Sonae want to make Chimney Bigger

Steve Gallagher, Knowsley Council Chief executive appeared on the Roger Phillips BBC Talk Show today on Dec 12th.(2002) He tried embarrassingly to defend the Sonae Factory in Kirkby which has absolutely NO support from the community here. People were up in arms when they heard the latest crackpot plan to make the Sonae Chimney taller. As Kirkby Times can show, the smoke is often blown downwards onto Kirkby and raising the chimneys height, even by a few hundred feet, will only mean that pollution from the chimney is dispersed further. Remember Sonae claimed that it was 'only steam' which was coming from the chimney; their willingness to build the chimney higher is proof that this is not merely steam coming from the chimney. If it is just steam, as Sonae would have us believe, why build the chimney higher? Sonae are lying here.

Kirkby School kids opposed to Sonae: Take Note Mr Gallagher.

Check out what the Kids have to say about Sonae here!

Steve Gallagher may well find that even Kirkby's school Kids are opposed to Sonae. The Rough wood School website, designed by local kids, states clearly that "Sonae should be knocked down" Steve Gallagher may perhaps care to recall the following statement made by himself regarding 'Schools Councils' …………..

"It is very heartening to find young people taking their responsibilities as citizens seriously and I intend to make sure that their voices are heard by all of the key decision-makers in the Borough." The statement is clearly dishonest in as much as the 'key decision makers' in Kirkby don't give a damn about the kids here. If they did, Sonae would not have been built.

Below Steve Gallagher listening intently to the wishes of school kids?



Internationally, Sonae are the subject of many controversial deals including being involved in Africa, making a profit in a Country were some Working Class people have barely enough to eat. You can read a report here which details Sonae's timber interests and how they exploit the third world. They are often 'unopposed' at the European Parliament in matters of unfair competition. They have the spending power to buy their way out of trouble and in Kirkby; the deal to bring them here was suspicious to say the least. Many Countries refused Sonae for good reason. Knowsley Council would deal with the Devil himself if there were enough money at stake.

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