Anderson welcomes Raytheon leaving Derry

Raytheon protest

Sinn Féin MLA for Foyle, Martina Anderson, welcomed the news on Wednesday 13 January that the weapons firm Raytheon is to leave Derry and close its operations plant there. Anderson has also raised concerns with regard to the finances from Invest NI that would have gone towards the establishment of the firm in the city.
 “Raytheon have been at the core of a long-running dispute in Derry given their production of weapons that are being used in illegal wars such as Iraq and Afghanistan by the British and U.S. armies and by other forces such as the Israeli army when they attacked the people of Gaza in late 2008 and previously in the destruction of south Lebanon.
“Raytheon has confirmed that it operates a “one company” policy which means that all their plants can be and are put to work on its entire inventory of products, which flies in the face of assurances made to Derry City Council by the company when it arrived in Derry. This plant was part and parcel of that.
“While I understand seven people will be laid off and that will affect their livelihood I’m am quite sure in the bigger scheme of things that the people of Derry will be happy to see this firm, who deal in weapons of mass destruction leave the city.
“There also remains questions regarding the funding that they would have received from Invest NI under the promise that Raytheon would have created 300 jobs. This was never the case and now we see a withdrawal with no economic sanction.”