Strategic Review of Parading must fully engage with Stakeholders - Elliott
Fermanagh and South Tyrone assemblyman, Tom Elliott, has rounded on the Strategic Review of Parading Body for failing to be fully represented during a meeting with representatives from Fermanagh’s Loyal Orders.
Four of the seven member group, not including the panel’s chairman, former Liberal Democrat leader, Lord Ashdown, met with the contingent led by the UUP MLA in Enniskillen on Thursday night to hear about the issues surrounding parading in the county.
In a statement the Ulster Unionist MLA said: “Local members of the Loyal Orders welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Strategic Review of Parading Body, an invitation to meet with us was extended following our recent submission to the team and we were very keen to put forward our views in person. We are grateful to those from the review group who did turn up for the meeting.
“Indeed, such was our interest in meeting with the members of the body that we gladly re-arranged the date of the meeting at their behest, and with little notice, we perhaps naively thought this was to facilitate all members in attending the evening’s discussion. However only four of the seven member team were in attendance for our detailed presentation, and this did not include the chairman, Lord Ashdown. We feel that this is unacceptable and fear that if this is indicative of how the process will operate in the future then the review of parading will prove of little addition. I wonder does this represent the overall interest shown by some members of the group.”
Mr. Elliott also revealed that those present at the presentation and discussion had raised their grave concerns about the Parades Commission and its double standards when dealing with Loyal Order parades and Republican marches. In addition several felt that the makeup of the seven member body was not fully reflective of the Province, with an under representation of people from western parts of Northern Ireland.
Tom continued by addressing the makeup of the body: “There is a need to have such bodies more representative of the entire Province, the gravitational pull from the East of Northern Ireland must not be allowed to dominate the makeup of groups such as this, this will hinder any real chance of success, particularly when it comes to an issue such as parading.”
In conclusion Mr. Elliot added: “I recall that when the body was launched with a flurry of publicity earlier this year there were repeated calls for interested parties to make submissions to assist in the ongoing review of parading. But I feel that for this issue to receive the attention it deserves the entire panel must be fully prepared to engage directly with various groups, particularly when they are so forthcoming with input and accommodating with their own time, the body cannot afford to send the wrong signal to any stakeholder in the parading issue.”