Vikings ahoy
As I prepared for my Newsline 1.30 live contribution on the budget I surveyed the kind of scene that only Stormont can provide. At the bottom the steps around 100 North Belfast primary schoolchildren, dressed as Vikings, prepared to storm the Assembly building. They waved their swords and shook their shields as Nigel Dodds, Edwin Poots and Nelson McCausland looked on approvingly.
Some turbanned Iraqi politicians, appearing rather perplexed, stared down from the balcony. On the steps a group of local manufacturers held placards calling for lower industrial rates. Inside the building the Kosovo trade minister had just finished some talks with Nigel Dodds.
Inside the Chamber, our Finance Minister Peter Robinson did his impression of the Iron Chancellor, sternly warning about the need to slash waste and inefficiency, then concluding with a crowd pleasing freeze on the regional rate.
At least we now have a series of benchmarks by which to judge this Executive. If they don't create 6500 jobs in the next three years we will be able to ask them why not. Equally if they don't begin work on the Belfast rapid transit system by 2011 we will be able to wave our programmes for government in their faces.
If they deliver on all the promises, no doubt the voters will be happy. But if they don't, given our mandatory coalition system, it will prove difficult for anyone to vote them out.
I'm 
颁辞尘尘别苍迟蝉听听 Post your comment
And the 大象传媒 NI streaming of this morning's events cut across at a couple of minutes to twelve from a shot of Martin McGuinness speaking to Top Cat (which was showing on network 大象传媒2)!
Cartoon Assembly. Umm ...
But it only lasted a couple of seconds before the test card came up, then replaced by you on Stormont Live at noon!
Mark
SAVINGS & EFFICIENCIES: EVERY LITTLE HELPS
Watching him from the Public Gallery last Thursday I have to say that Peter Robinson鈥檚 Draft Budget speech was a political tour de force that confirmed his position as de facto First Minister. Inevitably, there is carping from the usual suspects that his plans for building the private sector* and reshaping public services** bear remarkable similarities to proposals put forward by Direct Rule Ministers in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Such criticism will only reinforce Robinson鈥檚 determination to implement his Budget proposals.
Enthused by Robinson鈥檚 clear desire that there has to be savings and efficiencies in the Public Sector, particularly in Education and Health, I have spent some time pondering how I might help Peter achieve his aim. After careful thought, I have come up with a couple of suggestions that will bring smiles to the cheeks of Margaret Ritchie, Caitriona Ruane and Michael McGimpsey (well, perhaps not in Michael鈥檚 case). The beauty of my suggestions is that their implementation will not necessitate reference to Executive colleagues as they are both within Peter鈥檚 gift. We鈥檝e had enough of that pesky collective responsibility nonsense, eh Peter?
1. Two of Peter鈥檚 MLA鈥檚 鈥 David Hilditch and Allan Bresland - are in receipt of Disabled Living Allowance (DLA) to which they are legally entitled. /blogs/thereporters/markdevenport/2007/08/fringe_benefits.html With a nudge from Peter, they might consider giving up their tasty little DLA top-ups, given that both are on generous salaries and allowances; for example, during 2005-2006*** David Hilditch earned 拢81,497.42****. If Peter can sway David and Allan to stop claiming DLA the savings could be used by Minister Ritchie on one of her many under-funded priorities. It would also help Peter to get back into Margaret鈥檚 good books after last week鈥檚 spat.
2. My second suggestion would cause some personal pain for Peter, but I know he and Iris (aka Cruella) are prepared to suffer a little for the common good, just as he expects public servants to tighten their belts. As everyone knows, Peter recently sold part of his garden to a developer who plans to build houses on the land. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, all perfectly legal and above board. Indeed, how could Peter find the time to look after the garden of his East Belfast home when looking after his other properties in Belfast, Newtownards and London must take up any spare time that he can find in his hectic schedule? . Now here鈥檚 my suggestion and I hope Peter will take it in the spirit in which it is offered. Why doesn鈥檛 he split 5% of the profit from the garden sale between Education and Health? [I can already see the beginnings of a wee rascally smile starting to appear on McGimpsey鈥檚 usually gloomy face]. I haven鈥檛 got detailed figures but my best guestimate is that 5% of his profit would be enough to fund the pay increase being sought by the Classroom Assistants and provide adequate cleaning resources to ensure that Hospitals are MRSA-free.
