| From Unity, 9 January 2010 |
New year, same class struggleby Lynda WalkerThe turning of the year is merely a formality, where we like to think that we are starting afresh. At home, however, the same old struggles continue.The Democratic Unionist Party is doing a balancing act between the Parades Commission and the police and justice issues: “Banish the commission and we will play ball with the police.” However, we all know that hurdle after hurdle will be put up, and the only way forward is to persevere. It is unlikely that they will want the Assembly to close, with a loss of their income. In the meantime, this dissent is feeding the “dissident” republicans who are waiting on the sideline with continuing threats of violence; there is no democracy to their elitist military campaign. Education is a continuing problem; anyone who can find a rational solution to the education system in Northern Ireland deserves a certificate of the highest order. The system works well for those who get their children to grammar school, the highest results in the UK. However, for the majority of children who come out with few or no qualifications it is not such a good deal. The establishment of the Education and Skills Authority is nearly a year overdue, and, true to form, the DUP are saying that they refuse to back the new body—even before it gets off the ground. In the South, the machinations also continue. The threat to cut wages is very real, but many unions are not giving the fight-back that is needed. The top earners are paying less tax while €750 million is being stolen from “the poor” (as our TV presenters like to call the unemployed, low-paid. and pensioners). In the UK and Ireland the private health companies are making a killing, with the VHI in the Republic increasing the cost of their health service. On the 30th of December the Morning Star reported: “The World’s first global trade union is to launch an investigation into private US companies which are bidding for contracts in the National Health Service.” These companies actively fought against the US Health Care Bill, but they are being given the opportunity to take over whole chunks of the NHS. Internationally. while the war in Afghanistan continues, Obama and Brown are turning their dirty looks towards Yemen, and, in George Galloway’s words, “therein lies the great merit of Imperial Controversy. With no complacency, it exudes confidence that the battle against the new empires is being won. Murder in the guise of a civilising mission continues.” Barely a year since Israel launched their mass attack on Gaza it was reported this week that several people were injured and one Palestinian killed in an Israeli air attack. Word has also come from the convoys that are trying to take aid to Gaza that the Egyptian authorities have brought the convoys to a crisis point, but hope exists that the friends of Palestine will succeed. On Wednesday they called upon all friends of Palestine “to mount protests and demand that the convoy is allowed a safe passage into Gaza tomorrow!” So what’s new in the New Year? Well, the Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson, has said how much he admires the Irish Finance Minister, Brian Lenihan—not just his battle against cancer but the fact that “we have had significant discussions on the current financial crisis . . . particularly in relation to the National Asset Management Agency . . . He has a strong grip on his portfolio.” Now that is worrying! |
| Home page > Publications > Unity > New year, same class struggle |
| Baile > Foilseacháin > Unity > New year, same class struggle |