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Police
Radio's 'V' Officers health - Down-trodden tech companies still give campaign
dollars (25/10/02)
Tramès per Klaus Rudolph (Citizens'
Initiative Omega)
Police Radio's 'V' Officers
health
THE BIG 'TETRA' DEBATE CAMPAIGN DEMANDS HOME
OFFICE APOLOGY
A big debate has taken place today (23rd Oct) in Birmingham on the question
of the new Police Radio system TETRA. It is believed that at least 174
police officers have so far fallen ill as a direct result of using the
new radio handsets, whilst concerns similar to those for mobile phones
are being voiced by local communities across the UK that the emissions
given out by TETRA base stations are harmful to health, particularly children.
HOME OFFICE SAYS POLICE ILL FROM THE EFFECTS
OF TETRA CAN ALWAYS LEAVE THE FORCE
Mast Sanity has demanded an immediate response from the Home Secretary
to clarify the comments alleged to have been made by Dr Mirielle Levy
the Home Office Health and Safety Officer in charge of TETRA in relation
to the 200 plus Police Officers in Lancashire who are said to have become
ill as a consequence of using TETRA radios - "I don't believe
they are sick, they are not sick enough to stop this trial" South
West Police Federation Rep Steve Pearce is then alleged to have asked
about the Police Officers who are ill, when Dr Levy is alleged to have
replied "They can always leave the force. Snothing will stop TETRA
and if the Officers don't like it they can resign". In the her final
statement to the conference proper she is said to have stated that "They
will be studying the health of the police for 10-15 years, but they are
not guinea pigs".
Lisa Oldham Mast Sanity Director: "If the statement made by the Home
Office is Government policy then the Home Secretary must immediately state
in clear terms why the Government are more interested in implementing
a system that has so far been demonstrated to have an effect upon the
health of officers than what should be their primary
concern the health of officers on the beat". Lisa continued "It
is inconvievable that the Government should commit '£2.5billion'
to implementing this scheme, yet spend only '£7.4million' on research
into all aspects of the safety of
telecommunication installations. Which clearly demonstrates that the Government
have little concern for the welfare of individual police officers or members
of the public, whether that is from TETRA or Mobile Phone Base Station.
Their concern being clearly that of financial rather than the protection
of health".
Barrie Trower who was commissioned by the Police Federation to report
on TETRA stated after the conference "This has been a complete farce,
a whitewash, that was more concerned with PR than debating the real concerns
of ordinary police officers on the beat. It is clearly disappointing for
the 200 officers who are ill as they have no representation, and they
are not being believed".
Mast Sanity Chair Chris Maile concluded: "As an organisation that
represents hundreds of local communities we are dismayed at the attitude
of a high ranking Government Official making such irresponsible comments
concerning the health of police officers. This official should be immediately
replaced by a person that understands the concerns of those effected.
These officers that are ill are not imaginary, they are real people policing
our streets, in order to make
them safe, yet the Government is prepared to send them out with tools
that are putting their health at risk. It is now time for a complete change
in policy, along with a moritorium on the further expansion of the system
until it is demonstrated that it is safe".
END.
EDITORS NOTE: For more information contact Mast Sanity Media Office
0161 427 7977 or our national helpline 0161 959 0999. Leading Academic
Barry Trower who attended the conference but was not allowed to address
the delegates can be contacted on 01626 821014.
Please remember to fill in the Mast Sanity campaign registration form
on our website <http://www.mastsanity.org/>www.mastsanity.org.
If you wish to join our email list and get up to date information and
advice from campaigns across the country then there is an application
form available on the website
Informant: Don Maisch
RCR WIRELESS NEWS
Down-trodden tech
companies still give campaign dollars
by JEFFREY SILVA
. October 21, 2002
WASHINGTON-As wireless firms and others in the sickly high-tech sector
announce layoffs, declining profits and cost-cutting measures, they at
the same time continue to pump millions of dollars into campaign coffers
of candidates and political parties. While campaign donations this election
cycle do not reach the levels of 2000, when speculative wireless and Internet
stocks reached their apex on Wall Street, they remain substantial.
High tech and media companies contributed nearly $80 million to Democrats
and Republicans through Sept. 9, according to the Center for Responsive
Politics. It is not by accident that this scenario exists even as tech
firms fight off bankruptcy and angry shareholders. The outcome of the
Nov. 5 midterm elections could shape the direction telecom deregulation
takes in coming years. Telecom consolidation is a foregone conclusion.
Do policy-makers continue to embrace free-market policies and wait to
see who is still standing when the dust settles? Or will they feel compelled
to intervene? Even though Congress moved little tech legislation this
year, a lot is at stake as potentially massive realignments in telecom
and high-tech sectors take shape. That reality and the fact that continued
Democrat control of the Senate and, to a lesser extent, Republican control
of the House, are in play help explain the generosity of tech firms in
this season of political giving. While the Federal Communications Commission
will remain in the hands of Republicans after next month's elections,
the makeup of the next Congress could be key to how free a hand Chairman
Michael Powell has to implement his agenda. If Democrats surrender control
of the Senate to the GOP, the FCC nomination of Democrat Jonathan Adelstein-an
aide to Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle (D-S.D.)-is likely dead.
Following the telecom/high tech money trail, however, is a highly imperfect
guide to political ideology. Companies commonly hedge their bets, giving
to both parties. Moreover, firms tend to give to lawmakers that support
their particular industry sectors and protect them from new competition.
This election cycle, there is added draw for campaign donors-the new Department
of Homeland Security and its $37 billion budget."Millions of dollars
in federal contracts and potential business deals are on the line as Congress
considers what would be the most substantial reorganization of the government
since the end of World War II," said the CRP. "It goes without
saying that business interests in Washington are watching the deal closely,
perhaps more intently than any legislation in recent memory." The
Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association has split its $471,171
between Democrats and Republicans. CTIA members want more spectrum and
freedom from federal mandates. Embattled Nortel Networks has spread its
$402,056 in campaign contributions between Democrats and Republicans.
Motorola Inc. has given much of its $347,806 to Republicans, while Qualcomm
Inc. has divided its $290,983 between the two major parties. Also hedging
bets are Cingular Wireless ($247,540) and T-Mobile USA ($269,000). Verizon
Wireless, the nation's No. 1 mobile-phone operator, has directed most
of its $108,562 to Republicans. Among the high rollers are Microsoft Corp.,
which has given two-thirds of its nearly $3 million in campaign contributions
to Republicans. A year ago, the Bush Justice Department settled the antitrust
lawsuit brought against Microsoft-increasingly a big player in the wireless
industry-by the Clinton administration. SBC Communications Inc., co-owner
of Cingular Wireless, has contributed nearly 60 percent of its $2.6 million
in political donations to the GOP. SBC, BellSouth Corp. ($2.1 million),
Verizon ($1.9 million) and Qwest Communications ($922,000) are anxious
for Congress to remove restrictions preventing them from providing Internet
data services on a nationwide basis. AT&T Corp. ($2.23 million), affiliate
of AT&T Wireless Services Inc., is fighting to keep regional Bell
firms out of long-distance and broadband Internet markets. Loral Space
& Communications, parent of a financially embattled mobile satellite
operator, has given nearly all of its $1.76 million in political donations
to Democrats.
Informant: Don Maisch
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