Minister stops UDA money

[Balboa]

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has announced her intention to stop a loyalist initiative which was to get £1.2m of government funding.
However, at the Northern Ireland assembly Finance Minister Peter Robinson accused her of being in breach of the ministerial code.

A 60-day deadline for the Ulster Defence Association to begin giving up guns expired last Tuesday.

The deadline was set in August after repeated violence linked to the UDA.

However, the UDA said it would adhere to its own timetable for getting rid of its weapons.

How cash carrot was pulled 
In a statement to the assembly, Ms Ritchie said the actions of the UDA had meant the retention of the Conflict Transformation Initiative originally proposed by Peter Hain could not be justified.

"The UDA's fractious nature means, at this time the organisation is unable to meet the objectives of the CTI (Conflict Transformation Initiative).

"The CTI project can no longer be justified and I propose to end it immediately," she said.

After Ms Ritchie finished her statement, Mr Robinson claimed she had "ignored" the government's own legal advice and "might be acting beyond her legal powers".

The assembly suspended its sitting for about half-an-hour whilst legal advice was sought on the matter.

BBC Northern Ireland Political Editor Mark Devenport described the scenes in the chamber as "extraordinary".

   
After its honeymoon period there have been a number of rifts within the executive, over issues like the Irish language and gay rights.

However, the evident division between the SDLP minister and her colleagues is the most bitter and personal split within the executive since devolution was restored."

Ms Ritchie has said she came under pressure from direct rule ministers to compromise on her deadline.

However, Security Minister Paul Goggins said the final decision on whether to redirect £1.2m from the Conflict Transformation Initiative to other loyalist projects was hers.


The UDA insists it will decommission in its own time
Chris McGimpsey of Farset, the organisation which was administering the project, said Ms Ritchie's decision would be counterproductive.

"It's not a UDA issue - what we have here is a number of loyalist working class communities which are suffering from social deprivation," he said.

"I have no love of the UDA - they've threatened to kill me twice - but Farset has been going for 25 years and has a fairly good press in both communities, trying to administer funds into areas where the UDA and other paramilitary groups are strong in an effort to seduce people away from paramilitarism.

"What you have is the minister pulling the rug from under our feet, saying that by reducing funding in these communities she will reduce paramilitarism - the exact opposite is the case."

[Tyrone Dreamer]

I posted this on another thread but guess its relevant here:
On a slightly different note how the hell do the dup get away with their blatant bigotry. Ive noticed over the last few weeks that theyve been going mad about public funding being withdrawn from uda projects. These are the guys who are supposed to be the moral guardians of society. Theyre supposed to hate terroists. One reason they give for being annoyed was that the uup made the decision but they let sinn fein into government without ira decommisioning. Surely this shouldnt bother the dup who are supposed to be democrats - surely they should welcome any decision that prevents money going to paramilitary's. This shows exactly what the dup are about. They were happy to stand on stage with billy wright in the 90's and theyre still happy to support loyalist groups. I really dont know how they get away with their open bigoted attitudes whille claiming to be democrats etc.

[Balboa]

Peter "The Punt" Robinson has a f**king cheek on him, he will give the missus some hiding tonight..........

[inisceithleann]

The DUP are continually moving the political goalposts, even most unionists would see the UDA as nothing more as scumbags. Why the DUP are criticising Margaret Ritchie is beyond me. The UDA haven't made any move of the decommissioning front and therefore the withdrawal of the funding was the correct decision.

[THE MIGHTY QUINN]

Ironically Gregory Campbell was praising her stance just a week or so ago. Strangely though the BBCNI web site no longer has the article

[Solomon Kane]

A pathetic situation all round. I don't believe Farset is the right target here. The simple solution is if the UDA or any other paramilitary gangsters of any hue are causing trouble, lift them, hold them until their trial and hopefully convict them. This is not being done because of a softly softly attitude by those in power (and I'm not talking about the executive) all for the sake of political expediency, which has been the case for a long long time here now. Ritchie seems to be out of her depth here but her motivations are 100% correct.

[magickingdom]

great news as hugh orde said i wouldnt give them 50p..

