Public involvement in Commercial archaeology

[troll]

I don`t feel that there is any justification for the exclusion of the public and particularly, during the lifetime of commercial projects.There seems to be a notion that it would be unsound to allow members of the public onto a working site for health and safety reasons.Yet it appears to be perfectly reasonable to have scores of members of the public on site all day, every day as workers.I don`t get it.I think that the current commercial environment in its secretive and semi-covert garb, does itself no favours.On the one hand, we generally agree that we all "own" our nations heritage whilst on the other, we adhere to clauses of client confidentiality and exclude the public at all costs.As a token gesture, commercial reports are then placed in a mysterious depository known as SMRs.The public at large have never heard of such a place and a goodly few reports are written in a bizarre and mysterious archaeo-speak anyway.We really are not making an effort.I believe that we have a duty to the public-sounds grand I know but- isnt it time that we became accountable, included the public, moved away from naff television docu-fantasies and dull site tours.Citizenship and just what it means to be a British citizen is now on the cards for our schools.Just what information will those classes be based on? Our own heritage has been on the open market for years now.Perhaps this is why the public are held at arms length? :face-huh:

..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)