rhifyn 1130 issue 1130
gair rhydd
11 chwefror 2019 11 february 2019
Check out Gair Rhydd online
Cardiff University’s student paper | Established 1972
Mark Drakeford: rhaid “paratoi am ail refferendwm” I
Living more ecologically by Sam Saunders
t is widely recognised that climate change is upon us, and our columnist is a fim beliver that it is time for everyone to look at their own lives and consumption habits in order to reduce our impact on the planet, especially the Westerners that can choose to. 24
Cardiff Uni to develop NFL helmet padding by Jonathan Learmont
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ardiff University have recieved £90,000 in funding to develop an elastic-based material called C3, which will be 3D printed into a structure usable in American Football helmets. The material enables more shock to be absorbed than the current foams normally used. 26
Should the SU support the ‘People’s Vote’? by Sam Tilley
Ail Refferendwm? Y Prif Weinidog, Mark Drakeford. Tarddiad: Cynhadledd Brexit CPMR ‘Cydweithrediad Ewropeaidd y tu hwnt i Brexit’ gan Tomos Evans
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ae’r Prif Weinidog, Mark Drakeford wedi dweud ei bod hi’n “bwysig i ddechrau paratoi am ail refferendwm rhag ofn mai hwnna yw’r unig beth sy’ ‘da ni”. Mewn cyfweliad â Taf-od, dywedodd yr Aelod Cynulliad dros Orllewin Caerdydd fod dau bosibiliad i’w cael, gan gynnwys ail refferendwm. “Beth ‘yn ni’n dweud bob tro yw mae Mrs May’n gallu gwneud cytundeb gyda’r Undeb Ewropeaidd sy’n gwarchod yr economi a swyddi yma yng Nghymru. Pan mae’r posibiliad ‘na yn fyw ac yn y Tŷ Cyffredin, beth ‘yn ni’n dweud yw mae’n bwysig inni roi’r amser...i weld os mae’r Tŷ Cyffredin yn gallu cytuno ar fargen fel ‘na.” Ond, os nad oes cytundeb o’r fath
sy’n meddu ar gefnogaeth Tŷ’r Cyffredin, dywedodd Mr Drakeford, “Ar ddiwedd y dydd, os nad yw’r Tŷ Cyffredin yn gallu gwneud y penderfyniad, os ni jyst mewn sefyllfa lle does dim byd yn gallu [digwydd], yr unig ateb dw i’n gallu gweld fan hyn yw i fynd ‘nôl at y bobl a rhoi’r cwestiwn yn ôl iddyn nhw.” Ychydig dros wythnos yn ôl, gwnaeth y Cynulliad bleidleisio i ddechrau paratoadau am ail refferendwm ar Brexit o 37 i 14. Dywedodd Mark Drakeford, “Yn y Cynulliad...roedden ni’n dweud... os ar ddiwedd y dydd mai hwnna yw’r unig ffordd ymlaen, dydyn ni ddim eisiau bod mewn sefyllfa lle ‘dyn ni ddim yn gallu ‘neud hwnna achos ‘dyn ni ddim wedi paratoi i wneud e. ‘Yn ni jyst
yn mynd i redeg mas o amser.” Mae Brexit hefyd wedi bod yn ran o ystyriaethau Mark Drakeford wrth iddo fynd ati i ffurfio’i gabinet, gan greu rôl newydd ar gyfer y Gweinidog Materion Rhyngwladol, swydd sy’n cael ei chyflawni gan Eluned Morgan ynghyd â’i dyletswyddau fel Gweinidog y Gymraeg. Dywedodd Mr Drakeford “Y peth pwysig i fi yw, ar ôl Brexit, beth bynnag sy’n mynd i [ddigwydd], i Gymru dal i fod yn le ble ‘yn ni’n edrych allan i’r byd, ble ni’n rhoi neges i’r byd ein bod ni eisiau chwarae rôl yn beth sy’n mynd ymlaen yn rhyngwladol, i fod yn agored i bobl tramor i ddod yma i fod yn rhan o bethau ni’n ‘neud yma yng Nghymru, ac yng nghyd-destun Brexit, bydd rhaid
inni weithio’n galetach i wneud hwnna. Dyna pam oeddwn i eisiau cael rhywun yn y cabinet gyda’r cyfrifoldeb i wneud hynny.” Dywedodd Mr Drakeford ei fod yn awyddus i barhau i gydweithio gyda gwledydd yr Undeb Ewropeaidd yn dilyn Brexit. “Mae lot o bobl ledled Ewrop eisiau ni dal i weithio ‘da nhw ar ôl Brexit a roeddwn i eisiau cael rhywun gyda’r cyfrifoldebau i fwrw ‘mlaen gyda phethau fel ‘na ac Eluned, gyda’r profiadau mae hi wedi cael dros y blynyddoedd, roedd y gwaith jyst yn ffitio gyda beth oedd hi’n gallu gwneud a beth oedd hi’n awyddus i wneud hefyd.” 10
Let it fee: The banning of agency fees in Wales
by Indigo Jones
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n the February, 4 2019 Cardiff University’s SU President, Fadhila A. Al Dhahouri, announced on Facebook that the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, confirmed that letting agency fees should be banned in the new academic year. According to the Students’ Union
website, “Cardiff University Students’ Union called upon Mr Drakeford to give an assurance that letting fees would be prohibited in Wales by September 2019, the start of the next academic year,” and he seemed incredibly hopeful at the idea. Dhahouri also stated that “We made it happen”, as members of the Students’
Union came together to share testimonies and personal stories on the matter to demonstrate their support. This includes Janet Williams, Amr Al Wishah (VP Welfare and Campaigns), Wiliam Rees, Iqra Babu and Jake Smith (VP Postgraduate Students). The above also played their part in organising the Governance of Wales Citizen’s Assembly,
which was held in partnership with Citizens’ Cymru Wales. The event hosted over 350 attendees who represented a variety of Wales’ different communities. When we spoke to the Students’ Union President, she stated she was “very proud of the fact we worked tirelessly over the last 3 months to put this event together”. 3
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he Students’ Union, in it’s brief to “represent all students” is failing in that by endorsing a People’s Vote. Student Unions are allowed to endorse campaigns that affect “students as students”, but does Brexit easily fall into this category? 14
Cardiff University hosts WWF talk by Suzzanah Murphy
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peaking about the recent work conducted by the WWF, TOny Juniper (CBE), environmentalist and writer held a talk in Cardiff University’s main building on the way that climate change is 3 affecting biodiversity and species extinction.