Dear Members, I found and read this about BAT. http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13589&Itemid=106
If this story is true, I would wish people on the ground confirm if indeed BAT has at last tried to take some limited Social responsibility for their disastrous activities in tobacco growing areas, especially West Nile after such a long period of exploitation without any visible benefits to the communities involved. If they have doing what is written here, it is a good start but not nearly enough considering how much they have profited from the sweat of our people and how damaged our environment has become. I would add that the BAT is one of the contributing factors to the current acute water shortage we are experiencing in our region (most boreholes are almost dry when I last observed in April, 2011). The environmental and Health implications of BAT activities in West Nile require BAT to do much more that what they are attempting to do now. Moreover we have lost lives and I wonder if all tobacco farmers have been paid of their dues from since two years ago. Farmers who still insist on growing tobacco need to be paid timely and the fair price for their produce. I sincerely do not believe the 7 or so scholarships BAT has given is West Nile is sufficient to compensate for the cost of child Labour they have entertained in West Nile for decades. I would add that more pressure needs to be exerted on BAT to do more, especially, in addressing water shortage and provide more in the area of education if they indeed have started sponsoring students. We should begin to think of moving away from boreholes to building water tanks if we are to think of water Conservation measures because to more boreholes in the region also has a drastic effect on reducing water tables, which over time result into warping of and sagging of our land surface. Thanks, Vasco Oguzua
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