POLITICAL leaders in the north have been urged to work together to avoid chaos and disruption for businesses in the weeks and months ahead.
The president of the Northern Ireland Chamber, Ian Henry, made the call amid the ongoing upheaval within the DUP after Arlene Foster confirmed she will step down as party leader and First Minister.
Senior Orange Order figure Mervyn Gibson yesterday said the new leader of the DUP must be prepared to collapse Stormont as part of the efforts to oppose the Irish Protocol.
In a statement, Ian Henry said: “Given the Covid-19 pandemic, the initial impact of Brexit and the recent unrest and its associated reputational damage to the Northern Ireland economy and wider society, NI Chamber calls on our political leaders to commit to working together to avoid causing any further unnecessary disruption and to ensure that they remain focused on rebuilding the NI economy.”
The senior business figure, who is director of the Magherafelt-based Henry Group, pointed to the growing business confidence levels reflected in NI Chamber’s latest economic survey.
He said businesses now need stability to recover over the next few months.
“Regardless of everyone’s tradition or political views, or whether you are employed in the public, private or third sector, I would confidently say that we are united in our desire to avoid any political chaos in the weeks and months ahead," he said.
“We need to ensure that Northern Ireland is a welcoming place for inward investors and that our indigenous businesses have the best chance to grow and export.
“We must ensure that the cost of moving goods internally does not reduce our competitiveness or choice and all our young people have a chance to secure good employment.”
