Burmese protesters

Burma is a country ruled by one of the longest running and most brutal military dictatorships in the world; a dictatorship charged by the United Nations with a “crime against humanity” for its systematic abuses of human rights, and condemned internationally for refusing to transfer power to the legally elected Government of the country – the party led by Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.In response to calls from Burma’s democracy movement, the Burma Campaign UK and other campaign groups around the world have been pressuring companies to sever business ties with Burma.

The protesters in Burma are fighting for the right to live their lives free from oppression, to be able to gather and speak their minds freely. The mere fact of showing disapproval against their government is getting them killed. Stones against guns - they knew what was coming and yet still they gather, still they face their oppressors - knowing that someone's father, or cousin or brother or friend could die. William Hague urged the Government to act 12 months ago calling on the UN to tackle the problem in an article in the Indepedent in June 2006. For more information click onto www.burmacampaign.org.uk. Please contact the companies on their "dirty company" list who prop up and support this brutal regime.

Waste at Flintshire County Council

Flintshire residents have been hanging their heads in dispair over years of mismanagement and waste by the Labour run Council. Over the last few years there have been damning reports on the lack of accountability by Price Waterhouse Coopers. We are waiting for the next report due out in a couple of weeks - but in the meantime it is clear that the Labour policitcal leadership of the Council appears to have not the slightest clue of how to punch its way out of a paper bag. The latest fiasco sees a further £585,000 being wasted - Flintshire having to pick up the vast majority the "tab" because of their failures. Whose heads have rolled over this?? Have we heard a word of protest from the local Labour AM or MP at the waste of funds - of course not. In the meantime Childsplay nursery a vital service to working families is being cut even though it could make a profit for the council. Despite many of the failings being highlighted by PWC in 2003 they have still not been addressed. Meanwhile rumours abound of further problems and large deficits to come - and once again it will be the ordinary council tax payer in Flintshire that will pay the price.

Labour playing catch up

Oh dear oh dear, Labour's tired administration really are running out of ideas. Several months ago after our visit to St Kentigern's Hospice Brynford Cllr Matt Wright and I pushed hard for a hospice lobby day in Cardiff. That hospice lobby day took place, Mark Isherwood and a number of others working hard for hospice funding in recognition of the hard work they do. Under the Labour Welsh Assembly staff have faced funding squeezes from Labour's Assembly Government receiving 20% LESS than their English Counterparts for the last few years.

The Conservatives announced a spending commitment of £10 million for hospices in Wales.............seems that Sandy Mewies and Carl Sargeant having failed to recognise the funding hole faced by hospices over the last 3 years have finally caught up. Labour have clearly been reading Conservative policies I am delighted that they have finally recognised the shortfall facing hospices - pity that they have wasted so much on useless bureaucracy in the NHS rather than directing money where it could provide vital care to those who need it. Had Labour adopted the Welsh Conservative Budget there would have been far greater funding.

Prison overcrowding

It is utterly ridiculous that the Home Office have yet again tried to interfere in the sentencing ability of Judges. It is the job of the Home Office to make sure that there are sufficient prison places for those whose offences mean that they should serve a prison sentence. There is no doubt that the constant interference of the Labour government in Criminal Law has made the current situation much worse. There have been over 3000 new criminal offences created by the Labour Government, combined with increasing interference in sentencing. The flood of sentencing provisions over the last 10 years has resulted in the Government chopping and changing its mind as it struggled to be seen to be doing something - without tackling the real causes of the problems. In order to seem tough on crime the Government has sought to underfund the "community options" available to Judges. This has led to the public, quite rightly being suspicious of a system that appears to fail to tackle criminal offending. The current overcrowding of prisons is a sign that the government failed plan for the consequences of their legislation, and also dramatically affects the possiblity of rehabilitating those who are in prison. The current situation is a disgrace - and the Labour government only has itself to blame.

Battle for Flint Community Hospital

The battle to save Flint Community Hospital continues. Before Christmas I took Jonothan Morgan AM shadow health minister for the Conservatives in the Assembly to see the fantastic service provided by the hospital to residents in Flintshire. I spoke to local residents and patients at the hospital who pleaded with Jonothon to do something to stop Labour's Welsh Assembly Government policies from closing it. I am delighted Clwyd Community Health Council representatives held a meeting in Flint this week, I spoke to representatives from the Community Health Council many weeks ago. Meanwhile Labour continue to say one thing and do another, not a single Labour AM turned up to listen to local people protesting against the closure when we demonstrated in Cardiff........and of course they voted for this process in the Assembly which is resulting in yet another reorganisation and chaos for local services. Meanwhile Flintshire residents have just 10 days to get their written responses to the local health board make your voice heard....