Hawaiian Faces Down GMO Board: “Do Not Spray Chemicals In My Community…”

May 6, 2015December 10, 2018Food Freedom

Total0
0
0
0
Like

Share via

By Jeffrey Jaxen

Hawaiian Faces Down GMO Board of Directors: “Do Not Spray Chemicals In My Community That You Cannot Spray In Your Own Community,” Receives Applause

You can bet that no major media in the United States will touch this story. In a true “bug’s life” moment, longtime Maui Resident and Kauaian Councilman Gary Hooser crashed the party of the annual Syngenta shareholders meeting. What he directly told the Syngenta Board of Directors and nearly 1000 shareholders in attendance was what many in the world are thinking. One would have to assume that the Board of Directors and shareholders in attendance were already on edge before Hooser grabbed the microphone. With their portfolios facing uncertain futures, biotech shareholders have been powerless to watch as the world rejects their products. For the GMO industry, this last year has seen an educated public transform with incredible hulk-like fury. At every level shoppers, researchers, investors, states, and famers have had enough and are proving it with their actions.

Widget not in any sidebars

State by state people are voting of mandatory labeling laws and a complete halt to GMO planting and chemical spraying. Biotech companies completely ignore these votes and bring lawsuits upon each state daring to exert their rights and protect their community’s health. 40 year Hawaiian and Kauaian Councilmen Gary Hosser made his appearance at the annual shareholders meeting to ask politely and boldly for Syngenta to withdraw their lawsuit against the people of Kauai. It is important to note that in Basel Switzerland, where Syngenta’s headquarters reside, the country has banned most of their chemicals and GMO foods.

How did Hooser get stage-time behind enemy lines? In a brilliant maneuver,MultiWatch, a human rights organization Hooser belongs to, retains one stock in the biotech company Syngenta for exactly these special occasions.

According to GaryHooser.wordpress.com:

“The Swiss organization that invited the Kauai delegation to Switzerland is MultiWatch http://www.multiwatch.ch/ (Google will translate), and they own one Share of Syngenta stock. MultiWatch transferred or otherwise assigned that Share to me giving me the legal right to enter and speak. To be clear, Syngenta did not want me there and was working on many levels to prevent me from speaking but legally there was nothing they could do to stop me”

Many are unaware that Hawaii and its islands are ground zero in the current battle for our food supply and health. Currently in Maui, the people have legally voted to stop biotech giants Monsanto and Dow from planting and testing their toxic chemicals. Things have simply gone too far as these unchecked companies have skirted laws and violated the Hawaiian state constitution. Hooser’s speech was another tipping point, a white hot amber along with endless others like a continuous flamethrower aimed at the integrity, trust and legality of GMO companies.

Here is that speech in its entirety:

“Board of directors, shareholders of Syngenta, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to speak today. My name is Gary Hooser. I am from the island of Kauai in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I presently serve on the Kauai county counsel. I’m a lawmaker and a resident of Kauai for 40 years; formerly served in the Hawaii State Senate. I was a Senator their and director of the office of Envoriomental Quality Control for the State of Hawaii. I’m here today to add informatnio that perhaps is not contained within you annual report. And I appreciate your patience with me allowing me to share the message from my community in Kauai. I’m also here today to present a petition, a petition from thousands of residents form our small island. There are only 60 to 65,000 people where I live and we are very, very concerned about our community and the impact Syngenta has in our small community. And that petition is very simple. It asks Syngenta to honor the laws of our community and withdraw your lawsuit from the courts of Hawaii. And to give us the same respect, the same protection that you give the people of Switzerland.

Right now Syngenta sprays enormous amounts of atrazine in the fields around homes, schools, and hospitals where we live. Atrazine is not allowed to be sprayed in your country. Syngenta sprays enormous amounts of parquet which is banned here and in 36 countries around the world; and you do it daily in our community. There are four additional highly restricted chemicals that are sprayed daily around schools, hospitals and homes where I live. Imagine if you had to drive and live in a community surrounded by GE (genetically modified) test fields and every day, every day you know that they’re spraying toxic chemicals in the areas around where you live. Imagine if the schools in your community had children getting sick like they do in my community; going to the hospital in ambulances, throwing up, while Syngenta is spraying fields right next-door. Imagine if the doctors in your community, like in my community, are concerned about birth defects. Who believe that there is 10 times the national rate, of birth defects in a small hospital where I live………(SPEECH INTRUPTED).

…..(SPEECH RESUMES)…international, national, and local laws. That was not true, that is an untrue statement. Syngenta has not complied with our laws. Syngenta has chosen to take us to court. Syngenta has not complied with our property tax laws, Syngenta has not complied with our (AUDIO FADES)…they continue to misrepresent their position to me as a council member, to my community and to you. So again, I’m asking you with great respect, withdraw the lawsuit from the county of Kauai. Honor and comply with our laws and treat us with the same respect the same dignity and the same protections that you give the people of Switzerland. Do not spray chemicals in my community that you cannot spray in your own community. Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak. Aloha! (APPALUSE)