IN recent years we've seen initiatives north and south of the border aimed at presenting the island of Ireland as a promised land for the vast Irish and Ulster diasporas to consider longingly as an investment destination as well as a place to return to permanently.
Máirtín Ó Muilleoir’s 2014 initiative and NI Connect’s parallel efforts to appeal to the thousands of Irish and Ulster descendants dotted around the world looked full of promise and provided realistic optimism. Thousands did come back. But only for a holiday.
But as I headed to Liverpool to visit my post graduate children last weekend, it was clear to me that they would not be part of a returning diaspora. Nor would thousands of others. My great hope that they would come home and work here was dashed.
My children were now part of the Northern Ireland 'brain drain' statistic, swept away from here as the political squabbles became too big to ignore. Who could expect them, never mind inward investors, to come home and work for a lot less money, in a place that has no leadership, no government, remains a divided society and has a segregated education system?
Just eight months ago we had an election campaign where real issues such as health, education, jobs and social justice were talked about working for all the people. Leaders talked of their shared vision for a prosperous Northern Ireland for everyone.
We had hope of a new era, one of long term plans, one with a 12.5 per cent corporation tax point, with a new improved Programme for Government, a new era of co-operation and a commitment to making Northern Ireland, if not great again, at least workable. This was a place that was going to attract the big global companies, become the new Silicon Valley with the high paying jobs and become an international standard vibrant tourist destination.
Now the leadership has brought out the old barriers, the talk is of fraud and corruption, we have a collapsed executive, a 'brutal' election is looming and a hard Brexit coming. All the ills and flaws of old divisions and sectarianism, an inability to reconcile and a tribal outlook have conspired to paint us as the back water we tried so hard to not become.
Alexander Pope said: “Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.”
It’s not good enough, but it’s the best we have when we consider the future right now.
The Northern Ireland business community has proven that it can by-pass Stormont and continue apace, providing growth and economic hope, but it cannot do this in the long term in the absence of political leadership and vision, strategic planning and an agreed programme for government.
Hope lies with the businesses of which there are more than 80,0000 in Northern Ireland. Right now, in the absence of any sensible vision, leadership or reconciliation, the business community needs to lead by example, it must co-operate and collaborate and it must do its best to continue to grow.
It’s over to us to keep the hopes alive to make Northern Ireland a place where people want to work and live.
:: Roseann Kelly (roseann@ womeninbusinessni.com) is chief executive of Women in Business (www.womeninbusinessni.com), the largest and fastest growing business network for female entrepreneurs and senior women in management in Northern Ireland, with 2,500 members spread throughout all industry sectors. Follow Women in Business NI on Facebook at www.facebook.com/women-inbusinessni or on Twitter @wibni
