23 June 2006
A response from Cullivoe
DR NEIL R GALBRAITH reported to councillors that " Cullivoe Primary
School has 15 pupils an again is projected to remain around at this number."
Was Dr Galbraith given incorrect numbers? Or is a 200% increase in 10 years
with no sign of slowing considered static? I hope someone from Hayfield will
correct this error.
The council has some serious decisions to make that will affect people’s
lives; the least the Education Service can do is give them accurate
information. This is not a game; you cannot imply Cullivoe has a static or
falling roll just to get the result you want.
Cullivoe is expanding. Six three-bedroom houses are being built by Hjaltland
on a site adjacent to the school and two private houses are being built this
year with a possible third house in the autumn. The only thing that will
stay the same is the upward trend in the school roll.
With the hard work of the Cullivoe community we have managed to thrive when
some other small communities have declined. Add to this a possible community
owned wind farm and a fifteen bedroom hotel, and Dr Galbraith's statement
becomes offensive. If the SIC could duplicate the success of Cullivoe School
Shetlands future would be bright.
Phil Kennerley
on behalf of the school board of Cullivoe Primary School
pg.kennerley@btinternet.com
21 June 2006
Shetland not part of the UK
Myself and friends are disgusted at the treatment handed out recently by
the Alien HOME OFFICE regarding deportation of the young Tai lad.
The fact is, as you will probably know, the (non ratified) ACT OF THE UNION
1707 supposedly between Scotland and England completely missed out the
Shetland Isles. As a consequence of this a serious challenge by the people
of Shetland and any brave, honest, legal representatives should be made
forthwith.
I was lucky enough to be present at the first Public Petitions Committee
meeting in the new Scottish Parliament and witnessed MSP Mahon being asked
if the Scottish Parliament was EU compliant. At which his answer was
categorically yes.
So rise up Zetlanders. I understand a third of you have done so so far. The
ball is at your feet, you must kick it. A difficult one for Tavish Scott but
an easy one for justice. Keep up the good work. Your independent view is
much needed.
H Black
tweeddale.kitchens@virgin.net
19 June 2006
Letter: What price a life?
I note with some dismay Fiona McKay’s letter regarding the SIC’s offer
to possibly help out by “underwriting” some of Sakchai Makao’s legal costs
“should that be required”.
She should not for one minute think that any of us don’t want to see the
council operate as financially efficiently as possible, whether in relation
to emotive issues such as school closures or whatever, in our community –
that should be their aim and ours to help them achieve it.
But can I also ask her to reach into her moral conscious and ask herself –
what price a life - especially one from within our own community? And is an
individual any less worthy of such support than say the mass victims of the
boxing day tsunami? I seriously hope not.
This is not the first time that the SIC has shown its humanitarian side, for
an individual or otherwise, and we should be thankful that we have a
council, a convenor and officials who can think like that when the occasion
arises and still be able, in my opinion at least, to serve us very well
materialistically into the bargain.
As to her point on legal aid? This may indeed be an option, but I suspect
that the depth of feeling so clearly demonstrated by the Shetland public
over the past two weeks or so is testament to the fact they would prefer
Sakchai to have the best legal representation possible, not just take our
and his chances on the ‘legal roulette wheel’. Again what price a life?
Lets for once applaud the SIC. You never know who might need such support
next!!!!
Best regards
David Gardner
13 Goodlad Crescent
Lerwick
David.Gardner@shetland-arts-trust.co.uk
17 June 2006
Civil rights being eroded
YOU always get one don't you !
Poor Bryen Seals, who is he? Where is he coming from? Which planet does he
live on? Or is he just another pretend Englishman like Tony Blair, or as is
more likely is he one of these pathetic obsequious characters ingratiating
himself before his Scotch pals in a bid to glean a few brownie points?
When news broke over the seizing of the young lad Sakchai I thought: "I
wonder how long it will take the Scots to hang this one on the English."
Then what do you know, up pops Seals. My faith in human nature has been
restored and the Scots in pious indignation come out smelling of roses and
the English cop the blame as usual. QED.
Just a gentle reminder that there are substantially more Scots, Welsh &
Irish living in England than in their own respective countries. There are
cities in England (Birmingham & Leicester to name but two) where the English
are already in the minority and where in the next few years the Moslems will
be in the majority (not bad for a mean spirited little nation!!!). We all
recall that when the Scots government in Westminster decided to disperse the
immigrants around the UK ,when they arrived in Glasgow the police put them
on the next train back to London - (well that's alright then).
