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By Steve Roest

On January 6, 2010, in blatant disregard for the safety of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society crew, the Japanese whaling vessel Shonan Maru No. 2 attempted to sink the Sea Shepherd vessel Ady Gil off the coast of Antarctica.

Australian, New Zealand, and Japanese government officials call for the crews on both sides to remain calm. I can tell these government officials that there is no need to ask our anti-whaling heroes to be calm, they have been calm and resolute, and will remain so.

But I join the chorus of voices that ask the Japanese whale killers to stop their deliberate attempts to ram and sink our vessels, and kill our crew.

For anyone who has seen the video clips, and millions upon millions of people have, it is clear that the 500 ton Shonan Maru No. 2, aimed at high speed for the 16 ton Sea Shepherd speedboat Ady Gil, and at the last moments, to make certain of a collision, steered hard to starboard to deliberately cut our vessel in two.

There is not a doubt in anyone’s mind that if one of our crewmembers had been in the front part of the Ady Gil when it was struck, they would have been killed instantly. It was a miracle that most of the crew, who obviously had no idea they were about to be rammed, were out on deck securing equipment when the Shonan Maru No. 2 slammed into them.

In an incredible display of cold and calculating violent illegal action, immediately after ramming the Ady Gil, the Shonan Maru  No. 2 directed its high pressure water cannons at the stricken Sea Shepherd mariners, whilst ignoring the Ady Gil’s distress calls.

The Ady Gil has been damaged beyond repair, and after repeated attempts by Sea Shepherd’s new ship the Bob Barker to tow the damaged remains of the Ady Gil to the nearest port to asses what might be salvaged, the vessel has broken loose from our tow lines yet again and we have been hit with the gut-wrenching realization that we have no other option than to let it sink. Fortunately we were able to remove all fuel and oils from the Ady Gil before it began to take on too much water, thus preventing a catastrophic leak into the fragile marine environment. Sea Shepherd notified the relevant marine agencies about the sinking Ady Gil and has complied in full with all maritime requirements. All the while, the Japanese whaling fleet continues to ignore our calls for assistance.

This week the Japanese whaling business has sent undercover operatives to hire aircraft in Australia and fly illegally in Australian airspace to hunt for the Sea Shepherd ships, it has deliberately rammed and ultimately sunk one of our vessels off the coast of Antarctica, and it now seems clear that it has this week also focused an international cyber attack on our website to attempt to block us from putting out the truth about what happened and receiving donations from our supporters.

Sea Shepherd demands that New Zealand arrest the Shonan Maru No. 2 and its crew, and that the Japanese whaling industry repay the $2M in losses that resulted from the deliberate sinking of the Ady Gil by its ships.

These attacks are certainly a hefty financial blow to Sea Shepherd; we have lost millions of dollars as a result of the assaults upon us. But we will not flinch from our task to save the whales and the oceans in which they live. We will not pull back from our direct actions to save the whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, and we will not pull back from our projects protecting the seals, dolphins, sharks and tuna, despite the fact that our funds are have been so drastically reduced. We will go to our supporters, and with their help we will grow bigger and stronger. We will not hesitate in our duty to save the oceans from the mercenaries of profit and greed that seek to destroy the natural world.

Employing expensive consultants to advise on efficiency (‘Units face the axe’, January 29) is  almost bound to lead to damaging cuts in services, if only to pay for the advice. McKinsey recommended staggering cuts in the NHS, and no doubt PWC, who are costing Richmond council £100 000, will advise similar measures in our local authority. Sadly the same doesn’t seem to apply to advice on cutting carbon. Having paid £95 000 on feasibility studies the plans to install renewable energy boilers in the council offices have now been shelved, apparently being too expensive to meet air quality standards. It’s several years since the council put aside £1 million for climate change measures. Now it needs to use it to cut the carbon, and fast.


James Page
Green Party candidate for Richmond Park and North Kingston

On the same day that BAA confirmed it was shelving, for now, plans for another runway at Heathrow the Mayor of London Boris Johnson (Conservative) published his draft replacement 'London Plan' stating that he "does recognise the need for additional runway capacity in the south-east of England." From a climate change perspective we cannot allow such a capacity increase where ever it is, and I would urge readers to respond to this consultation. If I can help in the process please contact me by email - james@jamespage.fsnet.co.uk

James Page

Green Party candidate for Richmond Park and North Kingston

www.online-communities.co.uk

For enquiries on news stories text or phone 07973 268916

For enquiries on news stories text or phone 07973 268916

• Paris
• Frankfurt
• Schiphol
• Brussels

Expansion plans all over Europe are opposed by millions of people and cannot go ahead if the necessary cuts in emissions that scientists advise are to be made.

