This week's Letters in The Impartial Reporter.

Letter of The Week!

When will the ‘Looking back’ feature return?

Dear Sir,

The ‘Looking back’ feature so admired by myself and other local historians has been missing from your paper for some time. When, if ever, will it return?

I’m sure many others, like myself, got important historical leads from it which spurred us on to further important local history research.

Yours faithfully,

Jim Quinn,

Enniskillen.

Editor’s response: History is a vital and wonderful part of our publication, and I deeply appreciate the value it brings to our readers, especially those passionate about local history like yourself.

However, the preparation of these stories is quite time-consuming – in fact, it takes up to four hours; time we do not always have at our disposal.

That said, I am actively exploring more streamlined methods to ensure that we can continue to include these important historical pieces, especially as we approach our 200th anniversary next year.

Thank you, Jim and our wider audience, for your understanding and your dedication to local history.

In defence of all staff at Lisnaskea Health Centre

Dear Sir,

It was with dismay that we became aware of the recent abuse directed at those working in Lisnaskea Health Centre. 

To catalogue why the issues have arisen would take quite some time. The problems presented in rural General Practice 15 years ago.

Young GPs were not attracted to rural practice, and there were not any incentives to help.

That compounded the fact that there were insufficient medical students trained in Northern Ireland, and far too few GPs in training.

These workforce issues were highlighted, and the expected negative outcomes, at the time by the BMA and all GPs.

At the time there was – and still is, you would say – a marked focus on expanding hospital care. Adequate funding has never been received by primary care.

Single-handed practices in rural areas collapsed first. Lisnaskea valiantly amalgamated with several of these small practices to allow continuance of medical services for these communities.

All this was at great personal stress and toil.

Over the course of the years, the shortage of GPs spread to towns and then cities, and now we have practices collapsing in Belfast and Derry.

There were changes made. We have more medical students and more GPs in training, but it was always going to take 10 years or more for any of these changes to reflect in numbers of GPs staying in Northern Ireland after training here.

Lisnaskea have struggled. They have employed every means possible to continue.

They have used a skill mix to continue to deliver care. Despite it looking quite often like the practice would fold, they have continued.

There can be no doubt that the service will look different, and not what the public might want or remember.

This area is always at the end of the queue when it comes to funding for anything. These practices still do not have a multi-disciplinary team. We have been asking for this for years.

When you pull up to your practice to complain, remember they are human, and doing their absolute best.

Remember they pointed out what would happen years ago if help wasn’t forthcoming. Remember they persevered, even when help didn’t materialise.

Also remember the political system we have, and how long they have actually been functional over the past decade.

Then ask yourself where you should be complaining, or who you need to lobby.

Yours faithfully, 

Dr. Paul Molloy,

GP Derry, and Secretary Western LMC

Objecting to the first Fermanagh Pride event

Dear Sir,

It is a great sadness to learn of Fermanagh’s Gay Pride Festival.

This event is a symptom of the decaying principles of morality and traditional family values in our nation.  God’s Word teaches that homosexuality is both sinful and contrary to nature. Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-28.

When God created mankind at the beginning of time, marriage was ordained to be between one man and one woman. Genesis 2:24.

Homosexuality is a sinful departure from God’s institution of marriage and something that God’s law forbids.  

We oppose Fermanagh Pride because it aims to advance that which is against God’s Word, and will be detrimental to family life. Proverbs 14:34.

Loving God and our neighbours means that all lifestyles contrary to the Bible must be warned against.  

The Gospel is the remedy for sin, of which we are all guilty in thought, word and deed. Romans 3:23.

The penalty for sin is separation from God and eternal punishment in hell after this life. Romans 6:23.

However, the good news of the Gospel is that God in love has provided a way of salvation from sin.  

He accomplished this by Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross, when as a substitute He paid the penalty for our sin. Romans 5:8.

Christ’s resurrection is proof that His sacrifice satisfied the just demands of God’s law. Christ alone is sufficient to save us from our sin.

To receive this salvation, we must repent of our sins and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Mark 1:15.

1 Corinthians 6:11 tells of those who trusted Christ as their Saviour, and repented of their sin, including that of homosexuality.

Such received pardon for sin, peace with God, grace to live for God’s glory and the assurance of eternal life in heaven. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Yours faithfully,

Bethel Free Presbyterian Church Enniskillen,

Enniskillen Independent Methodist Church,

Kesh Free Presbyterian Church,

Clogher Valley Free Presbyterian Church,

Kilskeery Free Presbyterian Church.

A number of our terrific Letter of the Week winners have yet to come forward to collect their £10 Enniskillen Gift Cards.

As the cards expire by the year’s end, if you’ve previously been a winner but have yet to claim your great card, get in touch as soon as possible; please email us today at: letters@impartialreporter.com.