‘No hidden agenda’
Thursday, 1 July 2010
THE SDLP has rejected claims that its nomination of an Independent candidate as Council Chairperson was connected to an internal party split.
Catherine McCambridge denied Sinn Fein's suggestions that her party's support for Price McConaghy was imposed from above due to Declan O'Loan's call for a single nationalist party. Under the d'Hondt system, the SDLP had been in line to take the Council Chair in Moyle this year but they chose to fill the position of Vice-Chair.
O'Loan's call led to a period of Assembly suspension.
His remarks at the time were supported in the media by Cllr McCambridge and Cllr Orla Black.
At Monday night's Council meeting, a visibly upset Cllr McCambridge said: "It has come to my attention that the Sinn Fein party, with Oliver McMullan's name on it, have sent out a statement about why the SDLP did not take the Chair.
“For health reasons I have been unable to attend all meetings and Cllr Orla Black had personal reasons not to take it. I am extremely disappointed with Sinn Fein. If only they had their ear as close to the ground as they think."
Newly elected Chairperson Price McConaghy said he would 'much rather' have seen an SDLP member sitting in the chair and his nomination 'came as a surprise'.
No agenda
Madeline Black of the SDLP, who took up the position of Council Vice-Chairperson last week, said: "There was no hidden agenda. We discussed it and I apologise to the Chair for the surprise.
“It was circumstances beyond our control and I was happy to take the Vice-Chair."
The election of council officers has been described as 'a betrayal of SDLP voters' by Cllr McMullan.
The Glens representative said: "Moyle Council operates under d'Hondt and as such, the SDLP were entitled to the position of Chair in the run up to the 2011 local government elections.
“However, in an unforseen twist of events, Catherine McCambridge, rather than proposing one of her two colleagues, instead proposed Price McConaghy, who was immediately seconded by fellow Independent Randal McDonnell, in what appeared to be a well rehearsed move, the likes of which I personally have never witnessed in all my years as a Moyle councillor.
Subscribe to read full newspaper »
Send to a friend
Please complete the following form to inform a friend about this page.
