GATS under fire at 9 DTI offices
thin kitten :) | 20.03.2001 17:03
Campaigners from local branches of the World Development Movement (WDM) and People & Planet today staged a rigged tug-of-war to illustrate the imbalances of current systems and the threats from GATS.
‘Fat cat’ businessmen went up against the public services of poor countries in a tug of war outside the 9 regional Government Offices across the UK.
The protest highlighted the major international trade agreement that poses a danger to both local public services in the UK and to the development of poor countries. Negotiations start this week, at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva.
Fat cigar chomping businessmen competed against others dressed in the familiar uniforms of the public services that could be affected - nurses, doctors, teachers, train drivers, road sweepers and posties.
But the tug of war was rigged against the public services and poor countries - faceless bureaucrats from the WTO unfairly helped the corpulent businessmen, and put WTO chains on the legs of their opponents. The protesters challenged government officials to decide which side they are on.
People & Planet spokesperson, Amanda Roll Pickering said: 'Our actions today show how the World Trade Organisation is on the side of big business, and against public services and poor people around the world. From Scotland to the Sudan and from Bristol to Bangladesh, we all rely on basic services such as clean water, health, education and public transport. But for people in the poorest countries they make the daily difference between life and death. This agreement could harm these basic services here and abroad because, like our tug-of-war today, it is rigged in favour of multinational companies who care more about profits than people.'
'This agreement is undemocratic. We elect councillors and MPs to make decisions about how local public services are provided, not groups of international lawyers and trade negotiators in Switzerland. We must have an urgent investigation into the impact of this agreement on public services, both in the UK and developing countries. Time is running out.'
INFO:
NB Along with other members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Britain signed up to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) in 1994. Detailed negotiations to extend the agreement start at the World Trade Organisation in Geneva on 19 March 2001. The agreement applies to all levels of government - local, regional and national, and covers 160 service sectors. It extends the free trade principles of the WTO from trade in goods to include trade in services. GATS will have a profound effect on all governments’ ability to regulate their service economy and on the ability of poor countries to receive benefits from foreign investment in their service sectors. GATS has unexplored implications for rich and poor governments’ ability to provide affordable and accessible public services.
More information on GATS at www.wdm.org.uk / www.peopleandplanet.org
Recent Corporate Coverage of GATS:
Barry Coates (director of the World Development Movement) on GATS in the Guardian 19/03/01
http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,458945,00.html
Monday, 19 March, 2001, 17:48 GMT
Protesttors target Geneva talks
Anti-globalisation demonstrators stage GATS protest at WTO's headquarters
As anti-globalisation protests go, it was pretty surreal.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1230000/1230120.stm
The protest highlighted the major international trade agreement that poses a danger to both local public services in the UK and to the development of poor countries. Negotiations start this week, at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva.
Fat cigar chomping businessmen competed against others dressed in the familiar uniforms of the public services that could be affected - nurses, doctors, teachers, train drivers, road sweepers and posties.
But the tug of war was rigged against the public services and poor countries - faceless bureaucrats from the WTO unfairly helped the corpulent businessmen, and put WTO chains on the legs of their opponents. The protesters challenged government officials to decide which side they are on.
People & Planet spokesperson, Amanda Roll Pickering said: 'Our actions today show how the World Trade Organisation is on the side of big business, and against public services and poor people around the world. From Scotland to the Sudan and from Bristol to Bangladesh, we all rely on basic services such as clean water, health, education and public transport. But for people in the poorest countries they make the daily difference between life and death. This agreement could harm these basic services here and abroad because, like our tug-of-war today, it is rigged in favour of multinational companies who care more about profits than people.'
'This agreement is undemocratic. We elect councillors and MPs to make decisions about how local public services are provided, not groups of international lawyers and trade negotiators in Switzerland. We must have an urgent investigation into the impact of this agreement on public services, both in the UK and developing countries. Time is running out.'
INFO:
NB Along with other members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Britain signed up to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) in 1994. Detailed negotiations to extend the agreement start at the World Trade Organisation in Geneva on 19 March 2001. The agreement applies to all levels of government - local, regional and national, and covers 160 service sectors. It extends the free trade principles of the WTO from trade in goods to include trade in services. GATS will have a profound effect on all governments’ ability to regulate their service economy and on the ability of poor countries to receive benefits from foreign investment in their service sectors. GATS has unexplored implications for rich and poor governments’ ability to provide affordable and accessible public services.
More information on GATS at www.wdm.org.uk / www.peopleandplanet.org
Recent Corporate Coverage of GATS:
Barry Coates (director of the World Development Movement) on GATS in the Guardian 19/03/01
http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,458945,00.html Monday, 19 March, 2001, 17:48 GMT
Protesttors target Geneva talks
Anti-globalisation demonstrators stage GATS protest at WTO's headquarters
As anti-globalisation protests go, it was pretty surreal.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1230000/1230120.stm
thin kitten :)
