Archive for the ‘West Belfast’ Category

Time to go

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

Sorry for my lack of posting of late, I’ve been particularly busy working on a number of things. I worry that people think you must be doing very little when your not blogging as much-it’s quite the opposite.

First and foremost the recent bomb alert on the Falls road needs to be condemned. Outright. Appalling. What do these people actually think they are going to achieve? What end are their means supposedly justifying? The only thing they have achieved is a collective sense of outrage, distain and an environment were they have exposed themselves as immoral, thoughtless fools with no regard for humanity.

Leaving devises that had the potential to kill on a busy road is reprehensible. Shame on those that carried this out.

Studying the whole issue of ‘dissidents’ closer, it’s clear that there’s something deeper going on within that whole ‘nefarious republican extended family’ they’ve got going on. The provisionals are quick to undermine and humiliate dissidents, whoever they are (some of them ex-provisionals I would presume) and there’s bound to be a backlash somewhere. The writing on the wall in greater shankill suggests there’s a republican feud, and they support it, apparently.

I really look forward to the days that issues of territory, control, intimidation, ‘paramilitaries’ and the like is no longer the norm. The days when I don’t have to drive into Sandyrow with my four year old son and have him look at the mural and say ‘who is that bad man.’

It’s really time for this stuff to end. It never should have started. A waste of lives, potential for Ireland and the people therein. Waste of space!

Note to all those involved in shady organisations (active or semi active): Your time is coming! If the government won’t act; know that my generation is getting tired of you and the generation after me will be even more so; my sons generation will simply not tolerate you! Move on. Grow up!

Anti Social Behaviour

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

Much of the media’s focus of late has been on the Eames – Bradley proposals, the non-national stadium and the Education Ministers unseen, unclear, confusing proposals/nonproposals/guidelines. And rightly so. These are all important issues in their own right and need proper scrutiny.

An issue I want to touch on is however Anti-Social Behaviour, an issue never far from the headlines and something at the top of everyone’s agenda in West Belfast, and across many parts of the north.

As mentioned below, one of the themes of the SDLP Conference was ‘miscarriages of justice.’ Looking back (and in some cases, not so far back – as the case of the Quinn’s demonstrates) to terrible inflictions of injustice, hearing personal testimonies and reflecting on the common humanity of all those affected. But what the SDLP conference also did - something that didn’t pick up as much media attention as it deserved – was adopt a new Youth Justice Policy.

The document outlines proposals to radically reform our failing youth justice system, a system in much need of reform. The document seeks to actively address the issue of anti-social behaviour.

It is not good enough to pretend to really address this issue, or as one senior member of CRJI once said to me, it’s not good enough for ‘ Gerry Adams to swoon into Ballymurphy with Hugh Orde and then f**k off, [solving nothing]‘. 

The SDLP proposals are based on best practice, extensive research and have been widely consulted on.

I make no secret of the fact that I have no love for the so called ’safer neighbourhood projects’ who achieve nothing, contribute nothing and only move groups of young people from one place to another, in a not too friendly manner shall we say. (ohh…and I hear they’re keen on the old spray painting of walls). Some youth providers have said to me privately that in many instances they make the situation worse. 

We are good at having fences built, walls erected, paths extinguished but not solving problems. While this is ok in itself, anti social behaviour is an issue that requires a long-term strategy and not a short term headline. It requires a strategy and not a soundbite.

Attached below is the document – described as ‘miles ahead of any political party in the north on this issue’ by a leading childrens charity  working in the field of youth justice and of which comments are welcome.

sdlp-youth-justice-policy

Sustaining his future

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

A sincere thank you to Colin Glen Forest Park staff for allowing and assisting my son to plant a tree (two in fact) in the forest park. My four-year-old son, Matthew received a mountain of Christmas presents this year and along with that came a mountain of wrapping paper.

 

I am a Director of Colin Glen Trust and the Chief Executive, Tim Duffy, very kindly agreed to allow Matthew to plant a tree to carbon offset any wrapping paper used.

 

The Parks main aims are to conserve and enhance the biodiversity and wildlife of the forest park, and to provide an open and welcoming community space. It became the first ever Community Park in Ireland to win a Green Flag Award in 2008.

