NI stunted by small minded politics

At the last election in Northern Ireland, neither DUP nor SF promised the following: political stalemate, the continuing failure to address the inefficiencies of the management of the health service, of education, and generally inefficient administration and so on. But that is what they delivered.

They promised separation, an inability to govern for everyone, mutual vetoes.

And that is what we got.

Meanwhile they repeat their glib mantras which to most of us are now fairly meaningless, such as power-sharing, partnership, respect, equality.

It seems to be the same old people who are the main proponents of the opposite of these laudable sentiments. Have they not been around for too long?

Having delivered stagnation, lack of political responsibility, lack of any respect for the whole of the 1.6million people of Northern Ireland, why would anyone vote again for these people?

There has been no courage or imagination about solving the big issues which affect us all directly or indirectly. Local small-minded politics has stunted the educational, economic, and social development of the province.

Who in the powerful positions has had the will and ability to push ahead with the new much needed roads, rationalising education, carrying out the recommended health service decluttering? That is setting aside the really complex issues of Brexit, Corporation Tax reduction, and making NI more productive so that we stop being beggars from Westminster or Europe or USA or anyone else.

Meanwhile some of us are getting on with creating jobs, businesses and a better society.

But we could do so much better with a better government, which takes responsibility for everyone in NI.

Tom Ekin, Belfast (former Alliance councillor & Lord Mayor of the city)