MONDAY was the last day of the jazz festival, the music was blazing and so was the sun and Derry was looking like only Derry can, on the first day of summer.
The visitors who thronged the streets and bars must think this is an idyllic place to live.
But away from the jazz trail, out of sight of the tourists, there’s a different story.
Derry remains on the wrong side of every measure of socio-economic well being one could choose. Still no university worth the name; no road to anywhere where more than two carts could pass; a railway which doesn’t go where anyone wants to be; no industry; no jobs and no prospect of change.
I work in an area where there is 60 per cent child poverty and in a health centre where on days our waiting area looks like something from a pre-war documentary. Our treatment room, which is the size of a suburban kitchen, serves 9,000 patients.
Even if we had more staff, there’s nowhere to put them.
My eldest son was in the first cohort of pupils to attend Lumen Christi, a school with a reputation for high academic achievement. They couldn’t organise a 10-year reunion last year as they’re all away, taking their talent and expertise with them.
Derry is thus doubly deprived.
A survey published last week showed that of almost 400 young people interviewed, 87 per cent don’t see a future for themselves in this city.
Fifty years after the civil rights campaign and after 20 years of political power being wielded by those who claim to represent us, Derry is still waiting for equality. The areas of deprivation identified in the most recent census are largely unchanged from those of the 1891 census. Political progress? Well maybe not.
It is obvious that as long as there is a border across this country we can’t hope for progress on the issues that really matter to people. How can there be reconciliation and cooperation when we can’t even allow a shared analysis of what happened. This statelet was designed to preclude collaborative politics and that cannot ever change under the present constitutional arrangements.
Economists believe that Brexit will disproportionately adversely affect the six counties and we knows that Tory austerity will disproportionately adversely affect communities already in poverty. Things look bleak indeed.
Wallace Hartley led the legendary band who played on the deck of the Titanic. Maybe we need to book someone like him for next year’s Jazz Festival.
ANNE McCLOSKEY, MB
Derry city
Mud slinging contributes nothing to Middle East peace
Eugene F Parte (April 13) accuses me of spending most of my life defusing criticism of Israel.
My concern is to counter extremist name calling against Israel, to call out demonisation for what it is and expose double standards.
Mr Parte may well not see any connection between his mud slinging against Israel and the wish of some to see Israel destroyed.
In Northern Ireland we see attacks on places of Jewish and Israeli interest. Family firms face harassment and intimidation for selling Israeli products.
Pickets stand outside CastleCourt shopping centre because there is an Israeli stall inside. When the late Leonard Cohen performed at the Waterfront Hall, there was also a picket calling for the show to be cancelled because the singer was also playing in Tel Aviv.
If such actions and slurs were directed against Turkish barbers or Chinese restaurants in Belfast because of criticism of the policies of those states, we would all rightly call out for such bigotry and intolerance to stop.
But when the leftist leadership of the Teachers Union of Ireland called for the banning of Israeli schoolchildren from exchange visits to Ireland too many remained silent.
I therefore make no apologies for calling such words and actions extremist and obsessive. They contribute less than nothing to the cause of peace in the Middle East and hugely undermine efforts to make society in Northern Ireland inclusive and respectful.
STEVEN JAFFE
London
Alcohol restrictions
Colin Neill of Hospitality Ulster (April 13) criticises the restrictions on selling alcohol over the Easter period and refers to the hospitality sector (of which alcohol is one element) adding £1.2bn to the local economy. He also states that the hospitality sector “supports 60,000 jobs (45,000 directly)”.
However, I see no mention that alcohol is also linked to domestic violence, non-domestic violence and significant economic costs; nor is it clear whether his jobs figures include those that deal with the adverse effects of alcohol including paramedics, doctors, nurses, police, counsellors, court staff and many others. According to the British Medical Association’s website updated in March 2017, estimates have considered the total social and economic cost of alcohol misuse to be £680m a year in Northern Ireland, a figure which equates to that from a report produced in April 2011 by the HSC Public Health Agency. Furthermore, the number of alcohol related deaths in 2015 is 310 (according to the NI Statistics & Research Agency).
I am not anti-drink and I accept that striking a balance and dealing with the various issues is far from straightforward. Nonetheless it is preferable if all the facts are presented in order that society in general and legislators in particular can debate and make decisions regarding licensing laws on a more informed basis.
A McDONNELL
Dunmurry, Co Antrim
Unhealthy obsession with SF
Upon reading Letters to the Editor (April 25) I find myself asking one question: is there a quota for how many occasions one person can have his/her letters published on this page? I refer to Maurice Fitzgerald from Shanbally or the Corkonian Bard as I prefer to call him. Seemingly Mr Fitzgerald has a view on all things northern (easy when holed up in deepest Munster). Mr Fitzgerald has an unhealthy obsession with Sinn Féin and in particular Gerry Adams. He offers musings and wisdom on all things from the Irish Language Act to who was responsible for the conflict in the north – all Sinn Féin’s doing of course. The only thing wrong with Maurice’s musings is that he doesn’t rely on fact, it is his own personal view enforced on us all. I would suggest before penning is next pearl of wisdom he checks his facts.
I know I will be.
STEPHEN DEVINE
Belfast BT11
Enough is enough
How did it ever come to a stage where politicians in Ireland, who have run the country into a financial crisis for generations, are allowed to condemn innocent unborn babies to the most horrific of deaths via abortion?
Innocent babies should be allowed the opportunity to be born in order for them in time to help undo the damage done by these politicians.
Is there any chance the people of Ireland might organise ‘citizens assemblies’ in every county so as to discuss the above topic and see what kind of suggestions and answers they might come up with?
JOHN DONOHOE
Co Cork
