SYMBOL OF HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Symbol of hope for the future.
The official launch of the campaign to save acute services in the West was launched on Tuesday already the mountain of work that has gone into the campaign both on behalf of the Council steering group and the HOPE campaign is becoming apparent.
Though the launch was a terrific success and fired the first warning shots over the Health Minister's bow, this is not the end nor the beginning of the end, rather the end of the beginning. Churchill would forgive the paraphraseology - he loved a good a fight and a good fight is what we've got on our hands.
There can be little doubt that the people who have been involved in developing a strategy to save acute services not only in Omagh but in Tyrone, have put in a great intelligent impressive effort.
However, those who plan and organise are few in number they need the weight and moral authority of the community behind them. In this district alone there are some 50,000 people, that is a massive human force. Should that force speak in unison the very walls of Westminster would shake and that is exactly what is required. All and any vestiges of apathy must be shrugged off, Omagh and Tyrone, must rise united and determined to have all that it has so dearly bought and paid for over many many years.
This Saturday there will be a march and rally in the town, thousands are expected and thousands will come, that effort must be repeated every time the threat to local services is dusted down and brought out again. Yes, it is exhausting for busy people to have to find that extra surge of energy but if we fail, we will be robbed and shamelessly abandoned. We must fight now and win, and we must win and win again until our rights are safeguarded by equitable and fair policies based on need rather than budgetary considerations.
With the birth at the weekend of little Cara McGillion, to parents seriously injured in the Omagh bombing, surely no one forget the heroic tasks that our medical and nursing people performed amid the most catastrophic shortages.
With the birth of Cara there is triumph and hope, triumph over the tyranny that attempted to end the lives of Donna Marie and Garry and so many others, and the hope that the birth of a child unpolluted and beautiful can remind us of the things that are important, and reminds us of the need for real unity, justice and peace.
In an environment of that real peace, we can concentrate all of our resources in building a society fit for Cara and the rest of the new generation that will grow up alongside her.
The official launch of the campaign to save acute services in the West was launched on Tuesday already the mountain of work that has gone into the campaign both on behalf of the Council steering group and the HOPE campaign is becoming apparent.
Though the launch was a terrific success and fired the first warning shots over the Health Minister's bow, this is not the end nor the beginning of the end, rather the end of the beginning. Churchill would forgive the paraphraseology - he loved a good a fight and a good fight is what we've got on our hands.
There can be little doubt that the people who have been involved in developing a strategy to save acute services not only in Omagh but in Tyrone, have put in a great intelligent impressive effort.
However, those who plan and organise are few in number they need the weight and moral authority of the community behind them. In this district alone there are some 50,000 people, that is a massive human force. Should that force speak in unison the very walls of Westminster would shake and that is exactly what is required. All and any vestiges of apathy must be shrugged off, Omagh and Tyrone, must rise united and determined to have all that it has so dearly bought and paid for over many many years.
This Saturday there will be a march and rally in the town, thousands are expected and thousands will come, that effort must be repeated every time the threat to local services is dusted down and brought out again. Yes, it is exhausting for busy people to have to find that extra surge of energy but if we fail, we will be robbed and shamelessly abandoned. We must fight now and win, and we must win and win again until our rights are safeguarded by equitable and fair policies based on need rather than budgetary considerations.
With the birth at the weekend of little Cara McGillion, to parents seriously injured in the Omagh bombing, surely no one forget the heroic tasks that our medical and nursing people performed amid the most catastrophic shortages.
With the birth of Cara there is triumph and hope, triumph over the tyranny that attempted to end the lives of Donna Marie and Garry and so many others, and the hope that the birth of a child unpolluted and beautiful can remind us of the things that are important, and reminds us of the need for real unity, justice and peace.
In an environment of that real peace, we can concentrate all of our resources in building a society fit for Cara and the rest of the new generation that will grow up alongside her.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0838
Published Date: 06-Sep-01
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