Statement by TUV MLA Timothy Gaston:
“Last week Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd announced by way of a departmental press release that he was making road signs in parts of west Belfast. When this was reported in Friday’s News Letter the DUP’s Keith Buchanan, who sits on the infrastructure committee, was quoted as questioning the decision citing the cost given other budgetary pressures on the Department.
“I am therefore both surprised and disappointed that having lodged a petition in the Assembly Business Office first thing on Monday morning on the issue, 24 hours later the only signature on it is my own. Should 30 MLAs sign the petition, Minister O’Dowd’s decision would be referred to the Executive where a cross community vote would have to be held on the matter.
“No one can claim to be ignorant of the petition as my office emailed all Unionist MLAs yesterday morning in the following terms:
Dear friend,
I am writing to draw your attention to the fact that Timothy Gaston has this morning lodged a petition in the business office to refer the Minister for Infrastructure’s decision to install bi-lingual traffic and road markings in parts of Belfast. Significantly, not only was this matter not brought to the executive but due process appears to have gone completely out the window with no record of an equality impact assessment.
We believe that this sets a dangerous precedent and that it is both significant and controversial. I note press commentary from other Unionists which suggests they agree. This email is being sent to all Unionist members to alert them to the fact that the petition is now in the business office. Timothy would obviously appreciate your support for it – and indeed his motion of No Confidence in the First Minister and Minister Murphy.
Yours,
Sammy Morrison, PA to Timothy Gaston MLA
“It would appear that while some are happy to issue press releases on this issue, they are not prepared to use the mechanisms of the Assembly and Executive to actually do something of substance about it. That said, I would be delighted to be proved wrong by a queue of MLAs signing the petition today.”