Any suggestions as to who the politician might be?
Not sure if namawinelake are suggesting something from their tweets ??
https://twitter.com/namawinelake/status/616886383853105152
If you thought that a story such as this was about to break in relation to you, would be enough to give you a heart attack.
It's not Mike Nesbitt.Definitely a DUP member
I think the post before yours gives a good enough hint
Frank Cushnahan appears to be deeply mixed up in it as well and from what I can recall, think he has some very specific ties to Red Sky, who have some very specific ties to the DUP.
Anyone willing to take a Punt on who it is ?
Quote from: Minder on July 04, 2015, 01:21:40 PM
Anyone willing to take a Punt on who it is ?
Oh that's very very good.
Quote from: gallsman on July 04, 2015, 01:03:08 PM
Frank Cushnahan appears to be deeply mixed up in it as well and from what I can recall, think he has some very specific ties to Red Sky, who have some very specific ties to the DUP.
Twas the boul Sammy nominated Cushnahan to the advisory position with NAMA.
The other man he nominated came from the HE but left before Red Sky issue came out.
Whoever it was will bury it anyway. The peelers and the FSA need to get involved to make it tasty as the boys in Stormont will make it disappear as it "won't be in the interests of the peace process".
Quote from: LeoMc on July 04, 2015, 08:59:24 PM
Quote from: gallsman on July 04, 2015, 01:03:08 PM
Frank Cushnahan appears to be deeply mixed up in it as well and from what I can recall, think he has some very specific ties to Red Sky, who have some very specific ties to the DUP.
Twas the boul Sammy nominated Cushnahan to the advisory position with NAMA.
The other man he nominated came from the HE but left before Red Sky issue came out.
Cronyism at its absolute worst.
There is a core of "businessmen" in Belfast who make an absolute fortune through these networks. Often through betraying confidences or stabbing a former "friend" in the back. If you bugged a few of the coffee shops around city hall for a few days the Sunday World would become a daily paper with all the exposes!
Rant over! 😠
It's no big deal really.
£7m is small change compared to what is going on and has gone on. If every politician, government official etc who gained financially was identified there would be a long list if the southern model was anything to go by.
It makes Iris' few quid look very insignificant and she was hounded as a result of that disclosure.
Lots of shinner supporters getting excited because they think its a high profile DUP member involved. They were told to wise the f**k up. Sinn Fein will be knee deep in all this nonsense but they run about acting as if they are holier thanthou, f**king catch a grip ffs. Its all about the money these days lads. The main reason we aren't shooting each other anymore? MONEY
Quote from: Nigel White on July 04, 2015, 11:18:56 AM
Any suggestions as to who the politician might be?
Its NOT Robinsons name that keeps coming up on the net but rather another DUPer
Quote from: Apparently so on July 05, 2015, 03:20:04 AM
Lots of shinner supporters getting excited because they think its a high profile DUP member involved. They were told to wise the f**k up. Sinn Fein will be knee deep in all this nonsense but they run about acting as if they are holier thanthou, f**king catch a grip ffs. Its all about the money these days lads. The main reason we aren't shooting each other anymore? MONEY
if it was someone from SF they'd have been named by now.
Bound to be Robinson, rumours about 7 figure backhanders have been swirling around him for years, plus he has form with the "ransom plot" carry-on.
These type of leaks in NI are usually dangerous.
I remember the Adams family reveleations were quickly followed by the Iris thunderbolt.
Is there more coming? It might explain the silence.
Quote from: muppet on July 06, 2015, 10:57:11 AM
These type of leaks in NI are usually dangerous.
I remember the Adams family reveleations were quickly followed by the Iris thunderbolt.
Is there more coming? It might explain the silence.
£7 million being funnelled to Sinn Féin's northern enemies via the southern state's property management firm. Call be cynical but I'd say there's a lot more to this story than a brown envelope backhander to a DUP member.
What was the quid pro quo for this large sum?
Quote from: armaghniac on July 06, 2015, 11:20:22 AM
What was the quid pro quo for this large sum?
Persuade Americans that NI is a safe place to invest and ensure no one kicks up a fuss about Land and property being sold off at 70% below value.
We wouldn't want all that Land becoming available at those discounts to Councils, Community organisations, etc.
Quote from: Ulick on July 06, 2015, 11:18:31 AM
Quote from: muppet on July 06, 2015, 10:57:11 AM
These type of leaks in NI are usually dangerous.
I remember the Adams family reveleations were quickly followed by the Iris thunderbolt.
Is there more coming? It might explain the silence.
£7 million being funnelled to Sinn Féin's northern enemies via the southern state's property management firm. Call be cynical but I'd say there's a lot more to this story than a brown envelope backhander to a DUP member.
Enemies or partners?
Quote from: LeoMc on July 06, 2015, 12:51:02 PM
Quote from: Ulick on July 06, 2015, 11:18:31 AM
Quote from: muppet on July 06, 2015, 10:57:11 AM
These type of leaks in NI are usually dangerous.
I remember the Adams family reveleations were quickly followed by the Iris thunderbolt.
Is there more coming? It might explain the silence.
£7 million being funnelled to Sinn Féin's northern enemies via the southern state's property management firm. Call be cynical but I'd say there's a lot more to this story than a brown envelope backhander to a DUP member.
Enemies or partners?
Not mutually exclusive things.
Quote from: Ulick on July 06, 2015, 12:53:24 PM
Quote from: LeoMc on July 06, 2015, 12:51:02 PM
Quote from: Ulick on July 06, 2015, 11:18:31 AM
Quote from: muppet on July 06, 2015, 10:57:11 AM
These type of leaks in NI are usually dangerous.
I remember the Adams family reveleations were quickly followed by the Iris thunderbolt.
Is there more coming? It might explain the silence.
£7 million being funnelled to Sinn Féin's northern enemies via the southern state's property management firm. Call be cynical but I'd say there's a lot more to this story than a brown envelope backhander to a DUP member.
Enemies or partners?
Not mutually exclusive things.
I take it you are married then? ;D
Quote from: LeoMc on July 06, 2015, 12:49:25 PM
Quote from: armaghniac on July 06, 2015, 11:20:22 AM
What was the quid pro quo for this large sum?
Persuade Americans that NI is a safe place to invest and ensure no one kicks up a fuss about Land and property being sold off at 70% below value.
We wouldn't want all that Land becoming available at those discounts to Councils, Community organisations, etc.
I'm not sure how paying one DUP person, or even that party, ensures this.
Quote from: armaghniac on July 06, 2015, 12:58:05 PM
Quote from: LeoMc on July 06, 2015, 12:49:25 PM
Quote from: armaghniac on July 06, 2015, 11:20:22 AM
What was the quid pro quo for this large sum?
Persuade Americans that NI is a safe place to invest and ensure no one kicks up a fuss about Land and property being sold off at 70% below value.
We wouldn't want all that Land becoming available at those discounts to Councils, Community organisations, etc.
I'm not sure how paying one DUP person, or even that party, ensures this.
The first part is easy enough, wine and dine on the hill with a bit of handshaking. The second part is perhaps just my own personal gripe about the way NAMA have been selling off the Country (similar to O'Rourkes recent article).
Personally I would not be convinced the £7m was going to one person either. I cannot imagine that (a) Tughans would not have procedures in place to stop one person just walking off with £7m. No second signatures?
(b) if someone took £7m they would not consider it theft. It would lead me to suspect that at least one other partner may have had a nose in the trough.
Quote from: muppet on July 06, 2015, 10:57:11 AM
These type of leaks in NI are usually dangerous.
I remember the Adams family reveleations were quickly followed by the Iris thunderbolt.
Is there more coming? It might explain the silence.