Protestors took over the departures section of Heathrow Terminal 1 to coincide with Eurovision song contest held in Moscow, singing alternative words to memorable Eurovision classics from the past.

Darren Johnson said:

"I am honoured to have been chosen by my colleagues to lead the Assembly in the year ahead and delighted to have this additional opportunity to serve Londoners. I believe the next twelve months will be a crucial time for the future of our city as we seek to pull out of recession and alleviate its impact on individual Londoners. Assembly Members will vigorously make the case for London to receive its fair share of resources from central government during these tough times."

"The coming year will also see the Mayor set out his detailed plans for the future development of London with a number of key strategies being published and refined, including transport, housing, economic development, planning and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Assembly will continue to work to have a positive impact on the development of these strategies, identifying areas for improvement and monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of their implementation."

Darren was elected to the London Assembly in May 2000. He was the first Green member on Lewisham Council and is now leader of the Council's six-strong Green Group. Darren has led investigations into a range of topics including the government's proposal for Heathrow expansion, plastic bags, loss of street trees and front gardens. He has also promoted measures to address low pay in the Capital and policies to protect vital local services.

You can find out more about Darren at:
http://www.darrenforlewisham.org.uk/sites/darrenjohnson.html

A webcast of the meeting, which took place today, 6 May 2009, can be viewed at: http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/webcasts.jsp

Speaking in advance of her visit to Twickenham Riverside on 2 May, Jean Lambert MEP said:

“I’m looking forward to joining Richmond & Twickenham Greens to discuss their work, in particular the Save our Riverside campaign and the ongoing fight against Heathrow expansion. In both cases, Greens have become a clear and trusted voice on issues of great importance to local people. They are playing a vital role in opposing development of Twickenham Riverside – plans which would ruin this beautiful stretch of the Thames which is central to the history and character of the area. They are also keeping up the pressure in the campaign against the third runway at Heathrow. The wider movement will benefit a great deal from work in Richmond, one of the boroughs most vulnerable to the damage a bigger Heathrow would cause.”

Jean will be at Arthur’s by the River from 14:30.

Arthur's by the River

Jubilee Gardens (opposite Eel Pie Island)

The Embankment

Twickenham

TW1 3BX

Click here for map

Come and meet Jean to discuss Twickenham Riverside or air your concerns on other local issues.

Following revelations that Strathclyde Police attempted to plant paid informants within the aviation direct action group, Plane Stupid, (1), the Green Party is calling for a halt to police tactics that intimidate and deter people from joining peaceful protest groups around the country.

Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green Party and MEP for the South East of England, said: "These revelations today are sinister and shocking, and come at a time when public confidence in police tactics is at rock bottom. At a time when there is already concern and controversy over policing of the climate camp at Kingsnorth, the G20 protests, and the mass arrests near Nottingham, it is clear that a review of police tactics is long overdue. The police should not be obstructing our right to peacefully protest."

She continued: "We should make it abundantly clear that intimidation, infiltration and bribery are not legitimate means of policing non-violent protest. We need a police force which understands the vital democratic right to peaceful protest, which acts proportionately, and which can be held properly accountable."

The Green Party is calling for a commitment by police to halt:

• infiltration, bribery and intimidation of activist groups who are part of non-violent protest
• the filming of activists by police officers when activists have commited no crime
• an end to police officers at direct protest events appearing without ID numbers on their uniforms (as occured recently in a climate change protest at E.ON's headquarters in Coventry, and at the G20 protests)
  

The "whale tins" are over three metres tall and installed in London Victoria, Leeds and Manchester Piccadilly stations this week. The tins will be wrapped in a Japanese-themed label.

Specially created travel card holders will also be handed out at the train stations, detailing the issues surrounding the contentious practice of whaling.

The installation created a talking point about the programme prior to its launch on April 27. The campaign will also encompass TV, press and online activity. 

On launch day Thelondonpaper will carry a five-page "Whale Wars" cover wrap around. The wrap will provide information from both sides of the whaling debate, as well as information about the new series.

Whale Wars follows the endeavours of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society on the 2007 - 2008 campaign "Operation Migaloo" to the Antarctic whale sanctuary as they take a stand against what they view as illegal whaling by Japan.

Steve, the UK Director of Sea Shepherd and Mark, a Senior Sea Shepherd volunteer, met with commuters to discuss the issues highlighted by the series.

