DUP are Sinn Fein’s new Maze prisoners

Admin —  June 25, 2013

Extract from speech by TUV leader Jim Allister to the Lisburn protest against building the Conflict Resolution Centre at the Maze:-

“From no terrorists in government to IRA Commander as Joint First Minister; from no stadium at the Maze, because of the threat of a Shrine, to a ‘Conflict Transformation Centre’ capable only of being built beside the very Shrine buildings: that is the sad transformation of the DUP. Such is what happens when you end up in hock to IRA/Sinn Fein.

“The Conflict Transformation Centre is planned for the Maze because Sinn Fein would agree to it no where else. And in this government, what Sinn Fein wants Sinn Fein gets. But what of the people, what of the victims of the IRA, what about what they want? When were they consulted? The truth is never. Continue Reading…

In Featured Story, Newsroom, Terrorism, Victims , ,
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Another 260,000 reasons to Raze the Maze

Admin —  June 25, 2013

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:

“I am outraged to discover by way of a written answer from OFMdFM that £260,000 has been wasted on maintain the ugly prison buildings at the Maze.

“It is scandalous that such a sum has been squandered on maintaining buildings which, as numerous DUP politicians have pointed out in the past, will inevitably become a shrine to Republican terrorism.

“The First Ministers claim that they are merely fulfilling their “statutory obligations” but there are many beautiful listing buildings in Northern Ireland which have nothing like that sum spent on them. One has only to look at the dilapidated state of Craigavon House – which is a building of immense historical importance to the history of Northern Ireland and its founding – to see that the Maze is evidently receiving gold standard treatment. Why? Because the Maze prison buildings and hospital wing are hallowed ground as far as Republicans are concerned. Continue Reading…

In Featured Story, Newsroom, Terrorism, Victims ,
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Allister Makes Formal Complaint to Assembly Commissioner for Standards on Gerry Kelly

Admin —  June 24, 2013

Below is the text of a letter TUV leader Jim Allister MLA has this morning sent to the Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards following the conduct of Gerry Kelly on Friday. Mr Allister is also raising the issues with the PSNI.

  Continue Reading…

In Justice, Newsroom, Policing and Security ,
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Donaldson Being Economical With the Truth on Maze

Admin —  June 21, 2013

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:

“In an increasingly desperate and farcical attempt to defend the DUP/Sinn Fein plans for the Maze site Jeffery Donaldson is being economical with the truth. He told us on BBC interviews both last night and this morning that there will be nothing in the new peace centre which will glorify terrorism.

“What he did not tell us is what is happening with the prison buildings. He has deliberately dogged this issue. Why? Continue Reading…

In Featured Story, Newsroom, Terrorism, Victims
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Treatment of Frazer and Bryson Causing Justifiable Anger

Admin —  June 21, 2013

Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
 
“There is growing anger across the Unionist community at the treatment of William Frazer and Jamie Bryson by the PSNI and the courts.
 
“One of the reasons cited for the arrest of Mr Frazer on Monday night outside Portadown was his attendance at a protest at the Maze prison – a protest which, as was widely advertised on social media, was due to start at 7:30pm. Given that Mr Frazer was arrested twenty miles away from the Maze at 7:35pm the police claim that he was attending the protest at the former prison would be laughable if the issues involved were not so serious. Continue Reading…

In Newsroom, NI Politics, Policing and Security
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Maze Rally Tomorrow Night

Admin —  June 19, 2013

maze1

 

The Ulster Unionist Party, TUV and UKIP have said that the public have an opportunity to give a clear voice to their opposition against the planned “Peace Building and Conflict Resolution Centre” at the Maze by attending a public rally tomorrow night (Thursday) at 8pm in Lisburn Orange Hall.

In a joint statement Tom Elliott, Jim Allister and David McNarry said:

“The rally tomorrow night will be an opportunity for ordinary people to demonstrate their opposition to the DUP/Sinn Fein plans for the Maze.

“On 18thFebruary 2004 DUP MP for Lagan Valley Jeffrey Donaldson told the Guardian, “The victims of these terrorists will not visit this site. It would be an absolute abomination to them.” Now he is chief salesman for a so-called “Peace Centre” which has been rejected by innocent victims the length and breadth of the Province. Continue Reading…

In Featured Story, Newsroom, Terrorism, Victims
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DUP betrays A26

Admin —  June 19, 2013

TUV Leader Jim Allister has accused the DUP of betraying the fight for early progress on further dialling of the A26.