The Unionists 'graduated response' to the flegs dispute is also quiet. Perhaps a gradient of 1 in 7 million?
Quote from: LeoMc on July 06, 2015, 01:05:51 PM
Quote from: armaghniac on July 06, 2015, 12:58:05 PM
Quote from: LeoMc on July 06, 2015, 12:49:25 PM
Quote from: armaghniac on July 06, 2015, 11:20:22 AM
What was the quid pro quo for this large sum?
Persuade Americans that NI is a safe place to invest and ensure no one kicks up a fuss about Land and property being sold off at 70% below value.
We wouldn't want all that Land becoming available at those discounts to Councils, Community organisations, etc.
I'm not sure how paying one DUP person, or even that party, ensures this.
The first part is easy enough, wine and dine on the hill with a bit of handshaking. The second part is perhaps just my own personal gripe about the way NAMA have been selling off the Country (similar to O'Rourkes recent article).
Personally I would not be convinced the £7m was going to one person either. I cannot imagine that (a) Tughans would not have procedures in place to stop one person just walking off with £7m. No second signatures?
(b) if someone took £7m they would not consider it theft. It would lead me to suspect that at least one other partner may have had a nose in the trough.
Well it looks like didn't know they were due to get £7m in the first place, and sure why would they? - they weren't actually working on the deal.
Quote from: Ulick on July 06, 2015, 02:07:37 PM
Quote from: LeoMc on July 06, 2015, 01:05:51 PM
Quote from: armaghniac on July 06, 2015, 12:58:05 PM
Quote from: LeoMc on July 06, 2015, 12:49:25 PM
Quote from: armaghniac on July 06, 2015, 11:20:22 AM
What was the quid pro quo for this large sum?
Persuade Americans that NI is a safe place to invest and ensure no one kicks up a fuss about Land and property being sold off at 70% below value.
We wouldn't want all that Land becoming available at those discounts to Councils, Community organisations, etc.
I'm not sure how paying one DUP person, or even that party, ensures this.
The first part is easy enough, wine and dine on the hill with a bit of handshaking. The second part is perhaps just my own personal gripe about the way NAMA have been selling off the Country (similar to O'Rourkes recent article).
Personally I would not be convinced the £7m was going to one person either. I cannot imagine that (a) Tughans would not have procedures in place to stop one person just walking off with £7m. No second signatures?
(b) if someone took £7m they would not consider it theft. It would lead me to suspect that at least one other partner may have had a nose in the trough.
Well it looks like didn't know they were due to get £7m in the first place, and sure why would they? - they weren't actually working on the deal.
If so the US Solicitors did not do their due diligence. Just pop £7m into this private account, wink wink.
Quote from: LeoMc on July 06, 2015, 02:10:31 PM
If so the US Solicitors did not do their due diligence. Just pop £7m into this private account, wink wink.
Looks like it http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-33396973 (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-33396973)
Mandy McAuley saying in that video, the money was intended for a group of "fixers".
Jamie Bryson tweeted who it was a short while ago.
I can't imagine that the person Jamie is naming would have the clout or move in the circles required to influence this kind of deal.
If it's him he's not alone.
Seamy has named Robinson's son Gareth. But he is neither a "politician" nor "high profile", so it's doubtful he's who Mick has in mind, unless he's just a bag-man for his da. Wouldn't be the first time for that either: http://www.irishnews.com/news/2014/10/07/news/boxing-bout-lobby-concerns-to-see-robinson-grilled-104092/ (http://www.irishnews.com/news/2014/10/07/news/boxing-bout-lobby-concerns-to-see-robinson-grilled-104092/)
Quote from: Ulick on July 06, 2015, 04:43:49 PM
Seamy has named Robinson's son Gareth. But he is neither a "politician" nor "high profile", so it's doubtful he's who Mick has in mind, unless he's just a bag-man for his da. Wouldn't be the first time for that either: http://www.irishnews.com/news/2014/10/07/news/boxing-bout-lobby-concerns-to-see-robinson-grilled-104092/ (http://www.irishnews.com/news/2014/10/07/news/boxing-bout-lobby-concerns-to-see-robinson-grilled-104092/)
He was a politician. He now runs a PR Company (fixer?) that could be what Jamie is alleging, I couldn't possibly comment.
Nah Gareth Robinson only ever made it as far as my local council in Castlereagh and I think was long gone before the NAMA deal. Wallace alleges the money was for a "leading Northern Ireland politician". That boy never led anything but a charge to the free bar at the Christmas do.
I must have heard the same name mentioned as Bryson as far back as Friday.
Do you think Mick Wallace was only told the person involved surname?
Bryson has certainly upped his game tonight, interesting day ahead tomorrow in north of Ireland politics!
I wonder who typed that for him. If this is true Robinson will have to go, no doubt he will try and put the blame on the son. Foster will be the new leader of the DUP by the end of the summer.
This is going to be EPIC. Twitter is cowped tonight, Bryson is tweeting praise for the Irish News and a TUV spokesman has retweeted the link exposing himself to the legal action threatened by a leaked email from the DUP Press Office to local media editors. Haven't been as excited about local politics since Iris was caught with the knickers at her heels.
Also, I'd delete that post Minder, just to be on the safe side. Anyone that wants to read it can go to the blog or find the link to it on Twitter. By wee Jamie's craic tonight he's not for taking it down anyway!
Well that escalated quickly.
I'd say this is all part of an internal push against Robinson. As I remember someone at the DUP top table was leaking documents to Bryson during the Haass negotiations. Very likely the same person could now be feeding him more to get at Robinson - who still recovering from the heart attack is at his weakest internally. Wouldn't do any prospective leader any good to be seen to be making a move while Robinson is in is sickbed, so they get the useful idiot Bryson to do it. Paisley and Wilson for me.
Newton Emerson @NewtonEmerson · 2 hrs2 hours ago
DUP tunnel to Scotland route revealed.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJSyAaNUkAAPEar.png)
Will Dan be called to Stormont to answer any questions?
(http://www.totalmedia.com/images/potatoe.jpg)
A few background links on Cerberus
Owner of gun company whose weapon was used at Sandy Hook:
http://dealbook.nytimes.com//2012/12/18/cerberus-to-sell-gunmaker-freedom-group/?module=ArrowsNav&contentCollection=Business%20Day&action=keypress®ion=FixedLeft&pgtype=Blogs
A couple of Israeli links
http://americanfreepress.net/?p=15490
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/a-shy-wunderkind-stephen-feinberg-1.174285
4th largest private contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan in 04, 05 and 06 earning $901,973,910
http://www.icij.org/project/windfalls-war/top-100-contractors-iraq-afghanistan
Cerberus and Haliburton:
http://afterthewar.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/iap-worldwide-services.html
Cerberus Capital: Literally Blood-Sucking the Poor to Make Their Billions
http://www.alternet.org/story/145044/cerberus_capital%3A_literally_blood-sucking_the_poor_to_make_their_billions
TWO secret meetings took place last year between Peter Robinson and Dan Quayle, the former Vice President of the United States and one of the key players in Cerberus, the US investment firm engulfed in a major financial scandal.
The first meeting was held at Stormont Castle on March 25 2014, just 10 days before Cerberus paid a knock-down £1.3 billion for the Northern Ireland assets owned by the Dublin government's "bad bank" Nama.
A second secret meeting at Stormont Castle took place on September 17 2014, this time involving Peter Robinson, Martin McGuinness and Dan Quayle. This was less than six months after Cerberus hoovered up the Nama portfolio at a 70 per cent discount.
http://www.irishnews.com/news/2015/07/08/news/secret-cerberus-meetings-between-peter-robinson-and-former-vice-president-of-us-174449/
Jamie getting legal threats from the DUP.....
http://www.irishnews.com/news/2015/07/08/news/loyalist-blogger-facing-legal-action-over-dup-claims-174370/
Is there an injunction in place? Seems Jamie is doing someone's dirty work, be that a politician or journalist.
