There's not a day I come to work where I'm like man I'm going to do that same old job again.   A hundred percent of your attention has to be on the privates has to be on those junior marines and if the quality of the combat instructor goes down then the quality of the product going out it will just retroactively go down. I feel like if you were good enough and you're ready to take on this challenge anybody should come out here and do it. You're out here to produce those marines for your units I mean that's the best thing that you can do.


The final item of business is a member's business debate on motion 8404, in the name of Murdo Fraser, on Street Pastor Scotland's 10th anniversary. The debate will be concluded without any questions being put. I could ask those members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request to speak buttons now. I call on Murdo Fraser to open the debate. Mr Fraser, seven minutes please. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I start this debate by thanking all the MSPs from different parties who supported my motion to allow it to be debated this evening? It is particularly relevant that we are having this debate in the run-up to Christmas and New Year, when cities and towns across Scotland are bustling with the work night out crowd, Christmas Eve drinkers and Hogmanay revelers. This time of year is one of the busiest for the licensed trade, but also one of the busiest for the street pastors. I would like to thank those street pastors and their supporters, who have joined us in the public gallery at this debate and for their attendance at tonight's reception. I know that a number of MSPs are looking forward to meeting street pastors from their constituencies. Deputy Presiding Officer, Scotland's relationship with alcohol needs no introduction. The big night out is as much a part of our culture as tartan and haggis. For the most part, people visiting pubs and clubs do so responsibly, but a small minority can sometimes drink too much, which can put them in positions of difficulty. They and others who have indeed been drinking can often find themselves late at night in vulnerable and distressing situations. This is where the street pastors come in. With police and ambulance resources stretched thin, this blue-jacketed volunteer army provides a vital release valve for the emergency services in helping to deal with minor incidents. A couple of years ago, I was able to join the street pastors in Perth and witness first-hand their work on a Saturday night. Now, I have no stranger to patrolling the high street, Deputy Presiding Officer, usually in the morning with leaflets in my hand, but it was a novel experience to be out late at night. That left me in no doubt to the significant contribution that those men and women make to the night-time economy. During our patrol, the street pastors handed out flip-flops, dispensed water bottles, lollipops and provided a friendly face and a sympathetic shoulder to lean on. What was absent was any effort to preach or to convert non-believers, because street pastors are not street preachers, manic or otherwise. If revelers want to ask questions, they are more than happy to engage, but that is about providing a service and a listening ear rather than an opportunity to evangelise. You will not see or hear street pastors judging those who they help. Their work is the very pinnacle of Christian compassion and something that the church is doing more of. The street pastor initiative has come a long way, since its humble origins, when 18 hardy souls patrolled the streets of Brixton in 2003, under the watchful eye of the Reverend Les Isaacs, the founder of the initiative. From this original 18 have grown 20,000, now operating across four continents. Before starting work as a street pastor, volunteers are required to undergo 50 hours of training. This is vital as street pastors find themselves in a wide variety of challenging situations. In addition to offering up flip-flops on water, street pastors can often find themselves in the middle of difficult situations, which range from providing first aid to diffusing fights or domestic arguments. In Scotland, the Ascension Trust runs the initiative and street pastors have been helping people for over 10 years and now operate in 23 different locations. That is a great achievement in a short space of time, and now the street pastors are as much part of a great Scottish night out as a kebab on the way home. From Elgin to Edinburgh, street pastors are on hand to help. In my own region of Mid Scotland and Fife, we have street pastors patrolling in Perth, in Sterling, in Dunfermline, in Cowdenbeath, in Lochgelly and Levenmouth. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those teams for their dedication and hard work. It is not just in those communities that have welcomed the street pastors, but the wider Christian community has also taken them to their hearts. I would like to highlight the contribution of the Church of Scotland Guild, which has raised nearly £100,000 for the Ascension Trust in the past two years to support the street pastors. That money has been used to train pastors and to pioneer new programmes such as rail pastors, college pastors and prayer pastors. Funding from the Guild has allowed the Ascension Trust to improve training, which now includes in-depth modules and distance learning. Everyone has a role to play, and raising money for the street pastors through coffee mornings and bake sales will be important to ensuring the long-term health of the service. The debate marked 10 years since the Ascension Trust was established in Scotland. I recall hosting an event here at the Scottish Parliament with the then Minister for Community Safety, which marked the launch of which Les Isaacs spoke. It is remarkable to see the growth in the street pastor movement over the past decade, fulfilling an important social need. As I mentioned earlier, just after the debate, there will be a reception in the garden lobby to celebrate the 10th anniversary with representatives from all groups across Scotland. The cabinet secretary will also be there, and I look forward to seeing members there if they can attend. Deputy Presiding Officer, in my opinion, the success of the street pastors is a glimpse at the future of the church and Christian service. There is a place for the Sunday service, but the dusty pew is no longer the only carrier of the Christian message. My colleague Kate Forbes recently led a members' debate on Serves Scotland, which is a coalition of church-based community groups that offer services such as debt advice, food parcels and support for refugees. The street pastors are part of the larger movement, where the Christian message of love, compassion and service is evidenced in real-world situations. For more than 10 years, street pastors have made the night-time economy in Scotland a safer place to be. I just want to conclude by wishing them and the Ascension Trust all the best for the next 10 years. I welcome the street pastors, but I also say that we do not allow applauding in the gallery in debates, much though I know you want to, you must desist. I now go to the open debate. I would call Stuart McMillan, followed by Jeremy Balfour, please. