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Showing posts with label Letter to Ulster Herald. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Letter to Ulster Herald. Show all posts
Ciaran McClean ✉ with a letter recently published in the Ulster Herald.

Having recently vacated their offices in Gortin Dalradian won't say why, in the poorly regulated planning system that brought RHI, Going for Growth and other public scandals, they still can't make any money after 15 years. 

Global expert in all things mining, Professor Emerman, some years ago on a BBC Spotlight programme prophesied the dilemma now confronting developers. In his interactions with the department he was quoted as saying he had "never interacted with a regulatory agency that is so incompetent as NIEA" anywhere on the planet. 

His assessment was correct. The planning service in Northern Ireland is not fit for purpose as multiple environmental disasters, past, current and ongoing testify. Foreign direct investment "FDI" via Dalradian, seeking to exploit weaknesses in the planning system made a fatal mistake when eyeing up the Sperrins though. They believed political assurances that community push back would be easily controlled. The opposite is the case, it's the politicians who have lost control. A popular rising on their own doorstep has confounded all the players who cooked up a deal to steal the Sperrins. Where things go from here is anyone's guess. 

The legally necessary public inquiry into mining seems to have been indefinitely delayed whilst Dalradian continue to throw good money after bad, seeking new investors to fill the ever expanding financial void. The question now is not "if" but "when" a more pressing inquiry into planning irregularities and underhand political influence around mining in Northern Ireland will take place.

⏩Ciaran McClean campaigns against the rape of the Sperrins.

Sperrins Inquiry Needed

Ciaran McClean ✉ with a letter recently published in the Ulster Herald.

A recent report from Stormont showed DUP MLA Thomas Buchanan initially denied sharing private and confidential information relating to a Dalradian gold story when investigated by The Standards Commissioner.

The Standards and Privileges Committee at Stormont found Mr Buchanan had indeed breached MLAs Code of Conduct rules and punished him accordingly. 

His wasn't the first example of politicians advocating for the same company. Whilst they might not wish to admit it, some years ago Sinn Fein signalled, via The Financial Times, that Greencastle in the heart of the Sperrins was a sacrificial zone where investors could get a handsome return betting on industrialising the area. They have yet to account for doing so. The less said about the SDLP and Ulster Unionists the better such is the integrity free reputation their local reps enjoy on anything goldmine related. 

Ironically, the long awaited public inquiry into goldmining scheduled for September 2024 has been suspended, disappointing those in a hurry to cash in on the area of outstanding beauty. Departments obliged to progress the delayed proposal along with political parties will by now understand that the law will dictate the process going forward, not their political horse trading or civil servants peddling untruths as they did in the Strule Arts centre and which caused the public inquiry suspension. 

Unethical Investors salivating at the prospect of a mining boom in this part of Ireland should also know a hard truth by now too - try to profit on that which sustains a rural community like Greencastle and you'll need more than the assistance of politicians with the same values as yourselves.

⏩Ciaran McClean campaigns against the rape of the Sperrins.

Unethical Investors Salivating

Ciaran McClean ✉ with a letter recently published in the Ulster Herald.

The radio silence from local politicians since the Preliminary hearings into the Public Inquiry into goldmining has been deafening.

Not one political representative from any Party in West Tyrone made a contribution at the Preliminary hearing in March, instead leaving it up to honest citizens to make well researched representations. 

In the face of their workshy chicanery I have written to the Northern Ireland Audit Office to alert them to the huge waste of public funds around the now legally dubious public inquiry. Wasting public funds is morally repugnant at any time, never mind a time of need. 

There is another "need" however. The gravy train every MLA, MP and Cllr is riding needs pulled up pronto. Grifting in a dream like state the no show reps believe themselves too big to fail whilst under the protection of a corrupt British establishment. That's a dangerous place for any Nationalist, Unionist or Alliance politician to find themselves regardless of their mandate.

⏩Ciaran McClean campaigns against the rape of the Sperrins. 

Gold And The Gravy Train

Ciaran McClean ✉ with a letter recently published in the Ulster Herald.

In January an appeal was made through the Ulster Herald for Sinn Fein members to lobby their leadership not to visit Washington on St Patrick's Day given President Biden's endorsement and enabling of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. 

As they prepare for the airport that appeal appears to have fallen on deaf ears whilst American weapons of mass destruction continue to erase all living things in the region.

Closer to home the Irish Government suffered an embarrassing referendum defeat trying to be too clever by half with it's citizens last week. SF too had urged a tá, tá vote also spectacularly misreading the mood of the country. 

Like the main opposition Party in England, SF's electoral fear of conservative middle Ireland is offending everyone aghast at the American/Israeli genocide. The referendum result showed Irish citizens want honesty from politicians, those in power and those who seek it. 

Any Government in waiting worth its salt needs clear blue water between itself and the status quo - St Patrick's Day is red letter day for SF in that context.

⏩Ciaran McClean is supporter of Palestinian rights.

Red Letter Day

Ciaran McClean ✉ in a letter to the Ulster Herald on 18-January-2023 calls on Sinn Fein to boycott the St Patrick's day junket in the Whitehouse in solidarity with those being butchered by Israeli savagery.

As Sinn Fein prepares for a trip to the Whitehouse in a few short weeks the vast majority of citizens on the island of Ireland are horrified at such a prospect. 

In what must be regarded as one of the greatest crimes in modern history 10,000 Palestinian children in Gaza have been obliterated by American supplied munitions in 100 days, whilst the overall death figure of civilians creeps towards 30,000 in what is effectively a fish barrel shoot. 

Sinn Fein locally flies a Palestine flag from their offices on James street. One can assume from that action Sinn Fein don't wish to be associated with 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' supplier Joe (Biden), yet their stated intention is to do exactly that. Why? 

As the largest party in this part of the country every very Sinn Fein member, Councillor, MLA and particularly the MP for West Tyrone, herself the mother of a new baby, are morally obligated to act for the good of humanity. They can do that by publicly lobbying their own leadership to forgo the St Patrick's Day celebrations in Washington this year. By doing so they can let the American Government/people understand what Irish people think of Biden's false claim to encompass Irish values. 

Sinn Fein will find a majority of the Irish public will be on their side if they oppose the USA but to wring hands, fly flags and tacitly endorse the trip will be regarded as unforgivable by current and future generations. 

A real and pressing opportunity exists to bring global attention to the ongoing destruction of the Palestinian people. It's in the gift of Sinn Fein in West Tyrone to galvanise the rest of the Party up and down the country by demanding that Mary Lou says "No to Joe".

⏩Ciaran McClean is supporter of Palestinian rights.

Mary Lou Must Say No to Joe

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