For Sale: Broken Record–Some Scratches–But Still Works.

For Sale:  Broken Record—Some Scratches— But Still Works.

 

 

What is it with these guys?  Seriously, if it was your own child rhyming on and continually whinging they would get a right slap around the legs.  In their job description for the House on The Hill there has to be something that states——” must be able to complain bitterly—be able to dig trenches—have double standards—and misrepresent “.  There are quite a few that fall into this category but the two in question here are Jim Allister, who of course will go to great lengths, not only to be offended but to garner some—any—publicity, and Mike Nesbitt, the new darling of the Ulster Unionists who seems to have gained a degree in obstinacy and contrariness.  And what is the problem this time?  Just that old chestnut of Sinn Fein appointing an ex prisoner as a Junior Minister in Stormont.

 

 
                                                                                                                        West Belfast MLA Jennifer McCann  was unveiled as her party’s new Junior Minister and succeeds such notaries as martin McGuiness and Martina Anderson.  McCann served a 20 year sentence in the 1980’s when convicted of attempted murder of an RUC man and has previously worked for a victims group An Fhirinne—that’s Irish for The Truth.  This group specialised though—it represented victims of what they call—State violence, and also families who had been—again according to them, victims of collusion.  Jim Allister said the appointment revealed the depravity of Stormont political arrangements while Nesbitt remarked that “it simply underscores the need to deal with our past and its living legacy”.  Perhaps I am missing something here but do both of these obtuse con men believe that all their posturing and false platitudes will make any difference to who takes up any of the posts in Stormont?  Jennifer McCann—whether they like it or not—is an elected representative and is entitled to all the same benefits bestowed upon her contemporaries at the Assembly.  What has been their opinion on the other, much more high profile ex prisoners who have always been hanging around the corridors of power?  How can they continue to share power with people like Kelly, Anderson, McCartney or Murphy—to administer the rule of law in Northern Ireland—to work with these fellow elected members on a daily basis, but rant and rave because someone else of a similar ilk gets put forward into a new post? 
                                                                                                                              Allister, we all know is a serial whinger and will continue to bleat and cry about anything that will get him the much needed attention he craves to feed his massive ego.  Nesbitt is now in a position where he has a virtually impossible job to turn around the fortunes of the beleaguered Ulster Unionists—to try and mount a challenge to the DUP.  It doesn’t help his case in situations like this were the DUP and Sinn Fein—as part of their carve up strategy—are giving each other a nod and a wink on a daily basis.  Hence the deafening silence from the Belmont Avenue direction on the issue.  
                                                     Jennifer McCann is quite entitled to serve as a Junior Minister and no doubt she is experienced enough to deal with Allister and Nesbitt.  She claims she will bring a wealth of experience when it comes to dealing with reconciliation and conflict resolution issues.  And no doubt if she comes into contact with any of the plethora of victims groups through her new post she will be able to use past experience from An Fhirinne in a positive manner.  Let’s hope though that this time she won’t be restricted to dealing with “state victims” or “victims of collusion”.  Perhaps she may be fortunate enough to have to deal with cases involving the McConville’s, the Quinn’s, the Devlin’s, et al.

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