Madam,

Needless to say, as a professional mariner with over 50 years’ experience in seaborne operations all over the world, I am stunned by the RNLI’s decision to withdraw all-weather capability from New Quay lifeboat station.

The move will mean an enormous amount of sea area being removed from the range of the newly proposed lifeboat deployment which will primarily deny safe coverage of the coast from Aberystwyth, Aberaeron and south of New Quay.

The decision, in my view, has been made to save money instead of saving lives. It is a betrayal of the RNLI’s raison d’être.

When I first went away to sea in the 1960s, the management and operational use of ships and their complements was a matter for experienced seafarers who could never be accused of overspending. Yet we had fleets of ships which served a purpose admirably.

In the '70s and '80s, all industries witnessed and even suffered the ascendancy of accountants into the management systems. The saving of money and tick box compliance became the prime motivating forces instead of the original reason for existing. I see this now happening in the management of the RNLI in its opulent ivory towers down in Poole.

The RNLI is a charity that relies on its members for funding. It receives an annual income of well over £170m a year from donations and has assets of over £600m, earning considerable interest. It also manages to pay several six-figure salaries to people already in receipt of considerable incomes and pensions from previous employment. It cannot be ever referred to as a poor charity.

Why then does the withdrawal of ALW coverage from New Quay become a financial sacrifice.

One obvious question raised is why do Barmouth and Pwllheli both warrant ALB coverage when the ranges overlap so much. Surely the Atlantic class RIB would be better utilised at one of these stations with New Quay receiving one of the ALB replacements?

Vice Admiral Paul Bossier, chief executive of the RNLI, is a man I admire. He has had a distinguished naval career, “hands-on” as opposed to a “desk sailor” type career, and must have experienced several severe financial cuts to naval funding during his time.

I challenge him to step up to the plate and explain to the people of south Ceredigion why his accountants have decided that the fishermen, yachtsmen and users of our coastal paths no longer justify all-weather coverage from the RNLI.

Yours etc

Capt Huw Lewis, Bro Allt y Graig, Aberaeron.

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