Maskey to meet PSNI and Queens Students Union to discuss Holyland problems

Alex Maskey

SOUTH Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey will next week meet with senior officers from the PSNI in South Belfast to discuss the need for the PSNI to develop a strategy which adequately deals with the ongoing problems caused by anti-social behaviour in the Holyland area. He will also, in the same week, meet with representative of Queen’s University’s Students Union to discuss the ongoing problems in the Holyland area.
Speaking on Tuesday Alex Maskey MLA said:
“Over the past number of weeks, since the beginning of the new University term, we have seen serious levels of anti-social behaviour being carried out by a small minority of students living in the Holylands area.
“At the most recent South Belfast DPP sub-group meeting residents from the Holyland area, while praising the work being done by PSNI officers in the ground, were critical of the management of resources in the area by senior PSNI management. Indeed, residents stated that they had felt very let down by the PSNI when they compared the resources actually used in the area with what they had been promised.
“I am firmly of the belief that a holistic approach needs to be taken to deal with these ongoing problems. This must involve all of the stakeholders and not just the PSNI. However, I believe that it is incumbent upon the PSNI to develop a strategy to ensure that they are using adequate resources in the Holyland area. This will be the focus of my meeting with them.
“I will also be meeting with representatives of Queen’s University Students Union to discuss Holylands problems. The Students Union can play a central role in helping to tackle the nightly problems in Holyland and I am extremely pleased that they have shown a willingness to work with all of the other stakeholders to try and develop a solution”.