Flintshire Chronicle Questions 2

What are your own personal views on the Flintshire Muslim Cultural Society's

plans to create an Islamic culture centre in the county?

I strongly believe in the right of freedom of expression and freedom of worship. It is NOT the place of elected representatives in a democracy to turn away peoples rights based on their religion, race or creed. I support wholly the rights of any person, of any background, to buy property (especially disused property) and make an positive contribution to society with it. The people who are looking at moving their worship down the road from Queensferry are not terrorists, fundamentalists or criminals. They are hardworking Flintshire residents who contribute to the local economy.

Islam has had a bad press, there are elements of it, especially around the world that I abhor, but this is a world away from what we are talking about. This community centre would have been available for use by anyone for their own events, instead of being boarded up. Now it is a smouldering wreck. I will defend the rights of ALL of my constituents as long as they are peaceful, make a contribution and work for the good of the community. All of this applies to the Flintshire Muslim Cultural Society. Do not let caustic rhetoric from nationalist groups sway you, as a community we are better than that.

If elected, what would you do to address the perceived bias of the Assembly

towards the south?

I recognise that there is a bias for the south and to be honest im jealous. It is not the fact that the Assembly as an institution is to blame – it is our poor standard of representatives! Representatives in the south achieve more for their constituents. This should not be slated, it should be copied. We should insist on getting a fairer slice of the cake for Alyn and Deeside. I am sick of reading about how money and services are funnelled down south. Why do our current representatives not remedy the fact that the transport committee for ALL Wales only contains Southern AM's? Why does Flintshire sit bottom of the league for arts and heritage funding when we are home to Theatre Clwyd? We does this new train go from Holyhead to Cardiff – and all over North Wales - but avoids Flintshire?

I will ensure that I represent the people of Alyn & Deeside in Cardiff. I live here, will fight for here and I will do my utmost to make politics local and accessible. Now is the time for change and a new voice because this question about south bias says it all; our current representatives are failing us in Alyn and Deeside.

What do you think of the proposed changes to the NHS, and what effect do you

think they would have on patients if introduced?

For a whole series of treatments, Wales is dropping further and further behind. We have lower survival rates than the European average for cancer and several other medical conditions. Life expectancy can also vary by nearly 20 years, depending on where in Wales you live.

Despite this poor performance, the Labour-Plaid Government has refused to investigate the claim by an NHS Finance Director that £1 billion of the NHS Wales budget is “not being used optimally” – in other words wasted. That huge sum could be spent more effectively to provide urgently needed better treatment.

They have introduced a centralising re-organisation, which gives the Minister unprecedented control over the way the NHS operates. The reorganisation also led to thousands of pounds being wasted on protected salaries for NHS managers for years ahead. We believe that a Government should develop the overall performance framework and that local bodies should implement in a way that suits their local area.

Wales needs a more localised service for the majority of healthcare needs. Heath and social care organisations need to work together more closely to manage patients’ needs as they change, for example as we grow older. And much more needs to be done to reduce illness and accidents in the first place.