1999 Council expedition to Little Rock Arkansas. Gang of 4 Council Tossers, comprising Town Creep T.Polly, Councillor (Sicilian sounding) Maria Ina Smith, Councillors Chambers and Cree, tagged on the end of the junket, the Polly family and Stanley Smith. Pretext for mission, SCI Annual Conference to sign a Friendship Agreement.

The choice of Arkansas as the destination was clearly wide of the mark, with the immeasurable sleazy business and entrepreneurial skills this Council process; the twinning agreement should have been Las Vegas.

We already have Holywood.

This is possibly the greatest mistake and missed opportunity ever undertaken by this Council; Bangor has more in common with Vegas.

Corruption, organised crime, murder, violence, drugs, on the up a great tourist destination and the envious claim of Events capital of Ireland.

Mr Nice Guy Oscar Goodman, whose impeccable credentials include Las Vegas Mayor and Mob Lawyer, and whose winning election campaign run under the ticket. Quote (I will not allow the citizens of Las Vegas to be pushed around by these developers who are out to make a fast buck) should have been adapted by our Council.

A syndicate partnership with Big Frank Costello, “Lucky” Luciano or the Rat Pack could have offered us a bold and imaginative plan for Caesar’s Palace type hotels on the promenade to lure the Thrill Seeker, Show Biz and High Roller American tourists on to the strip.

Bangor could have been the “business success story” of the 20^th century, a vibrant, civic-minded metropolis a favourite “Family” (no pun intended) vacation spot.

We may even have learnt how to perfect the art of sine qua non (trick of the trade) .The ability to skim of any profits as perfected in 1930s Mob crime capital Havana Cuba.

And with our excellent cultural exchange programs we may well have taught the Mafia a thing or two.