Opinion

Baden-Powell’s scout motto seems appropriate at present time

The DUP campaigned for the UK to leave the European Union, presumably because an envisaged firmer border with the Republic would consolidate links with the UK and eliminate or postpone any possibility of a united Ireland. How out of touch they were with public sentiment. The majority of the population voted to remain in the EU. So too did the majority of the population of Scotland. England, with its antipathy to inward migration, voted to leave the EU, as did Wales. The larger population of England and Wales relative to the combined populations of Scotland and Northern Ireland carried the whole of the UK with it towards Brexit.

A logical question then arises. Will Scotland and/or Northern Ireland opt to leave the UK, before or after the implementation of Brexit, in order to remain in, or rejoin the EU?

The choice for Scotland is relatively clear cut. Is the desire to remain stronger or weaker than the desire to remain with the UK?

The choice for Northern Ireland is more complex. The Britphilia of a large section of the population, of all persuasions, rules out any possibility of cutting ties with the UK, while the general desire to maintain the present open border with the Republic, together with the terms of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, reinforces the wish of the majority in Northern Ireland to remain with the EU.

An open border is unacceptable to England. Any border restricting the movement of people would have to be between the whole of the island of Ireland and Great Britain. This is inevitable in any event if Brexit proceeds without an Eirexit. People and businesses simply will not accept or respect a restrictive border. Who would dare try to enforce it? Criminals would revel in the chaos.

These factors, other than the inevitable border between the two islands, might be accommodated by a change in the status of Northern Ireland relative to the UK. Instead of being an integral part of the UK, Northern Ireland could be given dominion status akin to that of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Northern Ireland could then remain in the EU, the border with the Republic would remain open and the sentimental link with the UK would be maintained, as would the spirit of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. Furthermore, the burden of financial and economic support would transfer from the UK to the EU, doubtless to the relief of UK taxpayers and also to the benefit of Northern Ireland in that EU funding would no longer be filtered through the UK. Such changes might more easily be implemented while there is no polarised extremist assembly at Stormont.

As the inevitable collapse of the present exploitative global economic system draws closer, can we more easily make provision for that calamity and deal with its aftermath while in membership of an economic union based on that system or by being free of the constraints of any such union, be it European, trans-Atlantic or whatever?

Are smaller, self-sufficient, adaptable units more likely to survive? Was Eamon de Valera’s vision of an Ireland of frugal self-sufficiency more prophetic than it seemed at the time? Robert Baden-Powel’s motto for his Scout movement seems appropriate at the present time – be prepared.

DENNIS GOLDEN


Strabane, Co Tyrone

Getting good grades not a make or break moment

Hundreds of teenagers across Northern Ireland are planning their next steps in life after receiving their GCSE results.

For many this moment will be a cause of celebration as they secure the grades they require to move on to A-levels, further education or go directly into employment.

But for some others it will, unfortunately, be a stressful time as they fall short of their expected results. This is borne out by the growing number of young people contacting Childline at this time of year seeking advice and support for exam-related worries.

At Childline we never dismiss the concerns teenagers may have, because exam results can be important depending on their chosen career path.

But at the same time we always try to reassure young people that getting good grades is not necessarily a make or break moment in life.

The main thing parents or carers can do when their children receive their results – especially if they weren’t what they were hoping for – is not to panic.

Apart from that we, at the NSPCC in Northern Ireland, would advise parents and carers to:

 be supportive and take time to listen to your child’s worries

 encourage your child to take their time to think about what they’d like to do next. There’s no need to immediately rush into a decision

 help them think about their choices by writing down a list of pros and cons and about each of their options

 tell your child that everyone is different – so urge them not to compare themselves to their siblings or friends

 remind them that many people who didn’t do well at school have gone on to be hugely successful in life, including Bill Gates, Richard Branson and even Albert Einstein.

Children can contact Childline at www.childline.org.uk or by phoning 0800 1111 anytime.

NEIL ANDERSON


Head of the NSPCC in Northern Ireland

Grief and anger don’t fade with time

In recent weeks we have had three examples of arrogance, hardened hearts and minds and a callous absence of conscience and remorse.

A relic or fossil of the no warning bomb school came out of the woodwork, bizarre in camouflage, to show us how far he had grown spiritually and morally in the years since the Birmingham pub bombing massacre.  


He showed little or no remorse or even regret and would seem to have arranged the interview as an attention-seeking stunt.

Sinn Féin councillor Stephen McCann refused to condemn the Enniskillen bombing, banging his gavel in a fit of temper and attempting to shout down criticism.

And there was a refusal from the same party-political quarter to condemn the murder of Jean McConville. The utter evil of Jean McConville’s murder, incidentally in turn led to the evil of her orphan son’s abuse – evil begets evil.

So long as there are such mindsets, there can be now good outcome, only anger among the bereaved and those still grieving – the grief and anger do not fade with time.  


No political party founded on such crimes can thrive or have any good fortune.

DENNIS LYNCH


Park, Co Derry

Recyling policy not properly thought out

I was thinking about Belfast City Council’s recent directive re food waste in containers while rinsing out an empty butter box.


Two things struck me.  Apparently the rinsing has to be done by the home owners because it saves the recyclers money. They, after all, have to pay water charges. When water charges are made against households in the future the cost of water will be met by us.

Secondly, not long ago the local water/sewage service had to dismantle a large fat berg from the sewer in Dublin Road. Today I watched the fat from my butter box slide into the drain, probably to join the rinsed fats from those of my neighbours, congealing as they hit the cold of the sewer and it made me think.


Was this an example of policy by the council that had not been properly thought through?

PATRICK J DORRIAN


Belfast BT15

Simple solution to border issue

A s a Orangeman and a Popular Unionist, in the mould of Sir James Kilfedder, I am beginning to wonder if the British government or even the Labour and the Liberal Democrats for that matter know exactly what they are doing or what they want when it comes to Brexit.

In regards to the Irish border would it not be simpler if the Republic rejoined the Commonwealth then there would be no arguments about the border and then everyone would be happy.

JAMES ANNETT


Ulster British Gillespie Scociety, London N7