STANDING… Victor Warrington
GROWING up in Roslea during the Troubles had a major bearing on Victor Warrington’s decision to run as an Ulster Unionist candidate in next month’s local government elections.
A resident in Brookeborough, he is standing in Erne East, having previously stood for election in 2011.
He believes that the experience will stand him in good stead.
So, why again?
“I have always had a great interest in politics.
“Why did I get interested? I honestly put it down to my birthplace. I grew up in Roslea and anybody who knows their history in Fermanagh will know Roslea was a very troubled area which saw a lot of violence, a lot of terrorism.
“It saw friends and relations withered, so probably that was a pointer to look down the political road.”
He is well-known across the county, with 30 years of experience in the retail trade from spells working in Irvinestown and Lisnaskea with FDH and then in Enniskillen with McIlwaine Electrical and now Erne Communications.
Victor is the sole UUP candidate in Erne East, and is keen to carry on the legacy of Harold Andrews (outgoing).
“I will be looking to fill his shoes. Having been born in Roslea, I have known Harold all my life, and I know what is expected of somebody from that direction.”
If elected, as well as tackling the issues of unemployment, Victor intends to promote suicide awareness.
“As somebody who has suffered from depression myself, I understand it and I think more work from a political perspective can be done to get awareness out there into the main.”
He said the recent death, by suicide, of Kenny Andrews had shown how suicide remained a very prevalent issue in the county.
He stated: “I knew Kenny very, very well, we were in the same class at school and did things in the area together.
“For me knowing Kenny and seeing him, I would never have thought he had a problem, so he obviously was covering it very well. It was a huge shock when I found out.”
The UUP man told the Herald how he hopes to get rid of the taboo and stigma surrounding depression so that it can be talked about openly.
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