Brighton HOV – Minutes 12/10/06

HEADLINES

1. MONEY

Before the rest – the really good news, in case anyone missed Brenda’s earlier posting, is the balance of £1168 we have left from the Duke of York’s screening in June.

Martin is completing the process of opening a bank account (Brenda and Ann as other signatories) so that’s where it will go. We agreed that Martin would take on the Treasurer’s role.

2. ELECTION MONITORS – anyone want to go to Venezuela?

One thing we decided we would like to do with some of the money is help pay for one or two people to go to Venezuela as part of the HOV delegation that will be unofficially ‘monitoring’ the pol on December 3^rd.

Pierre has expressed interest. If anyone else might be willing and able, please contact him, me, Brenda or Martin ASAP.

How much we can subsidize will depend partly on numbers, fares etc.

3. STUDENT VISIT – Monday 30^th Oct

Venezuelan student activist, Ronny Pante, will be in England at the end of this month with a meeting at Sussex University, 5pm on 30^th October (Just confirmed). We could do something with him in town, even just an informal gathering over a drink, later that evening.

(Can anyone take this on? I’m on night shifts that week…)

4. PLANS

A. Election Public Meeting. We decided we’d like to do some public activity immediately after the Venezuelan presidential elections on Dec 3^rd, when it’s all still in the media spotlight. Possibly a film and/or political cum social event. Brenda has been unable to book Friend’s meeting house for 4/5^th December. I think it needs to be the beginning of that week (also I’m away for work from Weds…) Any other suggestions...?

B. Factory Films meeting. We decided to organise our next HOV meeting around showing a new video about factory occupations and workers control in Venezuela. My notes are confused here but I think we agreed Weds 8^th November, 7.30pm, Branch Tavern. If that’s wrong can one of the others please send out a correction?

This is just before a big ‘Fighting Unions’ conference organised by Respect, so we agreed to try to target local unions, the Trades Council, etc, who might have a particular interest.

C. We have been talking to the student’s union at Sussex about our plans for a day school. They are very interested in joining forces, maybe combining their plans to have John Pilger down in the new year. So we are thinking about trying to organise a serious event for maybe March next year.

5. OTHER EVENTS

A. 28^th Oct is the National Conference of Venezuela Information Centre, 10-17.30, City Hall, London. We agreed that it would be good if some of us could go, in line with our earlier decisions to take an open, inclusive approach to the various national campaigns. Martin expects to go and I will try to go. You need to register in advance so please contact Martin if you want to go.

B. 4^th November is the National Conference of Hands Off Venezuela, UCU, 27 Britannia Street, WC1, 10-17.00. Anyone who is an individual member of the national HOV can take part. Also, we, along with a number of other local groups, have been invited to nominate someone to be on the national HOV Steering Committee. We decided to nominate Linda (Wood), on the understanding that if Linda cannot go we can send someone else to represent us in her place.

ELECTION DISCUSSION

Before all this Jorge Martin from the Naitonal HOV, who was down anyway for a meeting at the university, introduced an interesting discussion about the election campaign in Venezuela.

Minutes by Iain Bruce 18/10/06