So anyone who retweeted it is getting sued. Could be a lot of law suits coming up.
It mentions a high profile blogger.... that rules Bryson out :P
Didn't we see strange information leaked, damaging both sides, the last time there was a DUP/SF impasse?
Is there more coming?
Quote from: give her dixie on July 08, 2015, 11:14:28 AM
TWO secret meetings took place last year between Peter Robinson and Dan Quayle, the former Vice President of the United States and one of the key players in Cerberus, the US investment firm engulfed in a major financial scandal.
The first meeting was held at Stormont Castle on March 25 2014, just 10 days before Cerberus paid a knock-down £1.3 billion for the Northern Ireland assets owned by the Dublin government's "bad bank" Nama.
A second secret meeting at Stormont Castle took place on September 17 2014, this time involving Peter Robinson, Martin McGuinness and Dan Quayle. This was less than six months after Cerberus hoovered up the Nama portfolio at a 70 per cent discount.
http://www.irishnews.com/news/2015/07/08/news/secret-cerberus-meetings-between-peter-robinson-and-former-vice-president-of-us-174449/
Doesn't look like MMG was told he was attending a "secret meeting"
"The only public record of the meeting was a 'selfie' with Quayle and Robinson on Twitter posted by Martin McGuiinness."
In fact here's an article from April 2014 which suggests that MMG wasn't happy with the deal and that Quayle planning to meet him later in the year.
http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/this-landmark-deal-is-a-real-boost-for-crossborder-relations-30157120.html
Quote from: Ulick on July 08, 2015, 12:01:47 PM
Quote from: give her dixie on July 08, 2015, 11:14:28 AM
TWO secret meetings took place last year between Peter Robinson and Dan Quayle, the former Vice President of the United States and one of the key players in Cerberus, the US investment firm engulfed in a major financial scandal.
The first meeting was held at Stormont Castle on March 25 2014, just 10 days before Cerberus paid a knock-down £1.3 billion for the Northern Ireland assets owned by the Dublin government's "bad bank" Nama.
A second secret meeting at Stormont Castle took place on September 17 2014, this time involving Peter Robinson, Martin McGuinness and Dan Quayle. This was less than six months after Cerberus hoovered up the Nama portfolio at a 70 per cent discount.
http://www.irishnews.com/news/2015/07/08/news/secret-cerberus-meetings-between-peter-robinson-and-former-vice-president-of-us-174449/
Doesn't look like MMG was told he was attending a "secret meeting"
"The only public record of the meeting was a 'selfie' with Quayle and Robinson on Twitter posted by Martin McGuiinness."
In fact here's an article from April 2014 which suggests that MMG wasn't happy with the deal and that Quayle planning to meet him later in the year.
http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/this-landmark-deal-is-a-real-boost-for-crossborder-relations-30157120.html
Can't see anything in that article that suggests McGuinness wasn't happy with the deal. All it says in reference to him is:
"Yesterday, Northern Ireland's unionist leaders hailed the sale as a boost to the region's economy. There was no reaction, however, from Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness."
It always struck me as odd that neither he or the party in Stormont had anything to say on the largest land and property sale in Irish history. A new chapter opened in a long history of the absentee landlord in Ireland and they had nothing to say?
Another grubby Cerberus take over of a firm who were up to their necks in everything in Iraq and Afghanistan.....
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2010/04/12/us-dyncorp-idUSTRE63B2IZ20100412
McGuinness caught with his fingers in the till too so.
Quote from: trileacman on July 08, 2015, 01:23:38 PM
McGuinness caught with his fingers in the till too so.
Where is that stated, hinted at, muted or inferred? Dumbass post from an idiot with an agenda.
I'll predict it now. There will be mass riots over the 12th or there will be a shooting or bombing to grab all the attention and this nama thing will be swept under the carpet and forgot about
Or am i too paranoid?
God Bless
Tiocfaidh ar la
No surrender
Quote from: Apparently so on July 08, 2015, 08:40:26 PM
I'll predict it now. There will be mass riots over the 12th or there will be a shooting or bombing to grab all the attention and this nama thing will be swept under the carpet and forgot about
Or am i too paranoid?
God Bless
Tiocfaidh ar la
No surrender
i thought the nazi flag would take media attention from this one.
I have the same paranoia then. How can this be kept front page? Maybe the Law Society is best bet?
I have now heard a number of stories about one of the characters involved, just too much to be coincidence.
Anyone have info around how super injunctions work? For example, if something is believed to be true and accurate by a newspaper, why can the press be gagged from reporting on it by an injunction?
The way the BBC and Irish News are dancing around the subject is obvious for all to see, both are going for related stories regarding the supposed protagonists in all of this, without actually going for the jugular.
Quote from: balladmaker on July 08, 2015, 10:57:34 PM
Anyone have info around how super injunctions work? For example, if something is believed to be true and accurate by a newspaper, why can the press be gagged from reporting on it by an injunction?
The way the BBC and Irish News are dancing around the subject is obvious for all to see, both are going for related stories regarding the supposed protagonists in all of this, without actually going for the jugular.
Can't talk about it, sorry.
Police confirm investigation into Nama portfolio sale
PSNI can confirm that a criminal inquiry will be launched in relation to concerns raised over the sale of Nama's NI Property portfolio and the recent claims made in the Irish parliament by independent TD Mick Wallace.
ACC Kerr, Crime Operations PSNI, said " We believe that there is sufficient concern in relation to potential criminal activity, surrounding this property deal, to instigate an investigation.
PSNI are now engaging with a number of other national and international law enforcement partners to consider how best to take forward this investigation".
DUP call for full co-operation into PSNI probe of Nama asset sale to Cerberus
"Following an announcement by the PSNI that it has launched an investigation into the sale of Nama assets to Cerberus, a DUP spokesman said,
"This is a welcome announcement and the appropriate step to deal with the serious allegations which have been made. Indeed, the First Minister called for such action by the authorities last week noting that accusations of criminal behaviour tarnish politics and should be fully investigated.
We trust everyone concerned will cooperate fully with the PSNI team."
Statement from Tughans after PSNI launches probe into Nama scandal
The Belfast solicitor firm at the centre of a £7 million off-shore bank account linked to the sale of Nama's assets in Northern Ireland has released the following statement.
"Tughans will co-operate fully with any PSNI inquiry and intends to contact the PSNI at the earliest opportunity."
Cerberus has released a one-line statement regarding PSNI probe
Spokesperson for Cerberus:
"We welcome the investigation and will fully cooperate".
FIRST Minister Peter Robinson's son has broken his silence to deny any involvement in the Nama property scandal that has rocked Stormont
Mr Robinson's son Gareth last night said although he has carried out work for Tughans in the past, no representatives of his PR company Verbatim Communications "facilitated or were in any way involved in the sale of Nama assets to Cerberus".
"Neither the company nor anyone representing the company benefited from the Cerberus/Nama transaction nor did they ever expect to."
http://www.irishnews.com/news/2015/07/09/news/first-minister-s-son-breaks-silence-on-nama-deal-176393/
In June 2014, two months after the meeting, the OFMDFM responded to a freedom of information request which asked for details of all meetings in 2014 between Nama and the First or Deputy First Minister, Cerberus or other executive departments or ministers that "concerned NAMA's Northern Ireland's loan book."
