By Sarah Johnston, British MPs are questioning the cost of security for the London Olympics. Parliament’s spending watchdog has criticised the ‘astonishing’ rise in price of the contract to provide guards for the games. Last week, it emerged the British Army had to draft in 3,500 troops to help cover a shortfall in security, after the contractor G4S said it wouldn’t be able to deliver on its contract. The embattled security group G4S has faced further pressure after committee of MPs claimed there was no credible explanation for a sharp rise in cost to secure the Olympic Games. Initially the firm agreed to provide 2,000 guards at a cost of 84 million pounds but then requested an extra 200 million after it was asked to provide a further 8,000 staff.
A report by the Public Accounts Committee says this cost hasn’t been justified and undermines confidence in those who are responsible for managing the Games. Labor MP Meg Hillior is a member of the Committee:We raised these issues at the end of last year with, - doubling of the budget for the security costs which was going to the private company G4S. And we were astounded about the way it was just awarded to this company that already won the contact without proper scrutiny. And we were really worried about the value for money for the British tax payers that are obviously funding this. So we’ve got a lot of assurances that it was all fine last December, we had similar assurances as late as late April. And then we’ve seen problems that company couldn’t deliver and we’re rather sad to say we’ve told them so. And we’re really concerned they didn’t have a proper grip of this project. Tags: World, Society, London, Opinion & Analysis, 2012 Summer Olympics, Читать далее, Source: Voice of Russia.