You can learn more about Sea Shepherd's whale campaigns and the issues involved here:
http://www.seashepherd.org/whales/

The series website can be viewed here:
http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/web/whale-wars/

Sea Shepherd UK Director and Twickenham GP candidate, Steve Roest

Parkway Properties (of Ireland and Luxembourg) have submitted a Planning Application to redevelop the old Inland Revenue Sorting Office site next to the National Archives in Kew.

The proposals involve demolishing the existing building and construction of six new buildings with the main provision for 112 new flats. However, for the developer to utilise the site, plans also include a proposed office building as well as a residential care home for the elderly.

Whilst recognising that the site will inevitably be developed in some way, and that commercial dwellings generate the profits required to do so, The Kew Resident's Association and Richmond and Twickenham Green Party have concerns about this development. After investigations in the neighboring area, it is apparent that very few people are aware of these proposals and the majority will be unable to exercise the right to comment or object. A planning application on this scale in such a sensitive location should be subject to non-standard procedures and an extended time period of public consultation should be provided. Currently, the deadline for comment is the 13th April. Kew Residents Association have requested an extension of the consultation period to allow them to work with the managing agents and residents to develop adequate awareness and their right to comment.

Kew Residents Association committee and Richmond and Twickenham Green Party objections to the current plans are as follows:

• The proposed development is concentrated, resembling a barrack block, with high walls and narrow alleys potentially creating wind tunnels between buildings.
• The only open space of the development will be excluded from public use as it forms the central courtyard of the surrounding buildings and offers no public amenity value.
• Buildings in the current plans are too high and will dominate the area. Although the nearby 'Kew Riverside' flats are five storeys, they are located behind the National Archives and Retail Park, which mask their dominating presence. The proposed five-storey development is inappropriate - too high and too dense relative to its smaller size and proximity to small-scale housing in Defoe Avenue to the South.
• The buildings are architecturally offensive. Generation of capital has taken precedent over aesthetics with apartments amassed into one spatially undifferentiated, overbearing building. This is a stark contrast to the design of the National Archives, which considers the visual affect on the surrounding area.
•  With 112 flats accommodating between 2-4 people, one could conservatively estimate on a traffic increase of 150 - 200 cars. In addition, an estimated 80 office workers and 40 care home workers will visit each day. With arguably, another 50% of these driving producing an additional 60 cars in the area daily.
• Increase vehicular traffic in the area will cause traffic snarls far more frequently than current peak times, backing up into the Mortlake Road and causing considerably worse jams and delay.

The Green Party believes any such development should be:

• One storey lower. A four storey as opposed to the five-storey building submitted in plans.
• Less dense. Ideally with two fewer building 'blocks' enabling more community amenity space. This being less intrusive to surroundings.
• Architecturally more attractive. The building style should be sympathetic to the location and its close neighbor, the National Archives.
• The area should be designated a CPZ. The development should car free with no new permits allowed for the flats.
• Increase of public transport to the area. With particular attention to be given to upgrading the infrequent R68 bus route to negate the reliance on motorized vehicles.

YOU CAN WRITE to: Development Control London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames Civic Centre, 44 York Street TWICKENHAM TW1 3BZ

Or YOU CAN EMAIL: envprotection@richmond.gov.uk

Or YOU COMMENT ONLINE: www.ukplanning.com NB: DON'T FORGET TO QUOTE PLANNING APPLICATION REF- 09/0610/FUL INLAND REVENUE SITE REDEVELOPMENT

For enquiries on news stories text or phone 07973 268916

Full story from Richond and Twickenham Times can be found: HERE

Published 8 April 2009

The partial privatisation of Royal Mail (supported by both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, who wanted to sell off even more) has nothing to do with saving pensions or technology investment. Both issues could be handled while in government ownership. Privatisation is driven by an ideology of 'small government' and competition, whatever the cost. The residential mail business is a natural monopoly: it makes no sense to have competing post vans driving around. Moreover it is a part of the fabric of our society that has worked well and provided benefits to people that go beyond the balance sheet. I hope this sale is stopped, but if it goes ahead we need to be alert to how a loss making business is made attractive for investors. Which services will be lost and which assets 'thrown in' as sweeteners? In January the Royal Mail received consent to relocate the Twickenham Delivery office to the trading estate, vacating valuable land which belongs to the public.

For enquiries on news stories text or phone 07973 268916

Residents in Twickenham have a timely opportunity to see some alternative plans for Twickenham Riverside. I have always been against the idea of funding the River Centre from a housing development, especially one that isn't car-free. Now with falling property prices the developers would have to build even higher - way beyond a scale that planning policy - let alone residents - would consider acceptable for the area. The council would be well advised to take this opportunity to change tack and look at the greener alternatives now on offer.

For enquiries on news stories text or phone 07973 268916