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. First of all, I would like to congratulate Murdo Fraser for securing this members' debate. I did manage to sign the motion this afternoon. Murdo Fraser has set out well the background to the introduction of the street pastor, so I do not intend to go over that particular ground. Instead, I want to focus on my experience of going out with him on a Saturday evening in Greenock a couple of years ago. Before I do, Murdo spoke about the street pastors being part of the economy, such as with the kebabs, but there is one of the folks sitting in the gallery, Chris Dwell. I could not imagine Chris sitting in a kebab, but Chris will tell me later on if he does. I went out with the team one late summer evening. Before going out, I had the safety briefing. I must admit that it has certainly been given that the hive is a jacket with the word observer on it. It made me feel like I was becoming a bit of a walking target. I was looking for action out of the building, but thankfully that did not happen. Many years ago, when I was somewhat younger with less responsibility and with a bit more exuberance, I, too, would have been one of the hundreds who would have exited whichever club or clubs into the streets looking for a taxi home. Even then, however, I always did wonder why so many people actually went out, even in the winter, without a jacket on. I am clearly with many females wearing high heels of such particular height. However, to see the stock of simple but useful clothing that the street passers took with them really struck a chord with me. It was also obvious that the street passers in Inverclyde are also respected by many people who use the night-time economy. I did not see any street passers taking any verbal abuse, but it was certainly the opposite in fact. I accept that this might not always be the case, but certainly in that night I was out with them. It was the exact opposite. The street passers were welcomed and I heard that some of the stories of how some people had either engaged previously with the street passers or some friends had engaged with the street passers and it was always in a positive way. The street passers are certainly a welcome addition to our communities. The close-knit team ethos that was built up within the teams was hugely impressive. It was stressed to me that the whole purpose of the street passers certainly was to help people, not to attempt to preach to them, particularly if they were under the influence. It takes me to an illa point that I raised when I made the week in a jokey point regarding being at the walking target. That night, one gent certainly recognised me and he thought that it would be a wonderful opportunity to have an insightful discussion about politics at half past one in the morning. You are laughing, but that is true. My powers of persuasion and appeasement were certainly finding a bit tough initially, but the street passers thought, well, let them go and let them have this discussion. Ten minutes later they came over and they managed to take me away because it was not just about this one individual, there were quite a few others who thought that they were going to get in this particular sport of politician baiting. The street passers came in and the way they dealt with it was wonderful to see. The whole evening was a truly enlightening experience. I believe that we should be delighted that there are so many people, so many volunteers, who want to give up their time freely to help our towns, cities and villages and certainly our communities for such a worthy cause. I think that the extension of the street passers in Inverclyde to now actually go on the trains between Inverclyde and Paisley in Glasgow is also something that I want to highlight and very much welcome. I would like to wish every single street passer past and present and also the whole network a very happy 10th birthday and for many, many more years to come. I generally believe that our society is greatly enriched with their presence. Thank you very much. Thank you, Ms McWilliam. I call Jeremy Balfour to be followed by Sandra White. Mr Balfour, please. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I also congratulate my colleague Murdo Fraser in securing Mr Bait and also welcome those in my gallery not only to Mr Bait but to the reception afterwards. I've reached the age where a good Friday night for me is a chip shop and a DVD, but a couple of years ago, when I was a local councillor here in Edinburgh, I went out as part of a licensing board with the police on a Friday night. I have to say that it was a slight eye-opener to me of what goes on on George Street, Prince's Street, Loving Road and other parts of the city at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. There were many people there who were having, as Murdo has said, an excellent time, but sadly there were a few number who were the worst for wear and certainly needed some help from the police and from other people to get themselves home safely. Street pastures bring and add a different dimension to that which the police and other third sectors and government organisations can bring. I'm particularly pleased that, since 2009, we've had the street pastures here in Edinburgh helping people to get home safely and to be able to maybe step in at an earlier stage and diffuse arguments. I'm sure that most of us, whether we went to Times Square or not, are aware of the power of a good Samaritan and I think that street pastures are a modern-day version of that, stepping in, helping people, whoever they are, without any questions being asked. The help often is just a practical help, as we've heard already from other speakers, but it is also an opportunity for someone to be able to speak and to reassure particularly if people are worse for wear. I think that the other encouragement for me in regard to street pastures is that it brings churches together who perhaps disagree on theology but all agree in regard to helping those and bringing practical help. Again, looking at the website here in Edinburgh, the number of churches that are represented from different backgrounds and from different theologies is encouraging and should be applauded. I'm sure that all of us would want to celebrate and encourage the 10th birthday anniversary and look forward to what will happen over the next years and to thank those who have and will continue to volunteer in regard to it and hope that their work will flourish and that it will bring the success that they want. I thank Murdo Fraser very much for enabling us to have this debate today and also welcome everyone, the street pastures and the gallery. I don't know of Andy from Partick South churches there, probably need to put my glasses on, but I did speak to him on Saturday there and I said I would mention him because he was one of the street pastures that I was out with as well. I was saying this briefing, I suppose, or story, basically, spending a night out in Glasgow with the city street pastures. I won't read out what happened to or the stories that are there because certainly I've spent many nights out in Glasgow but also with the street pastures as well. There's been lots of talk