Ghastly project
Having listened to the big windfarm debate on Radio Shetland I feel sorry for Allan Wishart, Bobby Hunter and Chris Bunyan, who feel that they had such a poor life in the 1950s and 60s.
I am 71 next week and do not feel that I was in any way deprived at that time. We were content with our life in Shetland. At that time money seemed less important. At times some of us went away to work but were always keen to get back.
Even today many of the young folk of Shetland do go away to broaden their horizons but most eventually return. Some will put down roots somewhere else but usually retain ties with their homeland. That is just the way of life.
Really, life back then was quite good, there maybe was less money around but money isn’t everything. Some local industries were not doing at all badly. In any case with the so called prosperity of the oil came increased crime including drug problems. So, while there were many benefits, it wasn’t all good.
Shetland is lucky indeed to have the charitable trust which if used wisely could ensure a reasonable degree of prosperity for these isles for years to come. How most local authorities must envy us.
Yet some people still want more and are prepared to risk our nest egg to achieve this. In spite of what Viking Energy tells us there are substantial risks associated with its ghastly project. Our councillors should consider very carefully before continuing their support for it.
Robert Anderson
Westgate,
Tresta.
Danny Mullay
The increased prosperity from oil has only been a good thing for Shetland, I cant imagine that we would be free from drug problems today without it.
It is a shame that the wealth of our island has been largely built upon the oil industry. How fitting it would be if we were to now invest in renewable energy.