Welcome to Wales?

Submitted by Anon on 6 April, 2006 - 7:30

Gareth Edwards, the man in charge of training staff for jobs in the Welsh tourism industry, has caused consternation by complaining about the number of Eastern European immigrants applying for jobs in the sector. The problem with Eastern Europeans, he says, is that they’re not “local people with local accents”.

He continued, “I don't believe that if you bring someone from Poland, Lithuania or the accession countries that [sic] you can deliver a distinctively Welsh experience:, finally admitting, “It almost sounds racist, but...”

We’ve got news for Mr. Edwards: we’re not living in the fifties any more, and the age of colour or nationality bars for even the most menial jobs is over, smashed by the Grunwick strikers and other workers in struggle.

Thankfully, you can’t say “I’m not racist, but...” these days without revealing yourself as, in fact, a racist. There’s an old Welsh saying which puts it nicely: “Rhyw a hwch ei rhoch” (roughly: if it looks like a pig, expect it to grunt).

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