Securocrats causing rundown of NHS
Toni Carragher of the South Armagh Farmers and Residents Committee
has slammed British securocrats for wasting money that would be
better spent on health and education in order to finance their
massive military occupation of South Armagh.
Mrs Carragher says people are incensed that the British continue to
build up their military presence which costs millions yearly.
``The expenditure budget allocated to the RUC and British army yearly
is approximately £1400 million. The wage bill for the RUC, not
included in the above figure, for 1998 is £658 million. It costs
about £3200 per hour to keep a Chinook in the air, £1980 and £2200 an
hour to keep a Lynx and a Wessex respectively in the air. Residents
have pointed out that there have been 3379 fights into the
Glassdrummond look-out post alone in the past year.
One hour's flying by a Chinook would be the equivalent of four months
take home pay for a nurse,'' Mrs Carragher pointed out.
``Prior to the ceasefire of 20 July 1997, a British minister stated
that `if a ceasefire should arise, that money from the security
budget would be re-diverted to Health and Education'. Given the
current threat of hospital closures and with cutbacks in hospital
beds and staff, and that the Good Friday Agreement was signed some
nine months ago, one must ask when this situation is going to be
reversed,'' Mrs Carragher said.
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