Time for Change: Campaign for an Independent Green Thanet MP and Ramsgate Mayor

An article published in Kent on Sunday today, page 27: Talking Thailand Tim Garbutt discusses this week’s events in Bangkok. As I write this the Thai Prime Minister has been impeached and the previous Prime Minister accused of terrorism. The Thai military have removed the Redshirt protestors in central Bangkok and imposed a curfew and the central shopping area has been burned down in protest. It certainly makes British politics seem rather dull - but a deeply sad situation as my wife is Thai and many of our family live in Bangkok. It’s surreal to see armed troops and rioters in central Bangkok around many of the places I know and consider my home away from Kent. Living in Kent – a county not known for its ethnic diversity – it always surprises me how interested people are in Thailand. It may be that good food loosens the tongue as my wife owns the Surin Thai restaurant (www.surinrestaurant.co.uk – try the sea bass!) or fond memories of holidays to the Serene Kingdom. The conflict betwe...

A very sad article in Your Thanet on a child with kidney cancer: losing one, 9 months of chemotherapy, trips to London and the specialist cancer wards at the QEQM. http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=other&refresh=c17M05Ww6z0L&PBID=84956776-5fe0-4064-a733-83aabf1dd4b7&skip= Very sad. A rare cancer too. Unusual. Just like a specialist leaukaemia ward at the QEQM. Unusual to have such a specialist ward at an out of the way hospital. But not to be unexpected though with Infratil and Thor and Richboro and the FireDepot and no details of the toxin levels or cleanup. And the fake monitroing of TDC and Infratil at Manston. With the Gang of Four now reduced to the Toxic Three of Samuel, White and Latchford it seems all the more unusual that we have no public statements on the missing monitors and water pollution – and even more bizarre that with the drinking water supply under the runway planes are still flying. Here’s a weblink showing the aquifer unde...

And the Tourist Office and Museum closed for "improved service"? Ramsgate Town Council now have their accounts plus all costs and invoices available for public scrutiny (they’re also available all year round under FOI – but the Audit Commission can’t sign them off if the public refuse to approve them) yet still no detail of salaries, pensions created and most importantly the costs and contract for the Custom House. Clearly there’s a bit of the 1960’s council secrecy and jiggerpokery in voting for the Custom House instead of remaining and repainting Albion House – and even refusing to vote on the petition of thousands of signatures presented to council over 8 months ago. And the civil servants leading the councillors by the nose. With c.£20M provided by Ramsgate taxpayers it’s hardly a reason to close Museums or Tourist Offices or leave Albion House derelict or sold for flats – apart from the usual miniMargateism that RTC is meant to prevent. The logic of having 2 buildings on...

An item below on the effects of kerosene on humans and wildlife from the BP oil spill in USA: toxiciology expert, Dr William Sawyer, who has made a presentation to the US lawyers representing environmental and other interests after the spill has added to the concern: "The dispersants used in the BP clean-up efforts, known as Corexit 9500 and Corexit EC9527A, are also known as deodorized kerosene," he told the group. "With respect to marine toxicity and potential human health risks, studies of kerosene exposures strongly indicate potential health risks to volunteers, workers, sea turtles, dolphins, breathing reptiles and all species which need to surface for air exchanges, as well as birds and all other mammals. Additionally, I have considered marine species which surface for atmospheric inhalation such as sea turtles, dolphins and other species which are especially vulnerable to aspiration toxicity of Corexit 9500 into the lung while surfacing." With aviation fuel e...

MK airlines has surrendered its air operating certificates to the CAA after being unable to guarantee "service and air safety levels". With Infratil skimping on noise and air monitors with TDC and the last main cargo flight being Cargolux it seems the only way our councillors and civil servants have been able to expand Manston is by removing all the safety measures. With the drinking water supply under the runway - and the MOD Firestation nearby - it's clear that egg on face has been the priority for the Gang of Four rather than public safety. The monitors could have been insisted on back in 2006. They could have been replaced any week since then. No. Better to fake the data and pretend all is well. And still the planes fly. As Messrs Latchford and Ezekiel step down, Ladyman ousted at the polls, and only the Toxic Two of Samuel and White remain to pretend nothing has been going on - and allow Infratil to continue to pollute the area along with the ChinaGate cargo warehous...

