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S. E. A. Statements

Parties talking crooked on water charges

Speech by Eamonn McCann, SEA candidate, to election workers in Foyle, Friday, February 16th

Friday 16th February 2007

None of the main parties is talking straight about water charges.

"Will they sit in a government which imposes water charges, or will they not?

"All four main parties promise to oppose water charges in a new Assembly. But none of them will say that if they are in government they will throw water charges out. Why is this?

"They say they won't back non-payment because they are afraid of a repeat of the rent and rates strike in the 1970s. But if they are in government they can ensure there's no repeat of the rent and rates strike.

"On Talkback, Gerry Kelly criticised the SDLD for selling out the rent and rates strike in the '70s. He said this was the reason Sinn Fein is against non-payment of water charges now. He seems to be saying that he is afraid that Sinn Fein will do what the SDLP did back in 1974.

"It is even stranger that the SDLP is using the same argument. We don't want a repeat of the rent and rates strike, they say. Well, don't repeat it, then.

"If the main parties are totally opposed to water charges, how come they telling people to pay them? If they say they are going into the Assembly to stop water charges, what's their problem with people not paying them?

"Mass non-payment is the only strategy with a hope of stopping water charges. None of the four main parties has come up with any alternative strategy. The only clear way to vote against water charges is to vote for candidates supporting non-payment."





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