PAISLEY QUESTIONS ROBINSON’S ‘JEREMIAH’ COMPARISON

‘While Jeremiah was at his lowest, imprisoned in a simple pit, his vision of the days ahead for the nation of Israel were both amazing and beautiful - Ian Paisley

IAN Paisley has offered succour to those denounced by Peter Robinson as “Jeremiahs” for querying his approach to a shared ffurther strategy. The former DUP leader, who as founder of the Free Presbyterian Church has wide experience of studying Old Testament prophets, offered a reminder that Jeremiah’s story was in fact one of “courage in the face of great adversity”.

“When Jeremiah was at his lowest, imprisoned in a slime pit, his vision of the days ahead for the nation of Israel were both amazing and beautiful,” he said. In a stout defence of Jeremiah against the charge of being “a person who has a gloomy attitude or one who warns about a disastrous furture”, Mr Paisley said that if he heard the phrase “noone loves a Jeremiah”, the prophet might be “tempted to take a libel case”. With the DUP refusing to extend a law to strengthen free speech into the North of Ireland, Mr Paisley continued : “But then, sure he couldn’t.”The law in this part of the UK wouldn’t allow it. It’s enough to make you weep.” Mr Paisley’s understanding of Jeremiah would seem to be at odds with the vivid picture of a “tribe of Jeremiahs” painted by Mr Robinson in the assembly on Tuesday.

The first minister was describing those who questioned the substance of the DUP and Shame Fein shared furture strategy – announced at short notice last week – and been critical of the fact that it had been unshared with other executive parties. Mr Robinson described these “Jeremiahs” as, among other things, “whited sepulchres” who were bellyaching, foot-dragging, whinging and stalling. But the tactic of harnessing biblical language to suggest that critics of the shared furture strategy he devolped with Shame Fein deputy first minister Martin McGuinness were doom-mongers who can see nothing positive in the process seems to have backfired on Mr Robinson. In striking such a discord note, he further dissuaded those who were already scepitical about the direction of the shared furture strategy. More embarressing for the former East Belfast MP is that the bibical references appear to have annoyed, rather than appealed to, the religious section of the DUP constituency they were directed at. For example, Mr Paisley noted that Jeremiah remained “optimistic in the midst of the most depressing times”; Mr Robinson, meanwhile, said he was “depressed listening to the tribe of Jeremiahs….”. Mr Paisley’s comments, made in his News Letter column yesterday, came after another retired Free Presbyterian minister and former DUP stalwart criticised Mr Robinson for his “wicked misuse” of Jeremiah’s name. Ivan Foster, a founder of Ulster Resistance and a former Third Force colleague of Mr Robinson, also took a swipe at the “banks of grinning DUP faces” surronding the first minister as he made his comments.

With many thanks to : William Scholes, Irish News.

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DUP MPs HAND OVER £144k AFTER SELLING LONDON HOMES

SIX of the DUP‘s eight MP’s have had to hand over thousands of pounds to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) following the sales of their London homes. The six – Gregory Campbell, Nigel Dodds, Jeffrey Donaldson, Willie McCrea, David Simpson and Sammy Wilson – were the only North of Ireland MPs on a llist of 29 MPs.

Between them, the six DUP MPs had to hand over almost £144,000. In May 2010, following the MPs’ expended controversy, Ipsa banned the use of Commons expended to pay mortgage interest. As part of a transitional arrangement, it allowed MPs elected before 2010 to keep claiming money up until last August as long as they agreed to return any potential gain from property sales. When elected to Westminster, the six DUP MPs bought second homes in London rather than rent accommodation or use hotel rooms while attending parliament. Following the Westminister watchdog ruling, all six sold their properties and have now paid over sums agreed with Ipsa.