Remember, the so called British Government is dominated with carpet bagging
Scots laced with a few ineffectual quisling English, bowing and scraping to
their Scottish masters, and it is this Scotch government that is enacting
the laws that you are rightly complaining so bitterly about, so don't blame
the English.
But to be serious, there are fundamental issues which need to be addressed
of which the Sakchai case is but one. Civil rights in England and indeed the
UK are now being eroded to such an extent by the most authoritarian
government since the time of Cromwell that it is frightening. Laws are
enacted almost daily giving a carte blanche to the enforcement agencies to
do what they will with law abiding citizens, witness the two young Moslems,
one of whom was shot, or the Londoner shot dead because he carried a chair
leg in a carrier bag. The list is endless.
We should all remember that the enforcement agencies will always feel it is
necessary (for whatever reason) to use maximum force, notwithstanding the
potential threat, despite the protestations of our legislature that only in
extreme cases will maximum force be used.
Let us be thankful that the arresting officers in the Sakchai case were not
armed (or were they?)
Finally may I wish the Shetland protest all the best and I hope they are
successful
Regards
Brian Cole
brian@thechilternpartnership.com
16 June 2006
Surprised by Sandy's offer
IN FIONA'S letter of 15 June she states: "I believe that somewhere in the
region of 800 people attended the rally for Sakchai last night and upwards
of 7,000 have signed a petition to protest the deportation notice, could
these individuals not donate some money and pay for these fees? Is he not
entitled to Legal Aid? There must be better things for the council to spend
their money on and more sources of funding for Sakchai."
She may have already noticed in today's news that the support has been
withdrawn. Having said that I think it should be pointed out that a
collection was started at the rally at the Clickimin, an account has been
opened at the Bank of Scotland for donations and fund raising activities are
being planned in support of Sakchai to cover his legal costs and other
related costs.
This was being planned prior to Sandy's announcement on Tuesday night and
will continue to be the case. No one expected the SIC to finance this and I
must admit to being surprised at the announcement due to the fact that a
precedent could be set.
Angela Sinclair
a.sinclair@zoom.co.uk
16 June 2006
Words fail me
THIS is disgraceful, words fail me to describe the disgust that I feel about
this event. Occurrences such as this make me ashamed to be English. I shall
look forward to retiring in Thailand with no regrets about leaving
this mean and petty country, England.
Bryan Seals
atge89@dsl.pipex.com
16 June 2006
Think globally, act locally
I HAVE always been a great admirer of Sir David Attenborough. During my
childhood I was transfixed by the Zoo Quest programme and the hunt for the
Komodo dragon. I was therefore especially pleased that, during the BBC's
Climate Chaos season, a person of Sir David's stature and intellect has now
voiced his deep concerns about climate change.
He is no eco-warrior espousing doom and gloom at the slightest change in the
environment and from his quiet unassuming manner, not prone to bouts of
sensationalism either. Instead, he has carefully sifted through all the
evidence and has come to a considered judgement that climate change is the
major challenge facing the world. He is possibly one of the last remaining
credible influences to be heard - and not before time.
Climate change is truly a global problem. However, even though I have always
supported Kyoto style international agreements it is obvious that this sort
of approach, albeit well meaning, is not providing the answers. All the
political parties seem to be saying that they are the ones that will combat
climate change but their rhetoric is just not convincing. We live in a
consumer economy and, as a consequence, there are more votes in promising us
more - when it fact what we need is less. We all have a responsibility to
reduce consumption and I hope David Attenborough's programmes will have
convinced a few more people on this.
In the words of Professor James Lovelock (author of the Gaia Hypothesis) we,
as individuals, have to 'think globally but act locally' on reducing
greenhouse emissions. Once the groundswell of public opinion becomes
convinced of the need to lower individual consumption then our politicians
will put in place the infrastructure that will allow us to attain reductions
in our carbon footprint - just by the simple expedient that there are more
votes in doing so.
The French politician Georges Clemenceau once said that war is much too
serious a matter to be left to the military. In my view the war on climate
change is much too important an issue to be entrusted to the politicians.
The initiatives have to emanate from the grassroots.
