Need your help

Hi ,

This is exciting! Along with 187,759 people I signed a petition asking the Prime Minister to hold a public consultation before taking a decision on the nuclear liability bill. These petitions were delivered to the Standing Committee looking at the bill and now they have decided to hold a public consultation.

The bill in its current form lets the foreign corporations get away by paying a meagre amount in case of a nuclear accident in India. The major chunk of the expenses will be borne by the Indian tax payers. But now we have a chance to change this bill and make it stronger.

Greenpeace, an NGO working on this issue, has prepared an open letter which states the changes required in the bill. Just like the petition, this letter will stand a chance of being considered if lots of us sign it. We have less than two weeks to change the bill and prevent another Bhopal in the making.

I have already added my signature.

Can you add your signature to this letter?

http://www.greenpeace.org/india/change-the-liability-bill

Thanks!

rtimahilamanchup@gmail.com

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Coalition demands immediate passage of Right to Information Bill

http://accra-mail.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4978:coalition-demands-immediate-passage-of-right-to-information-bill&catid=60:main-news&Itemid=209

The Coalition on the Right to Information has issued a communiqué
calling on government to pass the Right to Information Bill currently
in parliament.

The coalition says President Mills should honour the promise made to
the people of Ghana by taking expedient steps to pass the right to
information bill as a pre-requisite for good governance, respect for
human rights and the rule of law.

The communiqué was issued at a workshop to educate stakeholders on the
right to Information in the Eastern Regional capital Koforidua.

The communiqué says the absence of a specific law to enforce the right
to information as enshrined in the 1992 constitution under Article 21
clause 1 (f) significantly undermines the enjoyment and full right of
this fundamental human rights.

The coalition believes that if an effective law is passed, it will go
a long way to consolidate the county's political stability by
promoting dialogue and mutual understanding and facilitate development
by enabling the people to participate in planning, monitoring and
implementation of development process.

The coalition among other issues said that the right to information
law is crucial in fighting corruption in the public system.

The coalition further requested that certain parts of the current bill
be revised.

It said the law should provide an independent body to oversee its
implementation and promote a culture of openness.

Placing this vital function with the Attorney General, the coalition
said, tends to undermine the potential efficacy of the law and
contradicts international principles governing such laws.

It said the right to information law must have the creation of
efficient mechanisms for accessing information by providing a
reasonable timescale specifically 10 days to make a decision of an
application.

It added that government should be committed to educating the public
to the right to information law. It is the hope of all stakeholders
especially the Coalition on the Right to Information that the law
would be passed to help in the country's democratic process.

Story by Benjamin Henaku/Myjoyonline

Source: myjoyonline - Myjoyonline.com