While implementation of my suggestions would offer only small savings in the overall scheme of things, I firmly believe, as I鈥檓 sure Peter does, that every little helps. So it鈥檚 over to Peter. If he takes me up on the above, I promise never again to refer to him as: Peter 鈥淕reedy Garden Seller鈥 Robinson.
Notes:
* For 鈥渂uilding the private sector鈥 read 鈥済iving over-generous Government Grants to very profitable companies so that their senior managements teams can purchase very expensive cars and large houses.
** For 鈥渞eshaping public services鈥 read 鈥渏ob losses鈥.
*** Figures for MLA Salaries and Allowances for 2006-2007 not available on Assembly website.
**** MLA salaries increased by about 拢10,000 per annum from May, 2007.
Susie
Carryduff
Mark
SAVINGS & EFFICIENCIES: EVERY LITTLE HELPS
Watching him from the Public Gallery last Thursday I have to say that Peter Robinson鈥檚 Draft Budget speech was a political tour de force that confirmed his position as de facto First Minister. Inevitably, there is carping from the usual suspects that his plans for building the private sector* and reshaping public services** bear remarkable similarities to proposals put forward by Direct Rule Ministers in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Such criticism will only reinforce Robinson鈥檚 determination to implement his Budget proposals.
Enthused by Robinson鈥檚 clear desire that there has to be savings and efficiencies in the Public Sector, particularly in Education and Health, I have spent some time pondering how I might help Peter achieve his aim. After careful thought, I have come up with a couple of suggestions that will bring smiles to the cheeks of Margaret Ritchie, Caitriona Ruane and Michael McGimpsey (well, perhaps not in Michael鈥檚 case). The beauty of my suggestions is that their implementation will not necessitate reference to Executive colleagues as they are both within Peter鈥檚 gift. We鈥檝e had enough of that pesky collective responsibility nonsense, eh Peter?
1. Two of Peter鈥檚 MLA鈥檚 鈥 David Hilditch and Allan Bresland - are in receipt of Disabled Living Allowance (DLA) to which they are legally entitled. /blogs/thereporters/markdevenport/2007/08/fringe_benefits.html With a nudge from Peter, they might consider giving up their tasty little DLA top-ups, given that both are on generous salaries and allowances; for example, during 2005-2006*** David Hilditch earned 拢81,497.42****. If Peter can sway David and Allan to stop claiming DLA the savings could be used by Minister Ritchie on one of her many under-funded priorities. It would also help Peter to get back into Margaret鈥檚 good books after last week鈥檚 spat.
2. My second suggestion would cause some personal pain for Peter, but I know he and Iris (aka Cruella) are prepared to suffer a little for the common good, just as he expects public servants to tighten their belts. As everyone knows, Peter recently sold part of his garden to a developer who plans to build houses on the land. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, all perfectly legal and above board. Indeed, how could Peter find the time to look after the garden of his East Belfast home when looking after his other properties in Belfast, Newtownards and London must take up any spare time that he can find in his hectic schedule? . Now here鈥檚 my suggestion and I hope Peter will take it in the spirit in which it is offered. Why doesn鈥檛 he split 5% of the profit from the garden sale between Education and Health? [I can already see the beginnings of a wee rascally smile starting to appear on McGimpsey鈥檚 usually gloomy face]. I haven鈥檛 got detailed figures but my best guestimate is that 5% of his profit would be enough to fund the pay increase being sought by the Classroom Assistants and provide adequate cleaning resources to ensure that Hospitals are MRSA-free.
While implementation of my suggestions would offer only small savings in the overall scheme of things, I firmly believe, as I鈥檓 sure Peter does, that every little helps. So it鈥檚 over to Peter. If he takes me up on the above, I promise never again to refer to him as: Peter 鈥淕reedy Garden Seller鈥 Robinson.
Notes:
* For 鈥渂uilding the private sector鈥 read 鈥済iving over-generous Government Grants to very profitable companies so that their senior managements teams can purchase very expensive cars and large houses.
** For 鈥渞eshaping public services鈥 read 鈥渏ob losses鈥.
*** Figures for MLA Salaries and Allowances for 2006-2007 not available on Assembly website.
**** MLA salaries increased by about 拢10,000 per annum from May, 2007.
Susie
Carryduff