uuptoday.org

The removal of UUP election campaign posters in Kilrea illustrates that there are still some people who do not wish to embrace democracy, East Londonderry UUP Assembly candidate Norman Hillis has said.

Mr. Hillis revealed that many of his posters were taken down within hours of being erected in the town.

He said: “This type of action saddens me as it merely serves to indicate that there are people around who refuse to recognize fair play for all.

“Politics is all about democracy in action and trying to make life better for all the people of Northern Ireland.”

Mr. Hillis said his campaign workers had erected posters in Kilrea last Thursday and all but one had been removed almost immediately.

“I respect anyone’s right to stand for election and their entitlement to campaign in an honest and open manner. It is, however, regrettable that a tiny minority see it as their mission to deny candidates that right,” he added.

“The decline of Balmoral High School has now become notorious as a case study in poor planning by government departments; it was built after 2000 using PFI to house 500 pupils. Current numbers are only 154 and dropping. Sadly, the BELB is proposing closure in August 2008. This decision will have some adverse “equality impacts” (particularly from the point of view of the already disadvantaged community in the Greater Village). This is why former MLA Esmond Birnie has made the following comments to the Board’s consultation exercise:

“Additional comments on BELB Equality Consultation Questionnaire— Proposed closure of Balmoral High School 31 August 2008

The closure is, obviously, deeply regrettable. Most of all, from the point of view of the staff and pupils involved. Additionally because of the financial context; given that the school was rebuilt in the early 2000s using PFI, the public purse will continue to pay for this now unused building for decades to come (this raises questions for another occasion as to how the projected demand for a 500 pupil school was estimated and what decisions were made by DE, BELB and perhaps other Boards which resulted in such a large diversion of potential pupils away from Balmoral).

If mistakes were made regarding the provision at Balmoral then these probably only built upon much earlier decisions. Balmoral High School drew most of its intake from the Greater Village area— it was obviously far from ideal that there was a 3 mile gap between the secondary school and its main primary school feeders.

We are where we are, the challenge now is to find the best response to this situation; a situation were an area (the Greater Village) which is already disadvantaged in social and educational terms is “losing” its school. We need an imaginative response. One which might make use of the opportunities existing post –the 2008 reforms and also use some of the spare capacity in the three primary schools in the Greater Village-lower Lisburn Road area to provide some 11-14 education in the heart of that community.”

Mr Robin Swann, the North Antrim Ulster Unionist Assembly candidate, has called for an air ambulance service to be introduced to cover isolated regions of the constituency, especially during bad weather conditions.

Mr Swann added: “A legislative Assembly would give us the opportunity to fully debate the merits of a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, not only based in Northern Ireland, but at specific bases across Northern Ireland.

“The current health minister Paul Goggins has said that other than for inter-hospital transfers, there was no clear advantage in helicopter emergency medical services.

“But North Antrim is a largely rural constituency and has some very isolated regions, especially in the Moyle locality, where ground ambulance services may have some difficulty in reaching during exceptionally bad weather conditions.

“In this respect, we need an urgent review of such a service by a legislative Assembly for the sake of lives, not just in our North Antrim constituency, but right across the whole of Northern Ireland.

“Whilst we need this review of air ambulance cover, I am also acutely aware that the development of the Province’s ground Ambulance Service has quite literally become a matter of life and death.

“For far too long the Ambulance Service has been regarded merely as patient transport and not as an emergency service. However, the time has come when we must look on the Ambulance Service as a pre-hospital healthcare service. The provision of an efficient Ambulance Service must be an essential part of the review of acute hospitals by any future Executive.

“Emergency care can be heavily influenced in the pre-hospital phase. There is great talk about the so-called ‘golden hour’, which is the time from when a call is received until the patient is at the door of an accident and emergency department. In England and Wales, however, it has been recommended that this period becomes a ‘golden half hour’.

“Likewise, taking rural and urban areas into account, it is vital that standardisation of performance in emergency times is achieved. It is easy for bureaucrats to set times and then expect that the Ambulance Service will respond accordingly. However, the question must be asked if those times are operationally achievable.”

“The future development of the Ambulance Service has become a matter of life and death, therefore, it is essential that the future Health Minister of a power-sharing Executive gives priority to ensuring that our Ambulance Service in Northern Ireland is the best in the United Kingdom,” said Mr Swann.

Ulster Unionist candidate for Strangford and Castlereagh Councillor Michael Henderson has welcomed the decision of Castlereagh, Ards, North Down and Down Borough Councils to announce a dangerous dog amnesty for the month of March.

Cllr Henderson said:

“Castlereagh, Ards, North Down and Down Borough Council are following the lead of Ballymena Council who were the first in the UK to introduce the amnesty. In the first such scheme in the UK, Ballymena Borough Council gave owners of pit-bulls and other dogs bred for fighting a month to hand in animals without fear of prosecution.

“In Belfast, since the scheme was introduced, almost 50 pit-bull terriers have been surrendered to Belfast City Council since May of last year. Eighteen of the 49 dogs were handed over this January, the council said.

