Would DAG/DST be willing to put out a weekly progress report / new to the membership?
It is awfully quiet now and I wonder what are DAG/DST doing. For many days, the silence from the top is deafening! IMHO this creates a normal reaction from the ones who are hanging in there (I would venture a guess: because they are in the over 50K bracket): abandonment!
Would DAG leaders not be willing to at least put out a weekly progress (or God forbid lack of it)? How on Earth are we to be trusting that these folks are still working hard to reach our goals if there is no communication from them?
(19 votes)
Weekly Progress report
We quite agree. We are very grateful for all that DAG/DST are doing for us and for our part, we are trying to do our bit by giving proxies and contributing to the legal fund. However we have to say that we find the website quite overwhelming and difficult to navigate - we find it quite hard to find out the current status. All we really want is, as suggested, a brief weekly progress/status report.
Many thanks.
DST update
Sorry!
Time flies and we have people on holiday at the moment..
Please feel free to nudge me, nixi, if you feel we are behind on this!
Here is what we are doing at the moment:
Thanks
Nick
I thought we had 4 members of
I thought we had 4 members of DAG on the committee of inspection.
DST Update
Many thanks for the update. Can you elaborate on your statement that you are
"corresponding with debtors of KSFUK who are highlighting cases of corruption with E&Y"
Sounds worrying to say the least
DST Update
Very grateful to receive the update which I hope will be circulated at reasonable intervals.
Whilst I appreciate it is probably not feasible to include absolutely everything in your update, two items immediately come to mind.
Iceland's proposed accession to the EU should not even be remotely considered until the KSFIoM depositors have been fully reimbursed. Is DST following this up with theEU? I apologize if the matter is already in hand.
What about the loans made to Iceland by the IMF and various other countries. I recall they were conditional on depositors being fully reimbursed. I would hope this would include the IoM?
I recall from a previous entry someone has lodged a complaint or whatever the correct terminology is with the EU to have this whole debacle investigated. The complaint has been accepted by the EU. Is DAG/DST following up on this?
Bloomgate
take a look at www.bloomgate.co.uk
It has been highly censored but you will get the gist..
DST UPDATES
We agree that it would be helpful to have an update from DST from time to time. But I would like to think we have got past the bickering stage and would hope that DST and HNW groups could perhaps bear to get out some sort of jointly agreed programme and perhaps provide us with updates together. Weekly is perhaps too frequent. What about every 14 days or even monthly?
We are also interested in getting some real facts about the group now that we are down to more manageable size. How many of us are there? How many of us are bond holders (we are not)? What is the total of creditor outstanding monies after DCS payout? How many of us are in the UK? How many in IOM? If ever it came to organising demos that sort of information is invaluable. We are in for a long journey so the better our basic knowledge of our group the better we will communicate and act. Could the committee be persuaded to get this information from the liquidators?
More sense from Banna! Yes,
More sense from Banna! Yes, we'd all like regular updates and sometimes get frustrated by the silence. But spare a thought for those who've beavered away at the sharp end of this for over 9 months now. They have lives to live too with jobs, families.... Are they not allowed any rest or holidays? Can we not show just a little patience while everyone takes a bit of a breather after the intense period leading up to the liquidation and the Creditors' meeting? There have been quiet moments like this before - but have no fear, the fight goes on. I for one have definitely not given up - and I know I'm not alone.
Banna is right - we need to regroup. But it cannot be done overnight. Keep the faith!
Regular reports from DAG/DST
I fully agree that depositors should have regular updates from DAG/DST. Like other depositors I have willingly contributed over the months to various initiatives.
However, there has been a deafening silence of late and I, in common with other depositors, would like to know what DAG/DST are actually doing. For example:-
The Icelandic govt are going to apply for EU membership. The UK and Netherlands govts have indicated that this should be conditional on depositors in their jurisdictions being given their money back. Does this include the IoM?
The IMF and various govts made loans to Iceland and I believe they were also conditional upon Iceland refunding depositors. Does this include the IoM?
Letter to MEP
If you want to write to your MEP contact me and I can give you their name and address.
Here is a copy of the letter that was sent out last year but it would be worth sending again .
