Am Pàipear Spearheads Rural Fuel Campaign
Am Pàipear, the community newspaper of the Uists in the Outer Hebrides have launched a campaign on behalf of its readers and the wider community to demand the UK Government take action to reduce the cost of fuel in the islands and rural Scotland.
Speaking about the paper’s campaign Editor, Helena Coxshall said;
‘We have been inundated with concerns from the local community who have asked us what we are able to do to highlight the distress that high fuel prices are causing.
‘Fuel prices have rocketed and our islands are suffering more than anyone. We have decided to take the issue to the government and have launched a petition to the Scottish Parliament requesting that they represent the views of not only our, but
‘Not only does the cost of fuel impact on us all here, with crofters, fishermen, business and motorists suffering, but the additional effect of a decline in tourism hits us even harder.
‘We are asking that everyone who is affected by the high cost of fuel sign our petition on the Scottish Parliament website at http://epetitions.scottish.parliament.uk/view_petition.asp?PetitionID=250 whether resident in the islands or not. If you live in the
‘We are not asking for any special treatment over our city neighbours: all we are asking for is that fuel in our rural communities doesn’t cost any more than it does in our cities.’
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Whilst I think we should get special treatment, I think this is a positive step forward. And, yes, I have just lifted their press release.
13 comments:
Ahhhh...Petitions eh?!
As for your post title. WTF? Gies a break.
"the community newspaper of the uists in the outer hebrides.." ?!??!
I am afraid if you want cheap fuel then dont live here. Its basic economics really. Why should our fuel be cheaper? We get more government handouts per head than anyone else so expense fuel is the flip side. We are turning into a right bunch of whingers. One minute we say we are different and proud of being rural, remote and isolated with our laid back culture, next we want to be the same. Make your bloomin' mind up folks.
Perhaps we should have more expensive mortgages like the mainland, more crime, more traffic, more social problems, more pollution, the list goes on. We should think ourselves very fortunate
NKM
What is your problem!!?? What else is Am Paipear if it isn't the community newspaper of the Uists and the Outer Hebrides? You obviously have links with the gazette and are p****d off that you didn't do it first.
Petitions are a way of getting the Government to listen to opinion when the local politicians don't want to listen and certainly don't do anything.
Eejit
Anon 9:20pm
I hadn't noticed that the mortgage interest rates are lower up here. We pay the same as everyone else last time I looked. I think you mean that our houses are worth less than on the mainland and you think that is something to be proud of?
As for less social problems, where are you sticking your head. We have a massive drug and alcohol culture and a very high rate of suicide.
Why do you think that is? Because it is so expensive to get on, off and around these islands and are being driven into poverty by the high costs of fuel.
Aaaah lucky us eh?
Lower house prices means you pay less mortgage.
Moan, Moan, Moan - that should be the new island motto
What's the point of the first comment on here? Am Paipear is a community newspaper, serving the Uists. So ... how's that wrong? And what has NKM done to highlight the fuel cost issue?
The SNP are highlighting this at both a local and national level as it's war mongering Labour Brown and Darling that's pocketing the cash to keep financing British troops being killed in Iraq and Afganistan.
I apologise. I didnt know such a community paper existed and thought angus was referring to another paipear of the "beag" variety.
Humble pie from me - wrong end of stick an all that.
I had signed the petition anyway.
9:23
No one forces people to join the armed forces. If one takes the "King's Shilling" then one get sent to where those in charge decide.
If we had a conscript army, then I would be much more sympathetic to complaints from bereaved parents "he didn't want to fight" etc. No one likes to see people die, but these guys volunteered.
British troops are being killed in other places too. Not just the Middle East.
Flame suit and flak jacket on.
When i was about the age that i would have been prime to be plucked(and then stuffed) for the army, there were actually no wars to speak of, i considered it, and probably if someone had come round and explained how good the money was and that "there wasn't likely to be any wars in the near future" (which was the definite impression some were left with) i would've been quite keen (my M & D who were - of course - older and wiser would have objected but in the end there would've been nothing they could have done)
about three years after i had definately decided against - the falklands happened.
the irony of the army is that young children WILL always be recruited - and indeed MUST be... but they are the ones without the best information to choose.
to 12:01
Oh dear oh dear oh dear.
What was bollocks about it? It was def. contentious. I wasn't supporting either action, nor was I condemming either action.
As for being under threat, we are all now under threat to a greater or lesser extent. It so happens that all the guys in the forces are at the greater end. I have some relatives out there in the Marines. Their view is that they will survive because they are better than the enemy. More worryingly, they appear to take great delight in demolishing houses with .50 cal machine guns (They call it recce by fire).
The point of my comment was that by signing up, they are giving up the right to say no I'm not going to do this. By signing up, they are tacitly agreeing to be sent where their lords and masters choose to send them. Whether it is a legal war or not doesn't really matter to those killed or maimed. They are still killed and maimed.
anon 12:39 was correct in what he said. The armed forces have to recruit people all the time. In the early eighties a deal offered to me was join the RAF as a navigator and you'll get a good life. Lots of sport etc. What wasn't said was that the quid quo pro was you might get your a**e shot off one day. That was in 1982.
It's the generally the people being recruited into the PBI etc. who need to know and ironically they are the ones who (generally) don't know.
I still stand by what I said about it being a volunteer force and not a conscript one.
As an addage, the Sunderland Echo (also published by Johnstone Press)were doing a story about one of the 3 Paras who died afew days ago. It said he had always wanted to be a para (like his dad) and to die a hero. The paper also carried a story about someone who had just joined the army after finally being able to pass the literacy and numeracy tests and was quoted as it being a great career. I don'tm know which story was the most sad.
Anon 4.30
"I have some relatives out there in the Marines".
More bollocks from you. The Marines is an elite force with stringent entry requirements and so I doubt very much that you have 'some relatives' out there.
Annon 4:30
Oh dear to say such things without proof.
Last heard of, one was in 43 Commando and had been to both places (Iraq & Afghanistan). As you know the marines are rotated around between sections on a continious basis. This means that they know each other, builds up the espirit de corps. It also means that if any are killed the odds are that they are known by more people that they would be if they had been in a normal infantry regiment.
After passing out, he got a bloody great big Commando knife tattoo on his arm and a playboy bunny on the other one (the whole of the cadre that passed out had these done).
The two pictures of passing out were a serious one and one with hats askew and funny faces.
After passing oput and becoming a marine, he spent the 1st 18 months of his career skiing for the Marines in various competitions(great sports opportunities). He was skiing in Austria, Norway, America, Canada, Scotland and some other countries too.
He was based in Poole, Forfar and somewhere in the SW ?Portsmouth or Plymouth I can't remember now.
He carries the LMG and prefers using it in a defensive set up rather than in an offensive mode i.e. he likes the tripod (makes it more stable)and not the bi-pod. He loves playing with the .5 Cal machine gun.
Has completed his HGV and thinks that the SA 80 is accurate but pants.
So please don't go round calling when you don't know the facts.
QED
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