From Unity, 24 February 2007

Most parties oppose water charges

Greenways Women’s Centre in the Cregagh hosted the Women’s Information Group meeting this month, where the topic was water charges.
     John O’Farrell, representing the ICTU, spoke about the lack of consultation regarding the small claims courts and water charges. He advised people to put the estimated bill now being sent to people’s homes into the envelope that was provided and to return it, without a stamp. “This will show the first protest about lack of consultation.”
     Dawn Purvis (PUP) said there needed to be much more support for the non-payment campaign, and that if it did take off she would fully support it. Reg Empey (Ulster Unionist) stated firmly that if the Assembly gets off the ground every effort would be made to overturn this decision. He pointed out that the government had the one building in Bedford Street and another in Chichester Street, both sending out bills; the bill could be on the same paper and in the same envelope. He did not know what contracts had been made with private companies but that £70,000 had been given to one company.
     Most parties were represented, with the exception of the DUP. However, the Alliance candidate made up for that, as she urged people to fill in the direct debit form as soon as possible. The Sinn Féin representative said the non-payment of bills would cause hardship—as if the payment and privatisation wouldn’t. They commented on the problems the Payment Debt Act caused; but much of what is being said by Sinn Féin on this issue is down to folk memory.
     One member of the audience said she had taken part in the non-payment of electricity bills as part of the anti-internment campaign, and that money was deducted from her wages when she got a job. This, however, was a call to all people to refuse to pay, and it could be much more effective.
     Water is a basic human right, like the air that we breathe. There was an overall consensus that the water charges and the privatisation of water should not take place.

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