Category Archives: Outer Hebrides

BBC Gaelic radio used “SNP propaganda” about RET

Posted on February 22, 2012 | 9 Comments

Dear Gail

I agree with you Gail that the motion does encapsulate everything that the Comhairle and the OHTG have been lobbying for. Sadly, this morning on Radio nan Gaidheal I learnt two things:

The first, via an interview given by MSP Alasdair Allan, was that the Government intend amending the Motion and presenting the case for a 50 per cent increase as “major progress”. In so doing, ignoring the case you and the Comhairle have made for a moratorium until after the analysis is carried out. This illustrates what some of our political representatives have been doing, fobbing us all off with platitudes and doing Edinburgh’s bidding. And what can I say about the embarrassment of a letter from our MSP to Keith Brown that you copied us into last night…..

The second, more alarming thing I learnt was that certain BBC employees will faithfully use propaganda from the SNP as if it were truth. Today the gaelic presenter Shona Henderson said, and I translate “…the Labour Party had campaigned against RET….” This is a bare faced untruth for which no evidence exists. But it does exist in the lexicon of SNP propaganda and is now repeated by a few in the BBC. Sadly from past experience I know it’s pointless to call the Gaelic department of the BBC in Inverness – because they are always right and are incapable of error.

Incidentally – Norman MacAskill did, despite Ms Henderson’s best efforts, convey exactly what the OHTG stands for and more importantly what all reasonable people in the islands want. Keep up the good work and do not allow those that are opposed to commonsense prevailing to turn this critical issue into a “them versus us “ political football.

Regards,

DJ Macsween

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Posted in business, ferries, Labour Party, Media, Outer Hebrides, Radio, RET, transport, Western Isles

Dear Keith Brown, reinstate RET NOW! demands council leader.

Posted on February 21, 2012 | 3 Comments

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Mr Keith Brown MP
Minister for Transport
Scottish Government
Victoria Quay
EDINBURGH
EH6 6QQ

16 February 2012

Dear Mr Brown,

ROAD EQUIVALENT TARIFF: CHARGING FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

I refer to previous correspondence and our recent meeting in Edinburgh, and would thank you for ensuring the issue of a quick response by Transport Scotland on 13 February 2012, giving details of the amendments to the charging scheme for small commercial vehicles, and of the transitional arrangements for larger commercial vehicles.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar considered the statement at our full Council meeting on 15 February 2012. Members of the Comhairle also met representatives of the Outer Hebrides Transport Group (OHTG) earlier in the day and, following both these meetings, I would like to make the following points for further consideration and discussion.

First of all, I would wish to emphasise the Comhairle’s total support for the RET Scheme, which the Comhairle believes, from sound local knowledge, has brought significant economic and social benefit to the Outer Hebrides community. The Comhairle remains of the view, however, that the current proposals, taking into account the Transport Scotland announcement of 13 February, in regard to the withdrawal of RET for commercial vehicles will be detrimental to the economy and community.

The Comhairle acknowledges that the proposed scheme represents an improvement from the previous position of total withdrawal of RET from commercial vehicles. Nevertheless, the Comhairle cannot welcome a scheme which includes the possibility of 50% increases in fares for commercial vehicles, in the full knowledge of the impact this will have on the islands’ economy.

Accordingly, the Comhairle requests that Scottish Government re-instate RET for commercial vehicles until the evaluation referred to in the statement of 13 February 2012 has been completed. It is unusual for a study and evaluation to take place during a time of transitional arrangements, and the Comhairle would suggest that it is in all parties’ interests – Scottish Government, the Comhairle, the Outer Hebrides community and commercial operators – that the study is allowed to evaluate the full operation of RET on the basis of objective evidence.

Over the past week, the Comhairle commissioned preliminary assessment of Government’s proposals to help us understand the potential impacts. The results of this preliminary analysis suggest that the impacts, in terms of jobs, will be a loss to the local economy of circa 100 FTE. As you will appreciate this would be a significant and highly damaging impact for a fragile, peripheral economy such as the Outer Hebrides. You will be aware from the meeting that the commercial sector strenuously denies that the benefits of RET were not passed on to local consumers.

In order that appropriate local knowledge and local market intelligence is provided, there may be value in a Comhairle official being part of the Steering Group overseeing the proposed evaluation. This may also assist transparency around the evaluation and we would be happy to release a Comhairle official to assist in this regard.