 

It was explained to him that Santa wants him to plant a tree because he had to use so much wrapping paper. To which the bemused reply came, ‘but wrapping paper comes from the shops, not trees’.

 

So after a very long explanation about the origins of paper, he finally got it. And had fun too.

 

There is no doubt that environmental protection and sustainability will be the single biggest issue to face Matthew’s generation, and having the right values instilled in him in this regard is very important to me and his mum.

 

Again, Thank you Colin Glen Forest Park.

Friday, January 16th, 2009
St Mary’s SDLP Youth present,
 
UNITED IRELAND 2020 VISION - Panel Discussion
 
Monday 19th in the St Mary’s Common Rooms 7 p.m. – 9.30 p.m.
 
Panel Includes
 
Cllr Matthew McDermott – SDLP Youth
 
Cllr Charlene O’Hara - Ógra Sinn Fein
 
Cllr Christopher Stalford – DUP
 
The debate will also be open to members of the Audience, so this will be your chance to put your questions to the leaders of tomorrow about where society should be going for our future!
 
Entry is free!

IN THE NAME OF MY FATHER

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

 

Welcome to my first, of what I hope to be many posts on no gloss just matt. 

 

Usually I spent the 23rd of January on my own. It’s my father Guiseppe’s anniversary; this year is the 29th anniversary of his death in London’s Wormwood Scrubs prison. He was half way through a 12-year prison sentence for something he didn’t do, or indeed knew anything about.

 

A fact well known, not only to the British police but also, and more importantly, to the British Judiciary and the then government of the day.

 

But this 23rd I will be attending the SDLP Annual Conference which is being held in Armagh. I’ve been to a couple of SDLP Conferences before, the last being in 2005 after Tony Blair, the then British Prime Minister apologised for what had happened to us. He also made promises that he failed to keep.

 

This year I have been invited to speak at a fringe event organised by the West Belfast Branch of the SDLP, focusing on justice issues. Paddy Hill of the Birmingham Six will be attending. It should be lively and colourful as Paddy is a very straight talker. Hope to see you all there.

 

Gerry Conlon. 

Happy New Year

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

I’d like to kick off the New Year with an update on whats coming up on no gloss just matt. As mentioned in the previous post a guest blogger would be introduced - so a new and very welcome addition to the blog will be guest blogger: Gerry Conlon.

Gerry, a native of West Belfast, is a victim of circumstance and  a deplorable miscarrage of british justice, one of the Gilford Four. He was wrongly convicted of the IRA bombs that murdered 5 people and injured 65. The film ‘In The Name of The Father’ portrayed his story and is still a very popular film among many of today’s young people.

Today, despite his own struggles, he speaks out for those who have been the victims of circumstance and suffered their own miscarrage of justice, in what ever form.

He is very welcome and his first post will be one to read. It is expected to be posted just before the SDLP Annual Conference which is being held from Friday 23rd January to Sunday 25th January.

So watch this space.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH – BUT ONLY IF WE AGREE WITH YOU

Monday, December 22nd, 2008

Following events that occured after the previous post, ie a radio Ulster Interview in which a Sinn Fein MLA made an idiot of themself, a few things happened over the weekend:

I have been the target of a calculated and concerted campaign that tried to demonise and discredit me, carried out by a certain group. Threatening and offensive graffiti appeared in my electoral area – Poleglass and Twinbrook.

An appalling use of language. Something my family (who all live in the area) have to now endure, including my four-year-old son.

This is typical republican tactics of demonising and discrediting an individual because they have lost an argument. Sad really that this is all they know. They can’t stand the heat; they can’t stand dissent so they resort to offensive and threatening tactics and to top it all off, its graffiti and vandalism all over our area, an area others and I have worked hard to get and keep clean.

So to those who dislike free speech and dislike dissent and dislike losing the argument, the next time you have an issue with something I say, come and speak to me, don’t go out in the dead of night and ruin the area.

Thinking about it, have you gone and asked SF why one of their MLA’s thinks it’s ok for a Unionist Minister to go into a school and praise and promote the U.V.F.?