Imagine having to pay a certain fee before having access to the road, excluding the petrol expenses. Privatizing roads and water sounds like something that would bring more improvement and upgrades than what we have today. This is because the private bodies will invest heavily in the project to ensure efficiency; the road maintenance will be something that will be done exactly as needed; the water will be very well treated for human consumption; but then, these enticing improvements will all come at a high cost, and obviously not everyone in need of it will be able to access it.
The thing is, the private industry wouldn't care about how the masses will be able to afford these basic amenities. All they will be doing would be solely for their pockets regardless of how uncomfortable accessing these things will affect the low-income earners in society. Come to think of it, the population of people struggling financially is way higher than those who are well-to-do in our society. So you see, many people will suffer both water and road privatization and it will only create more troubles in our society. People will start struggling with transportation fare again; even the common water, which is vital for everyone, might become so difficult for certain people to afford because of the cost, and it could limit the quantity of water people drink because of its cost, which, of course, isn't good for the body system.
If the private industry is given the opportunity to take charge of the roads and water access to the society, they wouldn't mind putting lots of funds to make sure that the services they render are top-notch. For sure, the wealthy ones in the society will enjoy the services, leaving behind the poor to suffer the aftereffects. It will interest you to know that this private industry is after their profit; they would place the charges in such a way that they must make a profit no matter how much they spend, and by so doing, things will become harder for others, because imagine spending high on water and road access, which is unavoidable; it will definitely affect other areas of life that need financial demands, and what if people begin to do more evil just to cope? Of course it's possible. So issues like basic amenities like this are something that needs to be thought through very carefully before reaching a conclusion.
I understand that when the issues of roads and water in this case are privatized, we will get the best, but the effects on many people shouldn't be overlooked. Right now, the wealthy ones still have their way of going for the best treated drinking water, while the average individuals still have access to tap water and sachet water, surviving by all means without any pressure, and I feel it's better to leave it the way it is now rather than starting what we cannot finish.
Overall, the government is always capable of giving the best to society, but greediness and embellishments wouldn't allow them. Only the taxes gotten from the citizens are enough to keep our road in a good state even without privatization. Even the water access, I doubt if the government still provides it in my country; everything has been survival of the fittest, but in all, let there be no total privatization when it comes to basic amenities. It's really a terrible thing to consider, even though privates can give us quality services.
This post is in response to the #HiveLearners community contest on the topic titled, Private Industry.
Image 1 & 2 are mine while image 3 was gotten from canva
