SF, ethnic minorities and the PSNI
Sinn Fein assembly member Daithí McKay issued a press release on Friday complaining about the under representation of women and ethnic minorities in the PSNI. It seems that Mr. McKay is worried about a lack of targets for women and ethnic minority numbers. Whether or not the PSNI should have such targets is an interesting question. Either way of course it could be speculated that this interest in ethnic minorities is at least in part being highlighted to direct attention away from the views one of their other representative’s (Martina Anderson) has made on minorities being the wrong sort of Catholic. As well as of course a good bash at the PSNI.I suggested at the time of Ms Anderson’s utterances that these views were more likely to find a resonance with that cohort of the SF electorate (young, disadvantaged and predominantly urban) who may feel that SF has been taking them for granted recently. Unlike parts of Fermanagh (and South Armagh) SF’s urban representatives have thus far seemed quite loyal as indeed have their urban disadvantaged voters. There is always the danger, however, that the enlarged tent which is SF support will suffer from people falling out of it. As such I would still suggest that Anderson being an ultra loyal MLA with a track record as an IRA prisoner is in a good position to keep a hold of this vote.
The likes of McKay, however, seem to be trying to attract other groups, appealing possibly to a more moderate part of the potential constituency as well as possibly to the very ethnic minority and new Northern Irish which Anderson is worrying may affect employment statistics. Who ever said that SF were not selling different messages to different groups?
Martina Anderson exposed her own sectarian slip to public gaze. She did not bother to say that migrant Protestants should also be classified as “Others” for fair employment purposes. Rather, she treated such people as non-persons -much as she does with regard to indigenous Protestants.
PSNI agus minorities ad ea? Bhál Fuair mise agus cara de mo chuid droch-am ón PSNI roimh an Nollaig ansin, chuir siad masla orainn as Gaeilg a labhairt (chan leo, dÃreach le chéile), eagraÃocht frithghaelach is seicteach iad an dream seo go fóill.
Seans gur féidir iad a fheabhsù ò thaobh biogòideachais creidimh de ach tà mè in amhràs màs fèidir an frithghaelachas seo a mhaolù.
Caithfidh Gaeil a bheith ar an airdeall go fóill leis an dream seo i dtólamh faraor.
It’s fair easier, Turgon to attack the messenger rather than attempt any meaningful analysis of the message (aside from lazy, half-arsed speculation as to McKay’s motives).
Whether or not the PSNI should have such targets is an interesting question
And how else to measure the effectiveness of the Gender Action Plan?
The 50-50 thing is due to be phased out in a few years.
How many times, and to what effect, have SF complained about the under-representation of ethnic minorities and women in other public sector organisations, including the senior civil service?
Disagreement in Sinn Fein? Surely not. McKay and Anderson are both – in their undoubted commitment to an inclusive, shared future for all our people – keen to welcome ethnic minorities into the PSNI. As long as they are Protestants. Or strictly, as long as they don’t get uppity and call themselves Catholics even though they go to Mass and Confession rather more regularly than most young, so-called Catholics born on this island. We’ve established earlier that they are the wrong kind of Catholic.
As someone whose ancestry is half “ethnic minority” and half “ulster prod” I’d like to emphasise that this kind of shenanigans is not at the behest of “ethnic minorities”. I’m all for merit based appointment and that may even mean that certain ethnic minorities are not represented according to their proportion of the population (shock horror).