From Derry Journalof February 1993

A famous passage in the annals of Derry’s economic and social history comes to a close when Derry’s Port and Harbour Commission closes down its city centre docks after 139 years.

A new £18million port is under construction at Lisahally and in April the Commission will transfer harbour business to this new site, heralding a new era in Derry’s long and illustrious relationship with the seas. The old port will be officially closed down at midnight when the Harbour Commission will order the removal of the city centres docks’ cranes and other equipment to Lisahally.

SDLP set to take over

Despite the fact that a number of their sitting councillors are unlikely to contest May’s local government elections, the SDLP in Derry seem set to gain overall control of Derry City Council for the first time in their history, taking sixteen of the thirty seats available.

The SDLP gains are likely to be made at the expense of Sinn Féin and Independent nationalist councillor, Tony Carlin, who was a former SDLP Mayor of the city. In all it is expected that around six of seven sitting councillors, including three SDLP councillors, one Sinn Féin councillor, the UDP’s Ken Kerr, and Colr. Carlin, will not be returned.

Mates rejects R.U.C move

Both the R.U.C.’s Chief Constable, Hugh Annesley, and the Police Authority for Northern Ireland, have rejected calls by Derry City Council to relocate Strand Road R.U.C. Station at Fort George.

This was the news announced at Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the City’s Council Policy and Resources Committee, at which the Council’s request for the relocation of the security base, received an unequivocal ‘No’ from Northern Ireland Security Minister, Mr. Michael Mates.

SDLP Colr. Pat Devine insisted a move would boost the potential of the Strand Road and the city as a whole.