McDevitt: Executive not doing encough to encourage fairtrade

Sunday 21 February 2010

SDLP South Belfast MLA Conall McDevitt has criticised the Executive for not doing enough to promote Fairtrade products within the public sector and has called on the OFMDFM to publish its International Development strategy, which is now two years overdue.

Speaking ahead of the launch of Fairtrade fortnight, which begins on Monday, Mr McDevitt said: "The Executive should be leading by example by encouraging the procurement of Fairtrade products in all of its departments to demonstrate the North's commitment to ethical trading.

"While there has been some commitment to using Fairtrade tea and coffee, no steps have been taken to ensure that there is the option to purchase Fairtrade cotton uniforms or bed linen in the Health service.

"The Minister for Education has also confirmed that she is not aware of a single school which includes a Fairtrade option in its school meals contracts.

"Sales of Fairtrade products now top €2.3billion annually. This puts money directly in the pockets of some 1.5million farmers in the world's poorest countries, benefiting an estimated 8 million people.

"Here in these islands consumers have embraced Fairtrade. Sales are doubling every year. It is time the Executive caught up and showed a real commitment to the developing world by creating sustainable trade opportunities for small nations.

"The Executive is totally out of step with thinking in the North, given that Belfast is the only city in the UK and Ireland to be awarded dual accreditation as a Fairtrade city, acknowledging the commitment demonstrated by people in the city to Fairtrade products.

"I am calling on the First and Deputy First Ministers to publish their strategy on International Development and to review their procurement policies to ensure that Fairtrade is promoted within the departments and that consumers are given the opportunity to choose Fairtrade and help promote better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world."