Seventy-one MPs were affected but most did not have to hand over any money to Ispa because surveyors’ reports or sale prices showed that their properties had not gained in value. East Derry MP Gregory Campbell had to pay the second highest amount of any MP – £61,403. “All DUP MPs have fully complied with the new expences system introduced at Westminster,” he said. “Through the fact that I receive no salary in my role as an assembly member that cost is saved to the public. “Through the sale of this property which has been done in full cooperation with Ipsa the public purse has benifited by a further £60,000.”An Ispa spokesman said one of the most damaging aspects of the MPs’ expences scandal was the use of taxpayers’ money to buy a second home. “That is why we said we would stop this and we have now done so,” he said. “The final stage in bringing this to an end was allowing a short transition period for MPs who were already committed to second mortgages. “But in doing this we set the condition that the taxpayer would want its share of any increse in the value of the property. “Today we are publishing that these capital gains are worth almost £500,000 to the taxpayer.” The spokesman said MPs had known this was the deal and agreed to the conditions set. The amounts that the other DUP MPs had to pay were :

• Nigel Dodds : £19,507
• Jeffrey Donaldson : £1,448
• Willie McCrea : £29,793
• David Simpson : £30,308
• Sammy Wilson : £1,448.

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DUP TO FLY THE UNION FLAG ON FIVE MORE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

Saying so much for the so-called shared future in the North of Ireland

THE DUP is to fly the Union Flag on five more government buildings under its control in Belfast – at a cost of up to £10,000 to the public. Nationalists will be unable to prevent the flags flying on designated days bbecause the publicly owned buildings – three of which are near the city hall – are controlled by DUP finance minister Sammy Wilson, (pictured below).

Last month the party was forced to accept defeat on an effort to fly the flag from the cenotaph in the grounds of the city hall after the Royal British Legion said it did not want it. The Department of Finance and Personel already flies the flag from four buildings but Mr Wilson has ordered his civil servents to erect flagpoles at five more, including two at May Street and one at College Street, Belfast. A fourth will fly on a Northern Ireland Civil Service building at Airport Road West and a fifth at Rosepark House on Upper Newtownards Road. The Alliance Party branded the move “cynical”. The SDLP condemned the DUP minister as “silly and childish”. A spokesman for the Department of Fiance and Personnel confirmed that work is under way to erect the new flagpoles at a cost of up to £10,000 to taxpayers. “The regulation gives the discretion to fly the Union Flag at any other government buildings on specified days and the minister has confirmed he wants the department to fly the Union Flag at buildings where we have premises responsibilty,” she said.

When complete it will bring to nine the number of buildings under DFP control which will fly the Union Flag on designated days. “Currently a flagpole is in place and the flag flies on designated days on four DFP buildings. “Estimated cost per site is £500-£2,000 depending on the complexity of works required at each site – location of flagpole, structural issues, site preparation works required etc. Work shshould be completed at all sites within four months,” the spokeswoman said. The flag already flies at Land and Property Services at Academy House, Ballymena and Colby House, Stranmillis and Queen’s Court, Upper Queen Street in Belfast and at Craigantlet Buildings on the Stormont Estate which houses the minister’s department headquarters. The Alliance Party branded the flag pole moves “cynical” while the SDLP condemned the DUP minister as “silly and childish”. Both parties warned the minister there could be implications for fair employment legislation  among workers at the sites.

“It’s hard to think this is not connected to the flags dispute. It is a cynical move but we all must move beyond that and start discussions,” Alliance councillor Andrew Webb said. “I appeal for the minister to pause for breath and plot a sensible way forward on a Northern Ireland policy on flags.” The SDLP’s Alban Maginness also condemned the move. “This is just childish nonesence. The minister has obviously lost his perspective in this matter of the flying of flags. It is an unnecessary expence on the public purse to fulfil some sort of DUP craving to see the Union Flag all over the place,” he said. But supporting the scheme, PUP councillor John Kyle said government buildings were distinct from other places were the flag was flown for cultural reasons. “Within civic society we need to allow people to express cultural identity. However, it seems appropriate that we draw a distinction in favour of it flying on government buildings.” The erection of the new flag poles comes after the DUP was last month forced to accept defeat on an effort to fly the flag  from the cenotaph in the grounds of Belfast City Hall after the Royal British legion said it did not want it. That followed months of street protests after Belfast City Council voted to restrict the flying of the Union Flag at the city hall to designated days.

