Sunday 22 April 2012

Credit Where Credit's Due!

Great news to see manufacturing back on the up in Gorseinon after years of decline. But while Labour appear keen to attach their name to the official opening of the car plant at Heol Y Mynydd, Gorseinon, let's give credit where credit's due...


"AS deputy mayor of Gorseinon, I would also like to wholeheartedly welcome Toyoda Gosei's decision to    increase its workforce up to 500 new employees over the next five years at their Gorseinon factory.
This is excellent news for our town and it is great to see the old Valeo site bustling with manufacturing activity again after years of disuse.
However I feel compelled to write because your report on April 6th failed to mention an unsung hero — the man who single-handedly brought Toyoda Gosei to Gorseinon.
That man is Ieuan Wyn Jones, Plaid Cymru's Deputy First Minister from 2007 to 2011. It was Mr Jones who led a trade mission to Japan in 2008, where he held talks with Toyoda Gosei executives and persuaded the company to invest in Gorseinon.
I have to say it was quite galling to read a report which was dominated by local Labour party politicians queuing up to take credit for this news. They were quiet and wringing their hands when Valeo and the Bryngwyn Steel works were closed under a Labour Government a decade ago.
They did absolutely nothing to protect high quality manufacturing jobs in Gorseinon back then."
Councillor Darren Thomas
Plaid Cymru