“The reason behind this amnesty is so people can come forward and hand over their dogs without fear of prosecution. Given the dangerous and often unpredictable nature of these animals, this is a forward step to take to protect the vulnerable in our community.”

North Down Ulster Unionist candidate Leslie Cree was encouraged this week after receiving an email from a young RE student who suggested that the Ulster Unionist Party were successfully reaching out to ethnic and minority groups on his Party’s main website.

In his comments to the politician he wrote, “Can I just note how pleased I was to see how people from the Arabic, Chinese, Lithuanian, Polish and Portuguese can read the UUP website. Something as simple as this is missing in other party websites but I am glad someone has thought of them.”

In response Mr Cree stated,

“It is refreshing in this period of extremes that young people including foreign nationals are taking a real interest in and are asking questions about what should be normal politics in our society.”

If we are to become a normal pluralist society it is essential that we all recognise our cultural and ethnic differences. All of us working together will make a stronger and more cosmopolitan society in this modern world. “

This must be the way forward if we are to engage meaningfully in the areas of economic development including tourism, a flexible labour market, an improved educational climate and health and prosperity for all.”

UUP South Belfast Candidate Bob Stoker is calling on Government to fast track the community proposals for housing regeneration in the Village area of South Belfast. In a statement toady he voiced the strong anger of the community in that area.

Mr Stoker said,

“Redevelopment” has been the word on everyone’s lips within the community of the Donegall Road and Village area over the past 20 months. In years past, the community could not agree upon a way forward to improve housing. The Housing Executive then walked away, leaving the area to market forces, but due to a number of factors in recent years, the community have agreed intervention is needed to a greater extent.

The community has voiced its anger and frustration at the lack of action from various government departments to address the range of problems. Slowly but surely these are being addressed with the last element being housing. Living conditions for many within the Village area are totally unacceptable, with many of the houses having only two bedrooms and outside toilets. Families have been forced to leave the area, in search of more suitable family–sized dwellings – both social and private housing types; which in turn has led to further deterioration and dereliction.

When the Sandy Row and Village Task force was formed, it set out to address the needs of Protestant working class areas. The report overwhelmingly presented the need for urgent intervention in order to improve the housing conditions in the Village area. I am questioning where is the sense of urgency by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Department of Social Development. Have they another hidden agenda for this community?

The community have already carried out a consultation exercise with a 74% response favouring full redevelopment; they want maximum regeneration. Numerous survey responses included comments about how terrible the area has become and if nothing is done, they would be forced to leave. On a regular basis, families leave the area because of the poor housing conditions. Until intervention is actioned the community will be lost and the area will be taken over by property developers and investors. Surveys received from the older generation of the community expressed their concern over the dramatic decline of the area in recent years. They remember an area, with good housing for that time, busy shops and a strong community.

This community is disgusted at the blight of derelict properties remaining uninhabited and falling into further disrepair, and the associated effects on adjoining properties. The residents are angered at the level of depravation in the area, and the fact that the locality is one of the last remaining areas in Belfast to be redeveloped. I along with them are demanding action now.”

Ulster Unionist Party Leader Sir Reg Empey and a number of UUP candidates from the West of the province today launched the UUP’s ‘Manifesto for the West’.

As a party committed to all of Northern Ireland, the Ulster Unionist Party has strong roots in the West. On becoming Leader, Sir Reg set up the West Ulster Unionist Forum to give Ulster Unionist representatives, members and supporters, and all communities throughout the west, a dedicated forum in which to raise issues impacting on the West of Northern Ireland.

The ‘Manifesto for the West’ is the result of consulting and listening to the views of the West Ulster Unionist Forum and the views of the wider population in this part of the Province.

The Manifesto commits to:

• Recognising the educational and social benefits of small schools – and opposing any hasty implementation of the Bain Report

• Extending NHS Direct to Northern Ireland, and rolling out midwife-led maternity units – securing accessible health care and advice for families throughout the West

• Encouraging local government, communities and businesses in the West to prepare to work in partnership with the Executive to strategically invest an economic package – improving the infrastructure and competitiveness of Northern Ireland plc

• A Northern Ireland Renewable Energy Plan – stimulating environmental businesses in the West and providing new economic opportunity for rural enterprises

• Ensuring that the West is fully integrated into Northern Ireland’s public transport network – offering choice and access to communities across the West

• Realising the tourism potential of the West – marketing the Fermanagh Lakelands, the Sperrins and the Walled City as premier tourism locations

• Supporting the EverybodyOnline initiative to increase internet usage and access in the West – overcoming the digital divide for the benefit of communities and businesses

• A balanced rural planning policy – protecting the countryside from random development while allowing for sustainable development of rural communities

• A Sustainable Rural Communities White Paper – developing an agenda for the Executive to support the rural way of life

• Implementation of the Report of the Interim Victim’s Commissioner – ensuring that the needs of victims are met and their voices heard

Speaking at the launch at the Waterside theatre in Londonderry this morning, Sir Reg said,

“One quarter of Northern Ireland’s population lives in the West. We have natural treasures in the West – the Fermanagh Lakelands, the Sperrins, the Walled City. The West holds many of the SMEs, farm businesses and rural enterprises that create jobs and opportunity for Northern Ireland plc.