With many thanks to : Andrea McKernon, Irish News

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NO OPPOSITION – NO INCENTIVE TO SUCCEED !

 With no opposition to highlight failure (and 160 press officers to deny it) our public sector is governed by a culture of non-accountability, which filters down to failed organisations such as the Housing Executive.

 OH DEAR, things are not good at Stormont (The big House on the Hill). the DUP and Sinn Fein are making nasty remarks about each other, both claiming that their major coalition partner is unfit for government. (In the interests of equality, this column agrees with both sides.) So what went wrong ? Why has the romance of a few years ago disappeared in a welter of accusation and recrimination ? Were they just in love with themselves and not each other and how will this lovers ‘ tiff end – in divorce or at  a romantic dinner ? (Either way, like their libel losses, taxpayers will foot the bill.)

There are many explanations for the failure of Storming as there are MLAs. We have time for only three. The first is the catch-22 analysis, based on the novel by Joseph Heller. In it, US pilots in the Second World War were deemed crazy to fly any further missions. But if they refused to fly, they were regarded as sane – and therefore fit to fly. The two main parties at Storming might be viewed in a similar light. They would be electorally crazy to abandon their long-held (largely flag-waving) principles. So they retain their core values, which renders them electorally sane and therefore fit for power. But the only form of power available is power-sharing, which if operated fully, would render them electorally crazy by requiring them to abandon their flag-obsessed values. By institutionalising sectarianism, Storming has created an inherent contradiction for the DUP and Sinn Fein. They are required to have one message for their supporters but the opposite message for their coalition partner. Supporters have now copped on, so both parties have taken a step back from their loving relationship.

The second theory is the spoiled child syndrome. When Stormont was re-established, the media regarded it as surpassing the Second Coming. No praise was too great. No superlatives were to super. Ian Paisley (later Peter Robinson ) and Martin McGuinness together – good God, they said, it is a miracle. But the role of government is not to look politically pretty. It is to govern – and Storming has significantly failed to do so. Both major parties were built largely on protest. Their style and substance of government shows that they have failed to adopt the responsibility and transparency which goes with power. So when this newspaper (Irish News), for example, asked questions about governance and ethics, Peter Robinson said we should not read The Irish News. Surprisingly, Martin McGuinness did little to distance himself from the comments. When a first minister says that citizens should not read the state’s largest-selling newspaper, his government has lost the plot – and public confidence. Each party blames the other for their government’s low standing and therein lies the present dispute.

The third theory, which this column has trailed for some time, is that without an opposition, Stormont has no incentive to succeed. The parties in power can never be replaced, so failure is always an option. With no opposition to highlight failure (and 160 press officers to deny it ) our public sector is governed by a culture of non-accountability, which filters down to failed organisations such as the Housing Executive. The public are now experiencing failure in several areas (health, housing, employment) so both main parties at Stormont feel obliged to blame the other. So there you have it – Stormont’s breakdown could be a failure of systems and structures. But in any organisation, most problems stem from managerial inability. Good managers can make the most complex structures work. Poor managers rarely deliver, even within appropriate frameworks. Perhaps not enough MLAs have the necessary skills and knowledge to make Stormont work. (Have you seen what passes for debate there ?) For example, since all parties operate at various intensities of sectarianism, none has the ideological basis necessary for developing economic policy. As a result our economy is based on the show business model – golf, fancy buildings, sports stadiums and tarting up derelict buildings to hide our decaying reailty from visitors. It has little underlying economic rationale, which begs the question : If an expert panel were to interveiw MLAs for appointment to their jobs, how many would succeed ? Yes, Jim Allister would make it – how many others ? Defeat in Gaelicf football these days tends to be explained by a confusion of systems and structures on the pitch. Defeat in hurling is useually easier to explain – the other team had better hurlers. It appears that there are simply not enough good hurlers in Stormont – and there are no plans to appoint better ones any time soon.

