Issue 8
LIVERPOOL, CITY OF VULTURES?
The next couple of months are a crucial time for Sir Bob Scott, Peter Toyne and all their business mates as they bid for Liverpool to be Euro city of Culture, with visits from panel members and more announcements of big projects. PnP have always been suspicious of the city of culture plan, believing that money was the main motivation for this bid. And with many grass roots arts organisations getting their funding cut as the bid was being launched, our suspicions have proven justified. According to Peter Mearns of the North-West Development Agency ‘extra spending by visitors could be as high as £25m in the first year’ if the city gets the culture title. Tourism will increase and there will be more jobs in filmmaking, media, computer software and educational services. But we can’t help but feel cynical about how much any of this will benefit local people. Indeed, investment has been flooding into the area for the last 20 years but this time the city’s economy is expected to grow faster than the national average. How this will effect most ordinary people is still unclear. Council executives, surveyors and lawyers have already made big money in the name of regeneration and more multinational businesses are hoping to move in for a share of the profit. Prestige projects like the new Liverpool ‘gateway’ by Lime St. will create luxury homes and hotels, and some jobs, but previous experience shows the big bucks will probably end up safe in off shore bank accounts. The trickle down effect was discredited in the days of Margaret Thatcher, yet the poor people of Liverpool continue to have little say in the spending of regeneration money as it piles into the city centre.
In the same way many hard working local artists, bands and writers feel excluded from the Culture bid and related projects. It’s a classic example of something that is organised from the top down, by people who don’t appreciate the diversity and value of grass roots activities. Voluntary projects and small arts venues are struggling for money while the cultural image of Liverpool is being shaped by councillors, PR firms and other business interests. Culture is produced where ever people meet and by everyone. On this more positive note, check the events section overleaf – but remember put on a tie in case the City of Culture panel turns up!

MEANWHILE, AS EVERYTHING FROM SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT SERVICES ARE CLOSING DOWN
BUILDING firm Bellway is planning a luxury retail and penthouse flats development close to the Paradise Street area of Liverpool.
It is based on a £100m scheme, known as the Mailbox, in Birmingham and they plan to build bars, restaurants and retailers such as Harvey Nichols. The top floors they boost will be taken up by some of the smartest addresses in the city.
Bellway Homes already has a £17m luxury homes scheme underway in Liverpool’s Pall Mall.
It has also just announced a £60m commercial and residential development in Speke, which will also house its new regional headquarters in relocation from Manchester.
Work could begin this October on converting remaining space in the Britannia Pavilion into a Premier Lodge budget hotel to open next summer.
It seems they have realised they can cream a lot from Liverpool.
Meanwhile
A £60m transformation of one of the main gateways into Liverpool is on the drawing board.
A new five-star hotel and two 11-storey blocks of apartments aimed at young professionals form the centrepiece of this scheme.
The development will be one of the first sights people see when they arrive at Lime Street station instead of the currently derelict former bus station site in Skelhorne Street.
The latest plans for a prime location in the city centre comes after the government go-ahead for the £800m Grosvenor Henderson proposals for the Bluecoat and Chavasse Park areas.
The flats will be in two 11-storey blocks and aimed at both students and young professionals. Mmmm
The remainder of the site will be transformed into leisure facilities, with health and fitness studios, restaurants and cafes.
A Le Meridien hotel will include 200 bedrooms, restaurants, bars and conference facilities.
The hotel chain operates 145 hotels in 55 countries around the world all of them 4/5 and 5-star accommodation.
Maple Oak hopes if the plans receive the go-ahead from Liverpool council work could start on the site in the summer.
The development is expected to be completed by 2005. Spokesman Paul Bullock said: “We believe this to be an excellent location. It is close to the station, universities and the city centre.
“Research has also shown that a further hotel could be accommodated in the city.”
Councillors in Liverpool today welcomed the plans.
Liverpool council’s executive member Cllr Richard Kemp said: “We are delighted with this news. This will deal with a real blot on the horizon.
Asked whether the local population could get jobs as cleaners. He replied ‘we’ll see’.