about the fact that people respect the fact that the street pastures are there and certainly in my experience it wasn't a nice night, it was a wet, miserable, cold, dark night and we had the hats and the gloves on. We started up at the very top of Byers Road round the university and I must say that we went into lots of little nooks and crannies with the street pastures. It was fantastic, they knew where people were and that's one of the areas that I want to concentrate on. Yes, certainly there were people who were inebriated, maybe had a wee bit too much. There were some girls who had stumbled out a couple of pubs, as you might call it, and they were so grateful for the flip-flops. How they managed to get the flip-flops on over trousers and tights, I don't know, but they did anyway. Some of them didn't have any tights so it was absolutely fine there. The street pastures, it says here, the amount of flip-flops that they've given out is 2,101. I'm sure that it must be even more than that now, but certainly the amount of equipment that they carry, such as the flip-flops, such as water, and people were respectful of being there as well. One of the issues that we had is, as we walked down through Ashton Lane, we spoke to people and made sure that folk were all right. We came across people who may have been inebriated, but we came across homeless people, and the wonderful thing was that not just they gave over water and flip-flops etc, and they helped people to get a taxi. It's the actual contact. The street pastures actually knew about those people, and if someone wasn't in their spot from where they were being the night before or the week before, they could contact officials and find out where they are or tell them that they were missing. I think that that's a fantastic aspect of it as well, the fact that they dug out there and helped people, but it's their knowledge that they've got on the street. They talk to people, people will come up and say to them, oh, by the way, so-and-so isn't here tonight because he's somewhere else, or whatever it may be, we gave out hats and gloves to some of the regular homeless people that were there as well, some of the dogs, and they were given food as well as. So, although the street pastures are fantastic, absolutely about flip-flops and making sure that people get taxis, their trust is more than the police are. I mean, the night that we were out, there was a number of people who we had to get taxes for, they came to us to phone the taxi, they wouldn't go to the police to phone the taxi, so if the police were there, the police would actually contact or speak to the street pastures and ask them if they could look after these people here, but that and the plus side of the fact that they know who is out in the streets there, particularly the homeless people there, they've got actual contact, they can contact their own churches or anyone else, city, mission or whatever it may be. And I think that's a real plus and you must be applauded for the work that you do. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Thank you, Ms White. I call Thair Baker to be followed by Stewart Stevenson. Ms Baker, please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I'm delighted to take part in this debate to recognise the work of the Street Pasture Scotland as they mark their 10 years as an organisation. I congratulate Murdo Fraser on securing this evening's debate and also extend my best wishes to those who have joined us this evening. There are several street pastor projects in Fife working with Fife Council and the police, but I first came across street pastors when they were established in Cacodde. They started patrolling in Cacodde in February 2010 and were organised thanks to the dedication of our local churches. They started as a response to an identified need within the nighttime economy. They have a simple approach, which is to help and assist people. The street pastors are all highly trained volunteers from local churches who care about their community. It is an inter-denominational church response to modern life. I understand that there are currently 11 trained volunteers in Cacodde and that they go out most Saturday evenings until 4am, a significant commitment for which I thank them. They go on to the streets to meet people in their own social environment and support people when they need it. As well as always meeting the last train home at the station, they are exploring the possibility of expanding into rail pastors. They will always help, care and listen to whoever they meet. Cacodde is a good example of the strength of the partnership model that is working across Fife. A particularly good relationship has been forged with community police who provide a valued level of commitment right from the start. The street pastors engage with all those working at night, the taxi drivers, the doorman and the women and the fast food outlets. We are all familiar with the pressures on our police force, and while people may think that police has always been crime fighters, much of their work is dealing with vulnerable people. The work of the street pastors complements that, and they play an important role in promoting community safety. Their work also encourages other volunteering, as fellow church members will come out to provide soups, sandwiches and hot drinks for their street pastors. Street pastors across the region support people through minor emergencies—loss friends, lost phones, lost money, lost shoes—and they provide slippers or flip flops for those suffering from sore feet, bottled water, tissues and foil blankets if people need them, and they focus on getting people home quickly and safely. They will administer minor first aid, applying plasters and wipes, helping people who are ill—it is perhaps self-inflicted illness, but they offer no judgment, they only offer support and understanding.  Although they may be dealing with people who are at a low point, I understand that there are often many high points and there is a bit of banter and lots of good humour on most evenings too. They work all year round out in the cold and the wet weather, just as the revelers do. I have had the pleasure of meeting the founder of the street pastors, Les Isaac, after being invited by councillor Judy Hamilton to an event in Cercody to recognise the work that the street pastors were doing, and it is great to see them both here in Parliament this evening. Started in 2003 in Brixton, this is a movement that has grown across the country. It demonstrates the commitment of churches to our local communities, and in that role, they are engaging with and carrying out good work with people that they might otherwise not meet. Over the years, they have helped many people who just need a bit of care, an open ear and probably a lot of patience. For that, I sincerely thank them and wish them many more successful evenings ahead. Kate Forbes I thank Mother Fraser for the opportunity to highlight a very important initiative that has been going for 10 years, and we wish it to continue for many years. Like many others, I have street pastors in my constituency. Earlier this year, I attended the induction of new pastors in Peterhead. I have not, like some others, been out in the street with the street pastors, but I have certainly been out on Saturday night with the police on three occasions, for approximately five hours in most cases. I know the environment into which the street pastors are going. Talking to street pastors, one of the interesting things that I have heard from them is that the mere presence of the pastors on the street changes the character of what is going on in the street. In a place like Peterhead, you might think carefully why that should be so. It is a population of some 19,000, but the odds are that the street pastor knows your mum.  