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HANT BULLETIN : JANUARY 2019
Welcome to the HANT Bulletin which will provide an update on events held since December 2018 / January 2019 (the last Bulletin) and events planned for 2019
Firstly HANT would wish to remind everyone about an important
Public Meeting :
PLEASER TRY TO COME ALONG AS WE ARE KEEN TO HAVE A GOOD TURNOUT, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR JAPANESE GUEST SHIGEO KABAYASHI, WHO IS COMING FROM LONDON TO BE WITH US :
PUBLIC MEETING (and AGM)
WEDNESDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2019 AT 7. 30
THE CASE AGAINST NUCLEAR POWER
IN THE UK AND JAPAN
IN THE STUDIO ROOM AT
THE SPECTRUM CENTRE,
1B MARGARET ST, INVERNESS IV1 1LS
IT’S FREE AND REFRESHMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE
All with an interest in nuclear issues in the UK and Japan including nuclear transport are welcome
NOTE : Due to the UK parliamentary recess being cancelled due to Brexit debates Drew Hendry won’t be able to attend but we have secured a local Councillor with knowledge of the issues to be discussed
The Public Meeting will have two speakers :
- Ron MacWilliam,Highland Councillor Inverness-side
- Mr. Shigeo Kabayashi representing Japanese Against Nuclear UK
Councillor MacWilliam is a the Opposition Spokesman on Highland Council’s Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee and is a Director of Highland Small Communities Housing Trust and three other trusts
Shigeo Kabayashi is a Japanese anti-nuclear activist who demonstrates against nuclear power outside the Japanese Embassy in London every week and outside the offices of TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) – also in London
Both speakers will provide insights into their positions on nuclear power and the potential of renewable energy
Also covered will be the risks, highlighted by HANT since 2013, of the transport of nuclear waste from Dounreay to Sellafield and the US by sea, rail and air and the need to raise public awareness about these transports and the dangers they pose to local people and economy and the environment
Further information from : Tor Justad (Chair) , HANT : tor.justad@btinternet.com or 07710 392 666
The meeting will also include a short HANT AGM which will include Chairperson’s Report, Treasurer’s Report, Election of Office Bearers and AOCB
UPDATES SINCE LAST BULLETIN
- HANT Committee Meeting : 15 January 2019 by Skype
Finance :
- Latest balance : Diana Mackenzie : Treasurer & regular payments for website etc.
5. Updates : - January 2019 Bulletin /- DSG Thurso : 5 December 2018 - not attended by Tor : Minutes on DSG website in due course /- Nuclear Flight from Wick Airport : 8 December 2018 /Press Coverage in Press & Journal and John O Groat Journal - posted on facebook /- Website – update /- Facebook posts - more needed ? Who looking at what media ? /- Recruiting new Committee Members /- Current Supporter Membership : 300 +
Forthcoming Campaign Events 2019 : to be discussed and dates agreed :
There was discussion on a number of topics including :
- Public Meeting & AGM : Wednesday 20 February 2019 : 1930 : Spectrum Centre, Inverness
- Public Meeting with local Councillors as suggested by John Finnie : Scottish Green Party MSP for Highlands & Islands - draft proposal for this proposed meeting will be circulated in advance of the meeting
- Joint conference (Inverness Council Chamber) with NFLA - to be negotiated and agreed following proposed Public Meeting
- Joint Event with Greenpeace, Cromarty Peace Group, Living Seas Project (Ullapool) or Scottish CND Highland Branch focusing on Nuclear Transport : ICAN, Nuclear Power etc
- Singer Martin Stephenson (lives Barbaraville) - possible fund-raising gig
- Future demonstrations : Georgemas Junction, Scrabster Harbour, Wick Airport, Inverness Freight Terminal or other venue - to be agreed
- Lobbying Highland Council / Inverness to sign the ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) Cities Appeal
- Publicity Materials:, Vinyl Banner . for use at events, demonstrations and marches, Car Stickers : distribution, Leaflets : distribution and reprint, Other materials : badges
- HANT representation at London meeting of the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy NGO Nuclear Forum
HANT has recently been invited this Forum which meets 2/3 times a year and allows AGM to have a dialogue with staff of the Department of Energy - travel expenses are reimbursed by the Department
Items on the agenda included update on current Government nuclear policy, radiation leaks report, emergency planning regulations, climate & and siting of nuclear power stations
The Secretary of State for Business; Energy & Industrial Strategy was due to attend but this did not happen because of Brexit Business
Others attending from NGO’s included representatives of Friends of the Earth, Stop Hinkley, Low Level radiation Campaign, Blackwater Against New Nuclear (BAANG) and Together Against Sizewell C
HANT ‘s representative, Tor Justad use this opportunity to highlight concerns in the Highlands related to nuclear transport and also he also made contributions to the other agenda items
The Co-Chair is Professor Andy Blowers, a well know anti-nuclear scientist, who has just published an interesting book called “The Legacy of Nuclear Power”
Andy has a particular interest in the perspective of local communities affected by the nuclear industry
Also at the meeting was Dr David Lowry who has published a large number of articles in a range of magazines since 1980. In 1991 he co-authored a book, The International Politics of Nuclear Waste, covering France, Germany, Sweden, UK and US, His research and advocacy on nuclear and environmental issues has received extensive media coverage.
He has been a member of the Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change's Geological Disposal Implementation Board for Radioactive Waste since 2010.
3. ONR (Office for Nuclear regulation) NGO Nuclear Forum
HANY has also been invited to the ONR Nuclear Forum which meets in Manchester in March 2019 and London November 2019 – travelling expenses also repaid
As a small organisation with Committee members working or with many other commitments there is a limit to how many of these meetings we can send representatives to
But even being on the circulation list and attending meetings when time allows keeps us in the loop and HANT’s views are now being recorded at Government level
AND FINALLY
Please come along to HANT’s next public Meeting
On Wednesday 20 February 2019 at 7.30 pm at the Spectrum Centre in
1B Margaret Street next to Inverness Bus Station
if you live I or around Inverness
And even if you can’t come or don’t live near Inverness please spread the word through social media
HANT looks forward to keeping its supporters informed throughout 2019 through the Bulletins and on facebook – also remember the website : hant.co.uk if you want to check HANT’s viewpoint on a number of nuclear issues – all in the Q & A section
With Greetings from the HANT Committee
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