly out of the public purse and "produce" nothing. It might also be assumed there are several subordinates in their hierarchies on salaries and bonuses not too far behind. Only seven of the 50 names might qualify as "industrial" and producers of goods or services essential to restoring our economic recovery; assuming you can include ice cream in that. Among the seven, three are in charge of public utilities having effective monopolies with captive markets and one at least with a large State subsidy. The majority can certainly claim to be movers by virtue of the amounts they have managed to move from the public purse into their private bank accounts. I am less certain about the shakers bit unless it refers to their contributions to shaking the foundations of our economic recovery. One has to wonder if the absence of more business entrepreneurs in the list creating real wealth for our region is because their rewards are nowhere near those of the names listed, or have they more or less disappeared?
A VERY frightening letter!