With many thanks to : Patrick Murphy.

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Ex-DUP COUNCIL CANDIDATE IS JAILED !

A former DUP council candidate has been sentenced to three years in prison for his involvement in a sectarian pipe bomb attack in Atrim.

The incident happened in October 2011.

John Smyth Junior, of Rockfield Heights in Connor, near Ballymena, was sentenced to three years in prison and five on licence.

He admitted his part in making the pipe bomb after he was confronted with ” overwhelming forensic evidence “, but denied planting it.

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DUP MP NIGEL DODDS CALL’S ARDOYNE FIANNA ” CHILD EXPLORATION & GLORIFYING PARAMILITARY ACTIVITIES AND VIOLENCE ‘ !

” So Mr Dodds and Nelson McCauseland : ” What the fuck do you call this ? ” Are you going to condemned the exploitation of children glorifying paramilitary activities and violence on the fucking Orange side too ???

Child exploration has been happening within the Orange Order for many many years.

 

 

 

 

PETER ROBINSON SET TO PUSH OFF

EXCLUSIVE : PARTY SOURCES SAY ROBBO’S READY TO QUIT STORMONT

NORTHERN Ireland’s premier politician Peter RRobinson, may be preparing to pull the plug on a four decade political career, the Sunday World has learned. And the race could soon be on to find a new dynamic leader to lift the mantle of Ulster unionism and wage the Democratic Unionist Party‘s battles at Storming and Westminister.

Speculation is rising within the DUP that the party leader may quit politics altogeather in favour of a new life on the other side of the Atlantic, where he and his wife Iris own a substantail home in Florida. Sources close to the Ian Paisley founded party, say the DUP leader appears to be ” going through the motions ” of holding down the prestigious post of First Minister. The cite Robinson’s recent lack-lustre performance at Westminister, when David Cameron sent him and Martin McGuinness packing with nothing to show for their  efrorts to secure a new Corporation Tax for the North of Ireland, as the latest example of the First Minister’s ” mounting disillusionment with politics.” And the recent comments he made concerning an attack on the Irish News in which he called on people ” to stop buying the Irish News “. ” David Cameron swotted Robinson and McGuinness like flies,” said one Stormount source. ” This was supposed to kickstart the North of Ireland’s economy. In the end, they came away with nothing and clearly Robinson and McGuinness had no plan B.” And the source added : ” Peter Robinson is a man whose political career was predicted on his understanding of fiscal matters, but he was caught out badly when Cameron told him there would be no change in Corporation Tax in the North of Ireland until after the referendum on Scottish Independence. Robinson had no answer to that.”

Robinson – who became DUP leader and First Minister five years ago when the Rev. Ian Paisley stood down – managed to overcome heartache in his personal life, to get his political career back on track after it emerged his wife Iris had had an affair with 19-year-old cafe owner Kirk McCambley. In the wake of the ‘ Iris-gate ‘ crisis, Robinson stood down from front-line politics, while his wife was treated for depression in a private London clinic. He handed over the reigns of leadership to Fermanagh MLA Arlene Foster, who assumed the role of Acting First Minister. However, our sources maintain that if Robinson quits in the short to mid-term, then it is no longer a foregone conclusion that Foster – a former member of the Ulster Unionist Party – would emerge as frount runner for the leader’s job. ” Just because Arlene did such a good job when Peter was on gardening leave it doesen’t automatically mean that she is odds-on to be the next DUP leader. ” For many years, political pundits speculated that Nigel Dodds was the natural successor to Peter Robinson, but despite the rumours – even from within the party – that isn’t going to happen,” said our source.