With the A5 not proceeding, the Assembly debated how the money thereby freed up should be spent. Mr Allister was strongly backing a UUP motion calling for it to go to other named roads projects, including the A 26, and the Roads Minister told the Assembly the A26 could be ready to start in the autumn of 2014. However, the DUP joined with Sinn Fein to block the move and used their numbers to amend the motion to simply call for the available spend to go on other capital projects, not specifically road projects, such as the A26.

Describing their move as a ploy to grab roads money for other pet DUP/Sinn Fein projects, Mr Allister rounded on the DUP for betraying the needs of the A26 and frustrating an opportunity for early progress on the project. Specifically, the TUV Leader challenged the DUP to say if in response to Minister Kennedy’s roads proposals to other Executive colleagues, DUP Health Minister, Edwin Poots, had proclaimed that the A26 was not of “strategic importance”. Mr Allister is awaiting the outcome of an FOI request on this issue and will publish the material when received. Continue Reading…

In Newsroom, NI Politics
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Allister accuses Government of taking Fishing Industry for granted

Admin —  June 19, 2013

TUV Leader Jim Allister spoke up strongly in support of the local fishing industry in a recent debate in the Assembly. Mr Allister, who worked closely with the industry when an MEP, accused DARD and government of taking the industry for granted and contrasted the rightful emergency aid to farming, arising from the spring weather, with the refusal to do anything to help fishermen.

Mr Allister, an ardent Eurosceptic, also used his speech to call for the repatriation of fishing policy  from the Europe, describing the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy as an unmitigated disaster which had reduced our industry to a mere shadow of its former self.

In the course of his remarks Jim Allister said:-

“It is probably an understatement to say that the fishing industry is a very difficult and very dangerous industry.  We had a sad reminder of the latter just last week when, off the coast of Southern Ireland, three brothers, all fishermen, tragically lost their life.  In the comfortable lives that we collectively lead, it is easy to forget the discomfort in which fishermen operate and the dangers and difficulties that they face.  It is an industry that is, sadly, taken for granted, not just by society but obviously, given the response that government makes to it, by government. Continue Reading…

In Agriculture and Environment, Newsroom
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DUP Should Listen to Unionist Concerns Over Maze

Admin —  June 19, 2013

Responding to the DUP’s arrogant reaction to Grand Lodge’s statement asking “all our Unionist elected representatives … not to proceed with this fundamentally ill-conceived project” Jim Allister has called on all people from across the Province to attend the rally in Lisburn Orange Hall on Thursday 20th June.

“The DUP claim they are “mystified by the Orange Order statement”. Presumably then they are also “mystified” by the position of the 12 groups representing innocent victims who launched the Charter for Innocent Victims, FAIR and the RUC George Cross Association as well.

“There is not a single group representing innocent victims who supports this project. The victims of terrorism are united in their opposition to the DUP/Sinn Fein plan. That is hardly surprising as at no time did the Office of the Joint First Ministers consult with victims about their plans for the Maze while they did have multiple meetings with ex-prisoner groups. Continue Reading…

In Featured Story, Newsroom, NI Politics, Terrorism, Victims
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Two more Super Injunctions in Northern Ireland

Admin —  June 19, 2013

TUV Leader Jim Allister has established by an Assembly Question that in the past year a further two super injunctions have been issued by the High Court in Belfast. Both remain in operation.

 
Two in 2012/13, on top of another two in 2011/12 (as established by Mr Allister last year), contrasts with just four in the four year period 2007-11.
Commenting Jim Allister said:-
“The growth of ‘super injunctions’ is a product of the courts being persuaded to prioritise privacy rights over freedom of expression and press rights within the Human Rights Act. I am far from convinced that this balance is weighted in the right direction, particularly where it is a facility which in practical terms is only likely to be available to those who can afford it.
“Since by their very nature such orders do not sit comfortably with the transparency expectations of modern society, it is, I believe, in the public interest that information about the number and lifting of super injunctions should be known.
“I regret that the Justice Minister has not revealed the cumulative total of Super Injunctions which at this time are still operative in Northern Ireland. I believe the public is entitled to this information.”
In Justice, Newsroom, NI Politics
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