Appeal to students as new academic year approaches
Published: 26 August, 2010
South Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey, speaking as a new academic year approaches, has appealed to students new to the South Belfast area to play a pro-active role within their communities and to treat their new neighbours 'with the same respect that they would grant their neighbours at home'.
He added that the Universities have a role to play in this and also called on the parents of students take an interest in what their children are doing while they are in Belfast.
The South Belfast MLA said,
"While I would welcome the approaching of a new academic term, and welcome the new students that this brings to South Belfast, I am also conscious that for many long-term residents in areas such as the Holylands, this marks the beginning of what they fear will be another nightmare year.
"Unfortunately, particularly in recent years, there has been much concern about the conduct of a minority of students in the area. I would ask students moving into the area to please keep in mind that there are families and elderly people living as their neighbours. I would urge them to treat them with the same respect that they would grant their neighbours at home, by behaving in an appropriate manner at all times.
"Clearly, the universities have a responsibility in all of this, as do the parents of students staying in Belfast. I would, therefore, appeal to parents to take an active interest in what their children are doing while they are attending university in Belfast, even to visit the area themselves at night time and see for themselves what is going on."
He concluded,
"Local residents, politicians, community groups, the Universities and Student bodies have done great work in attempting to improve student/long-term resident relations. I would urge students to complement this good work by playing a constructive and pro-active role within the community".
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