OMAGH: SUPPORT FLOODS IN
Omagh: support floods in
By FRANCESS McDONNELL
Business Correspondent
THE people of Omagh have only to ask if there is anything the Northern Ireland business community can do to help them re-build their shattered town, business leaders said today.
Business organisations across the province have voiced messages of support and sympathy for the people of Omagh following the massive car bomb which devastated the town just over two weeks ago.
Now business bodies want to demonstrate their support by providing advice and help where it is required.
The Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Small Businesses, who have many members in Omagh, have provided direct support in the town.
The Confederation of British Industry and the Institute of Directors has also offered to do what it can, and has said it will make any expertise in their organisations available for the town to use.
Representatives from Manchester City Council have also shared their experiences with the people of Omagh to try and help them as they begin the painful task of putting the pieces of their town back together.
John Stringer, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has praised the people of Omagh for the way they are dealing with what he described as "the most awful of situations".
"The people of Omagh and the chambers of commerce and trade in the town have dealt with this unbelievably difficult situation in a competent fashion.
"These people have a range of skills and resourcefulness which will be of immense value to them in the coming weeks and months.
"But we as a chamber have unfortunately found from bitter experience that people and businesses need outside help to recover from this type of atrocity.
"There is no doubt that the people of Omagh have the determination to pick up the pieces of their lives, they have done this in a very resolute way, but they will also need outside help in different ways," Mr Stringer said.
He said the chamber has been offering "practical advice" to businesses in the town, but he also realises that there are many business people who do not yet feel able to return to their livelihoods.
Mr Stringer said: I have found through talking to people that it is a big struggle for them to think about re-opening their business after what has happened.
"That is why it is so important that we try and help those people who are vuner-able, who have suffered so much and who have lost so much.
Michael Gaine, the president of the local Chamber of Commerce, has said it is very hard for people to return to businesses knowing that the business next door cannot open because the people who used to work there are dead or lying injured.
"It is the worst time for Omagh, but we know we can't just lie down - we have a moral duty to rebuild our town to the memory of those people who died or who were injured.
"But now we find we have to think about things like compensation claims, and we have to deal with Government bodies.
"That is very hard because people just don't have the heart to do that yet, but at the same time we know we must."
The Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses are now helping individuals and businesses begin their discussions with Government agencies over legal issues and compensation.
And both organisations have appealed to the Government to treat Omagh "sympathetically and quickly".
Mr Stringer said: "The Government must be proactive, we appreciate there are bureaucratic legalities but they should be kept to an absolute minimum.
"Business organisations throughout Northern Ireland are all asking 'what can we do to help' - if the people of Omagh need anything at all, all they have to do is ask."
By FRANCESS McDONNELL
Business Correspondent
THE people of Omagh have only to ask if there is anything the Northern Ireland business community can do to help them re-build their shattered town, business leaders said today.
Business organisations across the province have voiced messages of support and sympathy for the people of Omagh following the massive car bomb which devastated the town just over two weeks ago.
Now business bodies want to demonstrate their support by providing advice and help where it is required.
The Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Small Businesses, who have many members in Omagh, have provided direct support in the town.
The Confederation of British Industry and the Institute of Directors has also offered to do what it can, and has said it will make any expertise in their organisations available for the town to use.
Representatives from Manchester City Council have also shared their experiences with the people of Omagh to try and help them as they begin the painful task of putting the pieces of their town back together.
John Stringer, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has praised the people of Omagh for the way they are dealing with what he described as "the most awful of situations".
"The people of Omagh and the chambers of commerce and trade in the town have dealt with this unbelievably difficult situation in a competent fashion.
"These people have a range of skills and resourcefulness which will be of immense value to them in the coming weeks and months.
"But we as a chamber have unfortunately found from bitter experience that people and businesses need outside help to recover from this type of atrocity.
"There is no doubt that the people of Omagh have the determination to pick up the pieces of their lives, they have done this in a very resolute way, but they will also need outside help in different ways," Mr Stringer said.
He said the chamber has been offering "practical advice" to businesses in the town, but he also realises that there are many business people who do not yet feel able to return to their livelihoods.
Mr Stringer said: I have found through talking to people that it is a big struggle for them to think about re-opening their business after what has happened.
"That is why it is so important that we try and help those people who are vuner-able, who have suffered so much and who have lost so much.
Michael Gaine, the president of the local Chamber of Commerce, has said it is very hard for people to return to businesses knowing that the business next door cannot open because the people who used to work there are dead or lying injured.
"It is the worst time for Omagh, but we know we can't just lie down - we have a moral duty to rebuild our town to the memory of those people who died or who were injured.
"But now we find we have to think about things like compensation claims, and we have to deal with Government bodies.
"That is very hard because people just don't have the heart to do that yet, but at the same time we know we must."
The Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses are now helping individuals and businesses begin their discussions with Government agencies over legal issues and compensation.
And both organisations have appealed to the Government to treat Omagh "sympathetically and quickly".
Mr Stringer said: "The Government must be proactive, we appreciate there are bureaucratic legalities but they should be kept to an absolute minimum.
"Business organisations throughout Northern Ireland are all asking 'what can we do to help' - if the people of Omagh need anything at all, all they have to do is ask."
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH (BUSINESS)
Ref: BT/0347
Published Date: 01-Sep-98
Related Images
