“it is hardly a substitute for joined-up government.”
Speaking of that “dysfunctional office in a dysfunctional Executive.” The Belfast Telegraph reports former Chief Constable Hugh Orde’s parting shot to the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers, complaining of “the absence of a “coherent and credible strategy” for tackling sectarian and racial hatred.” Although, David Gordon questions the value of an Executive document per se. Not our fault, says Sinn Féin, who have published “An Executive Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration” [pdf file here]. It’s just not the “Executive Programme”. And the BBC reports the DUP’s sotto voce response.
However, a DUP source insists the party’s paper bears little resemblance to a paper drawn up by officials in the first and deputy first minister’s office last October. The source said the Sinn Fein paper suggests equality is the only factor in addressing good relations, ignoring issues such as ignorance, education and prejudice. The source said the DUP had provided Sinn Fein with a framework document in July as a proposed way forward on the issue, after consultation with the Community Relations Council.
Adds And, in a speaking role, Jeffrey Donaldson.
“The policy document which Sinn Fein has launched has been approved and cleared by nobody but Sinn Fein,” he said. “Whereas the document which I am making available for public consumption has been formulated through intensive discussions over a substantial period of time not only inside OFMDFM but also, amongst the Community Relations Council, the Equality Commission and representatives of the ethnic minority community.”
I’m assuming there will be an attached document..
Why tolerate attacks on humans which put them in fear?
Because our rotten politics was run on this. DUP Sinn Fein always had violence in their repertoire. Sinn Fein unapologetic, and the DUP always attempting to steer state violence to retain protestant priviledge, and ocassionally threatening some of their own.
Effectively prosecuting and harassing the racial and religious victimisers strikes directly at political power here as it has been exercised for a generation.
Celebrating human diversity free from threat or coercion?
Making examples of our cowardly thugs?
Pigs might fly
It is obvious, to me at least, that somebody “got at” Hugh Orde to convince him that he should use his last shot to make a point relevent to community relations. Leaving, he could afford to take a look beyond the PSNI as to what ails NI.
In other words a blind man/person could tell ytou that sectarianism has spawned violence and that we must tackle sectarianism to ensure that there is no support for the physical force tradition.
Just to clarify, Pete, I was trying to ask a rhetorical question on what difference an Executive document could make. There is clearly a strong argument that an agreed policy approach from Stormont would provide leadership and help encourage a debate on issues like shared housing, integrated eduction, interfaces and peace walls.
Indeed, David.
Sorry if that wasn’t clear from the link.