It's a very practical thing. What we're talking about is practical, polite, pastoral support from people. Getting support is the very meaning of the word pastoral, and looking at the Facebook page of the Peterhead street pastors for last Saturday, there are simple things on the Facebook page. Huge following. Remember to wrap up warm, the temperature is going to be one to two degrees. Remember to have a plan for getting home, a taxi, somebody coming to pick you up and remember that the pavements around the town centre are very slippery. Nothing in that is anything other than quite obvious, but it sometimes is precisely the sort of thing that those who are focused on having, quote, a good night out may neglect. So it's that practical advice and practical help that the pastors are giving that will make a real difference to people in places like Peterhead. Peterhead is a very diverse community. The academy has 28 languages in it, so there's plenty of opportunity for confusion and misunderstandings between different parts of the communities. The presence of the street pastors in the street at a weekend in particular can help deal with, can help manage, can help identify people who are vulnerable and connect them to support and sources of help. It's interesting to read what some other people say about it. The Spectator magazine, I think, put it really rather well, described the street pastors as weirdly effective unworldliness. In other words, they were saying, this is pretty good stuff but we don't quite know how it works and it's not quite in our normal experience. I think that it's actually a return to the roots of much of what Christian faith is about. It's about supporting other people. It's about being non-judgmental. My grandfather was probably one of the judgmental ones. He was a member of the independent order of Rechabites and definitely would not have approved of the carousing and consumption of alcohol on a Saturday night. I know that he persuaded his nephew, who was in Lloyd George's Government, to nationalise the one drinking den in Cromartey so that it would be brought under control. That doesn't really work in the modern world. What the street pastors are doing is highly personal, highly effective and deserving of our continuing support. Thank you. You never failed to amaze me with your family history. Oh no, please. I call Kate Forrest, who is the last we can look at today. We'll talk about family history. I'm going to launch it into my own. Thank you to Murdo Fraser for this debate. I know for a fact that the street pastors are made of strong stuff. I know that because my sister volunteered as one of them for at least a year. I used to never cease to amaze me to see her going out overnight, knowing that it was going to be a sleepless night, knowing that there were probably activities to do the following day, and yet she would choose to give up her night for the sake of other people. She is a remarkable woman. She's just flown back from India just in time to send me a whole list of stories for my debate and for my speech this evening. Her first comment to me when I asked what her views were of street pastors was that it was the best thing she has done ever and that going over the stories of people she had come across made her miss it so much. She is of course just one of 20,000 volunteers across the United Kingdom who give up their evenings and their sleep to care for other people. She stressed to me that the training was brilliant and it was so important that training in terms of what a street pastor's role and responsibility is on the street and the training that they get from the police and the training in terms of first aid was so crucial because every night is truly a roller coaster as you step out into other people's shoes and go on journeys with them and it's a roller coaster ride. It can be emotional, you meet with some very very vulnerable people, it can be physically exhausting just staying up overnight in the cold and the rain and it is tough, it may be brilliant but it's tough and the variety of people that you meet on a night out and not knowing what to expect is presumably a big part of what street pastors do. Hannah, my sister would talk about simple interventions with girls out at night with very little clothes and suffering from the cold and she would be able to provide them with flip flops, with socks and ensuring that they were warm sometimes with blankets. On the other end of the spectrum she could talk about a guy that she came across who was on the verge of jumping off onto train tracks and being able to intervene there and talk to him and stop him from jumping onto those train tracks and to make sure that he had the help that he needed that night and without street pastors being there in that moment and being willing to work with that guy it might well have been a very different outcome. She also mentioned that often people are very grateful but sometimes they're not, sometimes in fact they're anything but grateful and can be very obnoxious and yet street pastors have the time to stop and chat. Hannah mentioned somebody who was particularly difficult and through the course of conversation discovered that he had lost his best friend that week and was struggling to come to terms with it and there was no need for flip flops or socks but there was the need for a listening pair of ears and for somebody to be there to help him to talk through his feelings and those are just three very different examples of how street pastor can totally transform the direction not just of somebody's night but of somebody's life and on that note I pay tribute to their hard work and wish them very well for the next 10 years. Thank you very much Presiding Officer. Like other members I want to start by congratulating Murdo Fraser for securing this very important debate tonight. I want to add my congratulations to the street pastors in reaching their 10th anniversary and look forward to the years ahead and I am indeed attending the reception following this member's debate and I have to say Murdo Fraser has certainly wetted my appetite as I am now looking forward to kebabs. However if there are no kebabs we might just have to settle for lollipops instead. There's been some great contributions tonight, I did panic a little but I did wonder if Stuart McMillan was going with his commentary around women's footwear but Jeremy Balfour, Sandra Fyclare Baker have all made substantive contributions and I look forward to many more contributions from Stuart Stevenson and Kate Forbes as they compete with their family histories and family testimonies but both gave great contributions