David Burnside: Motorcycling body has created needless uncertainty around the future of road racing in Northern Ireland

The statement last week from Ulster Centre of the Motorcycle Union of Ireland (MCUI) was a totally unnecessary and damaging tactic adding uncertainty to the future of motorcycle racing in Ireland.

Teams, riders, sponsors were thrown into a media blitz of the threat of cancelling all racing in 2023.

Why can't the organisers of motorcycling get their heads around how to get extra money in for insurance, start money, prize money through a number of available methods?

Road racing was granted in Northern Ireland by the founders of the state in the 1920s by Stormont legislation.

Why cannot that legislation be amended so that all those attending a race meeting pay a nominated amount of say £10 per family and £5 for an individual to be collected around the circuit in the one hour before road closing times?

If the first option is not possible can the local council authority such as Lisburn for the Ulster and Causeway & Glens for the North West pass a council bylaw which allows the authority to put a £5 / £10 attendance fee on anyone spectating at the races?

There is enough good will out their from the motorcycling sporting general public to help finance all the road racing in Ireland.

If the organisers of the sport started looking at constructive ways to raise revenues in addition to the programme price we would not have any problems.

And on the Ulster – this year why cannot it be run as an Amoy style event – practice on the Friday and on the Saturday a combination of modern racing – super bike, super stock, super sport and super twins – with a couple of classic races thrown in.

Amoy is the best run event and the race rollout is the most efficient road race of the year. The Ulster could learn from Bill Kennedy and his colleagues.

David WB Burnside,

Ballymoney

Presumed consent is a redefinition of consent

For months Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has used the argument that the principle of consent underpinning self determination enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement has been undermined by the protocol, yet he has signed a letter seeking the secretary of state to implement a law that destroys the definition of consent!

The Organ donation law is based on presumed consent.

Presumed consent is not consent —it is presumption!

Presumed consent is not donation —it is acquisition by presumption!

Presumed consent is both a distortion and redefinition of consent!

Presumed consent comes unjustifiably close to state theft of a person's organs, aggravated by the use of emotional manipulation via the mis-applied soundbite that it will save lives —the inference being that if a person decides to opt out, he or she is refusing to save life.

There is a thin line between emotional manipulation and emotional blackmail. It doesn't take much imagination to think how that line may be crossed in the future! Legislators should employ neither in the making of laws!

Besides the moral and ethical implications of the state presuming ownership of a person's organs, it is inconsistent to refer to the absence of consent for the protocol, while endorsing a similar absence of consent in the matter of organ acquisition.

Organ donation should require actual consent by an individual. It is the only way to avoid the uncertainty of presumption, the inconsistency of definition, and the charge of emotional manipulation.

Noel Hughes,

Kells, Co Antrim

Head

I felt that I should write a letter supporting the DUP and TUV's current stance in remaining out of Stormont until the illegal and undemocratic EU protocol is fully removed, no ifs or buts.

The majority of Northern Ireland citizens wish for a stable and efficient government at Stormont to deliver for all, however the unionist community must be listened too and their views recognised.

Indeed the unionist community is united in regards to the protocol been scrapped, however I'm not fully sure regarding the current leader of the once mighty Ulster Unionist Party.

The Good Friday agreement has been made null and void, as it lacks cross community support also the Act of Union has been breached.

The three EU border posts here in Northern Ireland signify an internal border within our United Kingdom. On the 31st of January, the United Kingdom should have all been celebrating three years of independence from the EU, post the UK wide referendum. However in February 2023 we in Northern Ireland continue to be under the control of EU laws and regulations ,with no representation in the EU, also cut off from the rest of our fellow British citizens in Great Britain.

As a proud Ulster British man who proudly served in Her Majesty's Forces I and my family expect and demand continued strong decisive leadership and representation from the true unionist leadership as mentioned above despite the coalition of EU/Eire/USA elements and irish nationalism. Unity is our strength.

Evan J Johns,

Waringstown