Paul Featherstone
Kergord Hatchery
sstltd@zetnet.co.uk
15 June 2006
SIC - don't pay legal costs
I AM writing to note my disappointment in the council at their reported
promise to foot the bill for any legal costs incurred in relation to the
deportation case for Sakchai.
I fully support Sakchai's case and have indeed signed an on-line petition to
state this. I can not however support the council's decision to throw away
money in the same week that they have been reminded that they have to take
heed to budget restraints and cut backs in relation to the education
service. I do agree that there are cuts that can be made here also but not
to be spent on a court case for one individual.
Do the councillors think that they will earn brownie points by supporting
this case? I feel that most constituents will see it as a waste of public
money, one of many made in the last year or so.
I believe that somewhere in the region of 800 people attended the rally for
Sakchai last night and upwards of 7,000 have signed a petition to protest
the deportation notice, could these individuals not donate some money and
pay for these fees? Is he not entitled to Legal Aid? There must be better
things for the council to spend their money on and more sources of funding
for Sakchai.
I wish Sakchai all the luck in the world for his appeal and the councillors
all the luck in the world to finding some sense!
Fiona McKay
shetlandfi@hotmail.com
15 June 2006
Human rights abuse here too
THE FACT of the arrest and threatened deportation of Sakchai Makao, and the
manner in which he was arrested, has obviously shocked a large section of
the community both here in Shetland and outwith the islands.
Sadly, having watched the steady erosion of human rights in Britain over the
past thirty years, I was distressed by the news but not surprised. As a
member of Amnesty International and Chair of the local group, I am sometimes
asked to do talks to schools or community groups about human rights issues.
The work Shetland Amnesty Group undertakes is largely to do with horror
stories from abroad, which leads some folk to either question the relevance
of our work to their lives, or to console themselves that 'this kind of
thing' only happens to other people in faraway places.
What has happened to Sakchai will hopefully remind everybody that abuses of
human rights can happen anywhere to anybody - all it takes is for ordinary
people to take their eyes off what their governments are doing, and to stop
asking questions about the justice of government policies and decisions. In
her book about Hitler's deputy, Albert Speer, Gitta Sereny says that the
crimes he and the Nazis committed happened not because the German people
didn't ask questions, but because they came to believe that it was
acceptable not to ask.
So Shetland Amnesty Group would like to add its voice to the hundreds of
others who are asking our government why Sakchai Makao has to be removed
from his home and from his friends and community, when he presents no threat
to the public.
At Tuesday night's rally at the Clickimin Alistair Carmichael reminded the
government that although it claims to be acting in the public interest, in
this case at least, the Shetland public knows better. We would readily
concur with this - so let them bring Sakchai home, to where he actually
belongs.
Yours sincerely
Kathy Hubbard
Chairman
Shetland Amnesty International Group
Nethaburn
Wester Quarff
Shetland
14 June 2006
Impressed by support
After hearing the story of Sakchai Makao, I thought I'd get in touch and
wish the campaign to support him all the luck it deserves. I was impressed
to hear the level of support this young man has in his community; it is good
to know that there are still communities willing to stand together to
support one of their own.
This campaign deserves to succeed, and I'm sure it has the best wishes of
most who hear of it. I hope that the Home Office will listen and that
Sakchai will soon be back where he belongs, in Shetland.
I hope you are able to pass this on to those campaigning on his behalf.
Yours
Steve McKee
Dunblane
steve@mckeedunblane.fsnet.co.uk
14 June 2006
Why did it take so long?
Re. Local labour Party in Decline.
IN REPLY to Tony Erwood's letter of 13 June. I couldn't agree more about the
police and immigration thugs kidnapping a local guy, but I'm a bit surprised
that it is this incident that terminated Tony's involvement with the Labour
Party.
Frankly - the day Tony Blair got elected should have been the day to tear up
card and membership forms and as shiney, smiley New Labour hissed and
slithered down the Thatcherite road there have been thousands of reasons for
turning away from the rotten bunch of individuals that make up the New
Labour elite.
Join the Green Party as they are the only party that does not put vested
interests, personal power or gain ahead of debate and decision making.
Vic Thomas
Sandwick
Shetland
vic.thomas@btinternet.com
13 June 2006
Local Labour Party in decline
I am frankly disgusted that a bunch of officially appointed thugs can
turn up in Shetland and kidnap one of its residents with no consultation
with the local community. I am also disappointed that the local police
agreed to cooperate with this operation.
