Senseless act must not be allowed to undo good work

12.00.00am GMT Wed 2nd Nov 2005

North Down Alliance Councillor Ian James Parsley has slammed those responsible for the security scare at the British Council of Shopping Centres' (BCSC) Conference in Belfast, but also said that serious investors would not be put off.

Cllr Parsley, himself a businessman, stated: "This senseless act must not be allowed to undo the good work of those who brought this event to Belfast. Clearly delegates will be leaving Belfast with one somewhat negative memory, but the fact the Conference went on will show serious investors that Northern Ireland remains a good place to do business.

"It only takes one idiot to make a phone call. However, it took a lot of hard work on behalf of the BCSC and of local retailers to make this conference come about. We must not allow that hard work to go to waste.

"It is somewhat alarmist to suggest a minor security alert on the basis of one individual's stupidity will put off serious investors. People who came to this event will have heard how strong Belfast's retail sector is, and I have no doubt that a lot of good ideas have been exchanged. There remain some major deficiencies in the way Northern Ireland does and attracts business, but this conference remains firmly in the 'positive' column. We

must work to ensure we capitalize on this."

ENDS