and it was lovely to hear about Kate's sister and the work that she's doing. I very much agree with the sentiment that's been expressed and I agree wholeheartedly that the work of street pastors in Scotland is absolutely invaluable as they work to support people in times of crisis and they're helping to make our streets a safer place also. It is an excellent example of how Scotland's faith communities work to support many of our most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities and the people within those communities. I very much note and welcome the comments made by Maudra Fraser and Jeremy Balfour that the context of this work is in the context also of interfaith work and the faith community as a whole going forward. Every day we know that street pastors demonstrate compassion, kindness, their offering of reassurance, safety and support essentially by caring and listening to people, helping people who are out in the streets or indeed homeless, really tapping in to people and their own personal needs and listening to people's personal testimonies. We know that 45,000 hours of service has been provided to communities in Scotland every year as a result of the invaluable work by street pastors and as mentioned by Claire Baker that the street pastors have very good links with Police Scotland and local authorities and they're working with local churches and other community organisations all just simply with a view to help improve lives and to keep people safe. We cannot forget that street pastors are volunteers. The commitment of volunteers, the length and breadth of Scotland of people who are solely working for the betterment of their community or individuals within the community is simply one of the most valuable resources that this country has. It may seem a bit distasteful, but it is important to remember that volunteering contributes £2 billion to an economy every year. I know that we shouldn't always try to equate things in terms of monetary value, but I think that that is an important fact that demonstrates that the breadth and the depth and the contribution that volunteers in all the work that they do across Scotland make to our people, to our country and to our economy. This Government recognises the important contribution that volunteers make in Scotland and we are committed to continue to support and encourage people to get involved in volunteering and to help to make a difference to the matters that matters most to people. We are working to produce, I suppose, policy terms that are called the evidence-led outcome volunteering framework, but essentially what we are trying to do is to create that very coherent, compelling narrative with the key outcomes to ensure that we do justice and can explain and evidence the work that our volunteers do, the length and breadth of Scotland, although we must not lose track of those very personal outcomes and those very personal testimonies. However, without the contributions that volunteers make, whether they are street pastors, carers, providers, mentors, leaders and in many other roles, many of our communities would be far worse off. That is why, as a Government and as a chamber, we will continue to celebrate the vital contribution that volunteers make to this country. I work very hard to break down the barriers that prevent people from making this contribution as volunteers. We have to be absolutely clear that volunteering plays a huge role in building stronger communities and in building more resilient communities. It has to be said that the biggest gift that you can give anyone is the gift of your time. People give freely of their time without any fanfare or reward. I was also very struck by the investment that street pastors, as an organisation and as individuals, make in their training, a 12-week training programme of 50 hours. That is in recognition that, although people may be volunteers, they are doing a very skilled work. We have heard the practical work and the giving work about helping people, particularly at this time of year when it is cold and people are out on a big night out. We have also heard from Sandra White and others in particular that street pastors are working closely with people who are experiencing homelessness by knowing people's names, by signposting them to other services in agencies. Kate Forbes is often offering life-saving or life-changing work. I know that, in the chamber, we often debate rightly the issues in and around homelessness, and no member will be familiar with the work of the action group, the end rough sleeping action group, and the immediate actions that were taken over the course of this winter to tackle rough sleeping with increased investment in emergency accommodation and resources to front-line workers. We know, as a Government and as a Parliament, that there is always so much more to do, but the point that I really wanted to make is that this is not just about Government action, but about our whole society playing their part. The work of street pastors and other volunteers who are dedicating their time and talents to helping homeless people and reducing inequality has never been more important, and we have to recognise the invaluable contribution that people make. I want to quickly highlight to people the work that is a Government that we are doing in terms of the need to reduce loneliness and social isolation. We are working on a national social isolation strategy, and that is about an overall approach about moving away from crisis intervention into more preventative work, but it is recognising that positive and regular human contact improves people's physical and mental health. Once again, we recognise that everyone has a role to play in reducing the levels of social isolation and loneliness in our society and that initiatives such as the street pastors provide a service that builds connections within communities, supports people in times of crisis and helps to make our communities a better place for everybody to thrive. Once again, I want to end by thanking Mother Fraser for securing this debate and to put on record our congratulations and heartfelt thanks to the very many street pastors.


