Sir, - I have waited patiently, but in vain, to hear or see a kind word from any source about the executive or staff of the poor old Blood Transfusion Service Board (BTSB). I spent my last 20 working years there, and I say without equivocation that from top to bottom the public were as well served as they'll ever be by good, able selfless and totally dedicated men and women, who did boundless good without trumpeting. There must be thousands out there who have good reason to know that what I am saying is no more than the truth. I am not offering a raw opinion. My earlier 20 working years were spent at home and abroad with multinational and other established organisations which gave me the chance to evaluate their workings and those of related organisations. The BTSB did not suffer at any level by comparison.
So, whatever happened then? Who made the Big Bucks and what was the motive for the BTSB's misfortune? Answer: no bucks were made, and no apparent motive has come to light. The explanation appears to lie with those gremlins, to which your colleagues often refer, who attack regularly and relentlessy to teach human fallibility to even the most dedicated. Fortunately in most cases, (unlike this one, alas,) these attacks merely result in losses of lots and lots of money.
It is time to move on. It remains for the "instant experts" - one of whom demanded overnight closure! - to halt and humbly ponder on the value (if any) of their expertise; for the political footballers to return to their dugouts; and for the arena to be handed back to the real heroes and heroines of Blood Transfusion; namely the volunteer donors. Those will, I hope, return in even greater numbers to serve mankind as they have done so selflessly and so successfully in years past. - Yours, etc.,
Woodpark,
Dublin 16.