[You may be told that Guenir is Britain's Gary North. Not true.]

21 September, 1999

TASKFORCE 2000 ROUND UP WITH 100 DAYS TO GO:

ITS TOO LATE TO COME THROUGH UNSCATHED - BRITAIN NEEDS PRIME MINISTER TO TAKE CHARGE SAYS TASKFORCE 2000

....Key public services at risk.....

....Contingency planning seriously inadequate....

....International supply chains may break down....

....Advice for businessmen doing business overseas to be issued soon....

With 100 days to the century date change, Taskforce 2000 today stated its views on the UK's preparations to combat the Y2K computer problem. For some time, Taskforce 2000 has believed it is too late for many large companies and parts of the public sector to come through unscathed.

Robin Guenier, executive director of Taskforce 2000, said: "Nobody can predict the outcome of Y2K for the UK or the rest of the world. However, we do know that many large UK companies and parts of the public sector are in difficulty. Fixing everything is impossible. Although the UK is more advanced in its preparations than most other parts of the world, we can take little pride in being the best of a bad bunch.

Taskforce 2000 believes that Government and business still do not really understand the problem. Guenier continued: "For too long Y2K has been seen as a techy, nerdy subject, concerned only with fixing computers. It's isn't. Y2K is one of the biggest management problems ever faced. It is not exclusively a 1st January, 2000 problem: its effects will be felt long after the date change."

"We have fallen behind and Government must take much of the blame. It has constantly sent out confused, even contrary, messages: both trivialising and over dramatising the issue. With such leadership, how are the rest of us supposed to take Y2K seriously?"

Taskforce 2000 believes poor management by Government and business will exaggerate the inevitable difficulties. "Problems will build up," said Ian Hugo, assistant director of Taskforce 2000, "and these will cause, at best, ripples across the economy for several months. We will also be impacted by what happens around the world, with supply chains likely to be badly disrupted. We stand by our view, expressed early this year, that companies and Government are at serious risk from death by attrition or 'death by a thousand cuts'."

Taskforce 2000 also said today:

Some key public services are at risk as Y2K programmes continue to fall behind. There is particular worry about progress at local public sector level: for example, within the emergency services, hospitals and local authorities. Without detailed information about progress, little confidence can be put in official Government sponsored statements such as Action 2000's discredited traffic light system. Companies and Government need to rapidly advance their contingency planning efforts - in many cases these are lightweight and untested. As they stand, they may well fail to deal with major problems. In particular, these plans should be widely communicated so that business and ordinary people know what is happening.

Robin Guenier concluded: "As it is too late to solve all the problems, the key focus must now be on minimising disruption. Therefore, we call on the Prime Minister to give a proper lead. This is an emergency and only his personal involvement and intervention can change the course of events."

Taskforce 2000 will be issuing its advice to businessmen doing business overseas early next week. For further information, contact Rob Wilson Tel: 01252 811117.

Editors note: Taskforce 2000 was set up in July 1996 by the then Minister for Science and Technology, Ian Taylor. Taskforce 2000 is a not for profit organisation, committed to minimising the impact of the Y2K problem. It acts as an independent watchdog, ensuring that business and the public have accurate information so that informed decision-making and contingency planning can be made.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 23, 1999

Answers

do you have a link for this old git?

btw.....thanks for all your work in posting what's going on "over there" : )

-- andrea (mebsmebs@hotmail.com), September 23, 1999.

Sorry, thanks for the reminder:

http://www.taskforce2000.co.uk/homepage.htm

Scroll down, check news releases on the right.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 23, 1999.

Thanks for this website, Old Git. We are still gathering info to present to "Mr. Boss" from Belgium when he is here. UK is an important link. Also I read in another thread that Lucent was in trouble. This is one of Dh's customers which opens another bag of worms. Even if the company can still produce next year - and ship - what if the customer base falters and fails? With broadscale internal problems -purchasing managers aren't going to let go of $1M for another machine. It's hard enought to get them to let go as it is. But this is the scenerio that will be replayed over and over again, next year - in many companies large and small. But we don't have to worry about the economy over here, right? uh huh

-- April (Alwzapril@home.com), September 23, 1999.

April, those folks might believe the Telegraph reports--it's classed as a conservative newspaper. You have to subscribe but I've never had any spam problems from them. After you've subscribed, don't use the empty box to search, click on search in the index. That way you can put a date limit on things. Remember to search on "Millennium Bug" rather than "Y2K." URL is:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=000154642417163&rtmo=qsJsqxd9&atmo =qsJsqxd9&pg=/et/home.html

Also see BBC, which has a more cumbersome search engine but no subscription--SURELY they'll believe the BeebCeeb!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/

(The Times has been Rupert-Murdoched so they won't be swayed by any of those articles.)

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 23, 1999.

Thanks, Old Git. I'm hustling for anything that might ring a bell for the Belgian folks. I admit, though, in my gut, I know it is too late. I guess what I am hoping for is contingency planning. Also, they keep setting up meetings, over there, late in the year. I don't want Dh to fly over there in November. Maybe he'll get the flu - yeah, that's it, the flu - terrible thing - sorry, can't make it....

-- April (Alwzapril@home.com), September 24, 1999.