EDITORIAL

The Editor
Irish News
113 Donegal Street
Belfast
BT1 2GE

Dear Sir

I am writing in response to Brian Feeney’s article on 10th December in which he launched an offensive and bitter attack on the Alliance Party. The few factual matters that he tried to include amongst the infantile jibes have been well refuted by my colleague Philip McGarry in his response to the article.

I would however, wish to point out to Irish news readers the fact that, from my position as having had the dubious honour of sitting beside Brian Feeney for 8 years on Belfast City Council, Brian Feeney has always had a hatred of the Alliance Party and indeed of anything that did not fit into his pure green sectarianism.

Brian Feeney used to lecture, in his pompous and self righteous fashion, to his fellow Councillors as to what they were doing wrong, threatening them as if they were his students.

It is not just a coincidence that 1993 was a turning point for Belfast City Council, that relations within the Council have improved considerably and that Belfast Council is now carrying out its function in a much better and constructive way. The fact that Brian Feeney and some of the worst Unionist backwoods men left the Council at the same time was a major factor in improving the atmosphere within the Council.

Brian Feeney was always slightly constrained within Belfast City Council by the fact that he was not popular with many of his colleagues within the SDLP, especially those who wished to be constructive. He is obviously happier now as a part time article writer answerable to absolutely no-one but free to make ludicrous and unsubstantiated attacks on whoever he wishes.

Yours sincerely
Mervyn Jones
Group Leader, Belfast City Council

Belfast Alliance Councillor Tom Campbell has urged Environment Minister Lord Dubs to resolve the very unsatisfactory situation regarding the appointment of Belfast City Councils nominee to the Harbour Commission.

Mr Campbell said:

“I was advised some days ago on good authority that the Minister had taken the decision not to approve my nomination to the Harbour Commission. I have been telephoned by journalists about this and have yet to receive any formal written communication regarding it. I did receive a telephone call yesterday afternoon from the Ministers Private Office to advise that, contrary to earlier suggestions, the Minister has not yet made his decision. I believe this is a very unsatisfactory situation that Government Policy should apparently be driven by the rumour mill. I would remind the Minister that the Council’s nominee was elected by twenty five votes to eighteen. It may be that Sinn Fein have made representations, but this is a party unused to democracy and to accepting decisions arrived at on a democratic basis.”

Commenting on the Ulster Marketing Surveys report on Queen’s Students Union revealed in the Belfast Telegraph, Alliance Party spokesman Stephen Farry has called for attention to shift from the ‘politics of symbolism’ to the quality of student services.

“There are undoubtedly problems of alienation amongst Protestant students at Queen’s. But this is not only caused by some actions by Nationalists, but through considerable propaganda from Unionists. Alliance is firm in advocating a neutral environment for all students.

“Most students do not engage in student politics. The narrow focus on the politics of symbols is probably a deterrent to them. The UMS report clearly shows that students from all backgrounds are primarily citing reasons concerning the quality of services and facilities for not using the Students’ Union. This is something that both student representatives and the University should turn their minds to.”

Alliance Party Chief Whip Alderman Sean Neeson has condemned last nights IRA break out from the Maze Prison as an act of selfishness, that is putting the privileges of other prisoners at risk.

Mr Neeson said:

“Is it the duty of Republican prisoners to behave in such a fashion that other prisoners whether Republican or Loyalist will undoubtedly face the consequences. I would appeal to the Republican Movement to hand over the escapee to the authorities so that others including prisoners families will not lose out.”

Alliance Party Spokesman Dr Philip McGarry, commenting on the reaction of Mitchell McLoughlin and Gerry Adams to the escape of Liam Avril, has said that there is a fundamental gulf in values between those who have always opposed violence in Ireland and those who have supported it.

Dr McGarry said:

“Three years ago Liam Avril carried out a particularly brutal and openly sectarian murder on two Protestant men. This was a completely immoral act and was as reprehensible as the viscous and immoral murder of Mr Duffy in Glengormley by a Loyalist Group last weekend.

“Mitchell McLoughlin has referred to Liam Avril as a ‘prisoner of war’. Gerry Adams has wished him good luck. These comments expose the cruel reality that despite the rhetoric about peace the Leaders of Sinn Fein regarded the sectarian murder of Irish Protestants as justifiable and understandable acts.

“On the other hand there are many people in Northern Ireland of all religious persuasions who have always opposed violence and who will never seek to justify the killing of any person whether for the cause of Nationalism or for the cause of Unionism.”