Other News In Brief

Retail NI Welcomes Blocking Of Asda-Sainsbury's Merger

A Retail NI chief has welcomed the decision of the Competition and Markets Authority to block the proposed merger of Asda and Sainsbury's.

Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said the decision was the right one from a competition, consumer and supplier perspective.

He said: "Many local suppliers to the grocery sector were extremely concerned that this merger would result in a significant reduction in trade. The local grocery market is rapidly changing. Growing numbers of consumers are moving away from the multiples and toward independent retailers.

"More and more consumers are no longer doing a weekly trolley shop and instead switching to a basket shop several times a week with our members.

"Convenience is the top priority for consumers, rather than a weekly trolley shop. This is the future of food retailing-not more big stores and less choice for consumers which this merger would have led to."

Green Party's Clare Bailey To Stand In European Elections

Green Party NI leader Clare Bailey has announced she will stand in the upcoming European Elections.

The south Belfast MLA joins ten other candidates from Northern Ireland who will face election on 23 May. Sinn Fein, the DUP and Ulster Unionists are currently defending the three seats, with Colum Eastwood of the SDLP, Naomi Long of the Alliance Party and Jim Allister of TUV also launching bids.

After submitting her nomination papers yesterday, Ms Bailey said: "I campaigned to Remain in the European Union back in 2016. The chaos that has ensued since then shows that Brexit is an act of economic, social and political self-sabotage.

"People are fed up with the Westminster antics and we know that Brexit is contributing to the inability of the DUP and Sinn Fein to work together.

"However, this European Election gives the people of Northern Ireland an opportunity to assert ourselves and remind the UK government that we voted to remain.

"It gives us a chance to say, we want to remain part of the European Union, we want to secure our rights and economic future and we want to reject the politics of hate and division.The Green Party was the first local party to campaign for a People's Vote on any final Brexit deal.

"We are also the only local party to understand that climate emergency requires an urgent, radical and positive response.

"That's why we will be welcomed into the influential Green European Free Alliance Group to create quality jobs in the green economy, work to eradicate inequalities and deliver critical cuts in greenhouse gas pollution.   

"We need to remain part of the European Union and we will work with the European Green block to help tackle climate chaos as the defining challenge of our time."

Ballymena ATM Theft Condemned

Ulster Unionist Councillor Stephen Nicholl has condemned the theft of ATM's from Tesco in Ballymena and called for a "more realistic" response from banks.

Police recovered two cash machines shortly after they were ripped from the wall of a Tesco store in the early hours of this morning. They bring the total number of thefts in the recent spate to 12.

Councillor Nicholl said: "Once again a local community has been inconvenienced by well organised criminal gangs raiding, seemingly at will, across Northern Ireland. Not only are we losing the ATM's in areas where they have been stolen but we are also seeing the gradual withdrawal of services elsewhere as ATM's are not being replenished or having limited cash restocked.

"It would seem a rational move to have alarms fitted to ATM's activated by excessive movement or tracking software installed as most phones have. Banks certainly have a responsibility to protect not only their property but the businesses undermined by both the physical and economic damage.

"We cannot expect the PSNI to be everywhere but on this occasion, fortunately, the PSNI interrupted the robbers and gave chase. Hopefully enough evidence has been gathered to direct future police action.

"It shouldn't be this easy to carry out these thefts. If a homeowner left their doors unlocked or windows open they are inviting burglars in. If banks don't alarm or track their ATM's, a relatively simple action, they are making it easy for these criminals."



(JG)