RUNNING THE ELDERLY OUT OF TOWN
Sixteen elderly, frail pensioners, including one entering her 101st year without her sight, will have to leave the Eastfield Nursing Home in Aigburth, Liverpool, within weeks.
In 1999, around 800 care homes closed in the UK with the loss of 15,000 beds - and since then the closers have continued, especially in council run homes, where many have gone into the hands of profit seeking landlords, now these privately run places are complaining that they are not as profitable and closing them down. One of the reasons cited by owners of privately run care homes are that building luxury flats is more profitable.
And, when homes do close, many residents forced to move at their most vulnerable time of life can pay the ultimate price.
Chief executive of Liverpool Age Concern, Dil Daley, said: “There is widespread evidence of deaths associated with the closure of care homes.
“People get very worried and anxious, which leads to illness and other awful consequences.”
If homes continue to close, it will also become increasingly difficult to find care places for those elderly ready to leave hospital - the bed-blocking syndrome.
The government is so concerned about bed blocking it made an extra £300m available to local authorities to cut the problem, through funding extra care home places and expanding home care packages.
In Liverpool in the past two years, the Liberal Democrats have cut the social services budget by £16m; meaning elderly people are left in the hands of money grabbing landlords.
PNP believe the treatment of our elderly is clear example of the way this profit driven system sees all of us. When we are useful to them, they’ll chuck us some crumbs, when we cannot provide profit for them, they’ll disregard us like rubbish.
If we had a system where all our labour and resources were used for the benefit of us all, we could all look forward to our later years as a time of relaxation and enjoyment.


THE Internet is being used to target the region’s police forces by members of the public who have grievances against them. Domain names for sites which are similar to those of the official police sites are being bought up and used to post information about forces and officers.
The domain names can be purchased for as little as £12.99 and there are still some sites available with names which bear likenesses to the police sites, which could be acquired by anyone. Currently, if a person logs on to cheshirepolice. com or cheshirepolice.co.uk, they are immediately linked to policecorruption.co.uk. The text on this site says it was set up by a retired Surrey police officer who claims to have received hundreds of complaints about wrongdoings by police forces.
The same person has also bought the domain names policecomplaintsauthority. co. uk, policeauthorities. co. uk , manchesterpolice.co.uk, and lancashirepolice.co.uk.
The Police, extremely critical of the new sites had this to say, “We would always advise any member of the public who wishes to contact the force with comments or views to contact their nearest police station.”..
Yeah right.....


I suspected I was just part of a racket at the time. Now I am sure of it. Like all members of the military profession I never had an original thought until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of the higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service. General Smedley Butler

May - June has been a busy one for PnP. May day was celebrated in the proper way on Wednesday the 1st, in Liverpool city centre. Something close to a hundred people turned up and traffic stopped for the crowd on Water St. Anti-capitalist and anti-war propaganda was well received by a lot of people. The People not Profit Social Forum was also a success with discussions on Palestine, regeneration in Liverpool and social injustice. Special guest was Robert King Wilkerson, a US activist and former Black Panther member who was fitted up by the law and only recently finished a 31-year jail sentence. People were seriously inspired by the man’s courage and anger. A bigger forum on the issue of regeneration and corruption in Liverpool is being talked about. Let us know if you want to be involved. www.peoplenotprofit.co.uk or check out the other sites

Local Round up in Breif

STRUGGLING FOR PARK NOOK
Concerned people in Toxteth and Aigburth continue to halt the chopping and development of the wooded spot in Princes Park by occupying it. A number of trees were lost when the workmen turned up at the end of April but since then much of their mess has been cleared up, improvements made and successful picnics held. The Webb developers’ luxury flats are not wanted, especially as it turns out that a friend of Williamson ‘Mole of Edge Hill’ built his house there. He made tunnels around the house for his children to play in and the volunteer Moles are investigating. It’s a touch and go situation at the Nook and any help is appreciated. Call 0780 3609271 – check out the brand new website www.parknook.da.ru

THEY ARE SELLING ALLERTON
Meanwhile an alert has gone out concerning South Liverpool’s green belt. The grounds of Allerton priory have already gone to the builders and now the large adjacent playing fields look likely to be developed for homes. Apparently trees have been removed on the sly, but let us know if you have more info.

KIRKBY’S NOTORIOS POLLUTERS
The Sonae chipboard factory in Kirkby will be in the spotlight over the suspect chemicals they are releasing and health problems among local residents. Locals asked the Knowsley Primary Care Trust to investigate and questionnaires are being sent to homes. Since our last report the problem factory had a large explosion, seriously hurting a worker.