The First Minister's meeting with Mr Quayle was not disclosed in the answer issued on July 4 2014 . Both the First Minister and Deputy First Minister's teams are obliged to sign off on FOI requests
http://www.irishnews.com/news/2015/07/09/news/mcguinness-kept-in-dark-over-robinson-s-quayle-meeting-176364/
A former Nama adviser was in line for a £5m payment after the sale of Nama's property loan portfolio in Northern Ireland,
an Irish parliament (Dáil) committee has been told.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-33458409
Quote from: give her dixie on July 09, 2015, 10:41:18 AM
In June 2014, two months after the meeting, the OFMDFM responded to a freedom of information request which asked for details of all meetings in 2014 between Nama and the First or Deputy First Minister, Cerberus or other executive departments or ministers that "concerned NAMA's Northern Ireland's loan book."
The First Minister's meeting with Mr Quayle was not disclosed in the answer issued on July 4 2014 . Both the First Minister and Deputy First Minister's teams are obliged to sign off on FOI requests
http://www.irishnews.com/news/2015/07/09/news/mcguinness-kept-in-dark-over-robinson-s-quayle-meeting-176364/
OFMDFM could only respond with details of the meeting if Robinson met Cerberus while McGuinness was present or McGuinness signed off on the purpose of the meeting beforehand. If Robinson met Cerberus without McGuinness being present, then it would be in a personal capacity as leader of the DUP and not as part of OFMDFM. In those circumstances it wouldn't be disclosed by OFMDFM as they'd have no 'official' record of it.
Quote from: Ulick on July 09, 2015, 01:55:16 PM
Quote from: give her dixie on July 09, 2015, 10:41:18 AM
In June 2014, two months after the meeting, the OFMDFM responded to a freedom of information request which asked for details of all meetings in 2014 between Nama and the First or Deputy First Minister, Cerberus or other executive departments or ministers that "concerned NAMA's Northern Ireland's loan book."
The First Minister's meeting with Mr Quayle was not disclosed in the answer issued on July 4 2014 . Both the First Minister and Deputy First Minister's teams are obliged to sign off on FOI requests
http://www.irishnews.com/news/2015/07/09/news/mcguinness-kept-in-dark-over-robinson-s-quayle-meeting-176364/
OFMDFM could only respond with details of the meeting if Robinson met Cerberus while McGuinness was present or McGuinness signed off on the purpose of the meeting beforehand. If Robinson met Cerberus without McGuinness being present, then it would be in a personal capacity as leader of the DUP and not as part of OFMDFM. In those circumstances it wouldn't be disclosed by OFMDFM as they'd have no 'official' record of it.
Robinson has a lot of questions to answer, and between the hawks around him and this Cerberus deal, I think he will step down.
So how many PR companies wouldn't be contactable by telephone or have a website? It's offices are empty, yet funded through income from the public purse. It appears Gareth Robinson had zero experience or qualifications in PR yet his new company is the 'recommended' PR advisers to all those expressing interest in the Nama portfolio (i.e. Compulsory expenditure or your bid doesn't wash). How can it be deemed above board when a First Minister's son siphons off half a mill for doing next to nothing?
Fair play to Jamie Bryson and his blogs over the past few days. So much of his info has been proved right and he certainly has an inside track on how the DUP is in an internal revolt over the shenanigans of Peter Robinson and his son Gareth over the Cerberus deal and other shady deals. His latest blog is well worth a read......
https://jamiebrysonblog.wordpress.com/2015/07/09/the-guns-are-still-smoking-as-the-empire-covers-up-nama-update/
Jamie is throwing the snowballs but there is no way he is making them. He is been used by someone and it will be interesting to see where he aligns himself afterwards.
Bryson is the puppet in this you can be sure of that. Somebody with a bit more wit than him and probably the rest of the DUP is feeding him this stuff and he's passing it off as if he's some f**king journalistic genius.
I wouldn't be surprised if someone emailled this to him and he's copied and pasted it into his blog.
In fairness it's about time that blog was used for something good rather than mysterious tales of protestant persecution and how MI5 are watching his every move!!
He's a modern day Gusty Spence in the making so he is
Quote from: theskull1 on July 10, 2015, 11:01:20 AM
He's a modern day Gusty Spence in the making so he is
Glasses over the balaclava ;D
Quote from: NAG1 on July 10, 2015, 11:56:18 AM
Quote from: theskull1 on July 10, 2015, 11:01:20 AM
He's a modern day Gusty Spence in the making so he is
Glasses over the balaclava ;D
uuummm balaclava?? Very old skoll. I think you mean santa hat and beard?
Quote from: ludermor on July 10, 2015, 09:30:54 AM
Jamie is throwing the snowballs but there is no way he is making them. He is been used by someone and it will be interesting to see where he aligns himself afterwards.
From Spide to Spad?
When are the DUP and FF amalgamating?
Nama deal: debtors helped uncover £7m at centre of Northern Ireland loan sale scandal
Businessmen hired a leading international legal firm to investigate the sale of the 'Project Eagle' portfolio for a huge discount to US investment firm Cerberus last year.
In the process, they uncovered the £7m sum in an Isle of Man bank account, controlled by a Belfast solicitor.
It is the latest twist in the controversy which erupted last week, when Independent TD Mick Wallace claimed in the Dáil that the money had been earmarked for a Northern Ireland politician or party.
On Friday night, sources close to the private investigation confirmed that the dossier in the hands of the businessmen contains allegations that the money was in fact earmarked to pay a "small group" of Northern Ireland politicians from two political parties.
The sources revealed that investigations have identified the names of up to four politicians from two Northern Ireland parties who, it is claimed, stood to be paid from the Isle of Man account.
"The enquiries carried out so far have thrown up the names of up to four politicians from political parties who we believe were due to be paid from the £7m," said a source with knowledge of the investigation.
"There are a lot of people in the North very, very concerned about this matter and what is due to emerge in the coming weeks," said the source
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/nama-deal-debtors-helped-uncover-7m-at-centre-of-northern-ireland-loan-sale-scandal-31369087.html
OFMDFM claimed key document sent to NAMA didn't exist
Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness's department has refused to say why it apparently hid a key document which has emerged as part of the NAMA scandal.
It can now be revealed that last year the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) claimed not to have a copy of the document – despite the fact that its potentially enormous significance to the largest property deal in the history of the island of Ireland means that it ought to have been retained in OFMDFM's filing system.
The revelation raises further questions as to why Stormont's most senior department appears to have attempted to hide the document.
Last May – four months after the MoU was sent from Stormont Castle – an individual lodged a Freedom of Information (FoI) request which said: "I...request in respect of 2014 copies of all correspondence, all internal briefings, all draft correspondence or briefings, all notes and in general all records held, created, sent or received by the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister concerning NAMA's Northern Ireland loan book."
But when OFMDFM eventually responded, it did not admit to the existence of the MoU. Instead, it released two fairly anodyne documents, which it claimed was all the relevant material held on NAMA in the relevant period
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/regional/ofmdfm-claimed-key-document-sent-to-nama-didn-t-exist-1-6846553
ok GHD , that's your 3rd or 4th post on this thread . Do you have anything to add yourself ?
Quote from: EireOg1 on July 14, 2015, 02:05:15 AM
ok GHD , that's your 3rd or 4th post on this thread . Do you have anything to add yourself ?
The thread police have arrived, everyone stay calm.
Quote from: The Subbie on July 14, 2015, 02:36:28 AM
Quote from: EireOg1 on July 14, 2015, 02:05:15 AM
ok GHD , that's your 3rd or 4th post on this thread . Do you have anything to add yourself ?
The thread police have arrived, everyone stay calm.
And only his 3rd post.......
The £7m is only the crumbs.
