BRITAIN BEHIND IN SEARCH FOR CONTRACTS
By Ben Rooney
As countries begin to seek reconstruction projects in Kosovo, lack of preparation in Whitehall is hampering British efforts to win contracts.
Until three weeks ago, the Department of Trade and Industry had done nothing following Britain's experience in the 1991 Gulf war, when America snapped up most of the contracts, despite Britain's sizeable military contribution.
It was only at the urging of Colin Adams, chief executive of British Consultancy Bureau, that the Government agreed to set up a task force with the private sector. The DTI denied yesterday that it was dragging its feet, but a spokesman was unable to say when the task force would start work, who would chair it, who would sit on it, or where it would be based. An announcement would be made "in due course", he said.
The CBI said it had not been informed of Government plans despite its urging. A spokesman said: "We have not yet been brought into the process." The CBI has a long record of promoting British business interests in the Balkans.
There is also a concern that the Government's conviction that Britain's position as a major military contributor precludes it from contributing large amounts to a reconstruction fund may work against industry.
If, as is expected, the Germans are going to pick up a sizeable portion of the expected reconstruction bill, it is thought that most of the contracts will go their way.
Andrew Wadsted of Taylor Woodrow, which has been planning for the peace for weeks, said: "We really will need all the help we can from the powers that be. The Europeans have been planning this for some time. They are as well prepared, if not better."
Whether the Serbs would welcome bids from the people who caused the damage is open to question.