5th April 2011, 11:11 PM
Marcus Brody Wrote:I do think, however, that bodies providing curatorial advice should not also undertake commercial fieldwork or consultancy. This applies equally to Council units, Trusts and commercial firms. I've never understood how it's possible to avoid a clear conflict of interest where one body undertakes both roles.
Conflict of interest? This was some gobbledygook invented during the 80s. There were plenty of local authority units around in the 70s and 80s, prior to the 'liberalisation' of archaeology by the Thatcherites, who were able to provide a top quality service without the question of conflict of interest ever raising its ugly head. My argument at the time when we were told that we had been 'conflicting our interests' was that if you went to a doctor and he told you needed an operation, you wouldn't care too much if his surgeon colleague in the next room carried out the procedure......you certainly wouldn't insist that they created so called 'Chinese Walls' where one was discouraged from consulting with the other. You might actually think that lack of communication was dereliction of duty rather than conflict of interest.....
With peace and consolation hath dismist, And calm of mind all passion spent...