Cerberus bought 19 BILLION of property loans
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/cerberus-used-irish-companies-to-buy-19bn-in-property-loans-1.2282519
This solicitor is good : somebody is telling porkies -
The solicitor at the centre of the Nama loan sale controversy has said that no politician, nor any relative of any politician, was ever to receive any money from the deal.
Ian Coulter is the former managing partner of Tughans solicitors in Belfast and worked on behalf of the buyers in the £1bn deal.
He left Tughans in January.
The firm said he had transferred fees to an Isle of Man bank account of which he was the sole beneficiary.
In a statement, Mr Coulter said he had directed the transfer but it was for "a complex, commercially and legally-sensitive" reason.
He added that the reason had been explained to his former partners at Tughans and "will be explained to the appropriate authorities".
However, in a statement on Wednesday, Tughans said "it strongly disagrees with his version of events".
Julian O'Neill, BBC News NI Business Correspondent
Mr Coulter's headline is that no politician (or relative of any politician) was to have been paid over the Nama deal.
It is worth noting what is not said in this 800-word statement.
He does not explain why there was an Isle of Man account;
He does not say why the bulk of £7.5m was moved;
He does not reject the 'fixers' payment allegation;
He does not state the Isle of Man fees were his alone.
Does the opening line of his statement provide a clue?
"The concept of a Northern Ireland Nama deal was developed and significant work leading up to this deal was done by other business people in Northern Ireland, before any involvement of Cerberus (or any bidder)."
Mick starting to turn up the heat on NAMA - usually when you're told to go to the Gardaí it's Trouble.
INDEPENDENT TD Mick Wallace was today told to go to Garda Síochána with new allegations he made concerning NAMA's operations.
Using Dáil privilege, Mr Wallace told the Dáil he knew a person in construction who wanted to exit NAMA and was asked to pay €15,000 "in a bag – in cash."
He said some weeks later the same person was asked to pay "the same again" – and when he did that he got his release from NAMA.
The Wexford TD also questioned separately when the NAMA chairman Frank Daly knew about a deposit in an Isle of Man bank account linked to the sale of the NAMA Northern Ireland properties. Mr Wallace said NAMA knew about this last January.
"Are you happy Taoiseach that all is still well?" Mr Wallace challenged the Taoiseach.
The Ceann Comhairle, Seán Barrett, warned the Independent TD that he could not use the Dáil as "a star chamber." The Dáil chairman said Mr Wallace had produced no facts to substantiate his allegations.
"If you have any other questions please go to the Garda Siochana or the Public Accounts Committee," Mr Barrett said in a second warning to the Wexford TD.
The Taoiseach said the matters raised by Mr Wallace should be directed to the Gardai. Mr Kenny said NAMA was supervised by the Comptroller & Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee.
"You should present your findings, you should present your facts – if facts they are - to them," Mr Kenny said.
(https://themanthebheastscanttame.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/download1.jpg)
Quote from: orangeman on July 15, 2015, 03:13:04 PM
Mick starting to turn up the heat on NAMA - usually when you're told to go to the Gardaí it's Trouble.
INDEPENDENT TD Mick Wallace was today told to go to Garda Síochána with new allegations he made concerning NAMA's operations.
Using Dáil privilege, Mr Wallace told the Dáil he knew a person in construction who wanted to exit NAMA and was asked to pay €15,000 "in a bag – in cash."
He said some weeks later the same person was asked to pay "the same again" – and when he did that he got his release from NAMA.
The Wexford TD also questioned separately when the NAMA chairman Frank Daly knew about a deposit in an Isle of Man bank account linked to the sale of the NAMA Northern Ireland properties. Mr Wallace said NAMA knew about this last January.
"Are you happy Taoiseach that all is still well?" Mr Wallace challenged the Taoiseach.
The Ceann Comhairle, Seán Barrett, warned the Independent TD that he could not use the Dáil as "a star chamber." The Dáil chairman said Mr Wallace had produced no facts to substantiate his allegations.
"If you have any other questions please go to the Garda Siochana or the Public Accounts Committee," Mr Barrett said in a second warning to the Wexford TD.
The Taoiseach said the matters raised by Mr Wallace should be directed to the Gardai. Mr Kenny said NAMA was supervised by the Comptroller & Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee.
"You should present your findings, you should present your facts – if facts they are - to them," Mr Kenny said.
The Wallace circus is getting a bit tiring.
We, as a society, provide him with Dáil protection. He is using this protection to boost his profile, but fails to use it to show any proof of any of his claims.
Compare his performance with Catherine Murphy. She read the facts as she had them into the Dáil record and did imho a very good job despite enormous pressure. Wallace's performance always seems to be about Wallace.
Maybe Wallace should first pay us taxpayers the money he owes us >:(
Quote from: Rossfan on July 15, 2015, 04:20:00 PM
Maybe Wallace should first pay us taxpayers the money he owes us >:(
Yeah, cause Bertie and co just got a pension increase
I hope they are deducting it from his wages....
Purely for the entrtainment factor in seeing Sean Barrett go nuts, Mick Wallace should be encouraged to keep throwing out these accusations. While he stands on dodgy moral ground, I would give him the benefit of the doubt as he has spoken out about penalty points and the Cerberus deal among other things. NAMA's first act was to attack the messenger. While Mick Wallace didn't go to NAMA (for understandable reasons) NAMA didn't go to Mick either. They went to the Guards in an attempt to quiten the messenger rather than see if there was any foundation to the accusations. Attacking the messenger should always raise suspicion. People who look down their noses at Mick because of his appearance need only look at the likes of Ray Burke, Lawlorand Lowry in their nice suits.
Maybe a bit naive here but would it not have been better to sit on this information (if true) until the person(s) alleged drew from the well.
Without someone actually drawing any of it out how can anyone prove who it was destined for.
Pretty bizarre stuff here as Flegs meet Mick Wallace meets a bookie!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-34130280
A Belfast businessman has said he has hundreds of hours of tapes showing an "ingrained culture of inappropriate and possibly illegal conduct" across political, banking, legal and accountancy sectors. Gareth Graham was giving evidence to a Stormont inquiry into the National Asset Management Agency's (Nama) £1bn sale of its Northern Ireland loan portfolio. Loans held by his property companies were sold to Cerberus, the US investment fund, as part of that deal. Mr Graham said he has tapes of "thousands" of phone calls made by Frank Cushnahan, a businessman who worked with him and was later a Nama advisor. The tapes were made between 2005 and 2008 when Mr Cushnahan worked with the Graham family's bookmaking business. The committee was told the tapes would be made available to law enforcement agencies.
Phonecalls in and out of the Grahams' business were recorded for regulatory reasons. The business relationship between the Grahams and Mr Cushnahan broke down in 2008.Mr Graham claimed Mr Cushnahan was then "intent on destroying our businesses".
Mr Cushnahan has previously issued a statement to the media denying any wrongdoing. Mr Graham added that he has already spoken to the National Crime Agency and made a complaint to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Mr Graham said Mr Cushnahan relinquished his shareholding in the bookmaking business in 2010 but kept a 5% shareholding in the Grahams' property businesses.
The loans held by those property businesses were later moved into Nama. Mr Graham said that should have led to a declaration of interest by Mr Cushnahan when he became a Nama advisor. Mr Cushnahan has previously said he did give up the property firm interests and that it was due to an "administrative error" that he was still listed as a shareholder. Nama committee minutes seen by the BBC also show that Mr Cushnahan did make declarations of interests on a number of occasions. Mr Graham is fighting a High Court battle in an attempt to win back control of his firms. He told the committee that Cerberus had been "ruthless, unjust and unreasonable".
