Professional operations and planning departments are usually the preserve of well run airlines where it is the responsibility of certain people to make decisions. In small organisations such as this, the word of the owner is law. Everyone else keep their heads down to preserve their jobs. Although, talking to one or two people, this grounding was well overdue. Despite all the edicts, and mind numbing paperwork generated by EASA, operators with questionable operating methods seem to be able to hide in plain sight.