A COLUMNIST in an influential west Belfast Sinn Féin-supporting newspaper, the Andersonstown Newshas launched what, for such a publication, amounts to unprecedented criticism of the Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams.
The writer, Squinter, anchored his column on the recent murder of former IRA prisoner Frank "Bap" McGreevy, accusing the West Belfast MP of not accepting his share of responsibility for the high level of anti-social crime in his constituency.
"It is the case as we prepare to bury Bap McGreevy that there are some things that are said and some things that aren't, and one of the things that isn't being said - publicly at least - is that it's time for Gerry Adams to shoulder his share of the blame for the mess we're in and stop blaming everybody else," he wrote.
The writer, some of whose columns in the past were significant in urging support for the peace process, complained that he "has never heard Adams accepting any responsibility for the fact that large parts of his constituency are no-go areas".
The Andersonstown Newsis managed by former Sinn Féin cllr Mairtín Ó Muilleoir and edited by republican Robin Livingstone.
Squinter, noting that Mr Adams has been the West Belfast MP for 20 years, said: "It is in that same 20-year period that the slow, steady decline into chaos in certain parts of west Belfast began, and it was on his watch that it has gathered pace to become the runaway train that it is today."
He also queried why the community anger at the similar murder of greengrocer Harry Holland was not marshalled to tackle the growing lawlessness in west Belfast. He wrote, "Who's to blame for the failure to press home the Harry Holland momentum? Gerry Adams is to blame, that's who. He's not the only one to blame, of course . . . when he asks for and gets our votes he accepts a host of very onerous responsibilities, and the most basic of those responsibilities is to make his constituency a good place for decent people to live and for parents to bring up their families. In that he has failed terribly."
Squinter concluded, "When the bad guys can kill a well-known and popular ex-prisoner who was a fit and strong bodybuilder, then quite frankly Squinter's more than a little concerned himself. And so, next election day, Squinter thinks he'll stay in the house in solidarity with those who are staying in their homes simply because they're afraid to leave."
Gerry Adams last night responded by saying the criticisms made in the Andersonstown Newswere anonymous and not justified. "I'm always open to taking responsibility for any good or bad thing that happens. I think we have to step up to the plate on all of these matters," he said.
"I stand in elections, so I am not going to go about responding to anonymous scribes. People will decide on all of those matters."
Mr Adams was speaking at the Mansion House before launching a special Dublin edition of An Phoblacht. He said the two republicans who were killed in west Belfast - both of whom were discussed in the Squinter column - were friends and neighbours of his. The Sinn Féin leader said that criticism should be directed at the PSNI: "At this time, it is not up to doing the job of a police service. It's going to take more work to make it fit for purpose."
