New investigation into phone masts

[news.omega]

Senator Ben Shenton was one of the participants in the hearing held in
February....transcript attached. You will see from the transcript that
his questions were intelligent and insightful. We also spent quite a
bit of time talking after the formal hearing was completed.

This is important because it shows there are people listening to what we
have to say. And when there are shifts in the power structure as
happened here in Jersey, changes can occur.

Dr. George Carlo
Science and Public Policy Institute
Washington, D.C.

*
New investigation into phone masts*

Jersey's new health minister has called for a further review of the
risks of mobile phone masts.

Senator Ben Shenton, who replaced sacked Senator Syvret in the role,
called for the review as one of his first priorities.

Previous health and scrutiny reports have advised of no identifiable
health threats, but the Minister says it is his duty to provide the
public with the most up-to-date advice.

Senator Shenton told Channel Online: "There is research coming forward
all the time because of course mobile phones and mobile masts are quite
a new technology and although we know there's no short term dangers its
only with time we'll know there's no long term dangers."

Five additional masts were due to be approved tomorrow, but that
decision's been delayed by the Minister for Planning and Environment,
whose defended Senator Shenton's decision.

Planning Minister Freddie Cohen said: "He's perfectly entitled to review
any element of policy within his portfolio, this is clearly a matter
that he's expressed concern over in the past because he was a member of
the scrutiny panel that looked into the health risks of mobile phone
masts."

Senator Shenton stated that the review will only take four weeks and it
is perfectly reasonable that he should suspend applications until the
review is completed, providing it's within a reasonable period.

However mobile phone companies are unhappy with the decision. Steve
Smith, from Cable and Wireless, said: "Cable & Wireless is
internationally recognised as a responsible operator which takes public
health concerns very seriously and we comply fully with the
recommendations of the Stewart report on mobile health."