It's the 'power of positive politics'

In his first major statement as a re-elected UUP MLA, Mr Swann said he was honoured by the level of support from the North Antrim.

Assemblyman Swann said: “I also appreciated the help given to me by my election agent, Roy McClean and all who helped in the canvass and in any other way to make my election campaign a success. I would also pay tribute to my fellow Assembly candidate Mr Andrew Wright, who while he did not get elected, has laid a firm foundation for the UUP.

“I would also thank the Chief Electoral Officer and the staff at the counting centre for the professional way in which they helped candidates and their election agents, and for the professional manner in which they carried through the count. It is my intention to build on my party’s commitment to serving the people of this great constituency.

“My first term in the Northern Ireland Assembly was built around my personal pledge of putting people first through positive politics. I will be continuing this commitment in my second term. My politics are the politics of helping people with their problems in health, housing, education and farming.

“My policies are built upon the three pillars of putting people first, putting patients first and getting prices that are fair for farmers.

“At the top of the health agenda is the real need to put patients first.

“To achieve this we must fight for a reduction of the waiting lists, for more nursing home places, for adequate funding for the care of the elderly, and for more time to be given for Home Help assistance.

“I fully support the campaign to get better wages for nurses, carers and health staff. This also goes hand in hand with the need to develop a modern paramedic ambulance service, especially to cover isolated regions of our constituency.

“Whilst our farmers have faced many hardships since the start of the new millennium, we must also ensure that the lignite mining proposal for Ballymoney is buried once and for all.

“I have fully supported the united community campaign to defeat the environmental devastation which the lignite proposal would have inflicted upon our countryside. Urgent measures also need to be taken to develop our constituency’s potential for tourism, especially in the Moyle region, thereby providing jobs for the unemployed.

“My People First Pledge also stresses the need for more assistance in the education of young people for life and in their training for industry.

“To make this People First Pledge a success, we need positive politics from the Executive parties. The electors of North Antrim have now given me a strong mandate to represent them and it is my desire to make my positive politics effective in the new Assembly,” said Assemblyman Swann.