East Antrim - Ea2

Election Communication

East Antrim Constituency

Stewart Dickson “Improving community relations must be the biggest priority for our Assembly - not an optional extra. Only Alliance is providing credible answers to the problem of how we deal with our divisions.”

THURSDAY 29th MAY 2003 Label here

East Antrim

1

Stewart Dickson 2 Sean Neeson

Alliance Works ~ Tribal Politics Doesn’t www.allianceworks.org

“Only Alliance asks the awkward questions that need to be asked, and raises the difficult issues that need to be raised.” www.allianceworks.org Published by Charles Hilditch on behalf of Stewart Dickson and Sean Neeson, all at 88 University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HE. Printed by GPS Colour Graphics, Alexander Road, Belfast, BT6 9HF.

Sean Neeson

1

Dickson 2 Neeson

Stewart Dickson Works • Hard working Councillor in East Antrim area for over twenty years, former popular Mayor of Carrickfergus. • Works as a Senior Employment Relations Officer with the Labour Relations Agency. • Strong record on protecting the environment: promoting recycling rather than waste landfill, fighting for better planning policies • Consistent opponent of sectarianism, working to get rid of paramilitary flags and graffiti, opposing religious ‘labelling’ by Government. • Respected campaigner for public transport, particularly our local Railway. • Chair of its East Antrim Alliance, has represented the party at the Forum for Peace and Reconcilliation, and the National Forum on Europe. • Keeps in touch with local people through regular Focus leaflets.

Sean Neeson Works • One of the most experienced politicians in Northern Ireland; leader of the Alliance Party, 1998-2001. • Assembly Member for East Antrim since 1998; also member of Carrickfergus Council since 1997 and was Mayor, 199394. • Has devoted his energies towards economic development at local and national level; served as Deputy Chair of the Assembly’s Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee and last year was elected Chairperson of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust. • Advocate of stronger links with Europe; board member of the Northern Ireland Centre in Europe and Northern Ireland in Europe. • Strong supporter of the police service and the rule of law; served on the Police Authority. • Keen interest in maritime history, and represents Northern Ireland on the UK National Historic Ships Committee.

East Antrim Alliance members have established a high reputation for their work both in the Assembly and in their constituencies. Locally, Stewart Dickson and seven other Alliance Party Councillors in Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus and Larne have supported Sean Neeson in delivering constituency services to the people of East Antrim. Alliance supports the powersharing Assembly, but is opposed to the petty sectarianism of traditional politicians, which has damaged the opportunity to make real changes in Northern Ireland. You can no longer depend on the other parties to make the power-sharing Assembly work for everyone. Alliance has shown that it can make a real difference. We will continue to work to build a united community.

Sean Neeson

Five Years of Wasted Opportunities The Agreement has yet to be properly implemented. Traditional parties have pursued their own narrow agendas and bickered over issues such as policing reform rather than working together for the good of all. Even today, rather than looking to a shared future together, the UUP and the SDLP are moving to the extremes, looking over their shoulders at the DUP and Sinn Féin. Meanwhile on the streets, sectarianism, segregation and enforcing the law remain major problems. Sectarianism Costs Sectarianism and segregation carry huge human and financial costs. More and more people are living almost parallel lives with a bare minimum of contact with people from different backgrounds. Huge resources are wasted in providing separate facilities that could be better invested in improving public services. Why do we persist in forcing people into boxes called unionism and nationalism? Apartheid never worked in South Africa. It can never work here. Making the Difference Healing our community divisions must be the biggest priority for the Assembly. Unless we seriously address these problems, they will eventually destroy the Agreement and all that has been achieved so far. Alliance is the leading cross-community and anti-sectarian voice in Northern Ireland. Alliance is the political voice of those who work to create a united community, characterised by sharing not separation. Alliance offers everyone an invitation to join something different, something better than tribal politics – a genuinely shared and non-sectarian future. For Alliance, the Agreement is not the ceiling of our ambition. It is the foundation on which we can build a better future.

The full Assembly Manifesto, and detailed policy papers are available from www.allianceworks.org or by phoning 9032 4274

Stewart Dickson

Alliance Works ~ Tribal Politics Doesn’t Back in 1998, people voted for a new beginning. While in many respects Northern Ireland is better than before, the progress that people had a right to expect has not occurred.

