WE’RE TWINNING WITH HAINAN PROVINCE
WICKLOW is to twin with the Hainan Province of China, which is expected to bring significant benefits to the county.
At last week’s meeting of Wicklow County Council, executive officer with the council Christine Flood said that there was a report before the members to consider ‘entering into an arrangement for the establishment of a Sister County-Province relationship between Wicklow of Ireland and Hainan Province of the People’s Republic of China in accordance with S. 75 of the Local Government Act, 2001’.
She said that representatives from Hainan had visited Wicklow in 2015 and signed a letter of intent to enter into an agreement. She said this was the next step in the process adding it was proposed to sign the county-province relationship agreement on July 10.
Cllr Michael O’Connor wondered if there were financial implications for the agreement and wondered who’d foot the costs for any visits.
Ms Flood said that there were only minor costs associated with the agreements adding that the Chinese delegation cover their own travel and accommodation costs. She said that the council would take them to various sights in Wicklow and there will be a number of business meetings.
‘ There will be no significant costs but the long term benefits will be very significant in terms of business, education and tourism’, she said.
Cllr Nicola Lawless welcomed any future economic benefits that the council would reap but raised concerns that by entering the agreement that the council would effectively be condoning the human rights issues in China.
She suggested that the agreement should be reviewed in five years’ time to monitor its effectiveness.
Cllr John Ryan said: ‘ this is a phenomenal opportunity. There are nine million people living in the province of Hainan and the potential for Wicklow is huge.’