EU-approved GM potato 'has antibiotic resistant gene'

Charles Grixti

Mar 4th 2010, 21:30

@Messrs. Smith & Ellul

There is no earthly reason for the huge human population that has descended like the biblical locusts on each and every continent, wiping every other living thing in it's path, if it was not for Corporate profits!

In other word, there is no way that Leaders, both secular and religious, would allow and encourage the unchecked growth of human populations unless there is big money to be made from them. GM Foods is just one of the benefits that enrich big corporations. One big international store can makes millions in profits just selling disposable diapers to the millions of babies being born! Let alone clothing and feeding them. Imagine the millions of tonnes of garbage, sewage, pollution of air, water and land that go with it also. It is all in the name of more financial gain and profit by big multinationals.

It really behoves everyone to look at the whole picture to see what is really going on here.

Mikiel Sciberras

Mar 4th 2010, 21:17

Slowly but surely Europe/EU is being dismantled from the inside. Our governments and leaders do not respond to the wishes of their people anymore – they just sent out the Police in their riot-gear and press on with their agendas.

Corporations, those artificially created legal entities, trump the rights of living breathing human beings every time. Genetically Modified foods are a prime example. The splicing of genes and the insertion of genes from different species, even grossing the animal and vegetable barriers, such as inserting pig or even human genes in fruits and vegetables like soya, potatoes or tomatoes, posses a hazard to humanity and indeed to the whole of planet and creation itself.

I guess the relentless corporate lobbying (a euphemism for ‘palm greasing’) is finally having the desired results.

What is ironic, is that the Church remains silent about this abomination and gross misconduct by “humans playing God”, interfering with God’s handiwork – or is it ‘evil’ and ‘against nature’ only when it involves human reproduction and women’ bodies?

It is frightened how, more than 60 years on, Mussolini’s vision of “Corporatism” – a world ruled solely by and for the benefit of Big Business, is coming true.

Victor Laiviera

Mar 4th 2010, 00:20

@ Mr Alex Ellul

Let me hazard a guess - you don't believe in Global Warming and climate change either, do you?

I thought so.

M Buhagiar

Mar 3rd 2010, 21:57

Plant and animal selection is done evrywhere. Either by human intervention or by passage of time.The bambinella tree was done in Malta years ago from many variations of pear trees. The maltese cow, bee, goat, all where adapted to our terrain and climate over the years. Also types of olive trees got adopted to our climate by time.

GMO are very different. In them there is human interference in the DNA structure of the plant. Some plants are modified with chemicals in their structures that sterilize insects. There are studies that show this. While the chemical companies have the money to do their reaserch the way they want, on the other hand enviornmentalist have not. Also to note here that there is a war in Europe against the abuse of antibiotics in fact antibiotics on any kind of farm annimals are strictly controlled.

German economy depends on the chemical companies. Thus companies like Basf have the full support of their government. The business is that in modern farming farmers make contracts with the companies that supply these types of seeds for a number of years.

Paul Smith

Mar 3rd 2010, 20:46

Wow for once i find myself in agreement with Mr. Ellul. There simply is noway to feed 7 or 8 billion people without GM food. Food requires large inputs of fossil fuels,mainly oil and Gas.
The global production peak of oil has passed, probably back in 2007 about the same time the global economy imploded and food stocks begain the decline. GM crops are the future, without them, expect starvation in many countries, especially ones sitting in water scarcity areas with burgening populations - Like Malta

D.Galea

Mar 3rd 2010, 20:44

If we go ahead like this we'll be eating plastic in a couple of years with authentic food an ultra-expensive commodity, genuine mushrooms anyone!?