NO BORDERS, NO NATIONS
A successful demo took place around Liverpool town hall on 19th June, to raise awareness and show support for refugees in the City. Merseyside Against Detentions and People not Profit organised the event. A recent survey showed that most people seriously over estimate the number of asylum seekers entering the UK.
Check our website for the facts about refugees.
www.peoplenotprofit.co.uk & check out
 http://zone.noborder.org

FREE TO SHOOT PEOPLE
You may remember three cases we have been following lately, regarding police killings or negligence. Well, as expected justice is very rarely done when it comes to the death of working class people. In the James Ashley Case (The Liverpool man shot dead by Surrey Police) the police officers involved in he shooting had no case to answer. While in the case of Christopher Alder, a Hull man who choked to death while five police officers stood over him laughing and talking, all officers were cleared of manslaughter and neglect of public duty. Christopher Sister Janet had this to say, “After four years of setbacks, this is not such a shock. We are not deterred in our fight for justice.”
Finally in the case of Harry Stanley, the Scottish man shot dead by armed police in London, the jury came to an open verdict instead of unlawful killing. Although as Irene, Harry’s wife said. ‘It’s disgusting; the jury wasn’t even given the option of an unlawful killing’.

SATPAL RAM IS FREE
After a 15 year stint and a long and well publicised campaign, Satpal has been released from jail but not cleared of the 1986 murder conviction. He defended himself against racist attack and was seriously mistreated by the court. He will continue fighting to have his name cleared.

WOODSIDE – GET READY FOR THE SEIGE ( An Appeal for Support)
We have been encouraged, by the Government, as Romanies following the
Travelling way of life, to buy land and set up our own caravan sites.
So that ‘s what we, and others have done. We found this place, called >WOODSIDE<
at Hatch, near Sandy, off the A1 in Bedfordshire, already licensed as a holiday park
for l50 caravans. We paid £300,000 for it and have spent a lot more making all the
improvements we, and the local council, wanted.
Unfortunately for us, this is a very Conservative area and they don’t want us here.
We’re not political in any way, but we thought the Labour Government, Mr Blair,
would support us. So we’ve been shattered by the decision of John Prescot to turn
down our Planning Appeal and let Mid-Beds Council “clear the site”, throwing us all
on the road.
You might say, well you’re Travellers. But we’ve got our children in school, a number of us are in need of medical care – and we want to settle down. Infact we
have, or had, plans to build a community centre. This place was our dream.
NOW WE ARE FACING EVICTION – AND FINANCIAL RUIN, as the Council will make us
pay for all the legal costs and the job of getting us off.
We don’t intend to let them move us. Not without a fight. But we need your support.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR OPINION KNOWN TO THE COUNCELLORS:
 Brian.e.collier@uk.uumail.com  hendryp@csd.bedfordshire.gov.uk
AND IF YOU CAN COME AND PROTEST WHEN THEY TRY TO MOVE US, send in your
Email address and telephone so that we can tell you when they are coming.
CLIFF and JAYNE CODONA National Travellers Action Group  ustiben.2@ntlworld.com

The Garden Festival Campaign (GFC) has been established to resist the plan by Wiggin’s Plc to:

§ build a luxury hotel on the riverside
§ run a major road along the prom
§ build luxury houses on the site of the Festival Gardens

Our aim is to put forward alternative uses for this site that will:

§ Benefit the people of Liverpool
§ encourage people to walk/cycle and enjoy the green space
§ create employment that is local and sustainable
§ have minimal disruption to the flora and fauna
§ end the current neglect of the site

The Garden Festival Campaign represents local residents, community activists and environmental campaigners in the Dingle and Aigburth areas of Liverpool. It also works and communicates with other local community groups in these areas.

Although, as a group, we are not against some development these should only be on the existing ‘Footprint’ of development, i.e. the land already constructed upon.



Our concerns about any development of the Garden Festival Site.

These focus on:

§ the destruction of wildlife
§ disturbance of the landfill and hazardous materials on the site
§ the increased traffic and road pollution any development will cause
§ the disregard for community needs

We need people and groups to support the Garden Festival Campaign.

