We look at the stories that were making the headlines in the Andersonstown New this week in 1984
Sinn Féin to ‘open’ new Whiterock Leisure Centre
SINN Féin Councillors Alex Maskey and Sean McKnight are to organise an alternative opening of the Whiterock Leisure Centre.
This follows the decision by Belfast City Council not to invite West Belfast MP and Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams to the official opening which takes place on Wednesday next.
In a joint statement councillors McKnight and Maskey have issued an open invitation to the people of West Belfast to a ‘People's Opening Ceremony’ to be held next week.
The statement continued: "Sinn Féin consider the Council's attitude to be an insult to the people of West Belfast. Indeed, if some of the Unionist Councillors had their way there wouldn't be any leisure centres in Nationalist or Republican areas. The Council's opening ceremony is merely an excuse for a junket which will cost ratepayers anything up to £4,000.
“When one considers that the original plans for the Whiterock Leisure Centre were cut back because of "a lack of finance", and that a Sinn Féin proposal to have a BMX track added to the complex was shelved for the same reason, the spending of public money on food and drink for councillors is a disgrace. Accordingly, Sinn Féin councillors will be organising a ‘People's Opening Ceremony’ to which we extend an Open Invitation, especially to the people of West Belfast."
Some people in the Leisure Services Department at the City Hall have expressed doubts about the "official" opening taking place at all.
Vigorous campaign planned by Lenadoon anti-crime group
FOLLOWING the summer holidays the Lenadoon Committee, which was established to help solve the problems of anti-social behaviour in the area, has reassembled. According to a statement they will carry on working in a co-ordinated manner.
"This will entail working with those involved and those affected by the crime problem in the area," says the statement.
"There are obviously no immediate solutions to the problem and the committee sees itself being involved in long-term projects. In order to maximise the effort and hopefully achieve success, it’s important that the community realises that everyone has a role to play, especially parents, the youth and clubs in the area. We would like parents to adopt a more positive attitude to the work being undertaken by the committee and to remain as vigilant as ever, especially those living close to the elderly. We would encourage the parents of those involved in anti-social behaviour, and others who are willing to help, to come along to the weekly committee meetings every Thursday 9 pm In the Parish Centre (Old Roddy’s) Corrib Avenue.
"The committee once again appeals to those youths involved in anti-social behaviour to reconsider their positions, bearing in mind the hardships they are inflicting on their own community. We will be inviting all youth of the area to meetings to discuss their problems, listen to suggestions and hopefully draw up a list of activities which may help to direct their energies into more constructive projects.
"Over the next few weeks we intend meeting the committees of the different clubs and centres in the area. They surely must be aware of the seriousness of the problem and we would appreciate as much help and cooperation as possible, either in the form of facilities or finance." The statement concludes by appealing for more help from the community for the committee's activities.
LOOKING BACK: Ballymurphy couple Paddy and Bell Loughran with their children at a party to celebrate their ruby wedding anniversary in the Dockers. Pictured are Alec, Danny, Patricia, Thomas, Patrick, Bernadette, Marty, Geraldine, Isobel, Joanne and Jeanette 
Editorial: SDLP and Belfast City Hall
IF the SDLP wants to be taken seriously by the Nationalist people of Belfast in time for next May's Council Elections then it will have to get its act together fairly quickly. The antics of some members at last Monday's City Council meeting would suggest that there is little or no dialogue between them, let alone a coherent policy on council business.
Obviously, it would be hard to imagine that an SDLP councillor would physically attack a Nationalist colleague for canvassing his support to have plastic bullets banned; unless you were privy to some of the strange happenings at SDLP meetings over the past few years.
For a party that is so keen on peaceful solutions to our problems, some of its members seem to indulge in physical violence at the least provocation. We have heard stories of councillors pummelling one another at local Executive meetings. And we even had a report of one elected representative chasing another member of his party down the stairs of party headquarters with a legally held gun in his hand. These are not the actions of responsible individuals and the Nationalist people deserve better than this to represent them.
At the moment the SDLP. represents the vast majority of Nationalist voters on local councils, and they have a duty to do this in a rational and responsible manner. If the party has a policy on plastic bullets, then let it put it forward and cease physically abusing other people for putting forward their own viewpoint.
As a newspaper we would be quite happy that a number of political parties, or even independents would represent the nationalist people on local councils rather than continue with the present monolithic system, which leaves the SDLP alone to voice Nationalist opinion at local level.
Representatives from a number of different parties with a common approach on major issues affecting the nationalist people would be preferable to the present conglomeration of individuals whose only common feature would seem to be that they operate under the same party banner. If Nationalist representatives can't find common ground on something as basic as the banning of plastic bullets, then it is indeed time for a major change in who we let represent us.