[inisceithleann]

The sad thing is poor loyalist areas really need this funding but could be ever guarantee that it would go to the right people? The UDA are destroying the very people the claim to protect.

[spiritof91and94]

Good enough for the Bible bashing, bribe taking, Sex Case club -aka DUP.
Fair play to Cllr Ritchie though - she had the balls to stand up and say 'NEVER,NEVER,NEVER'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then they come on against Social Housing Development in the Crumlin Rd Geol Site - they really would piss you off with their Party Policies.

How long will the assembly survive now?

[Solomon Kane]

The sad thing is poor loyalist areas really need this funding but could be ever guarantee that it would go to the right people? The UDA are destroying the very people the claim to protect.

There is a simple solution here. Anyone, claiming to be a community worker and being funded by the government should be subject to the same security vetting as the Civil Service, so anyone with criminal or paramilitary convictions or known connections should be told to sling their hook before getting that funding. This would take the pressure off Ritchie as she has and should have no say in security matters. 

[spiritof91and94]

Sammy Duddy didnt take that decision too well 

Apparently he just didnt have the heart for it!!

[Doogie Browser]

Those previous 2 comments were very gracious indeed lads, very insightful into your mindsets.

Regarding the Margaret Ritchie situation, I think she has shown great courage and conviction in facing down the gangsters in the UDA (Martin McAleese lost any of my respect after his golfing days with these clowns). 
Jackie et al run their areas like some poor mans Tony Soprano (but obviously not as cool and substitute the Armani suits for Burberry hats), their communities are living in fear of them and giving them this money will only further strengthen their grip.  Does anyone beleive that Farset would be free of any 'persuasion' from these unlected representatives in the UDA.  They call the shots in the communities not groups like Farset (who I have limited knowledge of)
We need accountability for this cash and it needs to be channelled to the correct areas as there is no doubt these communities are crying out for the money and are in real need.
I do fear that she will get isolated by the Exexcutive today though, Robbo was his usual belligerent worst on this matter and shows that for all the laughing & joking the papers were initially showing us, they always revert back to type when faced with this matter and indeed the Irish Language Act.

Without getting too political (difficult over here I know), if this is what we are prepared to accept as Local Administration/Government I fear for us.  Legislation will still be dictated by Westminster and every opportunity they get when a decision goes against them, parties will simply scarper to Brown and his cronies to veto. 

[spiritof91and94]

Those previous 2 comments were very gracious indeed lads, very insightful into your mindsets.

Regarding the Margaret Ritchie situation, I think she has shown great courage and conviction in facing down the gangsters in the UDA (Martin McAleese lost any of my respect after his golfing days with these clowns). 
Jackie et al run their areas like some poor mans Tony Soprano (but obviously not as cool and substitute the Armani suits for Burberry hats), their communities are living in fear of them and giving them this money will only further strengthen their grip.  Does anyone beleive that Farset would be free of any 'persuasion' from these unlected representatives in the UDA.  They call the shots in the communities not groups like Farset (who I have limited knowledge of)
We need accountability for this cash and it needs to be channelled to the correct areas as there is no doubt these communities are crying out for the money and are in real need.
I do fear that she will get isolated by the Exexcutive today though, Robbo was his usual belligerent worst on this matter and shows that for all the laughing & joking the papers were initially showing us, they always revert back to type when faced with this matter and indeed the Irish Language Act.

Without getting too political (difficult over here I know), if this is what we are prepared to accept as Local Administration/Government I fear for us.  Legislation will still be dictated by Westminster and every opportunity they get when a decision goes against them, parties will simply scarper to Brown and his cronies to veto. 

Someone with your mindset should be up there on the hill with the other assholes!!!

[Tyrone Dreamer]

After listening to the DUP for years and years and years go on about decomiossioning and paramilitaries in government etc their stance here is unbelievable. How can they justify funding which is almost directly going to the UDA who are still engaged in criminal activity and who have failed to decommision. Really does sum up the DUP the most bigoted party of them all but I wonder how they get a free run from the press. In the south they almost portray ian paisley as a hero now.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Shinners very quiet on this