UCD to vote on referendum to reintroduce Coca-Cola

national | anti-capitalism | press release

Tuesday October 28, 2003 17:43

by Richard Waghorne, Chair - Campaign to Re-Introduce Coca-Cola

richardwaghorne at hotmail dot com

087-6123021

Press Release

The Campaign to Re-introduce Coca-Cola products confirms that a referendum will be held seeking to overturn the recent decision that bans Coca-Cola products from Student Union outlets and prevents University College Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) from entering into sponsorship arrangements with Coca-Cola.

Campaign to Re-Introduce Coca-Cola

PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday, October 28, 2003

The Campaign to Re-introduce Coca-Cola products confirms that a referendum will be held seeking to overturn the recent decision that bans Coca-Cola products from Student Union outlets and prevents University College Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) from entering into sponsorship arrangements with Coca-Cola.

The Campaign has collected the requisite signatures to initiate the referendum. The timing of the referendum is currently undecided and the Campaign is consulting with its advisors and the UCDSU Returning Office to determine the most appropriate date for polling. Campaign Chair Mr. Richard Waghorne stated that “although we are anxious to overturn this result before the serious financial damage sets in and more student jobs are cut, referendum fatigue is very much something to be avoided. A date in the new year seems to be the most likely scenario but we are very flexible in that regard.”

The referendum is being called for a number of reasons. There are a number of issues concerning the first referendum on Coca-Cola that are subject to appeal. Crucially, over three thousand students were disenfranchised. The views of these students must be taken in account. Furthermore, given the narrow margin by which the first referendum passed, a mere fifty-nine votes, the verdict of the students is insecure. Assuming proportional turnout between enfranchised and disenfranchised students, five hundred to six hundred students would have been turned away from polling stations. The margin by which the first referendum was decided is only ten percent of this figure. Mr. Waghorne explained, “Democracy must be above doubt. Sadly the first referendum was not and that is one reason why we have to go again”. The Campaign to Re-introduce Coca-Cola will also present information that came to light during and after the first campaign to the electorate to facilitate a more informed decision by the student body.

Unlike the ‘No’ campaign in the first referendum, the Campaign to Re-Introduce Coca-Cola will comprise of a large and diverse campaign team. “I have been amazed at the enthusiasm of students for a second referendum” says Mr. Waghorne “and we are building a team that draws on the range of experience and ideas of the many students who didn’t participate the first time round. There are a lot of new ideas and new faces making their mark. I can confirm that I will be the chairman of the campaign and I look forward to working closely with such a diverse group.”

END

Issued on behalf of Campaign Chair and PRO Richard Waghorne ( 087 6123021 )