Re: Bluetongue transmitted cow to calf?
- From: "Pat Gardiner" <patgardiner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2008 16:18:22 -0000
"Peter Duncanson" <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:5p5os3liab0d6fue06no22cffni751f3u5@xxxxxxxxxx
On Mon, 3 Mar 2008 13:38:23 -0000, "Pat Gardiner"
<patgardiner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Jim Webster" <jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:632ccqF25odr1U2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Jill" <news@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:13snlmtmdvoud9f@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Bluetongue saga takes new twist
Research points to other transmission routes
By Richard Halloran
The Ulster Farmers' Union has indicated to Farming Life that tests
carried out in Northern Ireland are pointing to the possible
transmission
of the Bluetongue virus from dam to calf during pregnancy.
it isn't unreasonable as it is the transmission of infected blood that
causes the problem and it may well be possible for the infection to
cross
the placenta
Then you obviously know more about the subject than Defra did.
The Agriculture Minister for Northern Ireland was pleading with them not
to
agree regulations that would allow these movements.
She was ignored, but has at least been praised for her actions by the
farmers in eventually stopping the trade.
The minister has suspended the trade for a few days, pending
discussion of the matter by an EU committee. I don't know what
power she was exercising to impose this suspension, but as I
understand it she has no legal power to amend or ignore the
regulations on a long-term basis.
I'm sure that is right from all I know. I don't think there are any specific
powers to do it on a short time basis either.
She did it.
English Law, and to some extent all law, always allows somewhere for action
either without the force of law or in the absence of legal authority: "force
majeure" or the equivilent.
So long as you do something half-sensible and are the logical person to
assume responsibility, even if things go wrong, you are pretty well
protected by circumstances if not the law.
When the immediate crisis is over and things return to normal, things are
very different. The Minister could even claim that she was acting because of
the failure of Defra to take control in a crisis.
I was reminded of this when the main west coast rail line was closed in two
places in the high winds a couple of days ago. It looks like gross neglect
in failing to secure the containers by the twist locks, because the wagons
stayed on the rails and merely shed the boxes. It may be total coincidence
but I wonder if any failure to secure the containers was due to another very
spectacular accident, little reported, occurring just before.
A vessel was entering Felixstowe carrying three massive container cranes
weighing hundreds of tons, possibly into the thousands. I think they were
for the replacement of two smaller container cranes dating back to 1968 on
the original Landguard Terminal. A gust caught the ship and there was a
massive collision ship to shore. The result apparently were five massive
very broken cranes and a broken ship. If there were any rail wagons in the
area, the right response was to get them out of the way fast and things can
go wrong when an accident disprupts routine as we all know.
I frequently assumed respossibility in emergencies sometimes risking tens of
thousands of pounds. If there was nobody else to do it. I did it. End of
subject.
I've often tell the true story of when I ordered the Chief Officer of a
cargo vessel to take over command of the ship from the master - a formidable
former U-boat commander, who had cracked under the strain of command.
The Chief Officier refused to relieve the master, so I did, quoting
non-existant Admiraltry rules and, I think, threatening the Royal Navy, if
he did not hand over command to me immediately.
If he had gone to sea, he would have passed within yards of tens of
thousands of unexploded munitions dating back to WW2. I won't mention the
location, although it is well known. They are still there and a big worry to
this day.
Of course, I got away with it. It was the commonsense thing to do. It might
have been a different story if I had tried to take the ship to sea. Piracy
would have been mentioned I suspect.
The whole point of telling this story, which was hushed up at the time, is
to point out that if you do something sensible in an emergency, come what
may, you will be OK.
I remain the man that forced the surrender of his vessel from a U-boat
commander with nothing more than bluff ;o)
I wonder if those ignorant louts at the SVS knew who they were threatening?
Your Minister has humiliated Defra by being smarter and more decisive than
they were.
They will grind their teeth and plan their revenge, but will move heaven and
earth to get a permanent ban in place. They cannot admit to being overruled,
if they did they would have to do something about it, and they can't. Brown
would not let them.
Defra's animal side survives on bluff in the absence of a government
prepared to remove them from control.
N.Ireland 1 Defra Nil
--
Regards
Pat Gardiner
www.go-self-sufficient.com
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in uk.business.agriculture)
.
- References:
- Bluetongue transmitted cow to calf?
- From: Jill
- Re: Bluetongue transmitted cow to calf?
- From: Jim Webster
- Re: Bluetongue transmitted cow to calf?
- From: Pat Gardiner
- Re: Bluetongue transmitted cow to calf?
- From: Peter Duncanson
- Bluetongue transmitted cow to calf?
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