Derry & Strabane Mayor defends US business trip meeting attendance after criticism

At this month’s Full Council Meeting Mayor and SDLP councillor, Lilian Barr, said the trip was focused on promoting Derry and Strabane as a “vibrant and attractive region for investment to raise education and business development”.

However, some elected members criticised attendance at a meeting – during which the Mayor met congressman Tim Kennedy and Massachusetts governor Maura Healy.

They also criticised what they termed “picking and choosing” when to adhere to the council’s decision to adopt the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Councillor Barr noted that she had arranged a meeting on Friday with the Chair of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s (IPSC) Derry branch to “clarify the matter”.

“This mission was funded by the Northern Ireland West Development Group which is supported by the Executive Office and the Irish government,” Councillor Barr said. “And was about economic growth, creating jobs, and fostering opportunities for the people of our city and region.

“It’s important to distinguish between this type of economic engagement and political endorsement, and to suggest that participation equates to supporting genocide is deeply misleading and unfair.

“Our city’s solidarity with Palestine and our commitment to human rights remain unwavering [but] it’s our duty to represent the Northwest on the global stage, ensuring our region is seen as a place for opportunities.”

Sinn Féin councillor Christopher Jackson said that, while the trade visit is an “important opportunity for us to showcase the Northwest”, the council should “use every platform available to us to be a voice for the Palestinian people”.

“The Palestinian people don’t have the opportunities to demand a ceasefire,” Councillor Jackson said. “So I’m disappointed and our concerns are squarely around the fact that we didn’t use this opportunity to be a voice for the Palestinian people.”

People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin criticised councillor Barr.

He also argued that SDLP leader, Claire Hanna, did not “challenge” a recent visit to Queen’s University, Belfast, by former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US special envoy Joe Kennedy.

Councillor Harkin added: “There’s a problem of parties who say they support BDS, picking and choosing when they think it’s appropriate to actually take a stand, and we need to be far more systematic about what BDS means.”

SDLP councillor Brian Tierney said his party had been “committed to BDS policies” since 2009, and pointed out that councillor Barr was unaware of Mr Kennedy and “it just so happened that [he] was at the same event”.

“The Mayor spoke to him and didn’t know who he was until it was made clear to her via social media channels,” he clarified. “After that the Mayor had a conversation with Mr Kennedy and pointed out her opposition to his support for Israel.”

Independent councillor Gary Donnelly said the visit was “completely wrong” and lambasted councillor Barr and fellow SDLP members for “backing up” the decision.

He added: “A lot was made about Sinn Féin’s decision to go to the White House [on St Patrick’s Day] and in a lot of cases the SDLP led the charge, but some of the comments that have been made in defence are deeply disappointing.

“It will send the message to the many people outside this chamber, who believe that this council is not serious about BDS, that it will pass motions and has a corporate position, but when it comes to acting we’re just not serious.”

UUP Alderman Derek Hussey said the role of Mayor was apolitical and thanked councillor Barr for her “efforts to improve economic opportunities in our council area”, while DUP Alderman Niree McMorris commended Councillor Barr for “travelling out for the economic development for the North West”.

In response to members, councillor Barr agreed that every opportunity should be taken to raise the issue of Palestine and said this was “exactly what I did when I found out who Tim Kennedy was”.

“I don’t shy away from speaking about injustice,” she concluded. “And as soon as I found out who he was that’s what I did.

“In terms of engagement with the White House, that was a political engagement and this was an economic engagement.

“We were right to travel for economic development because it’ s our duty to promote our region in every single platform we can and America is a critical partner.

“I don’t see anything to apologise for, because I did not intentionally meet with Tim Kennedy.

“It was an event we attended together and the guy was actually very decent when I met and spoke to him, so I was not going to judge him until I found out exactly who he was.”

The overall trip was the latest in a series of trans-Atlantic delegations over recent years aimed at strengthening economic ties and creating new investment opportunities for the north west, with numerous different agencies and bodies involved.

Derry & Strabane Council meanwhile recently said that there was “a warm welcome” last week in Boston for the Ireland North West delegation with a series of business focused events arranged as part of the ongoing trade mission to Philadelphia and Boston.

The joint visit, they said, was a key initiative of the Regional Economic Development Pillar of the North West Strategic Growth Partnership and is supported by the NW Development Fund, which is co-financed by the NI Executive and the Irish Government.

Andrew Balfour,

Local Democracy Reporter