That's the breakfast and plus severe Africa is time for us to check out the papers this morning We call it off the press. We have Chris Cain in Wando who's on standby. He joins the conversation in no time Good morning, Chris. It's good to have you join us Thank you very much for having me. Good morning. Good morning to you Chris All right, let's take a look at the leadership news paper this morning and We'll pay attention to the top stories on the leadership the banner caption reads Terrorist bomb Kaduna rail Take that again. Terrorist bomb Kaduna rail tracks 970 passengers stranded Underneath our tackers over 50 in number That's what the victim is quoted to say and travelers feared kidnapped very unfortunate incident PDP presidential race not for 70 year old or Tom is quoted and You have Niger Applies for oppression license notice fies and CAA 2023 I want to help Buhari finish strong the central bank the CBN governor Godwin in Mephili is quoted to say and 12 coups in Africa in five years unacceptable the vice president orders the court to Say that this is not acceptable and talking about the ASU. You have the NIT D a says the Uttas failed 156 out of 687 tests So I feel like this is going to go on for a very long time between the federal government and ASU Federal government orders short down of offices for Nigeria and Ghana match today There's also a video that made it You know the surface on the internet and the video talked about, you know having the black stars that's Ghana Training in in in darkness yesterday the Abuja stadium I mean, we don't know what the issues but one would think that it is going to be a match Whatever it takes if it takes us getting all of the generators to be working Because people are already feeling that this is a reprisal attack of what happened with the boys But even though it's not necessarily the effort but we'll move away from that National Convention PDP suits against APC act of desperation That's what the federal government's good as I say. This is some of the headlines on the leadership Away from the leadership. Next is the punch newspaper National Convention is the late story. I read by Scholler lies allies aggrieved chieftain supporters dump APC Crisis lingers in quarrel ocean Zamfara orders despite Buhari's plea a griff party members refused to withdraw court cases in states At the most peace panel fails to beat deadline on report Submission that said the lead story on the punch in this paper Other stories are making headlines are making front page train the rails as terrorists Bomb Abuja Kaduna rail track eight killed in Ascultus engage in supremacy battle in Oregon state Nalgay plans protest as State assemblies get Constitution amendment bill today are the stories on the front page of the punch 1.8 million candidates register for UTME jam partner CBT centers on diesel costs Kaduna airport not attacked 12 terrorists eliminated Military is quoted on that one 2023 and building strong financial system supporting Buhari Says a may filly. That's the governor of the central bank of Nigeria Both the must-have. There are some stories there marketers blame oil price Forex as cooking gas price Rises again Cooking gas again LPG I'm moving on abacare others transferred to prison court denies DCP Bill All right, those are the stories most of the stars you can find on the punch newspaper on the front page this morning Away from the punch newspaper. We take a look at a daily independent the top story here says Stakeholders differ over 92 billion are for a butcher airport second runway Say amount outrageous for four kilometer runway. No need for another tax federal government on details of approval to further boost Transparency these are riders underneath the caption Increase in price of food stuff petrol not limited to Niger Increase in price of food stuff and petrol not limited to Niger I mean this is what the federal government is quoted to say Lyme Mohammed, you know putting all of that Uncertainty over resumption date of Adamu led APC working committee Interesting commercial activities paralyzed in Oweri Oka Onicha and Enugu government and for seated home order and shoot passengers And you also have alleged 2.9 billion fraud caught threatened strike Court threatens to strike out EFCC suit against Oka Onicha My focus is on building strong financial system. Help Buhari finish strong says Godwin Emethili the CBN governor's quoted on that Nigerian community decries Delayed justice over killing of compatriots in South Africa. These are the headlines on the daily independent on the last paper we Review in this morning is the nation the late story that Tidibu has set standard and leadership says Buhari President's law one by Javier Miller others hail former Lagos governor at 70 Wiki on him say in South's deserves PDP Preston show T cat tell come blackout likely in a Booja on dough a kitty others No destruction, please. Emethili tells Campaign as those are the stories that most of the stories on the front page of the nation newspaper this morning Well, let's have Chris K. They joined the conversation now once again. Thank you for joining us. We appreciate your time always Thank you for having me once again So let's go through the pages of a national dailies and looking at the leadership newspaper this morning It talks about the attack on the train yesterday or last night in Kaduna Yes, the attack on the train Abudia Karnaband tree is a another my stone the terrorist attacks in Nigeria Don't forget this is not the first I think this is the second time this year. That was it one that also happened few months back and But it goes to show that No, we are in safe any longer. And this is coming on the heel of another attack barely four or five days ago at the Kaduna international airport We are an evasion worker was also killed when some terrorist Evaded the airport and also Blood the wrong way stopping a place from taking off This is another dimension to the insecurity across the land and I've said it and with them on by again Except we're going to need this in the board and make sure that those of this corporate approach to prove Then we're going to have a bigger challenge and after that attack at the airport And I've said it and go for it. What are we looking at again? You might be shocked that before we know it We might just have some of the terrorist hijacking planes and doing some of these things that we are across other groups other parts of the world best It is a quite unfortunate The what it was to blow up the ray track making it impossible for the for the plane to Try to move a train with over 970 passengers at night and Let me tell you the reason why most people use that rail is because the Abuja expressway is no longer safe We have been kidnapped on the daily basis. We have been killed in daily business that route has become one of the most dangerous Roads in Nigeria and for that people now resort to train But the Soviets that the train is safe is even not getting is not even safe And that is even the worst if you know the large volume of number of people that for three this one was 970 close to 1000 people If they're able to make their way to those trains and they have the people or a lot of a lot of things that happen But we heard that security agencies were able to move in strictly and get them dislodged and And that was it but since they are tempted this and it won't become the rest I'm sure there is a possibility that they are going to attempt it again. And this to me is a very dangerous dimension to Terrorism banditry or whatever you call it in Nigeria Okay, but just before I mean Justin, you know comes in down on any of the headlines In 2015, I mean we can't forget to ignore 2015 because the president at the time when he was campaigning before he became president He'd made promises and he was on this. He said Boko Haram will be crushed He wouldn't show that you know lives and properties of Nigerians are secured We're seeing things that Didn't I mean we're not saying that security or insecurity was not an issue prior to this time But this is so much, you know boldness First you have bandits getting to the airport. I mean to they even disrupted, you know the flight movement and You also again just a few days after you have this bandits also attacking the train track and therefore You know costing a lot of persons to be stranded and we saw the pictures from that incident really really sad What is really emboldening or you know enhancing and making this? Security, I mean some of these elements.  