Earlier, the committee voted to call loyalist blogger and flag protestor Jamie Bryson to give evidence to its inquiry. Mr Bryson has made allegations on social media regarding the deal and has written to the committee claiming to have relevant information.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) members of the committee and the Alliance Party's Judith Cochrane voted against calling him. The DUP's Jim Wells said he opposed calling Mr Bryson as he could make "even wilder allegations" under committee privilege than the claims on his blogs. Mrs Cochrane voted against on the basis that the committee needed to take further steps to ensure Mr Bryson's evidence remains with the inquiry's terms of reference.
The committee has been investigating the circumstances of the Nama deal after an allegation by Irish politician Mick Wallace that a Northern Ireland politician was in line for a £7m payment as a result of the transaction. But it has been constrained in the questions it can ask as events surrounding the loan sale are now being investigated by police. Last week, the Law Society of Northern Ireland appeared before the committee but was unable to give what it called "substantive evidence" after advice from a senior police officer.
More impeccable news release timing. This will be interesting, that's if we ever hear what these phone calls contained and who they were made to!?
Forget Mick Wallace, his lookalike Bob Geldof foresaw all this coming as far back as 1979 when he wrote BaNAMA Republic!!!
Bryson seems remarkably well informed. He's being fed info from inside the DUP I'd say, my guess would be the Paisleyite faction.
Quote from: Applesisapples on September 04, 2015, 12:55:15 PM
Bryson seems remarkably well informed. He's being fed info from inside the DUP I'd say, my guess would be the Paisleyite faction.
Funny how as soon as an assembly is formed the first instinct is to build a trough.
Bryson is spilling his guts today...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-34337965
Nama inquiry: Jamie Bryson claims Peter Robinson was to receive payment
An inquiry has heard an allegation that Northern Ireland's first minister was to receive a payment upon completion of NI's biggest property deal.
Peter Robinson has previously denied he was to receive any payment or benefit as a result of the deal.
The £1.2bn sale was of a portfolio of property loans to US investment firm Cerberus by Nama - the Republic of Ireland's "bad bank".
The allegations were made at a hearing of Stormont's finance committee.
Loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson told the committee that the money was paid into an Isle of Man bank account controlled by Belfast solicitors firm, Tughan's.
Mr Bryson said the other beneficiaries were to be solicitor Ian Coulter, accountant David Watters, ex-Nama advisor Frank Cushnahan and developer Andrew Creighton.
Earlier, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness told the committee there were "very serious questions" about what capacity First Minister Peter Robinson was acting in with regard to the Nama loan sale.
Mr McGuinness said he was not told about meetings and contacts between Nama, bidders for its NI portfolio and DUP ministers.
Is the end of Robinson?
Makes me wonder about the motives behind the walkout - diversion tactics ahead of this to deflect attention?
how does Jamie Bryson get so much airtime?? can anybody explain right enough? Bein sincere, I don't understand how anything he says gets any credence at all? What is his role other than some boy who decided to shout the loudest over the head of the hole fleg carry on?
who's doing intewpwetew fow bwyson is what I wanna know
Quote from: WT4E on September 23, 2015, 02:23:47 PM
Is the end of Robinson?
Makes me wonder about the motives behind the walkout - diversion tactics ahead of this to deflect attention?
Timing worked out pretty well for Robinson to abdicate from his post.
Quote from: Soup an Samajiz on September 23, 2015, 02:38:14 PM
how does Jamie Bryson get so much airtime?? can anybody explain right enough? Bein sincere, I don't understand how anything he says gets any credence at all? What is his role other than some boy who decided to shout the loudest over the head of the hole fleg carry on?
In fairness he wouldn't be getting such credence only there's a DUP whistle-blower in his ear feeding him all the info about the NAMA deal. . . if it weren't for that he'd have disappeared into obscurity at this stage!
Sinn Fein must be raging about the Kevin McGuigan killing. . . if they'd waited a few weeks the DUP would be fucked and would have had no cover at all!!!
Quote from: screenexile on September 23, 2015, 03:27:57 PM
Quote from: Soup an Samajiz on September 23, 2015, 02:38:14 PM
how does Jamie Bryson get so much airtime?? can anybody explain right enough? Bein sincere, I don't understand how anything he says gets any credence at all? What is his role other than some boy who decided to shout the loudest over the head of the hole fleg carry on?
In fairness he wouldn't be getting such credence only there's a DUP whistle-blower in his ear feeding him all the info about the NAMA deal. . . if it weren't for that he'd have disappeared into obscurity at this stage!
Sinn Fein must be raging about the Kevin McGuigan killing. . . if they'd waited a few weeks the DUP would be fucked and would have had no cover at all!!!
Nice calculated way to look at a man's death
Quote from: omaghjoe on September 23, 2015, 04:03:07 PM
Quote from: screenexile on September 23, 2015, 03:27:57 PM
Quote from: Soup an Samajiz on September 23, 2015, 02:38:14 PM
how does Jamie Bryson get so much airtime?? can anybody explain right enough? Bein sincere, I don't understand how anything he says gets any credence at all? What is his role other than some boy who decided to shout the loudest over the head of the hole fleg carry on?
In fairness he wouldn't be getting such credence only there's a DUP whistle-blower in his ear feeding him all the info about the NAMA deal. . . if it weren't for that he'd have disappeared into obscurity at this stage!
Sinn Fein must be raging about the Kevin McGuigan killing. . . if they'd waited a few weeks the DUP would be fucked and would have had no cover at all!!!
Nice calculated way to look at a man's death
Jesus I just realised how callous that sounds but to be honest I'm not badly worried about ex paramilitaries who want to gun each other down.
The fact of the matter is it's let the Unionists squirm their way out of Stormont on their high horse because the IRA haven't gone away.
So if RIRA Or CIRA or what ever they call themseles now do something now. its SF's fault cos those guys must have been in the IRA.
Quote from: Denn Forever on September 23, 2015, 05:16:19 PM
So if RIRA Or CIRA or what ever they call themseles now do something now. its SF's fault cos those guys must have been in the IRA.
Aye!
(https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbellacaledonia.files.wordpress.com%2F2013%2F06%2Fpeter-robinson-caught-on-camera-in-late-1984-during-a-visit-to-the-israel-lebanon-border-with-an-automatic-assault-rifle.png&f=1)
(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/12046933_424256707779286_2476386097210017467_n.jpg?oh=1f365293c48b54fd4af31e5390bbf24f&oe=569665C7)
Aaanddddd breathe...
Pretty damning tonight on Spotlight. Despite ongoing criminal investigation, all the main players HAVE to come out and say something here.
Who was saying on the board that Michael Noonan was a decent skin?......
Quote from: gallsman on February 29, 2016, 10:00:28 PM
Aaanddddd breathe...
Pretty damning tonight on Spotlight. Despite ongoing criminal investigation, all the main players HAVE to come out and say something here.
Missed it.
Anything significant that might stick or anecdotal stuff ?.
Quote from: orangeman on February 29, 2016, 10:11:14 PM
Quote from: gallsman on February 29, 2016, 10:00:28 PM
Aaanddddd breathe...
Pretty damning tonight on Spotlight. Despite ongoing criminal investigation, all the main players HAVE to come out and say something here.
Missed it.
Anything significant that might stick or anecdotal stuff ?.
Nothing sticks here.
What really boils my blood is the sense of entitlement of some of these C*nts. Sweetheart deals for 55 developers to write off debts all courtesy of some dodgy deal "for the good of northern ireland" aye right. If I stop paying my mortgage and the bank want to repossess will the folks on the hill cut me a sweetheart deal? Don't think so.
Quote from: orangeman on February 29, 2016, 10:11:14 PM
Quote from: gallsman on February 29, 2016, 10:00:28 PM
Aaanddddd breathe...