An update from Mark Brotherhood of Kent Police who's been liaising with Infratil on overflights and cancer etc: drop him a line or phone if you'd like an update: mark.brotherhood@kent.pnn.police.uk Some bits below on Thor and RTC too. Hi Mark Thanks for your letter from our discussion last week although I’m not sure why Kent Police are referring me to KIACC/TDC or the CAA again. Both organisations have highlightedf these problems several times: noise monitors, water pollution etc. I’d also like to provide a formal witness statement – I’m surprised that Infratil had been interviewed by the Police before speaking to me. As we discussed the 106 is in place but is being repeatedly breached. There are no Council minutes or waiver or agreement or vote for these repeated breaches. Yesterday for example there were c.3 flights directly over the towns in breach of flight paths, etc. Clearly the danger and increased air pollution endangers the public – similar to corporate manslaughter It...

Here’s a letter in Kent on Sunday (P.27) on the election and some of the problems facing Kent and Thanet http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=other&refresh=nX120m3J8Nq0&PBID=d7d2b9a4-64e8-44e3-9e11-33b67854552c&skip= Of immediate concern is the Ramsgate Town Council meeting tomorrow to elect Mayors and Committees – and crucially to sign contracts to leave Albion House for the Custom House. This is an appalling decision given the public support for Albion House (one of the reasons for re-establishing RTC itself) – the only main requirement being to decorate the place after years of council neglect. While having both Albion House and the Custom House on the rates seems silly – especially when none of the costs have been made public. It seems to be another sell-off either for ideology, miniMargateism, property development and bolstering civil service bloat. A year after the formation of RTC, and 2 or 3 years before that of public support for its own...

and stop the construction... A quick note that Ramsgate Town Council has (another!) public meeting on 10th May to sign off accounts (not produced yet), vote on Mayor and Deputy (a year gone already and no candidates announced) and discuss purchasing Custom House and/or Albion House and costs. Or not. It's like a rotten borough of the 1970's isn't it? Lots of meetings. Short notice or no notice. No agendas or minutes. No taperecording or webcam. No web updates since November Vague reports or none at all. Easier to hustle things through. Detail of meeting tomorrow with BBC TV for Infratil, the 12 cargo ships of Cliftonville, a staff note on options for Chatham House/Clarendon at existing sites or Hereson/Holy Cross site, and Kent Police Special Branch (although there might be a Specialer Branch for major crime) - Infratil briefed them on how there's excellent monitorng - but forget to mention the monitors were removed in 2006. Worth remembering all 3 main party candidates...

stop the construction - (an aside that, Ramsgate Town Council's annual accounts and costs are available for public scrutiny and Audit Commission sign-off but not online as yet): Stop the Pollution: • Close Manston airport: built on the polluted drinking water supply - and repeated safety breaches by TDC and Infratil • Thor mercury factory near Hornby - publish toxin cleanup details: should have closed in 1988 but remains open • Clean the gasworks sites in Ramsgate and Margate: arsenic and cyanide in the soil and dust • Demolish the derelict and polluting Richboro power station • Clean up Pegwell Bay: one of the two most polluted sites in Kent • NHS joint-monitoring of TDC pollution sites to reduce the third world death rates Stop the Corruption: • Repay fraudulent TDC civil service 0% pay rises for Messrs Samuel and White • Sack the Gang of Four of Messrs Samuel, White, Ezekiel and Latchford and underperforming civil servants and councillors • Publish all £22m (almost 50% of a coun...

How many poisoned by aviation fuel from low-level flights over the towns? It’s not candy floss from a 747 exhaust pipe is it? It's neat kerosene plus various other toxic chemicals and anti-freeze. More concerning is the repeated breaches by Infratil: 2 flights between 6-7pm in over the towns on Thursday and Friday. Plus flights over the towns today. With fuel droplets drifting over a 20 mile square area – and further with a following wind- the lung cancer can only increase. And affects the young, ill and elderly the most. Perhaps most concerning of all is not only are these flights specifically banned under the 106 operating guidelines for the airport. But Infratil and TDC removed noise and air monitors form 2006 every time there were discussions on expansion. Richard Samuel as Chair of KIACC when the first monitors were removed from a tower block and school and Brian White subsequently as member of KIACC and Environmental Protection Director subsequently. With two of the Gang of F...

I've written an article on KOSmedia about the Bishop of Dover recommending people vote. Perhaps not surprising for a State-authorised Church. Article extract below on a "Kent 10 Commandments" to regenerate the area. Voting is important - but only if the people we elect actually improve things. Deliberately removing pollution monitors from Manston is a criminal act by our council and politicians covering up the damage by Messrs Samuel and White of the Gang of Four. And still the planes fly breaching all the specified safety guidleines. We have a council working against the safety of its public and so wrapped up in procedure and deceit it still continues to endanger the public. Have Infratil been warned? When? Where is the documentation? Have compensation claims for the repeated breaches being raised? A cargo airport is hardly a candy floss stall. Monitors have repeatedly been removed and not replaced from 2006 to allow stealth expansion despite the known haazards. While th...