A correspondent writes......

Angus

I see you previously flagged up the lack of jobs on the islands. How do you explain the 35 in this weeks paper?

Assuming Mr Rose Tinted Spectacles means the Stornoway Gazette, let's have a look at this claim in detail.

Let's start by noting the 15 job losses at Bardens.

I make it 21 vacancies:

• 2 temporary fieldworkers with the Uist wader project (hedgehog catchers)
• 3 relief posts with Social work
• 1 taxi driver wanted (self employed)

Which leaves 15 permanent vacancies, so that the poor guys at Bardens have a choice of the following posts:

• Principal Teacher of Guidance at the Nicolson Institute
• Principal Teacher of English at the Nicolson Institute
• 2 Itinerant learning support teachers
• Solicitor
• Senior school technician
• Senior afterschool club playworker
• Clerical assistant
• Support social care assistant
• Play assistant - Tong playgroup
• Stòras Uibhist Development Officer
• Community Radio Station Manager
• Berthing Master/Pilot
• PA/Administrator to an architectural practice
• Oifigear Iomait Cànain*
  

Of which only 2 posts are in the private sector and not funded by the taxpayer, and I don't think many of the posts will attract applicants from Bardens, Lighthouse Caledonia, Arnish, Calmax or any of the numerous other job losses.

* My Gaelic is not good enough to be sure, but this might just be three admin jobs based in Lochaber, Edinburgh and Skye.

I'm not being despondent,just realistic as the downturn and job losses indirectly affect me and my family.