But there are challenges. The West has been poorly served in terms of infrastructure, transport links, and economic opportunity. Direct Rule plans under the Bain Report to close smaller schools have the potential to undermine communities across the West. And the RPA proposal of 7 council areas would isolate the West, removing local government from local communities.

Co-operation with the Republic Ireland can also be a contentious issue for communities in the West. The West can benefit from a positive working relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic – as long as this relationship is for our mutual benefit, and is accountable to the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive.

As a Party committed to all of Northern Ireland, the Ulster Unionist Party has strong roots in the West. Our candidates in the Assembly election are a strong, local team committed to securing quality public services, economic opportunity, and strong and fair communities for the West.

To secure this future for the West, we need a devolved Assembly and Executive. We believe that continued Direct Rule would hurt the economic and social future of the West of Northern Ireland.”

UUP South Down candidate John McCallister has said the concerns of the farming community are his “Number 1 priority” in relation to the Mourne National Park, and has hit out at DUP division and confusion on the issue.

In a statement, Mr McCallister said,

“Farmers have very genuine concerns about the Mourne National Park. These concerns are my top priority. This issue is far too important to the livelihoods of local farmers and other small businesses for there to be any confusion or ambiguity from public representatives.

“Yet clearly within the DUP confusion is the order of the day. Jim Wells has long been on record as a supporter of the Mourne National Park, even seconding a Motion of Down District Council supporting its designation as a National Park.

Yet this week we learn that his supposed ‘running mate’ Willie Burns is ‘totally opposed’ to the project, despite not even showing up to the Burren Community Centre meeting on February 9th. Has nobody told Willie Burns of his colleague’s long-standing support for the Park?

“The DUP candidates are not just out of step, they are totally at odds with each other on this key issue. Such confusion is not surprising from a DUP that is now so divided it can’t even promise to restore our devolved government. Only with a government of our own can we start to tackle the issues that really matter to farmers.

“With the Ulster Unionist Party, local farmers can be sure of where they stand. Sir Reg Empey has visited this constituency and has spoken up strongly for the concerns of local farmers - concerns reiterated by our Agriculture spokesperson Tom Elliott at the recent UFU hustings. Ulster Unionists believe in a prosperous and sustainable future for all of Northern Ireland’s rural communities.

As a farmer, I am determined not to let the rights of my fellow local farmers be trampled on. With the UUP farmers know where they stand. I call on the divided DUP to get its act together, there can be no room for confusion or ambiguity on this issue”.

Speaking today at BT’s launch of its new communications system for Northern Ireland - the 21st Century Network - Ulster Unionist Assembly candidate Danny Kennedy has welcomed this step forward for Northern Ireland’s knowledge-based economy.

Mr Kennedy said: “The 21st Century Network is a fantastic development for Northern Ireland. It will have great benefits for domestic users who will see a vastly improved service. It is my hope that this major development will help to bring internet take-up and usage throughout the country in line with provision.

“In addition, this £260m investment will be a fantastic boost for our economy, as it will vastly benefit local businesses, assisting them greatly in achieving a competitive edge in both the UK and the global economies.

“We want to make Northern Ireland a good place for business and this will be a major step towards achieving our region a more attractive place to do business, bringing in investors who require high speed communication facilities to do business.

“The 21st Century Network will be a big step in helping us achieve a thriving 21st century knowledge-based economy.”

The Ulster Unionist Party has today welcomed the launch of NIPPA’S 2007 Manifesto for Early Years.

Speaking after the launch Cllr Marion Smith, the UUP candidate for North Down, said: “The vision of NIPPA to guarantee a good start in life to all our children is vital to producing healthy and content children who can live happily and unthreatened in their communities.

“We need to ensure that every child is given the very best start in life, which means ridding our society of poverty, supporting parents and providing a first-class education system accessible to all.

“We want communities in which our children can be nurtured to achieve their full potential and live without fear or worry. Northern Ireland needs a peaceful and inclusive society that facilitates the growth of happy and healthy in children who see difference as something to celebrate, not to fear.”

South Belfast candidate Dr Esmond Birnie went on to say: “The Ulster Unionist Party is committed to making sure that all children are well looked after in their early years.

“Our recently published manifesto for the 2007 Assembly Election outlines how we intend to achieve this. We want to ensure that progress towards a target of 70 Sure Start Centres by 2012 is achieved, as we know that an investment in early years leads to increased educational outcomes in later years.

“In addition we want to extend the Workplace Nurseries Initiative and the transformation Fund for the childcare workforce in Northern Ireland ensuring that our childcare workforce have the best opportunities available and to ensure that our children get the highest level of care possible.

“Furthermore we are committed to guaranteeing that every child in Northern Ireland is entitled to a full 20 hours of preschool education a week, providing all our children while a good educational foundation.

“Our children are the promise of a better future for Northern Ireland. We need to ensure that they have every opportunity to achieve this destiny.”