Playing "Catch Up"
My guest for tomorrow's Inside Politics is the SDLP Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie. We discuss the Executive's response to last weekend's floods, her initiative to promote shared housing and the SDLP's views on the DUP-Sinn Fein plans for a future justice minister. You can also hear why she believes Shaun Woodward is now playing catch up with her over loyalist decommissioning.
Inside Politics is on BBC Radio Ulster tomorrow at 12.45 p.m.
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Mark,
My predictions ahead of this interview going out on air. Margaret will say -
I introduced this and I introduced that. Big deal. We all know that the civil servants are doing it for her. Also I am unsure what Margaret can do about the executive stalemate as she is a lone voice. Like the rest of the people in Northern Ireland I am fed up with these politicians showing their customary trademarks.
Back in March on this blog I wrote about how the executive have failed. I know this interview has already being recorded but I hope you have touched on the following subjects and the reasons. These are
1. Maze Site - This issue will not be resolved because of Religious differences.
2. Policing and Justice Powers - again this issue will not be resolved because of Religious Differences.
3. Poverty Action Plan - Incompetent MLA's are doing nothing about this. **Margaret Ritchie**
4. Child Poverty - MLA's don’t know what this is. **Margaret Ritchie**
5. Victims' and Survivors' Commission - Is a joke which is a Government white elephant. Ken Dodds might as well be on this commission. At least that way laughter will be the best medicine. OFMDFM clearly passed the buck
6. Classroom Assistants - Will never be given a proper rise as the Minister will not get involved.
7. Civil Service / Servants - This is a huge issue which again will not be properly rectified. Until the inefficient managers retire / leave the civil service will continually be ruled by "yellow bellies" that will not rock the boat. Peter Robinson’s way of cutting back jobs and money only helps the public to see what an idiot Peter Robinson is. **Margaret Ritchie**
8. Modernisation Programmes - These are only an excuse for the Government to privatise services.
9. Mental Health Support - The Government will not help those in need as they don’t have a clue as to why people get depressed and what help to give them. Consultants are unsure therefore Government is too.
10. Clostridium Difficile - It is being spread by dirty unhygienic people in hospitals. Some people don’t know that a shower and a soap bar are.
11. Northern Ireland Water - Don’t know what do to as there is no Political Leadership.
12. Traffic Calming Measures - Nothing is being done until lives are lost. Then when they are it is pass the buck time.
13. Road Infrastructure - Is poor all over. The current M1 roadworks will need updated after next year before the current project is finished.
14. Housing Executive - Government don’t know how the lower half live. **Margaret Ritchie**
15. Social Housing Projects - The Executive need to realise that action is needed not just words to be spoken. **Margaret Ritchie**
16. Fuel Duty - By Peter Robinson writing a letter to Gordon Brown was a waste of time. What will Gordon do? Nothing. He needs the money to fund his latest budget. **Margaret Ritchie**
17. Anti-Social Behaviour - The Executive and Assembly should be ashamed of themselves that they have failed to protect the people. It is despicable that people have been killed and injured by thugs. It is ok for politicians to get police protection round the clock but what about the rest of society? DSD have nothing to introduce new legislation. **Margaret Ritchie**
18. Transfer Test - This issue again falls into a category of a religious dispute. The only way it will be solved is a DUP - Sinn Fein deal.
I look forward to this interview to see what line will be spun. People in South Down should wear their summer clothes this week as there will be plenty of hot air about.
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Mark,
I listened to this interview with great horror and concern as to why we have superwoman in the Northern Ireland Executive rather than in the UK Cabinet or running for American President!!!!!!!!!! It is hard not to be sarcastic. All I could hear was "I am determined", "issue that has to be dealt with", "issue has to be resolved" and "I am determined". For Margaret to say "I am not a tick box minister" and that she is a "radical minister" is mind blowing. Last year Margaret paid £700 in media training... Money well spent then....
I feel sorry for her constituents as she does not seem to be clued in. Only recently Margaret Ritchie campaigned for Ballykinler primary school not to close. What happened? The education authorities closed it. Also Margaret Ritchie and the SDLP campaigned to keep St John's nursing home open. What happened? The health authorities are going to close it within a year or so.
The Roads service also get an easy time as Margaret will not ask them to do anything to improve the roads and infrastructure. In Bangor and around Lisburn all main roads are 2 lanes each way and mostly dual carriageways. Is there any in South Down? No. In towns like Downpatrick, Newcastle and Castlewellan it can take 10 minutes to get from one end of a town to the other.
Regarding the Health service again very little representation is made to do anything and when it is health chiefs do very little. For the past 20 years there has been a call for a new hospital and now a new one has been built thanks to the tremendous effort of the Down Health Committee. Then we come to local council. There are no adequate facilities for anyone, the streets and footpaths are littered with rubbish and what is done? Your guess is as good as mine. There is also a rise in Anti-Social Behaviour and blue bag culture. Where is Margaret Ritchie on a Friday and Saturday night when there is attacks on residents and the emergency services? Sitting at home counting her money. Only last week when Newcastle and other areas were badly flooded all Margaret could do on your programme was to praise the Housing Executive. Maybe if the housing executive and other government agencies didn’t build so close to flood plains and overload the drain system this may have been either prevented or not as bad. This list is not endless.
In my book this is sheer downright disco tempt for people living in that area. How can Margaret be happy with her performance? Margaret described a response from OFMDFM regarding the failure of the executive to meet as timid and insipid. I think that sums up her performance in general. I hope when the Policing and Justice Minister is chosen the SDLP will be skipped over. The SDLP are providing opposition for opposition sake. If Mark Durkan and Margaret Ritchie had gold to sell they would probably sell it at rock bottom prices. No amount of slick salesmanship can obscure the fact that there is no substance in anything the SDLP say.
I also have an idea for OFMDFM. Why not take part in a reality show that involves all of N. Ireland? It is called the local assembly elections. Would not that give everyone the chance to square up to people like Margaret Ritchie and say, "You're fired"? Is not that the only way to get the local politicians give people control over their lives, strengthen our families and our society, and make our country safer and greener?
At this rate at the next MLA elections I may throw my hat in to the ring and run as an MLA. Let’s face it with competition like Margaret Ritchie I am home and hosed.
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Mark:
i know it is hard to play catch up!
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the spy makes some good points but i'm a little confused about those 'religious differences' he mentions.
if this is in fact, the case, would it not be a better idea to have the assembly full of priests, ministers [religious :)] and bishops?
are we crazy encouraging politicians to tackle these highly spiritual and faith based matters?
shurley shome mishtake?
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Billy_Carryduff
You are querying the "religious differences" What I mean by this is there are certain issues which will only be agreed with a one swop approach. There will be a deal done like St Andrews which will resolve the Maze stadium, Policing and Justice Powers and the ongoing saga over the Transfer Test. These 3 big issues will not be resolved by the UUP or SDLP but only between DUP and Sinn Fein. The differences for these are over each of the parties divisions. If the politicians can't sort this out who will? Not Margaret Ritchie or Jim Allister. Only today Jim Allister as bitter as he is describes Sinn Fein as thugs in suits.
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@ spy
mmmnn yes... i understood your original point. i just found your description of political differences as 'religious differences' somewhat misleading and perhaps a little... um... 'whitehall'.
people who were born in northern ireland tend not to describe this problem as one of religious or spiritual conflict. the issues are and always have been, quite clearly political.
historically the 'holy war' smoke screen was always favoured by parties outside the problem, as it was in bosnia and as it is in israel / palestine.
as i have said, i agree with the points you have made, just not the concept that we have some spiritual or religious divide within the n.i. community.
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