If you want to complain about the plans write to:

Mr. Stuart Clark
Planning & Building Control
2nd Floor, Millennium House
Victoria Street, Liverpool L1 6JF

If you want information on the campaign contact:

Garden Festival Campaign
c/o Merseyside Hazards & Environmental Centre
Toxteth Town Hall, 15 High Park Street, Liverpool L8 8DX. Tel: 0151-726 9595
 centre@merseyhazards.org.uk


Global Round Up

THE BEAT OF RESISTANCE CONTINUES
The sound of resistance has filled the streets of Seville, as Spain hosted the EU summit of 20-21 June. The main theme of the conference was toughening immigration laws and moving further towards a fortress Europe. Two days of action were directed against this and the general capitalist-military policies of European governments. A huge police operation tried to intimidate protesters, but the turnout was high and many workshops, debates and individual actions took place, showing the strength of the anti-capitalist movement and showing solidarity with immigrants. Trade Unions across Spain called for a general strike on the 20th to resist their governments plans to dismantle workers rights and remove crucial social provisions. One union estimated a ‘stoppage of up to 85%’ and the threat to government was real enough to provoke violent police attacks.

COUP IN THE SOUP
With increasing US intervention in South and Central America it seems like the bad days of the eighties have returned. Venezuala’s president, Hugo Chavez is the latest victim; he was ousted in a coup, by a militatry backed by businessmen sympathetic to the US and free trade policies. Pro-Chavez protestors and soldiers mobilised and within hours the coup was called off, but not before a number of people, mostly Chavez supporters had died in confrontations. The president has made himself an enemy of the US and large business interests by introducing mininum social reforms and resisting new trade policies, selling oil to cuba and denouncing the US war in Afghanistan. Don’t expect to find out much in the main papers, but try www.indymedia.org or watch this space.

ARGENTINA - POLITICS PEOPLE STYLE
The Argentine Neighbourhood Assemblies were born six months ago after the collapse of the countries economy. These self organised groups are still providing a means of survival for ordinary people and they are actively challenging government policies which are taking away peoples incomes and self sufficiency. Money-free trading systems are still operating where money is no longer worth anything and ‘interbarriales’ are allowing local groups to come together and make collective decisions. Some hospitals and factories are being run by workers and direct action is continuing against ‘free trade’ policies of the government and the International Monetary Fund, although people are suffering death threats and violent attacks from the state. An assembly member speaks about a family event/festival that was recently organised; ‘La Trama’; ‘…a collective miracle that speaks of how in the neighbourhood assembly we have managed to overcome internal differences in an activity that was real and open to everyone…I see no remedy that is more healing than the collective action of the people, whether it be a roadblock, an assembly or this indefinable collective creation of La Trama.’

COCA KILLERS
Indian villagers are feeling the effects of living next door to a Coca-Cola bottling factory. It was set up three years back at Plachimada, Kerala State and has been using up and polluting the ground water ever since. Wells are running dry, drinking water is being contaminated and farmers are struggling. A picket at the factory lasted 49 days until it was broken up by the police. According to Dr. S. Janakarajan; ‘The same has happened in other places where industries have privatised common groundwater resources or polluted them… In this race, those who have the resources are the winners; the poor are the losers.” With such unsustainable methods, Coca-Cola may be losers too; it is now having truck in large amounts of water to replace dwindling supplies.

COKED OUT OF THEIR HEADS
Coca -Cola is believed to be behind the attempted kidnapping of the 4 year old Daughter of a union organizer William Mendoza. Two men attempted to snatch his daughter while she was out shopping with his wife, but the snatching was foiled. Mendoza who is president of a local union SINALTRAINAL in Colombia who are in labour conflict with Santander Bottling -
Coca Cola [Embotelladora de Santander S.A. - Coca Cola] has had a number of threats against his well being including death threats - since the dispute began. He has since requested protection from the Inter-American
Commission of Human Rights of the Organisation of American States.
Mendoza is calling on social and human rights organisations to offer their support and put pressure on the USA and their funded war on the people of Colombia.

Was the Dirty Bomb scare made up?
Abdullah Al Mujahir was recently arrested in the States for plotting to explode a radioactive bomb and being a member of Al-Quaida. With civil liberties disappearing he can be held indefinitely, yet no bomb and no real evidence has emerged. One intelligence official claimed that he merely surfed the internet for information on the bomb. This could be an attempt by the authorities to justify new laws which are bringing the States closer to a totalitarian system. The Department of Homeland Defence will bring together 22 agencies under the control of a few government people, creating the conditions for a police state and large scale surveillance and repression of the American people. As George W. Bush was reported saying in 2000, “If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier.” America’s two party system has not seen any real resistance to the plans with top Democrats towing the presidential line. However, protests are taking place in different US cities against the moves.
Meanwhile: The FBI has taken the rap for trying to fit up two environmental activists and been ordered to pay $4.4m in damages! Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney were fighting commercial logging in 1990 with the group Earth First. They were nearly killed by a car bomb, but the Oakland police and the FBI claimed that they’d been carrying the bomb while on their speaking tour. After many delays the court found no evidence for the claim and ruled that free speech had been violated.