And the source revealed for the first time that in his opinion, Peter Robinson’s preferred successor is Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson, who quit the UUP shortly before the party, led by David Trimble, signed the Belfast Agreement on Good Friday 1998. It is believed Robinson is impressed by Donaldson’s performance at Westminister, where he sits on various high-powered committees.  ” Jeffrey has a great understanding of how Westminister works and although Peter believed Storming caters for good devolved and stable Government in the North of Ireland, he sincerely believed unionism is best served by a strong unionist presence at Westminster,” the source said. And he added : ” If Peter had his way, he would step down tommorrow and allow Jeffrey Donaldson to take over the reigns.” It is understood Peter Robinson’s ego was delt a damaging blow when following the Iris Robinson‘s toy boy sex scandel, voters in East Belfast dumped him as as Westminister MP in favour of the Alliance Party’s Naomi Long. His political star in East Belfast decended even more during the recent Union Flag crisis. While the Alliance Party endured a campaign of vilifcation, Robinson was roundly jeered when he turned up at a meeting on the Lower Newtonards Road to discuss the issue. Our source said it was the current DUP leader’s ambition that the party speak for all shades of unionist opinion.

With many thanks to : Hugh Jordan,Sunday World.

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Northern Ireland police accused of weakness over Real IRA rally

A masked member of the Real IRA reads a statement to supporters at Creggan cemetery, Derry, during a commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising. Photograph: Peter Morrison/AP

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has defended itself against unionist charges that it demonstrated weakness over a Real IRA rally inDerry.

East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell demanded a “more serious approach” to commemorations in which masked Real IRA members issued statements promising more violence.

The Democratic Unionist party’s security spokesman said: “I think that unless we see some sort of response now in terms of further arrests, unless we see that leading to a non-repeat of this, then we have got to have a different approach.”

The PSNI waited until after an Easter Monday commemoration marking the 1916 Easter Rising finished at Derry’s Creggan cemetery before moving to detain six men. Although the police did monitor the pro-Real IRA rally from a police helicopter there were no officers on the ground inside the cemetery.

The Derry PSNI area commander, Chief Inspector Gary Eaton, defended his officers’ approach to the republican demonstration. He said: “Any alleged breaches of criminal law reported to police or coming to our attention will be rigorously and thoroughly investigated.

“The PSNI work to ensure that all their actions are appropriate, proportionate and lawful. Our priorities are to protect the public, preserve public order, uphold the human rights of all and gather evidence of any wrongdoing.”

Several hundred dissident republican supporters attended a march to the cemetery, where wreaths were laid.

A Real IRA spokesman dressed in a balaclava and black combat gear said “Óglaigh na hÉireann” would continue to attack “crown forces” and “British interests and infrastructure”.

The six men remained in custody in the PSNI’s serious crime suite in Antrim town police station on Tuesday. WITH MANY THANKS TO: THE GAURDIAN.

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THE WEST BELFAST ( FALLS ROAD ) GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE !

POSTED ON BEHALF OF : BELFAST PC BRIGADE.

GIRWOOD SCANDAL….

GIRWOOD SCANDAL: I salute the media for exposing what is going on, the Stephen Nolan Shows (TV& Radio) & Spotlight tv current affairs slot in particular. Sinn Féin & the DUP are turning the gains of the civil rights movement into reverse, i.e. Housing is yet again being based on CREED not NEED. Shame on them. This is yet another sectarian carve up whereby nationalists desperately in need of housing are yet again being by-passed. In fact, the Housing Executive, now a mere puppet of the DUP minister, McCausland, is issuing leaflets SOLELY to Protestants/Unionists, as far away as Carrickfergus, to occupy houses in HIS CONSTITUTENCY. DEMAND HOUSE ALLOCATION ON NEED NOT CREED!!! We should re-establish NICRA as a matter of urgency, for fairness for all, and ASAP, that’s what I think. What about YOU?

POSTED ON BEHALF OF :  Fionnbarra Ó Dochartaigh.

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