Sean Neeson

Election Communication

East Antrim Constituency

“Improving community relations must be the biggest priority for our Assembly - not an optional extra. Only Alliance is providing credible answers to the problem of how we deal with our divisions.”

THURSDAY 29th MAY 2003 Label here

East Antrim

1

Sean Neeson 2 Stewart Dickson

Alliance Works ~ Tribal Politics Doesn’t www.allianceworks.org

“Only Alliance asks the awkward questions that need to be asked, and raises the difficult issues that need to be raised.” www.allianceworks.org Published by Charles Hilditch on behalf of Sean Neeson and Stewart Dickson, all at 88 University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HE. Printed by GPS Colour Graphics, Alexander Road, Belfast, BT6 9HF.

Stewart Dickson

1

Neeson 2 Dickson

Sean Neeson Works • One of the most experienced politicians in Northern Ireland; leader of the Alliance Party, 1998-2001. • Assembly Member for East Antrim since 1998; also member of Carrickfergus Council since 1997 and was Mayor, 1993-94. • Has devoted his energies towards economic development at local and national level; served as Deputy Chair of the Assembly’s Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee and last year was elected Chairperson of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust. • Advocate of stronger links with Europe; board member of the Northern Ireland Centre in Europe and Northern Ireland in Europe. • Strong supporter of the police service and the rule of law; served on the Police Authority. • Keen interest in maritime history, and represents Northern Ireland on the UK National Historic Ships Committee.

Stewart Dickson Works • Hard working Councillor in East Antrim area for over twenty years, former popular Mayor of Carrickfergus. • Works as a Senior Employment Relations Officer with the Labour Relations Agency. • Strong record on protecting the environment: promoting recycling rather than waste landfill, fighting for better planning policies • Consistent opponent of sectarianism, working to get rid of paramilitary flags and graffiti, opposing religious ‘labelling’ by Government. • Respected campaigner for public transport, particularly our local Railway. • Chair of its East Antrim Alliance, has represented the party at the Forum for Peace and Reconcilliation, and the National Forum on Europe. • Keeps in touch with local people through regular Focus leaflets.

East Antrim Alliance members have established a high reputation for their work both in the Assembly and in their constituencies. Locally, Stewart Dickson and seven other Alliance Party Councillors in Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus and Larne have supported Sean Neeson in delivering constituency services to the people of East Antrim. Alliance supports the powersharing Assembly, but is opposed to the petty sectarianism of traditional politicians, which has damaged the opportunity to make real changes in Northern Ireland. You can no longer depend on the other parties to make the power-sharing Assembly work for everyone. Alliance has shown that it can make a real difference. We will continue to work to build a united community.

Stewart Dickson

Five Years of Wasted Opportunities The Agreement has yet to be properly implemented. Traditional parties have pursued their own narrow agendas and bickered over issues such as policing reform rather than working together for the good of all. Even today, rather than looking to a shared future together, the UUP and the SDLP are moving to the extremes, looking over their shoulders at the DUP and Sinn Féin. Meanwhile on the streets, sectarianism, segregation and enforcing the law remain major problems. Sectarianism Costs Sectarianism and segregation carry huge human and financial costs. More and more people are living almost parallel lives with a bare minimum of contact with people from different backgrounds. Huge resources are wasted in providing separate facilities that could be better invested in improving public services. Why do we persist in forcing people into boxes called unionism and nationalism? Apartheid never worked in South Africa. It can never work here. Making the Difference Healing our community divisions must be the biggest priority for the Assembly. Unless we seriously address these problems, they will eventually destroy the Agreement and all that has been achieved so far. Alliance is the leading cross-community and anti-sectarian voice in Northern Ireland. Alliance is the political voice of those who work to create a united community, characterised by sharing not separation. Alliance offers everyone an invitation to join something different, something better than tribal politics – a genuinely shared and non-sectarian future. For Alliance, the Agreement is not the ceiling of our ambition. It is the foundation on which we can build a better future.

The full Assembly Manifesto, and detailed policy papers are available from www.allianceworks.org or by phoning 9032 4274

Sean Neeson

Alliance Works ~ Tribal Politics Doesn’t Back in 1998, people voted for a new beginning. While in many respects Northern Ireland is better than before, the progress that people had a right to expect has not occurred.