Peace process must tackle the deep-rooted inequalities and discrimination that still exists

By Gerry Kelly
Sinn Féin want to see a democratically accountable civic policing service in the north. Central to this is the transfer of powers on policing and justice. This was agreed at St Andrews.
The Sinn Féin Officer Board met in Dublin this week to decide on a formal party response to the financial package put forward by the British Government to enable the transfer.
Our approach to this negotiation has been twofold. On one hand to secure an adequate financial package for a quality frontline, civic policing service and a fair and effective justice system; and, on the other, ensuring that existing budgets for health, education and the other departments would not be affected by transfer.
This week we received from the British government in writing the details of the financial package being proposed. The party Chief Negotiator, Martin McGuinness recommended to the Officer Board that we proceed on the basis of this financial package.
The Officer Board has accepted this recommendation and Martin McGuinness and I related this to the British government in discussions in London. The process to transfer powers should now be completed quickly.
No one must be left behind!
If the peace process is to mean anything it must deliver sustainable economic development while integrating economic growth and tackling the deep-rooted inequalities and discrimination that still exists.
It must deliver for communities, including deprived unionist working class neighbourhoods, which are oppressed by multiple deprivations.
These areas have to materially benefit from the change that is taking place. That means that inward investment from the USA and elsewhere has to contribute positively to an inclusive future. It must be directed into areas which have been excluded for generations from investment.
Our responsibility as political leaders is to structure policy and practice in a way that ensures opportunity and access for all. No one can be left behind in this process.
Nationalist areas, especially in Belfast and west of the Bann, continue to suffer from higher than average levels of unemployment and disadvantage, resulting often in significantly greater levels of sickness and premature deaths.
Structured political, religious and economic discrimination is still a major factor in creating and perpetuating inequality.
While some progress has been made the recent report by the Independent Review of Economic Policy into InvestNI is a damning indictment of that agency and its lack of strategic vision.
The fact is that between 1998 and 2007 Invest NI (and before it the IDB) failed to invest in jobs west of the Bann, and in the north west, as well as in North and west Belfast. These areas lagged well behind South Belfast for actual jobs promoted.
This is unacceptable and symptomatic of the inequalities that lie at the heart of this state.
If the peace process is to mean anything it must deliver sustainable economic development which tackles the deep rooted inequalities and discrimination that still exists.
It must deliver for deprived nationalist and unionist working class communities, which are oppressed by multiple deprivations.
These areas have to materially benefit from the change that is taking place. That means that inward investment has to contribute positively to an inclusive future. It must be directed into areas which have been excluded for generations from investment. Our responsibility as political leaders is to structure policy and practice in a way that ensures opportunity and access for all. No one can be left behind in this process.