Political posturing (Billy Fox)
I write with reference to Jean Urquhart’s call for Scottish government funding for decommissioning on The Shetland Times website of 9th April.
It might come as a surprise to Jean Urquhart but Lerwick is already well on the way to establishing its claim for decommissioning work and it is being done without input from the taxpayer.
For me her posturing smacks of political opportunism jumping on the bandwagon of an initiative already well established. If the Scottish government really wants to invest some money into Shetland they could do so elsewhere, how about parity on fuel prices with the mainland, or addressing our freight and travel costs?
I also find it a bit rich she suggests such aid when her own government stopped short on a miserly £25,000 when it came to funding a relief ship during the recent NorthLink dry-dock outage. Of course that was a cynical attempt to get the Shetland Islands Council to help with funding, thereby creating a precedent for future pilfering of our oil funds. This was luckily spotted by Orkney Islands Council and Lerwick Community Council, who helped in pulling our councillors back from the brink.
Yes folks, we undoubtedly do get a raw deal from Westminster but in my view we would get a much worse one from Holyrood in an independent Scotland, the SNP are not to be trusted.
Billy Fox
Prospective councillor for Shetland South
Brennek,
Quarff.
f.clarke
If Shetlanders follow the wider issue of the Independence debate they should take note of the increasing intolerance espoused by the SNP. NO,repeat no opinion is entitled to any respect if it veers ever so slightly from the SNP line.
In your own case they simply cannot afford for you to go your own way(that is if this is your wish).Else their boast that Scotland is the oil capital of Europe will be as hollow as their promises on other matters.
I can only recommend you decide before 2014 -you’ll have no alternative in a SNP run Scotland-you will be entirely at Salmond’s mercy(of which you will not see any)-self determination is for Mainland Scots only>
Peter Dodge
What posture are you adopting Billy for the numerous potential wind generators which are in the offing for the South Mainland?
Billy Fox
My posturing is clear Mr Dodge, renewables for Shetland not for the central belt of Scotland.
And by the way, I found your previous comment ‘The blades on my hurdie gurdie gang roond an roond…….’ especially peurile given the seriousness of the debate.
Doubtless it amused you.
Peter Dodge
Well Mr Fox, that response was about as clear as mud. Let us try again please.
If / when the interconnection to the Scottish mainland or Europe proceeds, will, or will you not support those in the South Mainland constituency who wish to invest their capital, expertise and resources in exploiting the various renewable energy assets provided on their doorstep by nature?
You may wish to recall that you relentlessly pursued MSP Tavish Scott for supposedly sitting on the fence in respect of similarly providing opinion regarding the Viking project so no “renewables for Shetland”?? prevarication please.
Billy Fox
If is the operative word here. An expensive cable will only be built if there is industrial renewables development in Shetland. In my view the Viking Energy project is too high a price to pay. Spare capacity on the cable will also mean further development of onshore wind turbines through the islands; as Mr Dodge appears to be indicating. That is why I support renewables for Shetland only and welcome Scottish & Southern Energy initiatives such as the Northern Isles New Energy Solutions (NINES).
If an interconnector cable is built then any future projects must be investigated on their own merits, I would examine these and judge accordingly.
I have no objection to the Burradale wind farm, nor, for example, any objection to community wind to heat schemes. Investigating marine renewables I also have no problem with but I do have concerns at the unrealistic expectations from such proposals. This is where the danger lies, if we do not adopt a realistic national energy policy soon, we could be facing energy supply problems.
I think that is a fairly clear statement of where I stand, but perhaps it is not what you are looking for, you seem to be asking me to prevaricate?
Peter Dodge
Not too much negativity there at all, so I am much happier.
I am sorry I remain ignorant on the “renewables for Shetland” aspect hence the previous ??. You may wish to expand.
With regard to your view on the need for a national policy, I am sure you will be aware that this already has massive international implications as is reflected in the cooperative proposals for subsea European cables. Similarly, I am sure you will be coming aware that the emerging scope to source energy from the sea provides significant opportunities to a number of the south end constituents.