The Comhairle supports the campaign of the OHTG to seek to reverse Scottish Government’s proposals to remove RET from commercial vehicles, and will continue to work with the group as regards this element of its work.

On a related matter, the Comhairle welcomes the changes to the charging regime for small commercial vehicles and, in the spirit of consistency, would request that this change also be made in respect of small commercial vehicles using the Sounds of Harris and Barra services. The Comhairle would also wish to see RET applied to these services as soon as possible, and in time for the new financial year beginning 1 April 2012.

The Comhairle will consider its further response, as part of our response to the Ferries Review, at our Transportation Committee on 7, and our full Council meeting on 8, March 2012, and looks forward to further discussions with Scottish Government on this vital issue, which is so important to the economy and wellbeing of the Outer Hebrides.

Kind regards.

Yours sincerely,

Angus Campbell
Leader,
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

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Posted in business, ferries, Government, Outer Hebrides, RET, SNP, Western Isles

Do you have an HD webcam?

Posted on February 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

I am looking for people throughout the Western Isles and north of Scotland who have access to an HD webcam to take part in a media project. Fees will be paid to anyone chosen to take part. If you are interested, please drop me a note.

Iain Maciver
mail@maciver.co.uk

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Posted in Media, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, webcams

No apologies for stirring up anti-gay hatred as journalist John Macleod finally quits the Labour Party

Posted on February 16, 2012 | 15 Comments

The Labour Party in the Western Isles is proud it is so inclusive. It does not kick out anyone – unless they over-claim on sheep subsidy or stand against an official candidate. However, the constituency party began tearing itself apart after it emerged the executive had secretly welcomed Scotland’s most vicious homophobe, one John “I wish them dead” Macleod, into their midst.

Thinking themselves electable again soon, many wanted the arrogant, self-centred self-publicising bible-basher slung out. The CLP executive did their usual rabbit-in-the-headlights impressions. They hoped he would publicly apologise for branding gay people in his national newspaper columns, as not fit to live. Fat chance. Has the despicable excuse for a man, who is also banned for life from the SNP after an “incident” that party chiefs have sworn to keep secret, ever shown the humility necessary for an apology?

Despite the inaction of the dopeys who should be striving to uphold the Labour Party’s founding principles, which includes disavowing hate crimes and those responsible, Macleod himself has finally got the message and realised he is as welcome as an inadvertent emission in a spacesuit. He has headed for the exit. Oh dear, I hope it was nothing I said. If anyone’s interested, a party to celebrate conformation of the hater’s departure is underway. “The party will be on a biblical scale,” a mischievous Labour insider whispers. Forty days and 40 nights? Steady, guys. Are you sure you’ve got rid of all the homophobes?

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Posted in homophobia, Labour Party, Outer Hebrides, Western Isles

Hauliers’ reply

Posted on February 14, 2012 | 29 Comments

In response to SNP Transport Minister’s statement, David Wood of Woody’s Express said: “The SNP government and their local representatives are twisting in the wind on this issue. After weeks of denying that their flawed ferry pricing policy would take millions of pounds out the islands’ economy the Government has just conceded that they’ve found £2.5 million pounds of “transitional relief” for islanders.
“This “transitional relief” represents a slow drawn out death for our economy. The withdrawal of support still represents a brutal blow for our communities, in reality island customers will have to find the equivalent of £ 2.5 million, every year, to make up for the removal of support. The SNP Government constantly fail to recognise that this is not a “hauliers issue” but a matter for every man, woman and child in our islands – our campaign must continue and it most certainly will”.

Gail Robertson – of DJ Buchanan Haulage said: “By stating that no fare will increase by more than 50% – is the minister saying that he is content with fare increases of 49.9%? the level of support available for commercial traffic for islands is being greatly reduced. Mr Brown keeps referring to hauliers and the prices they will pay – this is not a tax on hauliers but a tax imposed by the SNP Government on island households and island communities.
“The OHTG is meeting with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar later this week to see how we can win more concessions for our islands. We have got momentum but we have to continue the fight until we retain what our islands currently enjoy, if not people and island based business will pay dearly. We are pleased that the Government is taking up our idea of having a proper impact study. In the meantime they should leave the current support in place.”

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Posted in ferries, Outer Hebrides, RET, Scotland, Western Isles

So you really want to be a councillor, eh?

Posted on February 13, 2012 | 4 Comments

Information meetings are to be held for wannabe candidates for the council elections on May 3.

