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Does politics has a place in genetically modified (GM) food debate? “No”, is the obvious answer. Politics and science are such sworn adversaries that they cannot eat from the same plate. Politics mainly thrive on propaganda, vilification, name-calling and personal gratification at the expense of the general good. Science is anchored on verifiable facts, it is objective, gentle, and seeks to make the world a better place for all of us to live. You cannot politicize science unless you fancy mediocrity.

One Jeffrey Smith, the author of “Seeds of Deception,” this week advised South Africans to avoid genetically modified food like plague. Why? South Africans stand to lose European beef and poultry markets if they feed their livestock on genetically modified food. To be on the safe side, South Africans should use conventional feeds. Pooh!

“There is a massive rejection of genetically modified ingredients in human food in Europe, and growing demand that animals are fed on conventional crops,” Smith told his audience. What a misleading advice!

Deliberately misleading the public on any issue is both morally reprehensible and abominable. Those who exploit the vulnerability of the poor for self gains risk isolation by the world. Why misinform to confuse? United States of America is a traditional grower of genetically modified food. The U.S.’s European beef markets have not shrunk as a result of cultivating GMOs.Latest statistics at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) show beef and veal exports ballooned from 461 million pounds in 2004 to 615 billion pounds in 2005. The bulk of the exports went to European markets. Smith lives in the U.S. and ought to have made this clear to his audience. If he did so, I would not be here penning this article.

Europe, itself, is fast embracing genetically modified food. Last month, the European Union endorsed importation of genetically modified animal feed. Does Smith want to tell South Africa that Europe is shooting itself in the foot?

Already, farmers in five European Union countries, including France and Germany are growing genetically modified food. They have not lost their beef and poultry markets. In Spain, GMO Maize’s harvest this year will top 50,000 hectares, all of which will be used as cattle feed. Spain’s beef markets in Europe remain intact. They are not in limbo. These are hard facts and no amount of propaganda and grandstanding will change them. Let’s be pragmatic when debating the issue of genetically modified food.This is the only way to help consumers to make informed decisons.

Debate on pros and cons of genetically modified food is a luxury to Africa. Somebody should not make Africa believe that it would lose oversees markets for growing genetically modified food. Africa cannot feed itself as of now. Women and kids are dying in Niger, Ethiopia, and Eritrea of hunger. Priority, now, should not be to grow food for exports but to feed the hungry and the malnourished. To scare Africa that it will lose oversees markets is putting the cart before the horse.

James Wachai is a communication specialist who uses his expertise to increase public understanding of science and technology, specifically biotechnology. Read more from James at gmoafrica.org gmoafrica.org

School uniforms are the cause for much debate these days with some people claiming that all schools should adopt them and others claiming that school uniforms are going to be the ruin of civilization as we know it. People tend to feel strongly on the subject of school uniforms, that is a fact and it is also a fact that many schools could very well choose to put school uniforms into effect over the next couple of years.

There are some definite pros and cons of both sides, and strangely enough some of them are the same. Confused yet? It is simple really, take the following into consideration. One of the big arguments for school uniforms is that by using them and forcing the students to look alike you are taking out their individuality. This can be seen as a good thing because individuality can often cause trouble among people. The more they all look the same the less likely they are to fight and disturb each other. People claim that if all of the kids dressed the same in their school uniforms they would not have as much to pick on other for. Clothes can be a huge divider and if they are taken out of the equation by making use of school uniforms then what will there be left to fight about?

Personally, I think that this argument takes away the credit young people deserve when it comes to their ability to wreak havoc. Let’s face it, not everyone is going to look the same as the others even when they all dress alike. Some are bound to look better in the school uniforms than others which still leaves many open to cruelty.

There is a flip side to the all looking the same in school uniforms theory. Many people feel that by taking away the students individuality you are not lessening the cause for trouble but only taking away the things that make people special. People are who they are and most people, especially young people define themselves by the way they look. If you take away their right to express themselves through the way that they look they will have to find some other way to do it and theses ways could very well be worse and more destructive than funky clothing.

School uniforms are a fact of life for many students, especially those in religious and private schools. For the most part the school uniforms do not seem to be making too much of a difference either way in terms of the behavior of the students. Schools where there are school uniforms being worn are just as likely to see violence and arguments in the halls as those without any school uniforms.

Children will be children and it does not matter what you dress them up in, whether it is school uniforms or jeans they are still going to behave like children. Children can be mean and they will find something to pick on others about if they are a bully, whether it is the way they look in their school uniforms or in their jeans.

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