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Price: 80p (ir 1.10 eUrO) Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The pride of Northern Ireland

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Since 1737

Queen and duKe MaRK THeIR 65TH WeddInG annIVeRSaRY

SEE PAGE 3
Prison officers in plea to save magilligan iNside
TWO SUPER PULL-OUTS
News Letter, Tuesday, November 20, 2012 29

Finlay spratt, chair of the Prison Officers association in Northern ireland, arrives at Parliament Buildings as prison officers protesting against the potential closure of magilligan prison take their campaign to stormont see page 8
PiCTUre: Paul Faith/Pa

PRESIDENT GEORGE IS BACK ON THE GROUND

Best ReVieW oF KUKRi seCtions one and tWo Ps 31-33 CLUBs ReFLeCt on anotHeR PHase oF tHe aLL iReLand Ps 34-35 ULsteR ReFeRees aRe HeLPinG CanCeR CHaRity P 36

Tuesday | November 20

| 2012

SUPERMAN: George Gallagher skydive on Sunday in support completed a of Cancer of the Oesophagus Research. He Dungannon Rugby Club is the first president (and probably the last) to take courageous act and at on such a 74 years of age it was no mean feat. You can still sponsor George by contacting the club
PICTURE: WJ MCKENZIE

inside today

THE BEST DOmESTI C COvERAGE

McCallister in Opposition bid

BY sam mcBride Political Correspondent
sam.mcbride@newsletter.co.uk

Business
BT wins 20 million Stormont contract
PAGE 25
r.sherriff@newsletter.co.uk

All the action from the pitch

News Letter, Tuesday, November 20, 2012 23

POUND/EURO

DOWN 0.0051 AT 1.2424

POUND/DOLLAR

UP 0.0043 AT 1.5907

Business home and away

PAGES 28&37

YOUR MONEY: Inflation surge hits savers

PAGE 41

BY RICHARD SHERRIFF Business Correspondent

Mission to China closes on high note

Ministers Peter Robinson, Martin McGuinness and Arlene Foster picured at the close of the Invest NI mission to China with Xiqun Yu-Ceo of Bejing Hva Yu Hui Zhang Technology Development Ltd, left, and Mark McCusker of Texthelp Antrim which has agreed a deal with the Chinese firm
and builds upon other partnerships recently international established in India and Brazil. the software been adapted in conjunction has with CeA specifically for the market and we will continueChinese to work with CeA to develop and other language this product learning technologies going forward. texthelp, based in Antrim, with offices in the UsA, provides literacy and language learning lutions to help support software soand improve the lives of people who culty reading and writing have diffiand those for whom english is not their first language. texthelp has been supported by Invest NI with marketing and technical advice as well as research and develop assistance to new markets for their products.

Ulster Bank is fined almost n2m

Ulster Bank has been almost n2 million over fined ity risk management liquidit emerged yesterday. failures, the Irish republic Bank said the n1.96m Central penalty reflected the importance it placed on compliance dential requirements with prufor credit institutions. Peter Oakes, director forcement at the Central of enBank said failure to meet requirements was an unacceptable risk. this enforcement action and the penalties imposed reflect the importance the Central Bank places on compliance with all aspects of key tial requirements, he prudensaid. regulated firms must comply with their liquidityfully and capital requirements including, establishing and maintaining effective internal controls for the management of liquidity risk and having in place sound and effective strategies and processes to address control requirements. internal

A WeeK-long mission to promote Northern Ireland in China has been hailed a huge success and has ated at least one significant genercontract for a local firm. County Antrim company, texthelp, has agreed a partnership deal with the China education Alliance (CeA), a provider of online education and onsite training in China as the trade mission to promote Northern Ireland business and education in the worldstourism and second largest economy. the deal was welcomed by First and Deputy First Ministers Peter robinson and Martin McGuinness at the end of a busy week. enterprise and Agriculture Ministers Arlene Foster and Michelle ONeill also took part in the trip which was attended by of firms representing a wide variety several important sectors including drink and agriculture. It, food and I welcome this extremely signifi- building cant development for international relations one Mr ing software businesses of our lead- McGuinness said: China represents which underlines Northern Irelands a very substantial growth opportustanding nity as a centre of excellence for many local companies for software and I development, said congratulate texthelp Mr robinson. this announcement and developing their for expanding comes at the software into end of a very successful international markets. texthelps business mission which trade and overseas success demonstrates the has under- value lined the importance of investing in of developing relationships with countries development to help research and increase export such as success. China. By constantly focusing Growing exports is a priority for on gen- the executive erating new business in our steps to rebuild in external our markets, firms such economy. success as texthelp are bringing success to Northern this are evidence of stories such as the right Ireland and adding significant and approach on innovation focus value to our velopment and deeconomy. I look forward of new markets. to observing the progress of As part of the partnership, the texbetween texthelp and partnership thelp will be providing celebrating the success CeA and to adapted version of its a specifically english Hero of their new software venture. which assists guage learning throughenglish lanemphasising the importance of use toolbar containing an easy-tosupport tools

for students. CeA will be using the software to support its english language learning students in China. Welcoming the agreement enterprise Minister Arlene the partnership with Foster said: CeA is texthelps first in China and a relationship previously builds upon established during an Invest NI trade mission. It is a good example of local company that an innovative has grown over the last 15 years and adapted to the ever-changing technology marketplace. Mark McCusker, CeO of texthelp said: We have been exploring opportunities in China supported by Invest NI, and this partnership more than 12 months is a result of in-country visits and of research, building. this is another relationship potentially very lucrativesuccess in a global market for english language learning

Ulster Bank was have had a shortfall found to of n313m in its safeguards against risk in a regulatory return March 31 earlier this filed on year. Parent company royal of scotland immediately Bank made a cash injection when the mistake was revealed. this settlement is significant and we acknowledge that these contraventions, curred in 2011, were which ocable, said Ulster unacceptBank CeO Jim Brown. We identified contraventions ourselves the and we have since implemented number of robust measures a to ensure similar contraventions are not repeated. I would like to highlight that, at no point during riod in question were the petomers affected in any our cusway. the Ulster was thrown into chaos this summer after a systems failure left many of million customers unable its 1.9 to see or use cash paid into their accounts.

News, comment and analysis

THE bid to create a Stormont Opposition took a dramatic step forward last night when John McCallister revealed that he hopes to introduce a bill in the Assembly in an attempt to force the issue.

The former Ulster Unionist Party deputy leaders initiative is the first concrete move towards a formal Opposition to the multiparty Executive. The development is highly significant because it reflects signals that leading figures in both the SDLP and the UUP believe that Opposition is needed. Mr McCallister said that SDLP

deputy leader Dolores Kelly had rightly called for the SDLP to consider Opposition as an alternative to being bit players in the DUP-Sinn Fein coalition. Mr McCallister, who in the last Assembly term became the first MLA since 1931 to have a Private Members Bill passed as law, said in a speech yesterday evening that he has begun work

on legislation to allow for an Opposition. The South Down MLA argued that without meaningful opposition the current tame Assembly replicates a key failing of the pre-1972 unionist-run Stormont. If legislation is required, I will carry it forward through a Private Members Bill, he said. see page 8

Burns boy still critical

see page 4
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