Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

Coleraine students reject PSNI

BY SEAN MacEACHAIDH

Coleraine students' union leader Colum Delaney is facing criticism for his decision to ignore a mandate from students rejecting cooperation with the PSNI/RUC.

More than 150 students attending the recent Union General Meeting at the NorthWest campus unanimously rejected the new PSNI because of RUC human rights abuses. The UGM gives students the opportunity to contribute to Student Union policy and create its mandate over the year.

However Delaney, the students' union president, rejected the vote and says that he and the other University of Ulster student representatives will continue to work with the new police service on various community initiatives and groups. Delaney stressed that the Coleraine students' motion rejecting the RUC/PSNI was 'student driven' and not a chief executive decision taken by him as the overall president. He publicly described the outcome of the students' vote as only "a snapshot" of student opinion.

Students supporting the policy are bewildered by Delaney's attitude, and students who contacted An Phoblacht are demanding that their union officers adhere to the policy voted for at the UGM.