A look at Barry: The power of prayer.

Byline: Peter Collins

SOME people believe that the power of collective prayer can literally move mountains.

I've yet to see that happen but a recent incident has persuaded me that, if a group of people earnestly wish for something to happen, it will indeed occur.

I was enjoying dinner at a cosy restaurant when a woman with an unutterably annoying London accent began speaking to her friends in commanding tones.

The sharp, whining sound of her voice was enough to almost shatter the windows.

She reminded me of Bianca in the soap opera Eastenders who was forever calling, ``Ricky, Ricky'', after her unfortunate spouse.

I wasn't the only one who was annoyed. Other diners were clearly hoping and praying that the woman would shut up.

I suspect the woman mistook a bowl of finger wash for salad vinaigrette.

She poured the liquid liberally over her salad, which she then attacked with vigour and enthusiasm.

Almost immediately, she began to cough and splutter as the sharp liquid hit the back of her throat.

If there was a doctor in the house, he or she decided against rushing to the woman's aid.

Still wheezing, the woman left the table and repaired to the lavatory to recover, leaving the rest of us to enjoy our meals in blissful peace.

Perhaps if enough of us wished for improvements in Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan, our hopes and dreams for the area would be realised. Most of us have wishlists of things we would like to see happen.

The trouble is there is too much talk and not enough action to realise our hopes for the area.

Last weekend, the people of Gibbonsdown were invited to suggest improvements for their area.

The best ideas will be put to the National Assembly in a bid to attract funding from the Communities First initiative.

We have been down this road before and not a lot has happened.

It is tempting to agree with ChrisFranks, leader of the Plaid group on the Vale council, when he says that the initiative is something of a con trick.

We must all hope and pray that such initiatives produce concrete results instead of more hot air.

WHILE we're hoping and praying, we must also trust that the under-threat Red Dragon project at RAF St Athan eventually gets the go-ahead.

Suspicion and political shenanigans cloud the whole issue of developing the airbase.

A growing number of people are expressing doubts that projects by DARA, the Welsh Development Agency and the Army aren't all they are cracked up to be.

Certainly, there is doubt about some claims that thousands of jobs could be created.

Indeed, some say that jobs have been shed and that this trend will continue. Let's hope not.