Alex Ellul

Mar 3rd 2010, 18:27

It is within my experience that 'green' warriors are the most scientifically-challenged people on earth. Due to their ignorance and, may I add, egoism, they try to destroy all technological achievements, and opportunities thereof, from reaching the masses, mostly poor people. GM food has already saved an African tribe from extinction, when scientists genetically modified their staple food to suit the changing weather patterns. GM foods are on the political table and will one day feed billions. Problem is that the looney left has done a lot of damage to the GM science, having this starnge strange agenda of keeping the poor, poor, so that the left, always depending on the lower classes, would rule. The US has invested heavily in GM foods and there are no environmental disasters and there will never be, because it is not banned, but heavuliy regulated. Flora is continuously being modified by the natural environment itself by natural selection. If one were to read about Afghan chick peas, there's an interesting story there, about the strain in Afghanistan which had been modified by the Afghan farmer and time to resist the cold and altitude. The Talibans had nearly destroyed that modified strain.

Christian Mizzi

Mar 3rd 2010, 16:56

@R Scicluna

How pathetic to generalise. I didn't mention anything about red or blue. There are 'good' politicians on both sides. Try to change your mentality a bit and don't just say what your party says. What is red is good, what is blue is bad or vice-versa. I just commented his decision.

Quote: "He said the antibiotics affected by Amflora are vital tools against illness and despite growing resistance to these life-saving drugs, industry has added them to potatoes with no guarantees that they will not get into the food chain."

Do you honestly think it was a good decision?

adrian aquilina

Mar 3rd 2010, 16:49

what is he doing?? the government have killed this country and now they are trying to do the same to the whole of europe it seems....business and money always comes first to this government before doing the right thing..before this we had maltese trying to vote against a tuna ban and ever since we jioned the maltese have been trying to force their supernatural christian religion on the whole of europe...i would like to say to the rest of the e.u. we are not all stupid superstitious throwbacks who put money before health and the enviroment...

Peter Axisa

Mar 3rd 2010, 16:42

It took me two seconds of reading to erase all the faith I spent years building in our Mr. Dalli. First bit of tough road he had to ride and he "blew it".
Shame
Peter Axisa
Rabat

R Scicluna

Mar 3rd 2010, 16:33

I bet this blog would have been empty had there been some other commissioner. It's so obvious that the bunch of you are just there to criticise evryone and everything to do with the government. It really is pathetic.

If didn't know better, I'd think you were being paid for it!

Hopefully all of you will get tired in the end because there is a good three years left for you to moan and groan at everything....

Christian Mizzi

Mar 3rd 2010, 16:29

In just a few weeks he already managed to make a disaster of his job. The scariest thing is they let him take decisions. We cannot even manage our country decently let alone EU. I hope someone creates a genetically modified EU health and consumer affairs commissioner.

Neville Cassar

Mar 3rd 2010, 16:07

Thats a quick decision to be taken....... how long has this been on Mr Dalli's desk to be decided on so quickly?

Most of Europe is against GM products.... even so that they even dont want pesticides in their foods... and are proud consumers of Organic Food.... Now we get GM products with some decieving labeling so that we dont even notice what we are eating.

And whom does this decision please? The massive corporations... looking at becoming richer and richer by the day.

And the worst is that we cant say Only in Malta anymore..... we`re ruining the party for everyone.

Victor Laiviera

Mar 3rd 2010, 16:06

What do you expect from a man bred in the PN mould? For them big-business always comes first, second and third.

What a difference from all the fine talk in favour of the consumer he uttered only a few weeks ago during his hearings!

Anothetr typical PN trait carried over to Europe - promise the earth untill you get elected, then forgt everything you said.

Ramon Casha

Mar 3rd 2010, 15:57

That's a hell of a way to start your new role as "consumer affairs" commissioner. So much for all the fancy words to get himself the job.

Henrik Piski

Mar 3rd 2010, 15:49

Indeed, it is a sad day for Europe. Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner John Dalli has only needed weeks in his new position to show such flagrant support for industry interests ahead of his own portfolio. His decision to authorise the Amflora potato variety flies in the face of the 70% of consumers who are against GM food, as well as the anti-GM position of the European Parliament.

Godwin Pace

Mar 3rd 2010, 15:41

WELL DONE MR. DALLI

INTI KELLEK TKUN IL PRIM MINISTRU TA MALTA. IL PARTIT TILFEK U IZJED U IZJED IL PAJJIZ. XORTA BI TAMA LI NARAK KAP TAL PARTIT NAZZJONALISTA.

DEJJEM WARAJK