The meetings will include a presentation on the roles and responsibilities of councillors with an explanation of the wider election process. It will also cover topics such as the single transferable voting system, the nomination process, postal voting, polling and count arrangements.

There is nothing in the notice to indicate that the meetings will include instructions on how, once elected, the chosen ones can work behind the scenes to ensure that any local contractors they don’t like can be prevented from getting any council work and how they can blame national legislation if anyone starts asking difficult questions.

However, full details are expected to be available to anyone who asks about the full package of salaries as well as the allowances, subsistence, fees, side-contracts, etc., which are available without causing too much of a stooshie.

Any person considering standing for election to the comhairle, or any elector wishing further information on the election, is encouraged to attend any of the meetings. Joe Public can go along too. The meetings will be:

Tuesday 28 February, Sgoil Lionacleit, Benbecula 7.30pm
Tuesday 28 February, Tarbert Community Centre 7.30pm
Wednesday 29 February, Castlebay School 7.30pm
Tuesday 6 March, Council Chamber, Stornoway 7.30pm

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Posted in council, Government, Outer Hebrides, Western Isles

Who are Fair Fuel Solutions?

Posted on February 12, 2012 | 14 Comments

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Posted in fuel rip-off, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, Stornoway, video, Western Isles

Statement from Iain Don Maciver

Posted on February 11, 2012 | 2 Comments

Following much soul searching and self examination, along with deep discussion with my wife and children and many friends and aquaiitances, I have decided to put myself forward as an independent candidate in the Sgire an Rubha ward at the Council Election in May.

This is not a decision that I have arrived at easily, especially as it means that I have to give up my SNP membership, but given the abandonment of RET for Commercial vehicles, which is going to have such a detrimental impact on the islands I see no other choice for me.

Having said all that I find the reaction of the Labour Party pitiful, especially given their negativity to RET from the outset and I totally refute their statements which only emphasise how out of touch they are with the electorate in our islands.

Regards

Iain Don Maciver
15 Lower Bayble

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Posted in council, Government, Isle of Harris, Isle of Lewis, Labour Party, Outer Hebrides, RET, Scotland, SNP, Western Isles

Minister should not decide who can complain to him over RET

Posted on February 5, 2012 | 31 Comments

OUTER HEBRIDES TRANSPORT GROUP
Email: outerhebridestransportgroup@aol.co.uk

NEWS RELEASE

OUTER HEBRIDES TRANSPORT GROUP DEMAND THAT MINISTER GIVES ACCESS TO ALL

Gail Robertson of DJ Buchanan Haulage in Benbecula and Co-ordinator of the Outer Hebrides Transport Group said: “The Scottish Government should remember that it’s islanders that want the meeting on Tuesday. By denying islanders access to a meeting in Edinburgh, Scottish Transport Minister, Keith Brown is behaving like a football manager who wants to select not only his own team but also his opponents’.
“We will be taking a full squad to St Andrew’s House in the hope and expectation that Mr Brown will reconsider his position”.

One of those denied a chance to make the case for the retention of RET for commercial vehicles, livestock haulier and agricultural supplier, Norman MacAskill of Drimore Farm on South Uist, said: “I can’t believe that the transport minister is so arrogant that he feels he can dictate to the islands who can go and speak with him and I can’t believe how politically impotent our MSP Alasdair Allan is.
“How on earth can Mr Allan not secure a meeting for people involved in crofting, fishing, construction, fish farming and weaving. Regardless of his attitude we will be going to Edinburgh and hope that Mr Brown will let us into the meeting. Islanders are now appreciating the devastating impact the removal of RET will have on every household and business.
“This SNP tax will have a devastating effect on our economy. Mr Brown would do well to remember that the first SNP representative in the islands was Donald Stewart who campaigned for RET and he would be turning in his grave if he were to appreciate what the SNP Government were proposing. People might think that Islanders have heather growing out their ears but we assure Mr Brown that we are not coming with sticks and knives”

David Wood of Woody’s Express said: “The behaviour of the SNP on this issue has been breathtakingly arrogant. We have a simple message for Keith Brown. We want a continuation of RET for commercial vehicles and we want the government to undertake a proper consultation and not to fob islanders off with the sham they are calling a consultation.
“Islanders are amazed that the government is choosing who can lobby them and shutting the door to a representative group – we hope they will see sense before Tuesday afternoon.”