Health campaigners deliver petition to Belfast Trust Executive!

Members of the Socialist Party today picketed the meeting of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust's Executive Board to highlight and oppose the cuts which the body is implementing. The Trust had moved the location of the meeting from Knockbreda to Knockbracken Health Care Park at the last minute. Pat Lawlor, West Belfast Socialist Party representative, delivered a petition to William McKee, Chief Executive of the Trust, opposing all cuts and demanding a halt to privatisation of services.

Pat Lawlor said:
"Today, we delivered over 850 signatures supporting our demands to Mr. McKee. We collected that number in a matter of hours of campaigning work. That demonstrates the level of anger there is in the community against the current round of health cuts, and the threat of another £113 million being taken from the health budget this year."

"Mr. McKee tried to wash his hands of responsibility for the cuts, saying that the budget is determined by the Assembly Executive. Of course, he is correct in this. But he and the Executive Board have rubber-stamped and managed the cuts on behalf of the Stormont government. If he is really opposed to health cuts, Mr. McKee should resign from his position and help to build a real fight-back. Of course, then he would lose his basic salary of over £125,000, not to mention his huge pension."

"Councillor Tom Hartley, who is supposed to represent the interests of the public, was present at the meeting today but did not come out to greet us. He has still failed to respond to our demand that he justify these cuts to those who elected him."