Just as Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness opened Belfast's first hedge fund management centre came news that NI has lost out to the Republic in snapping up one of the world's best known financial players. According to Reuters, Nick Leeson, the "rogue trader" who famously lost Barings Bank $1.4 billion, is to take over as Chief Executive of Galway United Football Club. He's been General Manager at the club since 2005. Galway's gain is our loss. Sceptics might believe that with his Singapore expertise, Nick could have made all the financial headaches over our proposed multi-sports stadium seem like small beer within a matter of weeks. But the club chairman at Galway describes him as "a wonderful addition" who has driven the club foward in recent years.
DUP Antrim Councillor Mel Lucas might be in trouble with his party after accusing his local MP Willie McCrea of betraying the voters. But if the internal disciplinary proceedings lead to his dismissal, and if he doesn't then turn all his attentions to the new dissident unionist party promised a few weeks back by Ballymena Councillor Robin Stirling, then perhaps Mel could have a future in advertising. Speaking on Good Morning Ulster, he said "we were promised a battle a day, but instead what we have got is a giggle a day". It was meant as an insult but I am sure the Executive coud adopt it as a Stormont school motto, along the lines of "A giggle a day keeps the direct rulers away". Perhaps our multi lingual Culture Minister Edwin Poots could translate that into Irish, for everyone's benefit.
With Operation Banner - the army's security presence in NI - due to formally end next week, anyone who has crossed the border recently knows it's a "blink and you miss it" experience. A few years back I filmed a section of a Spotlight film on one of the Donegal crossing points with a householder worried about the proximity of a checkpoint which was an obvious target for the IRA. Going through the same route last week I had to point out to the kids the tell tale signs that we were now in another jurisdiction (the yellow lines on the road).
Of course this is all in line with the theory behind the political process of blurring the border - making it seem increasingly irrelevant. I was interested then when Gordon Brown promised a new uniformed border force which, according to the Times, will "electronically screen every person who leaves or enters Britain". I can't see that happening on the Letterkenny road.
But if it applies only to airports and seaports and not to the only land border the UK has will that make a mockery of the supposedly tighter regime? Alternatively will NI passengers travelling to GB ports and airports be subjected to tighter screening than other UK citizens travelling within the country ( as we know some UK regional airports already operate a questionable policy on this score)?
Keen to learn more, I've asked the government to let me know how the new border force will deal with the border that isn't supposed to matter any more. A day has gone by with no answer, but I shall keep you posted when I get one.
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