Copies in various languages are available.
Dear [MEP Name],
I am writing to you as my MEP and as a [depositor/bondholder] in Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander (Isle of Man) Limited (“KSFIOM”), a bank in the Isle of Man (“IoM”) which was placed into provisional liquidation in the IoM on 8 October 2008. Since that date myself and several thousand retail savers have had our life savings frozen causing us great anguish and uncertainty. Iceland has so far refused to acknowledge its responsibility and offered no assistance.
I am writing to you to implore you to ensure that Iceland and Kaupthing Hf meet their obligations, under the Parental Guarantee that was lodged with the IOM authorities and used to promote KSFIOM as a safe place for people to put their money.
We politely suggest that meeting these obligations must be made a primary condition of any consideration regarding the accession of Iceland to the EU [and/or joining the single currency]. A member state, or indeed prospective member, of the EU must accept certain moral obligations to the citizens of other member states to ensure that retail depositors are protected against systemic upheavals in the financial system. All other member states in the EU have accepted this the case and found appropriate ways to guarantee the retail deposits held in other subsidiaries of Kaupthing Bank Hf.
Additionally I would seek your advice on how best to lobby for support from within the European Parliament and other institutions of the European Union to ensure that Iceland is forced to acknowledge its responsibilities in this matter.
Thank you for your time in considering this letter and I look forward to hearing from you further in relation to this matter.
Yours etc
[Name]
Thanks Bellyup
Have written to all 5 of our MEP's using your draft.
Re letter to MEPs
Thanks bellyup for this prompt. I have now sent this letter (French version, updated in the first paragraph to include date of liquidation) to 8 of the 9 MEPs for my constituency. Note that we don't have a single MEP, but several from different political parties or groupings elected by a proportional system.
The details of MEPs by country and constituency, with email addresses etc, updated since the elections in June, can be found here:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/public/geoSearch.do?language=en
Nothing venture....
An excellent letter to MEP's
An excellent letter to MEP's from bellyup. Unfortunately, as a resident of Jersey in the Channel Islands, we are not in the EU and consequently, do not have a MEP.
I'm still more than willing to fire off a letter using bellyup's draft but it would be a futile exercise in directing it to any Jersey politician.
If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.
@ barrona MEPS - Friends & Family
One option is to ask friends and family if you can write to their MEP's. That way we can each get to many more MEPs around Europe.
@barrona
The number of comments on this thread should give us an indication about how many are even reading this (forget about voicing their opinion on this subject). Also, look at the number of on-line users: has dropped dramatically since the vote on the creditors’ committee (incidentally the last publicized DST and HNW activity). My conclusion is, sadly, that on the top of the scarce information from the leadership, people have resigned to waiting for the crumbs to start falling form DCS or the liquidator and be happy about them …. I hope I am wrong about this but the signs are all pointing in this direction.
I believe columbgc's
I believe columbgc's comments are incorrect. I access the website daily and reply as and when I feel it necessary to do so. I, like many others in the 50k plus bracket are of course, concerned about my deposit and am certainly not resigned or waiting to fall from the liquidator's table.
However, I measure my comments carefully and do not write in just for the sake of it.
I reiterate what I requested earlier today.We need to know the present position from DAG/DST. Have they given up on the objective of a 100% return of our money?
Activity / DAG DST communication
I have just returned from two weeks travelling with very limited internet access. Normally I access the website at least daily and like Barrona only reply when I feel it necessary / useful, or to add something regarding my activities that is of interest.
I actively chase MoJ and HMG generally concerning our plight and attempt to draw interest from media organisations at every opportunity. FYI I am around double the 50k, and have no intention of giving up on receiving 100% of MY savings through the actions of a bunch of incompetent and dishonorable politicians.
Fully agree that a regular (say weekly) update from DAG /DST would be extremely well received, maintaining DAG members informed and also believe this could well stimulate more to join in activively participating in actions. Many look for guidance / orientation as to how they can help.
Weekly Updates
I would add my name to the list of depositors who would like a weekly , just a summary of the key issues/achievements
Waiting to see what will happen.
barronna and Crouville 1 What are you both doing to get our money back may I ask? Are you taking any positive action or just sitting about waiting to see what will happen next?
