PFI stands for the Private Finance Initiative. It is a British government idea, strongest in the 1990s and 2000s: a private company builds something the public needs — a hospital, a school, a road, a prison — and often runs it too.

PFI PFI stands for the Private Finance Initiative是Private Finance Initiative（民間融資計畫）的縮寫。It它 is a British government idea是英國政府的一個做法, strongest in the 1990s and 2000s在1990和2000年代最盛行: a private company builds something the public needs由民間公司蓋大眾需要的東西 — a hospital, a school, a road, a prison醫院、學校、道路、監獄 — and often runs it too而且常常還負責營運。

The government does not pay the whole bill up front. It pays the company back, slowly, for many years, like a very long hire. The promise was: the country gets the building now, and the cost is spread out.

The government政府 does not pay the whole bill up front不會一次把全部費用付清。It它 pays the company back會還給公司, slowly, for many years慢慢地、花很多年, like a very long hire就像一個非常長期的租賃。The promise was當初的承諾是: the country gets the building now國家現在就能得到建築, and the cost is spread out成本則分攤開來。

Though actually, a lot of people later said it was a poor bargain. The total bill was often much higher than if the government had simply borrowed the money and built the thing itself, and the contracts were so tight that changing a hospital ward could cost a fortune.

Though actually不過其實, a lot of people later said後來很多人說 it was a poor bargain這是個划不來的交易。The total bill was often much higher總花費常常高出許多 than if the government had simply borrowed the money and built the thing itself比政府自己借錢、自己蓋, and the contracts were so tight而且合約訂得太死 that changing a hospital ward could cost a fortune光是要改一個醫院病房都可能要花一大筆錢。

You will meet PFI in UK news and politics, not in everyday chat. It is a formal policy name.

You will meet PFI你會遇到PFI in UK news and politics在英國的新聞和政治話題裡, not in everyday chat不是在日常閒聊中。It它 is a formal policy name是個正式的政策名稱。

Many countries have a cousin of this idea called a public–private partnership; PFI is the British brand of that story.

Many countries have a cousin of this idea很多國家都有這個概念的表親 called a public–private partnership叫做「公私合夥」; PFI PFI is the British brand of that story就是英國版的這種做法。