Pretty damning tonight on Spotlight. Despite ongoing criminal investigation, all the main players HAVE to come out and say something here.
Missed it.
Anything significant that might stick or anecdotal stuff ?.
A lot, but crucially a videotaped conversation of Cushnahan describing his and Coulter's role in the deals. Conversation is with a developer, John Miskelly, who implicates Gareth Robinson and now looks as if he's trying to turn whistleblower.
Only way anybody gets into hot water over any of this is if the Americans decide to do anything.
No wonder Peter was having heart attacks,and stepped down
Quote from: T Fearon on February 29, 2016, 11:04:42 PM
No wonder Peter was having heart attacks,and stepped down
Yeah leave it at that and keep slating poor sods on benefits or poor parents of abused kids under the care of the catholic church!
Those who are entitled to benefits should receive them.All parents at an absolute minimum,should have made it their business to find out the purpose of meetings their young children were summoned to,and not agreed to any such meetings unless they were allowed to accompany their young children.That's called responsible parenting I believe
Quote from: T Fearon on March 01, 2016, 06:54:58 AM
Those who are entitled to benefits should receive them.All parents at an absolute minimum,should have made it their business to find out the purpose of meetings their young children were summoned to,and not agreed to any such meetings unless they were allowed to accompany their young children.That's called responsible parenting I believe
Still blaming the parents of children abused by Catholic Priests I see, thus adding to the abuse suffered by those families.
But of course those that covered the tracks of the abusers and facilitated the pedophile ring bear no responsibility in yours eyes.
Denial, denial, denial.
I think we need some legislation to make disgusting, idiotic comments such as the above a hate crime.
Spotlight repeated now BBC2.
Quote from: gallsman on February 29, 2016, 10:20:49 PM
Quote from: orangeman on February 29, 2016, 10:11:14 PM
Quote from: gallsman on February 29, 2016, 10:00:28 PM
Aaanddddd breathe...
Pretty damning tonight on Spotlight. Despite ongoing criminal investigation, all the main players HAVE to come out and say something here.
Missed it.
Anything significant that might stick or anecdotal stuff ?.
A lot, but crucially a videotaped conversation of Cushnahan describing his and Coulter's role in the deals. Conversation is with a developer, John Miskelly, who implicates Gareth Robinson and now looks as if he's trying to turn whistleblower.
Miskelly was within days of owning Liverpool FC at the height of the boom. A serous operator so will be interesting to see what the detail of his complaint to the us authorities is.
What way have they got round this one? Graham to meet the legal costs too? This smells fishy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-35778827
Some irony given the upcoming 100 year celebration of independence
Nama's actions have enslaved us
Posted in Sunday Business Post
The elderly, weather-beaten women are dressed in black and glorious purple, the traditional Caribbean colours of mourning. They file up to pay their respects at the beautiful St John's Church on the savage Atlantic coast of Barbados. The low murmur of the shuffling throng is punctured by the squawk of the rooster who stands, sentry-like, at the door of this magnificent church. No one seems to notice him as he clucks, pecks and flaps around.
The scene is pure rural Caribbean, except for one thing: dotted among the black mourners – descendants of slaves – are some white people. Well, not so much white, as whitish!
These whites are not the affluent, chino-wearing, golf-playing whites of upscale Barbados. These are poor, very poor whites. As I watch them line up solemnly at St John's, where a church has stood since 1630, they all display the universal tell-tale sign of poverty: rotten and missing teeth.
These people are the last of the 'red legs', the distant demographic echo of Irish slaves sent to Barbados by Cromwell. It is thought that between 1645 and 1660, 40,000 Irish captives were sold into Caribbean slavery from Ireland, via Liverpool and Bristol to Barbados and beyond. As with all slave trades, the people were sold via middlemen. They didn't walk willingly to Waterford port. They were traded. They were driven off their land in Ireland, huge tracts of which were given to Cromwell's victorious NCOs, and then sold by the gombeen men to slave traders.
Four thousand miles away, as their fair skin blistered and burned, they became known as 'red legs'. In barren eastern Barbados, the red legs toiled in the sugar plantations on the margins of society, rejected by the local white English aristocracy and the black slaves.
It's amazing to think that slavery was legal, isn't it?
Over the years their numbers have shrunk to just a handful of small communities, desperately poor pockets of poor white Irish red legs.
In the past two generations they have begun to intermarry with the local black population. The most famous product of such a marriage is Barbados' biggest star, Rihanna, who tells of being slagged by local black kids, her mates, for being too pale and, worse still, being part red leg. Rihanna's father was a mix of black and red leg.
I am sitting in Martin's Bay in western Barbados where the Atlantic, driven by the African trade winds, smashes into the first piece of land since Sierra Leone. This side of Barbados is a world away from the sandy beaches, jet-skis and offshore banking of the sheltered Caribbean side. This is the windswept and exposed last stronghold of the red legs.
Sandy Lane it is not.
As I considered the future of this tiny Irish tribe, the 'assets' Cromwell's middlemen traded for pennies, the words Colm O'Rourke declared last year came to mind: "The reality is that Nama is, with official blessing, overseeing the greatest plundering of Irish assets since the Cromwellian plantations."
I realise he was being a bit over the top, but the notion that Nama is the modern-day equivalent of a 17th-century middleman who is trading assets isn't too far removed from reality.
In the past eight years, huge tracts of Ireland have been sold by Nama at deep discounts to vulture funds. This went on under the radar, in effect transferring enormous wealth out of Ireland to foreigners. Maybe it wasn't the Cromwellian plantations, but it is hard to think of another country whose own government sanctioned such a fire sale of national assets.
For the past few years, having bought up the assets, the vultures have been hovering over their prey, but now they are ready to swoop. As this paper reports today, the vulture funds are now moving against the former owners, squeezing the last few quid out of their Irish assets.
Here's what's happening. European interest rates are below zero because Europe's economy is a mess. The euro is plummeting against the dollar.
So if you are an American vulture fund, what do you do?
You borrow in euro, even though you are American, and you watch your borrowing costs fall as the euro exchange rate falls. Then you take this 'free' money and you go to Ireland, where the locals have no credit, and you buy up bundles of loans from their government – the very people who are supposed to be protecting the financial interest of the Irish people.
Remember Nama – an agent of the state – was supposed to get credit going? Well, it is getting credit going all right – but it is foreign credit. We are middlemen in the global credit cycle. The vulture capitalists know this, but are too clever to admit it and the Irish political class are too stupid to realise it.
Most vulture funds have a rule called the three-thirty rule.
This means they buy and hold for a maximum of three years and once they make 30 per cent, they are out. This is their twist. Now they are moving to get the most out of the assets before they sell.
Initially, the vultures bought up the glittering swanky office prizes in Dublin – and with various geniuses heralding their brilliance even though it was nothing more than having the access to capital at a time when our country was on the canvas. In the past year or so, the vultures delved deeper into the economic carcass.
Deep inside the financial entrails are the loans of small and medium-sized businesses, the property loans of petrol station owners, publicans and undertakers. The vultures love this type of soft tissue.
Thousands of small businesses are now under the control of vulture funds.
The strategy of the funds is to buy as cheaply as possible and sweat the asset until the yield on the property rises. Once the yield or the income of the property rises, they can re-rate the price of the property upwards. In finance, this is almost formulaic. But in reality it is far from a formula.
Re-rating the property value upwards at a time of low inflation will involve putting up rents, squeezing the owners – who are pretty much bust and may have one business (a pub, say) which is throwing off just enough cash to pay the interest on the property. Now the vultures are using the Irish courts to come after the other assets of the unfortunate owners. So if the 'loan' for a house was secured against a pub, for example, both the pub and the house are now being claimed by the vultures.
