The more votes we have the more change we can make – Gerry Kelly

BY Gerry Kelly
The election battle has begun (just in case you hadn’t noticed). So why should people support Sinn Féin as opposed to a plethora of other parties?

Sinn Féin are the only all Ireland party in the race. We are just out of a very successful election in the 26 counties where we more than tripled our representation from the previous general election to 14 TDs.

In the six counties we have completed a first full term of a government since the late 60s. Sinn Féin is at the heart and leadership of it.

Not only have we brought the DUP into power sharing arrangements but they have crossed the line into all-Ireland institutions. They have also signed up to a programme for government underpinned by an equality agenda which impacts on every assembly department, unionist or otherwise.

Sinn Féin has relegated discrimination under the old Stormont regime and unaccountable British ministers to the history books.

Okay, some might say what has the assembly and executive achieved under Sinn Fein’s stewardship?
Well, amongst other things we have wrested policing and justice powers from London to make it accountable locally.

·We have consolidated the peace process.
·Rates per household are 47 per cent lower on average than in Britain,
·Put £22.5 million out to vulnerable households in winter hardship payments.
·Since 2007 created more and better jobs and secured almost £2.6 billion investment commitments with investments from America like NYSE, CITI, Dow chemicals, TERX, Universal and HBO.
·Free travel for all over 60s - there have been some 5.5 million journeys undertaken.
·Free prescriptions and no additional water charges
·Put £500 million into school estate; social investment fund of £80 million over the next four years for disadvantaged communities
·Social protection fund for vulnerable individuals and families with £20 million in year one with similar amounts to follow.

Sinn Féin is a party that works on every level but especially keeps itself grounded. All elected reps only take a percentage of their wage equivalent to the average industrial wage so that we continue to be aware and experience the lifestyle of a large section of working people and to reinvest in serving the community.

We are for reducing MLAs salaries and expenses by 15 per cent, abolishing additional re numeration for committee chairs and vice chairs, abolishing unnecessary quangos and ending the use of highly paid external consultants.

We are for harmonizing taxation across the Island and cutting replication of administration.
We believe in building the economy and private sector while protecting front line services in the public sector.

We are working for the small to medium sized businesses that make up over 95 per cent of all businesses here.
Sinn Féin has an all-Ireland vision. We want a United Ireland based on equality. We are closer to that goal than at any other time in our history. To achieve it we need strong political representation, North and South. The more votes we have the more change we can make.

All politics is local and North Belfast leads from the front in equality. We have 12 candidates running in the assembly and council elections on the 5th May, six women and six men. We have worked for and achieved gender balance in elections going back to 1988.
Make your vote count. Be an active part of our struggle.