What a Waste of Money!
The Saville enquiry cost £200,000,000 and didn’t find anything that most right-thinking people didn’t really know. Read the statements of sensible politicians like say John Major, and they would probably have predicted the findings about ten years ago.
The population of Northern Ireland is just under 2,000,000 according to this report on the BBC. So that means the report cost about £100 for everybody there. Wouldn’t it have been better to have given the money directly to the people, especially as about 11% are pensioners?
We must move on and even some of the most controversial characters from the depth of the troubles have done so.
Take Glenn Barr He is still a controversial character to both the British and the Nationalists because of his involvement with the Ulster Defence Association and politics. Now though he has retired from active and conventional politics and devotes himself to community projects in Derry, often concerned with high unemployment.
This is also in his Wkipedia entry.
He has also worked closely with Paddy Harte, a former Irish Government minister, on promoting awareness of Irish Catholic participation in both World Wars.
I first saw Glenn Barr on a BBC Panorama program in the 1970s. Asked by the interviewer, what would happen if the British pulled out, he said that the Protestants and Catholics would probably fight for a couple of days and then realise they were all Irish and had a lot more in common. He was also asked if he had any regrets. He said that he couldn’t watch Derry City, as he wouldn’t be safe. I hope he can now!
In about 1980, I heard report on BBC Radio 4, about a guy called Paddy Docherty, who had found an abandoned coaster in Derry harbour. He was filling it with Irish cast-offs like hand sewing machines and was going to sail it to Ethiopia, where such would be appreciated. The trouble was that they couldn’t get the Deutz diesel engine repaired. So I sent him some money to help, as did aot of others. He sent me details of what he was doing and he was running the YTS in Derry. His major supporters were Robin Eames, Cardinal Daly and others I knew to be on the right side. His number two was Glenn Barr. Iremember, I phoned Paddy up and had the most enlightening hour with one of the real heroes of Northern Ireland. Years later, I met Jim Prior and he spoke appreciatively of Paddy.
Just thing what £200,000,000 would have done in the right hands in Northern Ireland, rather than in the hands of expensive lawyers.
I’d love to know what happened to the coaster.
The Anonymous Widower 
We could send them all a bill for £100.
Just joking.
John
Comment by John Wright | June 16, 2010 |