My Editorial at the weekend (4-6 February) headlined “Frankenstein mosquitoes and transparency” prompted an email from Dr. R. Guy Reeves of the Max-Planck-Institut für Evolutionsbiologie whom I had quoted. This is what he wrote:

“Dear Editor

“I am the author of the scientific article which motivated the Der Spiegel article (which has now been syndicated by ABC News in the US). I saw your editorial on GM mosquitoes and thought it was very interesting. What you say is very much in line with the scientific article we published ( I have attached our press release for a little more info, if you are interested). It is fascinating to hear what you say as it confirms what few facts we have.

If you think it would be helpful and of general interest I would be happy to participate in a written questions and answers piece (your readers could choose the questions). If a representative from the MRCU or Oxitec would also like to participate that would be fine.
Thanks, Guy”

He also sent me these quotes from the recent Oxitec/MRCU publication which gives some details and I found very interesting:

“Field site selection and description.

“MRCU approached Oxitec in 2008 to discuss the potential use of Oxitec’s RIDL technology for control of A. aegypti in the Cayman Islands.
[….]

“Information about the project was provided more broadly through the media and by personal contact and briefing. Project personnel were present on-site ~5 d per week to provide information and conduct operations. All equipment, vehicles and personnel were clearly marked; equipment and written material included MRCU contact information. Permission was sought from individual householders before project activity on their property, for example, placement and servicing of BG-Sentinel traps. All such requests (100%) received a positive response and no negative comments regarding project operations were received. Release period. Nov. 16, 2009 to Dec. 14, 2009”

“Taken from; Harris AF, Nimmo D, McKemey AR, Kelly N, Scaife S, et al. (2011) Field performance of engineered male mosquitoes. Nature Biotechnology 29: 1034–1037. doi:10.1038/nbt.2019”

The impression from the above (and from subsequent statements from Oxitec personnel) is that every individual householder was fully conversant with the reasons for the placement and servicing of BG-Sintinel traps and 100% of the people contacted said “Yes.”

I can inform you that this was not the case. I was one of the householders whose permission was sought to have a BG-Sintinel trap placed on my property and also on another. I said, “Yes,” to both and it was to two different teams of MRCU personnel during the same week. I was never told it was part of an experiment after the release of the GM mosquitoes by either team. And there lies the problem. Very little was said and it was all very laid back, “Would you mind if….” Of course I didn’t mind. Even if I had been told everything about the project I would still have given my permission.

There is the problem. The lack of transparency. Tell as little as possible and only provide any more information if asked.

And on another subject, have you noticed how our laws are gradually being changed in order to “accommodate”. Whilst hardened criminals are being given every legal loophole that can be found and lighter sentences dished out for even heinous crimes, the law abiding citizens are having their civil liberties eroded all the time. This is particularly true of the USA and the UK and has started to happen here. And it is very easy for law abiding citizens to be so accommodating. We obey the law and therefore we have no fear. However, so many laws are being passed, almost in secret, or tagged on to ones we can all agree too, it is impossible nowadays to be aware of actually not committing
a crime.

I feel very sorry for the judges who are having less and less margins to play with in their sentencing and having to spend so much time in trying to patch up any “holes” in their judgments. They have to be so careful they may inadvertently say something in the Court that could conceivably be interpreted as bias against the prisoner on trial.

Where are the scales of justice weighted at the moment? Not where it should be. And the reason? We have become complacent, politically correct and far too accommodating to please. We live in a Christian culture, whether we believe in Christian worship or not. It is no wonder we are looked at with astonishment by our Muslim brothers. Take a look at their culture and how they obey their religious rules. They are not complacent or so accommodating. Rules are not meant to be relaxed and most definitely
 not changed.