| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 28/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 98 |
| Copyright: Other |
Collapse still begs thequestion of whodunnit?
THE DEMISE of Hamilton Travel doesn’t add up – literally. The collapse of the company has been blamed on an accounting error from more than five years ago.Given the facts as they have been presented, our sympathies go to managing director Mark Taylor and his team, who have worked tirelessly to try to make the company profitable and sell it as a going concern.
But there are so many questions that need to be answered. Who made the mistake?Why was it not picked up before?How can an error going back so many years suddenly finish off a business? Is there more we haven’t been told?
Some would say it’s nobody’s business and nosy journalists should keep out of it.
But that’s not good enough when a company has folded with 80 redundancies.
The matter needs to come out in the open to save the reputation of many who previously worked at the company.
If I’d been one of those working at Hamilton five years ago, I would want the company to make it very clear that the problem wasn’t down to me.
Equally, somebody needs to carry the can. If an individual or company has caused the problem, they surely must be accountable in some way.
Thirdly, and just as importantly, other companies should know what the problem was so they don’t make the same mistake.
Any cover-up will just lead to rumours that will tarnish the reputations of good people.
Taylor:worked hard to sell the company as a going concern