Letter: Engine room dilemma

Moneo and In focus (13.01.17) prompted these thoughts on 2017.

I note from Optician’s news column the Optical Confederation (OC) following on the resignation of its charismatic chair, Chris Hunt, is now to be chaired on a short rotating basis between its member organisations. However well-intentioned, this is never going to work.

The OC needs strong independent chairing like the late Sir Richard Meyjes the founding chairman of IPF which begat today’s OC, latterly Don Grocott and Chris Hunt – all hard acts to follow. Perhaps that is the reason nobody can seemingly be found willing to handle this pan of hot chestnuts. Why do I feel OC needs independent chairing because our optics sector faces some very challenging issues with some unpalatable truths needing to be ironed out. Those positive outcomes only likely following the continuity of a long term independent chair at its helm.