Unionists critical of some forum nominations Mallon announces 'progressive and positive developments in inclusive democracy'
From IRISH TIMES September 26th, 2000
By PAUL TANNEY
Anti-agreement unionists have branded the North's Civic Forum as an expensive
exercise in cronyism. The 60 members of the forum were named in the Assembly
yesterday. Among them were a nationalist residents' group spokes man, Mr
Donnacha MacNiallis, and Mr Richard Monteith, a lawyer representing Portadown
Orangemen. The body's chairman will be Mr Chris Gibson, a senior figure
in Northern business. The Ulster Democratic Party leader, Mr Gary McMichael,
architect and mountaineer Mr Dawson Stelfox, and Ms Inez McCormack, the
president of ICTU, are some of the other members named. The forum, established
under the Belfast Agreement to act as a consultative body in tandem with
the Assembly, will have its first sitting on October 9th. Announcing the
appointments, the Deputy First Minister said the forum would be "a unique body with a membership comprising a wide breadth of experience". "It is in keeping with the new era in which we are now operating that, through the forum and the other institutions of the Good Friday agreement, we embrace these progressive and positive developments in inclusive democracy," he
said. Many unionists were critical of the membership of the body, with Mr
Sammy Wilson of the DUP describing it as an exercise "in cronyism that would make Tony Blair blush". Mr Ian Paisley jnr asked why victims of the Troubles
had been given only two places. Northern Ireland Unionist Mr Norman Boyd
also condemned the appointment of Mr McMichael as one of Mr Trimble's three
nominees, "at a time when innocent Protestants are having to endure ongoing heartache at the hands of pro-Agreement loyalist paramilitaries". DUP assemblyman
Mr Edwin Poots said if the body was to be representative of the community
it was strange that the Orange Order "one of the largest organisations - probably the largest organisation in the Protestant community - seems to have been snubbed on this issue". The First Minister insisted he had had
little control over who was nominated but that the nomination procedures
had been fairly implemented, and that there would be people in the Civic
Forum who could voice Orange Order concerns. However, Co Armagh Orange Order
grand master and Ulster Unionist Assembly Party member Mr Denis Watson insisted
that neither Mr Monteith nor any other member of the Order appointed to
the forum in another capacity would be "representing the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland". Ms Monica McWilliams, of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
said it was strange that "the worshipful brothers, or should that be worshipful sisters", had become interested in the Forum only at this late stage. Her
party colleague Ms Jane Morrice, noted that of the 60 members only 22 were
female. There was more criticism of the forum when Mr Mallon said that a
provision of (pounds) 300,000 had been made for it until the end of the
year. Mr Jim Wells said "never has so much money been spent in appointing so many lapdogs in Northern Ireland." In response to a similar comment from
Mr Wilson, Mr Mallon said: "I don't think we are reading from the same list."
In a statement after his nomination Mr McMichael said he was happy to accept.
List of Forum members available at www.ireland.com/newspaper/ special |