Supplementary article
Ripped off and edited from the Guardian

The Bullshit about Sangatte'

The first and only report about Refugees living at the Sangatte refugee camp
was published in late June. Many British people it found were illinfomrd,
largley through false media reporting, in believeing that the camp was a
'magnet' to alledged illegal immigrants wishing to enter the UK.
The study - based on interviews with more than 300 migrants revealed that
only a small minority of the camp's mainly Kurdish and Afghan inhabitants
were actually planning to try and reach Britain when they first left their
home countries, and that even fewer knew Sangatte existed before they
reached western Europe after journeys of up to 17 months. More than half
only heard of the camp when they got to France.
"The idea that it is Sangatte that attracts the refugees reveals a huge
misunderstanding not only of the reasons why people leave their homes, but
of the conditions that precede their departure," said the study's author,
Smain Laacher. "It also reveals ignorance of what it means to illegally
cross countries."
The Red Cross camp near the Channel tunnel mouth, was meant to house some
300 people but is now home to 1,500 people.
Mr Laacher's six month study showed that the vast majority of Sangatte's
residents were young, single, relatively well-educated men, most of whom
have left their home countries not because they could not find work but
because of "daily insecurity and an incapacity to control their lives".
Iraqi Kurds left because of the risk of political persecution, Afghans
because of war and violence. All said they wanted to live in a country where
their safety was assured.

Perhaps the study's most revealing conclusion was that the vast majority of
refugees left home with no clear idea of where they wanted to go: the only
objective was the safety of Europe, "any developed and civilised country
where people's lives and dignity are respected," as a 26-year-old Iraqi Kurd
said.
A small number aimed to reach Britain because they had friends or family
there, but there are five times as many Afghans and eight times as many
Iraqis in Germany as in Britain. Usually, Britain became an objective only
for those who reached France and could compare and contrast the two country'
s asylum regimes, Mr Laacher said.
Mr Laacher said that far from Sangatte being a mythical destination famous
halfway round the world, he found only 30 residents who had heard of the
camp in their home countries. Most learned of its existence during their
journey - and most decided to try and reach England only when they had made
it as far as Sangatte.
The report revelealed that Nearly 90% of the refugees are either Iraqi Kurds
(33% of total), or Tadjiks and Pashtuns from Afghanistan (54%).
The vast majority are men, with an average age of 25, and 70% are single.
Some 41% have the equivalent of A-levels and 24% have completed at least two
years higher education (college or university).
Only 7% said they left home because they did not have a job. Thirty nine per
cent cited war or civil war; 34% political persecution. Fully 76% left after
being "nominated" by their families.
An average of $6,000 per person was paid for their journey. Iraqis pay an
average of $5,000, Afghans $8,700.
It's Funny how the views and lies of a small number of right wing
journalists, who make up stories, and get coverage all over the media and at
the same time stir racial tensions. Yet the truth gets very little airtime.

COMING UP
The Garden Festival Campaign is still fighting plans to redevelop the South Liverpool beauty spot. Meetings are on Lark Lane and for details on the next one call the Hazard Centre on 0151 726 9595.
Speke Garston Goes to Town 8-12 July, various venues. ‘A showcase of creative education work’ involving schools, dance and arts groups. 0151 4480745.
Run for El Salvador, Friday 5th july, 6pm. 5km sponsored run to raise cash for the Liverpool Dockers Building Brigade for El Salvador. They will be helping to rebuild a community hit by last years earthquake. Contact Terry Southers, The Initiative Factory, 29 Hope Street, L1.

One World, One Love, Sat 6 July. Interesting sounding family event at Merseyside Caribbean Centre, tied in with June’s Refugee week. Call the Community Learning Network on 0151 255 0988.
World Peace Day, Sat 13th July, Carnival through City Centre from St Lukes to St John Garden
Pamper Day, 30 August, Kirkby Unemployed Centre. Organised by the local LETS scheme with treats for the body and soul.
The Trade Union Centre, Hardman St. is now offering free internet use 9am to 5pm, weekdays.