Trump must honour pledge to support NI

AT the St Patrick’s Day White House reception in March 2017 President Donald Trump promised the leaders and people of Northern Ireland: “We will be there for you.”

Writing for the Belfast Telegraph at the time, DUP MP Ian Paisley called this a “significant promise to the people of Northern Ireland”.

Those people of Northern Ireland, in particular, the thousands of people employed by Bombardier, its extensive supply chain and advanced manufacturing research partnerships need President Trump to keep his promise.

These highly skilled workers, the manufacturing sector and the economy of Northern Ireland need the Trump administration to ensure a fair and reasonable outcome is mediated to the unwarranted and misplaced action taken by Boeing (via the US Department of Commerce) against Bombardier, which proposes, in a preliminary decision, to apply astonishing trade duties on the company.

Bombardier is clear the government investment it received for the development of the C Series was legitimate assistance, and this action must not proceed. Alliance is actively supporting the pursuit of this outcome via the highest levels of the UK, US and Canadian Governments.

The potential ramifications of this matter for jobs and the economy in Northern Ireland and global trade with America cannot be overstated.

The people of Northern Ireland need President Trump to demonstrate global leadership and, most importantly, that he is a man of his word.

CHRIS LYTTLE (ALLIANCE) MLA for East Belfast