Waiting to see what will happen
I resent the insinuation from conned that I am sitting around waiting to see what will happen next. We all have different ways of expressing ourselves and I have no intention of entering into a heated debate about this.
I am in the category of a plus 50 k depositor and had hoped to purchase a property abroad this year for my impending retirement with my wife.
I see no real value in You Tube or Twitter and in any event, I do not own a computer and have no intention of visiting an internet cafe.
The only way the return of 100% of our money is going to be achieved is by a concerted well coordinated effort and in this regard, I rely on DAG/DST whom I will unequivocally support.
Barrona
Sorry you are so angry with me but I don't understand why you do not wish to visit an internet cafe? You support the DEPOSITORS ACTION GROUP. On the Internet you could click on YOUTUBE and support my video, DON'T BANK ON THE ISLE OF MAN. A protest song about United Airlines forced them to compensate a passenger. My video on YOUTUBE is on page one of Google, pperhaps it will force the IOMG to compensate us. By the way, you have just sent a post telling us why you are not doing anything to get your money back??
followed BellyUp's advice
I just followed Belly Up's lead and wrote to my MEP which seems to be more productive than it was in October now that Iceland are looking for entry into the EU.
Conned should perhaps consider tempering the aggressive, "what are you lot doing? I am the only one who cares and who does anything" approach as the arrogance is getting a little wearing.
Agree, weekly updates and more info
I agree with these comments. After having given my proxy vote to the creditors committee, and foregone my early application for the DCS, I almost feel let down by DAG and HNW. Should one be able to feel like this? We can hardly call ourselves a group, after all. It is with a very bitter feeling that I too am starting to resign myself to receiving my own money back in dribs and drabs over the years, like variably apportioned pocket money.
One problem may be that this forum site, as useful as it has been, and all gratitude to ng and others who have made it work, is no longer quite suitable. If we are, as one comment suggests, now only around 700, I wonder if there could be a more secure version of this forum site for us to be able to work more as a collective. I have ideas, but prefer not to air them on this site because of its very public nature.
@broke2
" If we are, as one comment suggests, now only around 700," - just look at the on-line numbers and draw the conclusion. There is a good chance the attendance / activity will drop even further after the DCS pay / 14.5% dividend. I am also inclined to support a tighter identity control for the site. The main problem fro ng is how to implement it. Yet, the summary of activity from the DST HNW could be disseminated by email using ng’s facility.
@columbgc
Yes, how to restructure the website to make it more secure is a question for ng.
I wonder if geo groups could be brought back to life, not as online forums so much as face-to-face groups. Admittedly, some people are in remote regions where there may not be others in the same predicament who one could meet, but in that case some sort of online forum like yahoo groups or emailing could be set up. DST and HNW would then email geo groups and we would share ideas between groups again, either through this website or through emailing.
It depends how much more active life there is in the campaign to get our 100% back, and what directions it should take. DAG and HNW are the people who will know. Back to the same question really: Let's hear from them!
UPDATES, OVERVIEW and CLEAR DAG MESSAGE for ANNIVERSARY
More updates are needed. So many questions big (such as Iceland, the Parental Guarantee, and the EU) and small arise and we are left wondering whether DAG Team have taken them on board and are acting. Given that we know they have so much to do, all we can ask for is a lead. What can we act on realistically as a group and where do they think the thrust should be - Iceland, MEPs, media. It is clear Government, many MPs (most?), the Isle of Man politicians, the press (with exceptions) are not interested in hearing from us unless we can deliver a succinct message that will rekindle their interest. We should be preparing for the 1st anniversary of the demise of the bank now with one voice. A clear message to the press about where we stand and what we are trying to do to get back100% for all will do for a start. We need more information from the legal team as to whether the claims we are making can be upheld, for example, in the call for an independent inquiry in the UK. What part, if any,should we play in the big scheme? I'm all for independent initiatives but we work within a group and for that we need an overview.
MEP
Just written to our MEP giving him the whole sorry tale of our misfortune. Now waiting for a reply!