An open letter to Fergus Ewing and Derek Mackay

Dear Mr Ewing/Mr Mackay,

I am writing to you in my capacity as an elected member in Comhairle nan Eilean Siar regarding the issue of local energy generation and grid capacity in the Western Isles.

SNP COUNCIL CANDIDATE COMMENTS ON LOCAL EDUCATION ISSUES

SNP council candidate for Benbecula and North Uist, Roslyn Macpherson, has highlighted some of the issues for parents relating to Education and Nursery provision in the ward.

SNP: LABOUR OPPOSITION TO LOCHMADDY FERRY IMPROVEMENT CONDEMNED

Statement from Cllr Donald Manford (SNP):

“Westminster Labour candidate Alasdair Morrison’s unenviable reputation for the crass and absurd gets even more outrageous.  Mr Morrison’s claim that urgently needed increased ferry capacity for Lochmaddy should not happen is as puerile as it is objectionable.

“The  Lochmaddy-Uig route is the shortest, most sheltered and least disrupted route there is and is critically needed, especially at this time of year.  It is little wonder that Lochmaddy and with it all communities between Berneray and Vatersay have been held back, while the ridiculous views of Mr Morrison and his Labour cohort held sway.

“Out of political desperation Mr Morrison is trying to resurrect his proposals to reduce Western Isles ferry services to three routes.  These proposals were objected to in 2001 when as Tourism Minister he axed the Mallaig service and ended in 2006 when the people of Scotland ousted his  Labour administration from Edinburgh.  Since then ferry routes have increased as have the number of people traveling to our islands.  Ferries must increase to keep pace; it the dinosaur mentality of Labour and Westminster which must be ended, and their loathsome practice of trying to pitch communities against each other must be seen to fail.

“I am delighted that Roslyn MacPherson has courageously committed to securing for Lochmaddy the level of ferry service that it should have.  This will ably compliment the sterling efforts of Neil Beaton and Uisdean Robertson, and will have my full support.”

SNP COUNCIL CANDIDATE CALLS ON COUNCIL TO LEAD FERRIES RETHINK

With extreme conditions continuing to disrupt ferry services, SNP council candidate for North Uist and Benbecula, Roslyn Macpherson, has called on the Comhairle to take a lead in a collaborative approach to designing ferry services.