I have today stopped payments I had been making to the Labour Party and have
cut up my membership card. I shall send the pieces to Mr Blair and to Mr
"mouse" McConnell together with suitably worded letters. I hope my action
gets some publicity - hitting Blair, Reid and McConnell where it hurts is
the only way to get them to pay attention. This government really does need
to do something about this police state that we seem to be slipping into.
Tony Erwood
tony@espl.co.uk
13 June 2006
Past their sell by date
HOW MANY times can school closures and discussions on shared management take
place? Is this to become some sort of sad annual activity by the council
that leaves communities feeling very unsettled? If as much effort was put
into regenerating communities this problem might just go away but, somehow I
doubt it.
Now is the time to look very closely at the activities of our councillors
and I would urge people in all parts of Shetland to assess the performance
of their elected representatives. My own councillor, Mr Manson the Education
Spokesperson, is completely out of touch with his electorate.
The election next year should be a challenge for new people to come forward
and remove many of our long term councillors who have had more than enough
time to carry out their policies, their sell by dates have well passed. Many
are failing the people of Shetland and seem unable to listen to those who
voted for them. Closely examine their performance from now on and if they
continue to fail use your all important vote to remove them from office. In
the end they have to listen to what we say.
Regards
Alan Macdonald
Fairview
North Roe
10 June 2006
SIC want shot of Heogan
I FIND the recent decision by the SIC planning committee to grant permission
for the new Icelandic fish meal factory at Sella Ness quite perplexing.
There isn't enough fishy material to support this factory and the Bressay
plant. The new factory will not employ as many folk as the Bressay plant and
will not operate all year round. Simple arithmetic tells us that, whilst
producing a few jobs for a part of the year in the north mainland it will
displace 3 or 4 times as many jobs and be less beneficial to the Shetland
economy. It is most likely that their more modern automated equipment and
aggressive operation will put the Bressay plant out of business with the
resulting loss of jobs. If the new plant manages to take Shetland Catch
material from the Bressay plant we end up with big lorries travelling longer
distances and all for an operation based on a totally unsustainable fishery.
This development makes no sense for all the above reasons and probably more,
so there has to be another angle as to why so many of our elected
representatives chose to support the Icelandic development. It's only when
you take in a much wider perspective that the real reason unfolds.
The SIC want the Bressay factory closed down at all costs. It is an
important part of the trouble that the SIC are having with the Lerwick Port
Authority over the bridge to Bressay. I am not going to get involved with
the debate about bridge versus tunnel because that is for the Bressay folk
-but were the Bressay folk told that their bridge would involve the closure
of the factory and the subsequent loss of 20+ jobs? I doubt it.
Do the Bressay folk realise that the Lerwick town burgher's see Bressay as a
new Lerwick suburb? Can't build a new township near a gut factory can you. I
think this whole debate about fish factories, jobs, sustainable
developments, bridges, expansion of Lerwick etc needs a much more open &
honest debate. Fat chance of that though!
Vic Thomas
Sandwick
Shetland
vic.thomas@btinternet.com
1 June, 2006
Letter: Councillors are hypocrites
AT YESTERDAY morning’s SIC planning meeting, councillors voted to
approve the application for a new industrial fish processing factory at
Sullom Voe. The decision was taken on the recommendation of the planning
officials and on the basis of fixed planning criteria.
Unfortunately the decision taken ignored a strong reference to sustainable
development in SIC planning policy. One or two councillors were very unhappy
with issues around unsustainable industrial fishing, diminishing stocks and
the threat to an existing business providing long term employment.
The main objection to proper consideration of how sustainable this
development might be, was the very weak argument about who is responsible
for setting catch quotas. As the SIC had no control of this EU function it
was hard for the SIC to consider the sustainability of fish stocks.
Councillor Drew Ratter even had the audacity to suggest that this
development would be vital to provide ongoing work once Sullom Voe terminal
closes - absolute rubbish as the company has previously stated that their
factory would probably provide five or six jobs.
The unsustainable and criminal industrial rape of the seas for fishmeal will
be uneconomic or over before the Sullom Voe terminal goes belly up. The SIC
should take a long hard look at its hypothetical fine words on sustainable
development and either decide to embrace it or chuck it out. Hypocrisy is
alive and well in the council chambers.
Vic Thomas
Sandwick
Shetland
