Molwyn Takes up Cell Tower Issue

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Sunday, 29 July 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St. John's - Senior Member of the Antigua Labour Party (ALP) and Member of Parliament in St. Mary's North Molwyn Joseph has taken up the proliferation of cell towers issue recently on radio show Fire and Steel.

Joseph is of the view that the proliferation of towers leads to higher levels of radiation around Antigua and Barbuda, which could result in increased rates of Cancer.

Specifically, Joseph pointed out the correlation in specific sites known to have high levels of Cancer and their subsequent proximity to powerful sources of radiation.

The BBC Towers in Seaview farm was one such site, where, according to Joseph, higher levels of cancer were found during the operation of the towers.

Joseph also cited statistics he received regarding the Cable and Wireless headquarters, where he claims that 11% of workers had developed cancer, some of which died from the disease.

"It has been confirmed to me that there were approximately 11% of the Cable and Wireless workers who came down with Cancer, and several of them have died," Joseph said on Fire and Steel.

Joseph then spoke of the proliferation of cell towers, highlighting the towers atop the Car Park as an example of how common such towers have become.

He further spoke of the Digicel ICT classrooms, which he says receive internet via microwave technology, further increasing the levels of radiation around the Island.

"This is a major issue. Antiguans and Barbudans must understand the great harm that is being done to their health, they cannot feel it until their bodies have been decimated by radiation and then they come down with cancer of the breast, cancer of the liver, prostate cancer, all these cancers," Joseph explained.

To provide further evidence for his argument, Joseph expanded on the high levels of breast cancer in Antigua and Barbuda.

"…there is an issue that has not been spoken of too often in Antigua and Barbuda and that is the rate of Breast Cancers in Antigua and Barbuda. I know this for a fact because I know that at one point in discussing this issue with a particular lady who has a keen interest in it that there were over 100 women in Antigua and Barbuda with breast cancer, who were seeking treatment here in Antigua and Barbuda and could not get it!"

Joseph closed the discussion by suggesting that instead of letting cellphone companies erect towers at will, the Government should make a policy to consolidate the number of towers, and engage in tower sharing so as to reduce the number of towers around the Island.

Caribarena has long warned the public about the dangers of Cell Towers, publishing a major series of articles. The issue had not received significant support from the Opposition in the past.

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The UPP administration had also been silent on the issue until an expert had been brought in to conduct a study on the cell towers in August of 2011. The study was controversial, with major faults being pointed out from day one, and the completed report had also been criticized for unclear, inconsistent, and missing information.

Despite the serious health concerns, the issue appeared to have fallen out of the public's attention.

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