What's what's giving them this moral? What's Finding their wings and making them very bold with all of these moves First of all, let's correct the notion. These are not bandits that terrorists You should just continue but they haven't but they haven't been prescribed bandits there. They're still called bandits I mean no one has prescribed them as bandits There's a court order to that regrets. There's a court order to that but has it been affected It's not for me. It's for the executive to do. I cannot do in that But the fact is that these are not bandits that terrorists and we should score them what they are And that is part of the problem we are having because of infinity or do we start getting these people and make sure that they face The the the full rot of the law this will continue because they believe that they'll get away some of those that were arrested the Boko Haram Member that we arrested what I put to them they granted them in minutes and they said they have rehabilitated Some of them went back to what they are doing. These are people that have been killing innocent Nigerians Destroying Nigeria in all aspects of it, but what happens when you look at the south east and which is why most of time some of us look at this and say Is there any correlation between the government and what is happening? They will be when the Agitators in the south east cut themselves high for isn't or even those in the south west Agitating the full rot of the law is bring down on them The soldiers are sending to the street to kill or main or to arrest most of them And these are people that practically at least any stages of the agitation. We are not violent at all Let's see what is happening in the north on the daily basis people are being kidnapped people have been killed a vision of tracks a version of Airport killing of people like the airport and not to seem to so until we wake up the body language of the Issue of terrorism as it were for me. It's not good enough Once we started with the needful make sure that most of it. What are those are all those that have been arrested for?  They'll be that they'll be already caught This is good to months and years now. Nobody has something happened in Dubai And Sometime ago where some people were figured at this one source of Boko Haram in Nigeria You are you quickly run your door tried and jibbed, but so if you continue to play Issue of security we keep love This is what we get because the guys we continue to get But if you know you fully whether nobody's equal to touch them if we are there any arrest After this attack at the airport if they are there when are they going to be tried for terrorism? Terrorism carries the capital punishment, which most often is either dissenters or life imprisonment But you just see that most of these guys are just Twitter we keep up and that is what is up on to we start with the needful. All right. What is this? All right, Chris. So let's move away from that. We will still discuss Kaduna, Abuja Train attack much later on the show, but let's talk about other stories are making headlines. Let's move on to The punch in this paper this morning and the National Convention the ABC National Convention is leading on the punch and The main story there I read Beshella Ly Mohamed some ally a grieved chieftain supporters Dump a PC. It's as though it is not yet. Oh, who are for the all-progressive's Congress? Despite Sam. They are so-called successful Congress on Saturday Sunday. What do you think Chris? Expectedly is expected. We are so new that I don't have any portion in the room party once after the that convention that's what you get when you impose people and You are green on a sense of that day candidate contestors candidate and the rest of them There's no way that some certain people won't be agreed by what happened if you look at the The way and manner the EPC conventions are held. You see that so many barblers were drawn most of the candidates So some of them practically cry when they were asked to step down when they pick up the mic You see what they were saying was that I say they wanted to contest where they are being forced even a former minister Came out to say that I wanted to contest I think for the post of National Secretary and was told how he's paid his book on how he was forced to get seen his ambition to become the National Secretary of Of the EPC Well, the fact was able to rally around the self by holding that convention and the president was able to step in to make sure that Certainties we are doing so that there won't be so much rank of within the ranks of a PC members But if you take a long time for that to totally hear and that is where some of us have said that The way we are going about our democracy is this truly a democracy because the mission of democracy is government of people by the people What have we are seeing now is the government or if a few who sit down pick People and just throw them to the national arena as well we don't give it any huge to the aspirations and Desires of most members of the political parties the way I manner the consensus We are big the APC that is going to leave so much to be desired Don't forget that there were six seven people that contest We wanted to contest for that's national action machine of a PC the six we are asked to start on for the eventual And what is more even Lovable to me is that this is a party that came in In 2015 I say one of the reason why they want to take over boys PDP destroyed Nigeria that for 16 years PDP destroyed my dad I go and look at the hierarchy of the new members of the National Executive Council of a PC all of them Particular or at least the top the top ones We are members of the PDP the national chairman was a governor of a national state two time PDP national governor of National State also went to the Senate as a member of the PDP before he moved to the DC today Is a renewed and a born again the National Secretary of Missionary was a PDP also today So but I expect that the APC have set up a reconciliation committee Which was initially also headed by the current chairman that was better, but there are reports of that committee I don't think I've been submitted and I think they would do everything possible to make sure that Everybody's recognized so that they can get ready Relation okay away from that. Let's let's look at the daily independence newspaper and the federal executive council has approved 92 billionaire for Abuja Airport second runway and now stakeholders are saying that this is not necessary There's a lot of you know back-and-forth mixed reaction if you want to say some people are saying the amount is outrageous for a 4-kilometer runway. There's no need for another one You also have all the saying that the federal government should be taxed on the details of approval to further boost the transparency this project or construction of this One way it's in you know different faces. I mean the approval. What are your thoughts? Do you think that we need a second runway? The airports or and