Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

MP ENCOURAGES ALL TO GET INTO THE FAIRTRADE HABIT

Published: 17 February, 2009

Sinn Féin MP for Newry and Armagh, Conor Murphy has encouraged all to "get into the Fairtrade habit". Fairtrade Fortnight this year runs from 23rd February to the 8th of March.

The Sinn Féin MP who was involved in the achievement of Fairtrade status for Newry City in March 2007, commenting on the two week campaign said

"There is a huge awareness and interest in the work of Fairtrade, particularly amongst young people and hopefully Fairtrade Fortnight will introduce more people, businesses and communities to the Fair trade vision of a world in which justice and sustainable development are at the heart of trade structures and practices so that everyone, through their work, can maintain a decent and dignified livelihood and develop their full potential."

"Ultimately this will help people get into the Fairtrade habit and make a direct contribution to the lives of the millions of Third World farmers who depend on selling their crops to survive. Fairtrade guarantees producer organisations a fair and stable price for their products that covers their costs and enables them to support their families and invest in a better future.

Mr Murphy's party colleague Newry and Mourne Councillor Pat mc Ginn who was also involved in the achievement of Fairtrade status for Newry City explained,

"Newry City accomplished Fairtrade status in a remarkably short space of time, reflecting the intense work schedule that passionate local people involved in the steering committee had set themselves. It was signature piece of work embracing all creeds, traditions and differences. It has brought increased understanding and knowledge of issues and countries in Africa and the developing world and the value of seeing the connections between the global and the local. In May 2003, Garstang in Lancashire declared itself 'the worlds first Fairtrade Town' and in September 2003, Clonakilty became Ireland's first 'Fairtrade Town', Newry joined those ranks in 2007".

The Sinn Féin Councillor concluded by stating that he hoped that other areas would pursue the Fairtrade status.

"Support for Fairtrade challenges the fundamental inequalities behind world trade. Fairtrade is about creating links between producers in developing countries - in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean - and businesses and consumers in Newry who buy their goods. Fair Trade is an alternative approach to conventional international trade. It is a trading partnership which aims at sustainable development for excluded and disadvantaged producers. It seeks to do this by providing better trading conditions, by awareness raising and by campaigning".