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Belfast News Editorial
MLA's Still Playing Politics
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An initiative by the Northern Ireland Assembly to conduct 'Road-shows' around the country has got off to a rocky start tonight when our elected representatives failed to show up leaving members of the public who had gathered for the meeting bemused and insulted. The entire debating panel of MLA's was made up of Dawn Purvis the East Belfast PUP MLA, who fielded answers to all the participant's questions, which included: 1. Whether MLA salary's should be cut? Ms. Purvis stated salary cuts were not appropriate in her view as MLA salaries were already the lowest when compared to the Scottish and Welsh Assemblies. The East Belfast MLA who entered the Stormont Assembly when the former party leader David Ervine passed away, stated that being an MLA is a 24/7 job and that an attractive salary was essential, highlighting that she earned less now as an MLA than she did before entering politics. Ms. Purvis said, 'my salary just about covers me, a single mother with two children'. 2. On the issue of 'Long Term Sustainable Urban Regeneration' for East Belfast, Ms Purvis stated 'As we notice in East Belfast the regeneration projects are not connected such as the East Belfast Partnership the Sirrocco quay works. The regeneration projects need to be more joined up.' 3. Short Strand Residents raised issues they regarded as Human Rights infringements, because of parades marching passed their area and claimed that they were unable to leave their area as both entrances were blocked off by the Police. Highlighting that this issue was clearly a matter for the Police, Ms. Purvis said 'she couldn’t understand how people didn’t have freedom of movement during a parade'. 4. On the contentious issue of the Runway Extension at George Best Belfast City Airport, the East Belfast MLA leant her support to calls for a public Inquiry. Ms. Purvis she 'The PUP are opposed to the runway extension', she continued to explain that in her efforts she had called for a meeting with Sammy Wilson, but that Mr. Wilson the DUP MLA, MP & Councillor, who is now also Finance Minister for the Northern Ireland Executive, sent his planners instead. She added, there seems to be no concern about the health and well being of the residents. There needs to be a balance of the sustainability of the airport and the Health and Safety of Residents.” Whilst Dawn Purvis honoured her commitment to attend a function arranged with the 'Electorate' the other MLA's scheduled to attend faced allegations of 'still playing politics'. One user stated to us 'the shear arrogance of it, they failed to attend a meeting THEY arranged and no doubt they intend to bill the event to the taxpayer'. The explanation given for their failure to attend was that the other MLA's had taken part in a Policing and Justice Debate at Stormont which lasted to late on Tuesday night. Our View: They had better hope that we don't make ourselves as busy as them, come Election Day! |
| Last Updated 24th October 2009 |
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