Voters in Northern Ireland were today given a "wake-up call" to turn up at polling stations and exercise their franchise for the Assembly elections.
Trade unionists, business and voluntary sector leaders issued the call at the launch of a new mobile poster campaign in Belfast stressing the importance of voting in Wednesday's Stormont election.
In a joint statement, Mr Roy Bailie, chairman of the Baird Group, and Mr Jim Fitzpatrick, president of the Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce, insisted that substantial gains have been made during devolution.
They said: "This election is vitally important as it will determine how Northern Ireland will proceed over the next five years and how our children inthe future will live.
"There is no denying that substantial gains have been made since devolved government became a reality here.
"There is also no denying that the Northern Ireland Assembly has gone through difficult times and for that reason some people may have lost their enthusiasm to vote.
"However, we feel strongly that each of us has a responsibility to use ourvote and to ensure that democracy is given its best opportunity to work positively for everyone in Northern Ireland."
With 48 hours left in the election campaign, there is still concern about voter apathy.
Northern Secretary Mr Paul Murphy yesterday urged voters to turn out at polling stations on November 26th.
The Presbyterian Church has also called for a strong turnout.
Ulster Unionist Party leader Mr David Trimble last Friday also launched a billboard campaign urging supporters not to stay at home.
Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists are hopeful that they will be able toget their vote out and yesterday SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan teamed up with singer songwriter Brian Kennedy to urge the electorate to back his party.
Mr Trimble was today planning to deliver a state of the Union address in South Belfast as part of frantic last-minute efforts to persuade supporters to vote.
The SDLP were also releasing 500 balloons in Belfast city centre, urging voters to back them and stop the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists.
Sinn Fein leader Mr Gerry Adams and other party officials were due to hold one of their final press conferences of the campaign.
The leader of the cross-community Alliance Party, Mr David Ford, was taking part in a question and answer session in Belfast's Linenhall Library, and Green MSP Mr Mark Ballard travelled to North Down to support the campaign of Northern Ireland Green leader Mr John Barry in Bangor.
PA