Friday 10 October 2014

The latest ESCAS position. Help stop twisting of truth and lies.

Yes some of the usual suspects and some bright new players in the BS games that surround ESCAS breaches and the current common mistruths and deception floating.

The latest is the horrible aghast were supposed to nearly lose consciousness over is the shocking number of ESCAS breaches that have hit a horrible height of 36 complaints.

When I have challenged that number things got weird. I pointed out there were indeed to date (10/10/2014) exactly 36 complaints lodged since February 2012.

HOWEVER...

We can actually look at the figures properly and get a more accurate view. Before we do, lets just add that even one single confirmed breach is one too many. I think its safe to assume everyone thinks that way. The only positive is, each breach proven is another step closer to greater improvement. So while I would like to see zero breaches, I'd hate to see a single breach with no improvement.

Now the "36 Complaints" broken down, dusted off and properly looked at in context.

Its 36 reports, not 36 breaches. Of those 36 reports there are 8 still pending assessment/investigation.
So seeing we cannot prejudge we'll leave them out of the equation because just because there's a report doesn't mean there was a breach. The history of ESCAS proves that point.

So now we're down to 28 reports in 2 years and 8 months.

Lets go deeper so there's even less deception than the "36 complaints" cry.
Of the 28, there were 11 that were not breaches at all.

So we've gone from 36 complaints down to 17 Breaches...NOT THE SUGGESTED 36
Gee the numbers are less than half the suggested 36.

But like any good Tele-Sales Marketing gimmick..."Wait there's more", well there's more to make the number less.

Yes we're looking at 17 confirmed breaches, but what exactly does that amount to?
Well 17 breaches is indeed 17 too many but how close does that number reflect what happened?

Well glad I asked...cos this is a blog and I have to ask for you.

3 complaints were regarding ONE consignment. Yep its still 3 breaches and even 3 on its own is three too many, however it wasn't 3 serious breaches on 3 separate consignments.

So now we're looking at 15 consignments. What's the lay of the land here then, because 15 is too many also.

Well whether the department classifies it minor, major or critical they're all unwanted, but having said that one involves a confirmed number of 8 sheep definitely breaching ESCAS.

Down to 14 consignments with complaints lodged, investigated and breaches recorded.
One was a breach confirmed on 2718 sheep out of 100,000

Down to 13 consignments with complaints lodged, investigated and breaches recorded.
One was a breach confirmed on 2 sheep with "possibly others" but not confirmed.

Down to 12consignments with complaints lodged, investigated and breaches recorded.
One was a breach of a total 4 cattle confirmed "leaked" or went outside ESCAS path

Down to 11 consignments with complaints lodged, investigated and breaches recorded.
One was a breach of a confirmed 114 sheep "leaked" or went outside ESCAS path

Down to 10 consignments with complaints lodged, investigated and breaches recorded.
One was a breach of a confirmed 9 cattle that "leaked" or went outside the ESCAS path

Now looking bad still, but no where near the 36 complaints nor the suggested millions of sentient beings tortured and destroyed.

We should add at this point the number of Industry "Self Reports"
So far there have been 8 Industry Self Reports. Now keep this in mind, so far on of those was a report where a consignment ended up at 3 abattoirs that were not on the exporter's list of "Approved Supply Chain", Oh but wait there's more. Technically a breach, however the 3 facilities were all adhering to full ESCAS standards even though they weren't on the exporters list. Technically a breach, but not actual physical animal welfare breach at all.

So 4 breaches actually surrounded the fate of 129 head of livestock total.

Then is gets even more interesting. One breach has the added comments that there was no evidence at all of any ESCAS breach right up until the Government of the destination country took control of the consignment and all livestock was lost from the exporters control.

One breach is too many. One animal suffering is too many but never ever let anyone fool you with inferred or inflated claims which are as removed from reality as some of the people peddling them

Look closely and don't be fooled.

Ok now for the humourous part...Now if you're only interested in actual accurate facts stop reading. If you want to see some funny fakery defences of the use of 36 when its actually wrong, well read on.

There were 2 folk I came across who were peddling the "36 complaints" that I engaged with. My hope was to not just challenge their thinking, but get them to challenge their thinking. Here's how it went.

Foil #1 informed me its 36 complaints, is repugnant and despicable number so it stays. I repeated but you've basically included not guilty verdicts amongst the breaches, its quite irregularly, false and misleading. The reply I got was "What don't you understand, its 36 in black and white"

Foil #2 informed me they'd decided 36 stays due to the severity and shocking track record of inspectors not to mention the corruption with the overseeing department who are essentially working for industry. I said its still not 36 breaches, you're including what are essentially "not guilty" verdicts and the ones where there was insufficient evidence supplied by the complainants. Apparently the corruption is so bad "36" stays.
 
I said you can't include complaints that resulted in not guilty and (paraphrasing) I said ' what if I lodge 36 complaints against you for professional medical misconduct when clearly all 36 cannot get a guilty verdict, can I then run around for years say you had 36 complaints for professional misconduct against you?"
 
Now this point I thought was quite easy to make and easier to understand, because I thought it was obvious both of us knew that Foil#2 wasn't a doctor or even anyway involved with medical practise.

Foil#2's reply was (again paraphrasing) 'makes no sense that argument, I'm not a doctor'
I quickly said I know that, always did know that...the point was 36 complaints are not 36 convictions or 36 breaches, no matter how quickly you say it.  
 
Now, lets get to the alleged corruption.
Foil #2 when pressed referred to this...
 
 
Now I should say from the outset I don't know any investigators involved with ESCAS, but going by that article, no one can say ESCAS is compromised and none is suggested.


DON'T BE FOOLED - TEST ALL CLAIMS
THERE'S SOME REAL ROT IN THE WOODPILE
 
 
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