* Book: Global Auction of Public Assets: Public sector alternatives to the infrastructure market & Public Private Partnerships. by Dexter Whitfield. Spokesman Books, 2010.

This book “demonstrates why new public investment priorities are needed with radical changes in global financial markets and the abandonment of the Public Private Partnership model.”

The publishers write that:

“This book explains why public infrastructure has a vital role in economic development, increases productivity, generates employment and improves community well-being.

However, Public Private Partnerships and the global infrastructure market, financed by investment and pension funds, are fuelling a new era of public asset sales. A secondary market has emerged in which schools, hospitals and roads are traded like commodities. Yet, globally, nearly 1,000 PPP and privatisation projects, valued at over US$500bn, have been terminated or radically reduced. Most PPP projects have little or no democratic control or transparency, are costly, poor value, lack innovation and flexibility, reduce employment and exaggerate risk transfer. Global Auction of Public Assets demonstrates why new public investment priorities are needed with radical changes in global financial markets and the abandonment of the PPP model. It sets out a strategy for building trade union and community alliances.”