do you think this amount is outrageous? I'm sure before the government came up with that budget for that. There must have been due and there must have also consulted in several Operators within the industry and we want to get the best out of them whether it is too much or not too much I'm not in a position to say because I don't I've never consulted a runway before I don't know how much it is to consult a runway. So but whether that we should have a second Yes, we should Each of us especially the most important Beggars and the Abuja intentional but you have a second runway the essence of that is that if anything happens There's only there would be an alternative runway Go for being the descent happening within a particular runway That's wrong. We'll be shut down for as many hours as possible or even days or until that has been that has been done Don't forget that when the recon when we are having a reconstruction of the a footer runway for some weeks I think for some weeks or even way for weeks Flight were diverted to some other stages, which I think I do not international airport People come into Abuja from all parts of the world. We are using the cardinal airport You can see how unsafe the cardinal airport now. So if there's anything that happened to the only wrong way we have And you start diverting a flight putting attention on local flights to I put them to cardinal there. We're going to have problem. The road is not safe as we said earlier on the rail Is not also safe. So so many countries across the globe you go to major cities in the airport in the world We always have a second or some people have as many as two three four Runway, so I think there's a need for us to have a second runway So that we don't get ourselves a cage into a particular situation. We cannot go best as to the cost The the house and the national assembly have oversight functions on issues like this And I believe that is able to look at it and make sure that we don't get an overbluted Contra for the runway As I said, I don't know how much The reason for for that is because prior to this time, they were looking at 67 billionaire and all of a sudden There's a jump from, you know, 67 billionaire, you know to 92 billionaire inflationary to also sexy inflation rate setting. So it's a I don't know when that budget was made So inflation rate, but I'm not as I said, I am not in any way Say that I approve the amount. I don't have not in a position to say I think we should be able to call a vision as part maybe to the program And one of these days to talk to them. Let that give us a break and mess with your life in the fact I don't I don't like speculating on what I don't know if you ask me other issues that I know about But for me, we need the second runway, but the national assembly should do their oversight function on issues like this It wasn't budgeted for if it was budgeted for how much was budgeted if there have been variation? Why the variation and why why is it this expensive? So if they were to do that, they can be able to Be able to control that but if they if they shy away from their Responsibilities, then it becomes a problem, but I still believe that we need to go there We need a second runway both in Lagos and that's if we don't have a second runway in Lagos ahead All right, Chris Integrity is still plaguing different parts of the country as we speak yesterday in the news On the on the point. It was um that um eight people were killed as um Court is a battle for supremacy. We also heard what happened in Keduna state, you know, Keduna abuja You know train attack, but then the daily dependent also has another one there are commercial activities and paralyzing Or a orka on each hand a nougu as a gunman in force seated home or there shoot Passengers, Chris. What do we have in our hand? This issue of insecurity is just continuing on the baited across board all over the geographical locations of the country It's not just over there. How can they know the police station in my local government? Our the headquarter Our police station was attacked and And policemen were injured Properties destroyed And those pictures got me last night and then that shows you the level of insecurity So it's not just it has it has gotten to me too So my local government police station in obu local government of in most states was attacked also and the policemen Were injured that shows the level of The height of it and the security across land few weeks ago I think it was last week or there about the president invited My governor governor who who's a demon to uh asura where the discourse issue of security and I learned and We are told that most security agents will be posted to in most states on the case and The civil defense but it seems that that is is not That's all they're moving to other part of them the start is governor Charles soludo said that acts or workers federal government and state government workers to resume work every monday and all markets should be open And is that nothing we have to where from the report we're getting now isn't that that's fell on death here because practically The whole of the service and an umbrella was we are shot down yesterday and Those that made attempt to come out and from the reports we're getting we are shot So that is the high level of insecurity in the south is especially this monday monday We think that and that in itself is killing all sorts of economic activities In southeastern and to me that is self-inflating when I continue to hear it. Oh, it is output No output I put out come out to category categorically say that they have nothing to do With the seat at home that they've not given any order for anybody to sit at home The only time that the attack will state at home is when a ban nam decal is going to cut But as of today it seems that some people are benefiting from this action as of And that is why I also blame our security agencies how come they have not been able to arrest Some of these people and make each other the best so Everything's simple down to our security agents. Just as it's happening in kaduna as example in zaria as it's happening in other parts of north Those in the south are not open in kids. Good enough. Yes, the the 82nd day of the nigerian army Move to some places in an umbrella stage where they were able to Dislodge some so-called esm members and I saw the rap over 32 rifles We are recovered from that that shows you that is just from one camp 32 rifles is all over the All over the people to our page you see it as well That shows you the level of security and the arms in the hands of so many people And we are not doing anything possible to be able to take out and take out these arms And as we're moving to 2023 i'm telling you that it's going to be worse Well, thank you so much chris k and a uh one do for being part of the show this morning We do appreciate your thoughts Always Thank you very much for having me and do have a nice day All right, you too dude Well, that's the size of it for off the press and we will definitely return with off the press tomorrow In the meantime, let's tell you what happened today in history when we return It will be time for a fast major conversation. 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