- Jun 6, 2007
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Tons of people especially politicians are jumping on the this BP Escrow Account idea band wagon, they are clamoring that the White House has to get BP to put $15 or even more billions of dollars in an escrow account and let a third party pay off "Gulf of Mexico oil leak" claimants with this fund. Creating this large of a fund is a colossally stupid idea, politicians directly or indirectly will be controlling this fund and they will be dishing this money out like people on floats in the Mardi Gras parade give out beads to attendees of the parade, they will squander this money and the communities and people this money is meant to carry through this oil leak catastrophe will be left hurt. Everyone has to remember BP can't print money, there is limits on how much the victims of this Gulf Oil Leak can get out of BP, and this BP money needs to be spent wisely because the reality is there won't be enough money to fully fix all the harm caused by this oil leak.
With respect to BP's financial liability over this Gulf leak, BP needs to stop living in the dream world they have been living in. BP needs to get it completely out of their head any thought of paying dividends to any stockholders for the next five to seven years. One and only one accomadation should be made for BP stockholders for the next seven years apparently a lot of Briitish people for patriotic reasons have their pension money in BP stock - the British government should set up a fund for these pensioners who need the Bp stock dividends to live and pay monies equal to the expected dividend and BP can reimburse the British government for these payouts which overall should be a modest sum. But BP management needs to be crystal clear that for the next five to seven years BP is working for the people that live on the Gulf coast this leak is a catastrophe and their paying the bill. BP has hurt these Gulf coast residents bad, not only have they really hurt their environment but they have hurt their economy and way of life for years to come because even if the fish from that region are not contaminated with oil toxins for years to come which seems completely counter to reasonable expectations there reputation in this area is damaged for years to come, human nature will lead people to the conclusion of questioning the safety of that region's fish so the Gulf's fishing and tourism industries are going to be taking big hits for years to come. BP needs to recognize that if it was any other oil company they would almost certainly be facing bankruptcy over the liabilities connected with this Gulf oil leak; it is only because they are the national pride of one of our greatest and most loyal allies, the United Kingdom, that most American people want to see BP as an energy company remain a strong and healthy company and survive this ordeal. But don't neglect the American people here, it is going to likely take the better part of decade to fix the damage here for the people of the Gulf Coast BP needs to get it fully in their mind and heart their on the team for the full trip; otherwise, the American people will have their head.
This whole Escrow fund idea which is being developed is an unwise manner. A $15 to $20 billion dollar fund isn't going to be enough to pay all the claimants from this Gulf well leak. Authoirities need to forget about a fund to pay off claimants on this leak, on resolving claims authorities should let the civil litigation process take its course. The function of this escrow account should be facilitate individuals, companies and state and local governments to live, stay in business, meet their duties and the like until their claims are resolved in the court system. This escrow fund system should work like this. BP has forty five days from receiving a claim to pay and set up an ongoing payment schedule for an individual or business claimant providing enough money for that claimant to live, stay in business and the like until their claim is resolved. If BP doesn't meet this deadline or provide a satisfactory result to the claimant within those forty-five days the case goes to an independant mediator who when that mediator makes a ruling that a claimant should receive a certain amount of money until their claim is resolved this mediator decision on monies can be paid out of the Escrow fund. Their can be set-up by BP in conjunction with the Government parameters for the mediators to operate by so they aren't order excessive payouts. BP should put six billion dollars in this fund so that everyone knows that Santa Claus isn't coming to town. The parameters by which the mediators operate by don't all have to put together in a week. Parameters for individuals and small business should be able to be established in a week to ten days and get this part of the mediation program up and running and for issues like payments to local towns and states that can be handled a little later. Let's everyone keep in mind, there is a real challenge in stopping fraud among claims here - consider the fraud that occurred from Katrina, claimanants will be overestimating their prior incomes, underreporting their current income, etc.. If America wants BP to act responsible toward the American people, the American people have to act responsible toward BP!
With respect to BP's financial liability over this Gulf leak, BP needs to stop living in the dream world they have been living in. BP needs to get it completely out of their head any thought of paying dividends to any stockholders for the next five to seven years. One and only one accomadation should be made for BP stockholders for the next seven years apparently a lot of Briitish people for patriotic reasons have their pension money in BP stock - the British government should set up a fund for these pensioners who need the Bp stock dividends to live and pay monies equal to the expected dividend and BP can reimburse the British government for these payouts which overall should be a modest sum. But BP management needs to be crystal clear that for the next five to seven years BP is working for the people that live on the Gulf coast this leak is a catastrophe and their paying the bill. BP has hurt these Gulf coast residents bad, not only have they really hurt their environment but they have hurt their economy and way of life for years to come because even if the fish from that region are not contaminated with oil toxins for years to come which seems completely counter to reasonable expectations there reputation in this area is damaged for years to come, human nature will lead people to the conclusion of questioning the safety of that region's fish so the Gulf's fishing and tourism industries are going to be taking big hits for years to come. BP needs to recognize that if it was any other oil company they would almost certainly be facing bankruptcy over the liabilities connected with this Gulf oil leak; it is only because they are the national pride of one of our greatest and most loyal allies, the United Kingdom, that most American people want to see BP as an energy company remain a strong and healthy company and survive this ordeal. But don't neglect the American people here, it is going to likely take the better part of decade to fix the damage here for the people of the Gulf Coast BP needs to get it fully in their mind and heart their on the team for the full trip; otherwise, the American people will have their head.
This whole Escrow fund idea which is being developed is an unwise manner. A $15 to $20 billion dollar fund isn't going to be enough to pay all the claimants from this Gulf well leak. Authoirities need to forget about a fund to pay off claimants on this leak, on resolving claims authorities should let the civil litigation process take its course. The function of this escrow account should be facilitate individuals, companies and state and local governments to live, stay in business, meet their duties and the like until their claims are resolved in the court system. This escrow fund system should work like this. BP has forty five days from receiving a claim to pay and set up an ongoing payment schedule for an individual or business claimant providing enough money for that claimant to live, stay in business and the like until their claim is resolved. If BP doesn't meet this deadline or provide a satisfactory result to the claimant within those forty-five days the case goes to an independant mediator who when that mediator makes a ruling that a claimant should receive a certain amount of money until their claim is resolved this mediator decision on monies can be paid out of the Escrow fund. Their can be set-up by BP in conjunction with the Government parameters for the mediators to operate by so they aren't order excessive payouts. BP should put six billion dollars in this fund so that everyone knows that Santa Claus isn't coming to town. The parameters by which the mediators operate by don't all have to put together in a week. Parameters for individuals and small business should be able to be established in a week to ten days and get this part of the mediation program up and running and for issues like payments to local towns and states that can be handled a little later. Let's everyone keep in mind, there is a real challenge in stopping fraud among claims here - consider the fraud that occurred from Katrina, claimanants will be overestimating their prior incomes, underreporting their current income, etc.. If America wants BP to act responsible toward the American people, the American people have to act responsible toward BP!
