PETER MAKEM,
Madam, - In a paper recently published I suggested that elections were the poison that invaded all attempts to build on formal structures in Northern Ireland, most notably of late in relation to the Belfast. One has only to see the current disarray and withdrawal to the trenches to observe that it is all about next May and absolutely nothing else.
Everything of worth that is created here comes with an inbuilt destruction package. Everything that is new-born arrives with the poison that kills it. And rather than face up to this blinding fact we prefer to plod on, thank you, heads down, having learned nothing, still in the hope of a miracle, with meetings and more meetings, giving the impression of action, meaningless round-table talks and press conferences, irrelevant analysis and debate. We all know the farce.
Has the Secretary of State not powers on the election front? Can he not give us release from our disease for seven years to allow things to grow into some maturity? Just read the papers, listen to the radio or watch the TV. It's all become a game and when this election is over it will be on to the local elections again and then Westminister in the endless destructive cycle.
Not only is it a waste of undoubted political talent all around, but stifles the possibility of achieving the development of the Agreement which to me means ultimately the creation of the New Ireland from the North as a cultural and intellectual centre of everywhere. - Yours, etc.,
PETER MAKEM, Armagh Road, Newry.