Meeting with Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom MP

Monday I fieldeda Question on Burma,then attended Select Committee on communicable diseases to hear evidence from (a) the Terence Higgins Trust and the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, and (b) the Malaria Consortium, Target Tuberculosis and TBAlert. The evidence already published is at www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/hl_intergov.cfm

Tuesday, I met the Ven Ajahn Khemadhammo Mahathera OBE for a discussion on the Armed Forces Buddhist Chaplaincy, following which we met the Minister Derek Twigg MP and his officials.

Wednesday, a meeting to discuss Tibet with FCO Minister Lord Malloch-Brown in the morning, and in the afternoon, attended the Traveller Law Reform Project AGM.

Thursday, meeting of the international development team in the office of Michael Moore MP, and in the afternoon, visit to King's College Hospital to see Mr Harris, urology consultant, about my enlarged prostate, a condition that affects a high proportion of men as they get older. If its benign,its just a nuisance because it means having to pee more frequently, but Mr Harris did arrange for me to have a blood test to measure prostate specific antigen (PSA), which increases in cancer patients. The last time it was measured twoyears ago it was 0.5 nanograms per millilitre, well inside the 'safe'limit of 4 ng/ml.

This morning, I had a meeting in Committee Room 4 with representatives of the Convention People's Party of Ghana, headed by their candidate for the Presidential election in December 2008, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom MP. Also at the meeting was Lotte Nybergh, a representative of Liberal International, and JW. The main problems in Ghana are job creationm tackling corruption, redressing regional inequality and promoting African unity. Dr Nduom is a leader of considerable experience and wisdom, and his Party is the heir of the great historical tradition of Dr Kwame Nkrumah. The CPP was banned for quite a few years but is now making a strong comeback.