NAMA to come under attack at public meeting

Economist Michael Taft and author Conor McCabe will be among the speakers lifting the lid on the notorious secrecy of NAMA at a public meeting in Dublin this Thursday evening, 29 March. The event will take a hard look at Ireland’s ‘bad bank’ and give the public a chance to discuss democratic and fair alternatives to it.

Unlock NAMA was launched on 28 January 2012 when 100 people occupied a NAMA building on Great Strand St in Dublin city centre. The purpose of that occupation was, according to the group: "to make public buildings available to the public. Rather than socialising commercial losses, we say socialise resources." The occupation came to an end when Gardaí threatened to arrest the people in the building.

Taft, an economist with the UNITE trade union, and McCabe, a historian and author of Sins of the Father – a book detailing the political decisions that brought about our present economic crisis – will be joined at the meeting on Thursday night by activists from Unlock NAMA, who will give updates on the campaign.

Says Mick O’Broin of Unlock NAMA: “Labour Party promises about NAMA’s ‘social dividend’ and Fine Gael’s commitments to ‘transparency’ have yet to materialise. Meanwhile, NAMA will spend at least €240 million in 2012 as countless buildings lie idle in what many consider a tribunal waiting to happen.”

While the politicians “waffle about transparency”, according to activist Moira Murphy, Unlock NAMA is “directly challenging NAMA’s lack of transparency through research and education. This public meeting is about revealing what’s really happening at the agency and how it is squandering assets and supporting property speculation.”

The public meeting will also focus on alternatives to NAMA, discussing how assets can be used for social and cultural uses. Creating alternatives is central for Gillian Barden, Unlock NAMA member: “The time has come for social movements and civil society to take the lead in proposing alternatives.” {jathumbnailoff}

The public meeting takes place tonight (Thursday) at 7pm in Wynne’s Hotel, Abbey St, Dublin 1. 

Image top: UnkieDave.