In the next few months, the courts will decide how many of Ireland's small businesses will be handed over to these funds. This transfer of assets is taking place right under our nose. It is a disaster for the country, for the society and for the capital base of the economy, and yet it is legal.
But then again, so too was slavery – once.
Ah now, don't be deflecting from the real issue here. Selling billions worth of state assets at below market value is immaterial when compared with those "anti water loons". The rise in homeless numbers and those on trollies in our hospitals has nothing to do with this transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich. There is a recovery happening and we need to keep it going. Tens of billionaires are relying on us.
No chat about the latest revelations? Can't help but think the spotlight team have more on this on the political side.
Agree Gallsman. Think by naming Sammy, Peter and the son on the show they are giving us a wee glimpse of what they suspect...........
Quote from: gallsman on September 07, 2016, 01:08:47 PM
No chat about the latest revelations? Can't help but think the spotlight team have more on this on the political side.
I get the feeling that they are drip feeding the story to pull as much out of it as they can.
With the legal proceedings going along side the are playing a cautious long game.
Cushnahan got a fairly good going over nonetheless!
I take it from all this that Miskelly is the chief source of all the information coming out and is feeding Wallace and Bryson?
How long before he is 'silenced' in one way or another?
There isn't much noise today out of the the same people who had the knives out for Mairtin O'Mullieor last week.
Quote from: 93-DY-SAM on September 07, 2016, 02:18:23 PM
There isn't much noise today out of the the same people who had the knives out for Mairtin O'Mullieor last week.
None of this makes what McKay was up to any less idiotic.
Quote from: gallsman on September 07, 2016, 03:22:44 PM
Quote from: 93-DY-SAM on September 07, 2016, 02:18:23 PM
There isn't much noise today out of the the same people who had the knives out for Mairtin O'Mullieor last week.
None of this makes what McKay was up to any less idiotic.
Nobody said it wasn't.
Quote from: 93-DY-SAM on September 07, 2016, 03:37:04 PM
Quote from: gallsman on September 07, 2016, 03:22:44 PM
Quote from: 93-DY-SAM on September 07, 2016, 02:18:23 PM
There isn't much noise today out of the the same people who had the knives out for Mairtin O'Mullieor last week.
None of this makes what McKay was up to any less idiotic.
Nobody said it wasn't.
My point is that the knives won't be tucked away. If MOM has a hint of something to answer for, they'll still be going for him.
Quote from: 93-DY-SAM on September 07, 2016, 03:37:04 PM
Quote from: gallsman on September 07, 2016, 03:22:44 PM
Quote from: 93-DY-SAM on September 07, 2016, 02:18:23 PM
There isn't much noise today out of the the same people who had the knives out for Mairtin O'Mullieor last week.
None of this makes what McKay was up to any less idiotic.
Nobody said it wasn't.
It actually makes it worse. There is clearly enough shenanigans going on that the dup are up to their necks in and McKay had managed to deflect attention away from the real issues.
Surely Sinn Fein's top dogs knew to bide their time with the NAMA situation and would have been well enough clued in to not leave themselves exposed. Could McKay have actually went on a solo run with this and his axing was the correct thing to do? Btw, I'm no Sinn Fein sheep so this is not a defence of their actions.
QuoteIt actually makes it worse. There is clearly enough shenanigans going on that the dup are up to their necks in and McKay had managed to deflect attention away from the real issues.
McKay story is old news now, and should in no way be allowed to deflect from the greater story, what went on with the NAMA deal, and what local politicians were up to their neck in it. Spotlight have a lot more to add yet I would think, but they're biding their time.
Quote from: balladmaker on September 08, 2016, 03:58:28 PM
QuoteIt actually makes it worse. There is clearly enough shenanigans going on that the dup are up to their necks in and McKay had managed to deflect attention away from the real issues.
McKay story is old news now, and should in no way be allowed to deflect from the greater story, what went on with the NAMA deal, and what local politicians were up to their neck in it. Spotlight have a lot more to add yet I would think, but they're biding their time.
It shouldn't be, but it can, does and will. Which makes it all the more idiotic. This was an over the fences home run that they've really tried their best to f**k up.
Mike Nesbitt was on the radio this moring about Miskelly and the new Cushnahan bung scandal asking if "there might have been more coaching involved with Miskelly's testimony"! Classic! You really couldn't make this stuff up! ;D
I understand why the DUP are ignoring the Nama Scandal, they just want it to go away. Why though are the UUP reticient to pursue it? Have they something to hide?
Quote from: Applesisapples on September 09, 2016, 01:12:21 PM
I understand why the DUP are ignoring the Nama Scandal, they just want it to go away. Why though are the UUP reticient to pursue it? Have they something to hide?
The SDLP aren't exactly jumping up and down about it either. Where's Clare Hanna when you need her?
Quote from: johnneycool on September 09, 2016, 02:53:00 PM
Quote from: Applesisapples on September 09, 2016, 01:12:21 PM
I understand why the DUP are ignoring the Nama Scandal, they just want it to go away. Why though are the UUP reticient to pursue it? Have they something to hide?
The SDLP aren't exactly jumping up and down about it either. Where's Clare Hanna when you need her?
Truth be told this really is a southern matter in that NAMA is the republics bad bank. The only party in the North who have real skin in the game politically is SF. Also I would think the politicians are waiting for the investigations to conclude.
Quote from: ashman on September 09, 2016, 02:57:31 PM
Quote from: johnneycool on September 09, 2016, 02:53:00 PM
Quote from: Applesisapples on September 09, 2016, 01:12:21 PM
I understand why the DUP are ignoring the Nama Scandal, they just want it to go away. Why though are the UUP reticient to pursue it? Have they something to hide?
The SDLP aren't exactly jumping up and down about it either. Where's Clare Hanna when you need her?
Truth be told this really is a southern matter in that NAMA is the republics bad bank. The only party in the North who have real skin in the game politically is SF. Also I would think the politicians are waiting for the investigations to conclude.
No your wrong project eagle was property owned by developers from the North here, GB and the South. If bribes were being offered to politicians on this side of the border to grease the wheel and allow said developers to refinance on the cheap then it is an issue for both jurisdictions.
Quote from: Applesisapples on September 09, 2016, 04:27:18 PM
Quote from: ashman on September 09, 2016, 02:57:31 PM
Quote from: johnneycool on September 09, 2016, 02:53:00 PM
Quote from: Applesisapples on September 09, 2016, 01:12:21 PM
I understand why the DUP are ignoring the Nama Scandal, they just want it to go away. Why though are the UUP reticient to pursue it? Have they something to hide?
The SDLP aren't exactly jumping up and down about it either. Where's Clare Hanna when you need her?
Truth be told this really is a southern matter in that NAMA is the republics bad bank. The only party in the North who have real skin in the game politically is SF. Also I would think the politicians are waiting for the investigations to conclude.
No your wrong project eagle was property owned by developers from the North here, GB and the South. If bribes were being offered to politicians on this side of the border to grease the wheel and allow said developers to refinance on the cheap then it is an issue for both jurisdictions.
True enough but the key point really is that the northern taxpayer/ exchequer really are losing nothing here per se . Us mugs down here ponyed up for the initial haircut when these "assets" went to NAMA. I do take your point about politicians and fixers being allegedly on the make .
NAMA should have been totally transparent . The few billions we are told are being recouped due to "commercial sensitivity"come at a very high price due to the cynicism and bad vibes created.
There is one in particular it would be nice to see sunk. As crooked and bigoted as they come.
It's probably one of those things we'll never know the truth from unfotunately. Hopefully bryson goes away at the end of it. Says it all about our politicians that a guy as vacuoos as that can have an influence.
Hopefully get some answers from this;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-37364920