Police must earn trust: McGuinness
The Police Service of Northern Ireland will have to earn the trust of republicans if Sinn Féin agrees to support it, Martin McGuinness insisted today.
Proposing a motion to Sinn Féin delegates at a special conference in Dublin to back the police in Northern Ireland for the first time in the party’s history, Mr McGuinness said: “The PSNI are going to have to earn our trust. They are not going to get our trust tomorrow morning or after this vote - they are going to have to earn it.
“We have to make them realise that they must be the servants of the people and not the other way around.”
Mr McGuinness’ speech kicked off a day of intense debate in the party on an issue which will have a major influence over whether devolved government returns to the North.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair have pinned their hopes of achieving power-sharing between unionists and nationalists by March 26 on Sinn Féin ending its opposition to the police.
Democratic Unionist leader, the Reverend Ian Paisley has said he will share power if Sinn Féin supports the police, the courts and the rule of law and prove that by its actions in republican neighbourhoods.
Mr McGuinness said his party was facing its D-Day.
“It is decision day as Sinn Féin moves decisively forward to deliver for Ireland, for Ireland’s future free and at peace,” he said.
Sinn Féin’s chief negotiator also insisted that republicans should take charge of policing if they removed their opposition.
“I want the police to watch MI5, to spy on MI5 and to arrest MI5 when they break the law,” he said.
