Barra Marine SAC
A correspondent forwards two press releases, a mere two hours apart, but with a veritable ocean of failure obvious between the tone (or 'piss poor effort' as an interested party commented):
At 11:23am it was all guns blazing.....
And the final sad, little, comment
The apparent absence of Iain Hudghton seems to have left the little boy at the mercy civil servants who have convinced him to give up the fight, as they promise, really promise, not to do anything adverse.
He is now going to SNH to try to stop the 'designation-mad' Scottish Government from 'designating Barra even more tightly'.
He hopes to report back in the next few weeks, presumably hoping that anger about his failure will have faded. I would have expected at least an immediate visit or update.
As did the people of Barra; who are now expecting to be sold out by the Government, who will duly blame Europe for all the problems.
At 11:23am it was all guns blazing.....
SNP MSP TAKES BARRA'S SAC FIGHT TO BRUSSELSAt 13:20 the same day, and surrender was the order of the day.....
Western Isles SNP MSP, Alasdair Allan, is today (Wednesday) taking the fight against the European Commission proposals for further environmental designations around Barra direct to Brussels.
Dr Allan has obtained an urgent meeting with European Commission officials to make clear the extent of opposition that exists in Barra to their proposals to place a Marine Special Area of Conservation designation on the Sound of Barra and Mingulay.
Dr. Allan commented:
"The previous Labour/LibDem Executive was designation-mad and the last thing we now need is Brussels forcing Scotland into designating Barra even more tightly.
"Today I will be meeting Micheal O'Briain of the European Commission's Directorate General, Environment, Nature and Biodiversity Unit in Brussels and making it clear to him that the community in Barra is already highly constrained by designations.
"The community needs serious guarantees that existing fishing practises, as well as future economic developments can go ahead.
"Barra and South Uist councillor, Donald Manford, and myself have already met Scottish ministers about this issue and it is very clear the SAC is being pushed from the European Commission - not from Scotland.
"The initiative comes, from a European Commission which shows little understanding in this instance of how difficult it is to maintain the human population in Europe's most fragile communities.
"When in Brussels I will be making these points forcefully, along with SNP fisheries spokesperson in Europe, Ian Hudghton MEP."
SNP MSP COMMENTS AFTER BARRA SAC MEETING IN BRUSSELSSo what changed between:"The Commission were able to offer some assurances about the SAC if it comes to pass - namely that it could be managed locally, and that it could be phrased to explicitly ensure existing crofting and fishing activity can continue, however, I remain concerned about the implications for future economic activity, and will be raising this further both with Edinburgh and Brussels.
Western Isles SNP MSP, Alasdair Allan, has today held a meeting in Brussels with representatives of the European Commission to discuss with them the implications of the possible Barra marine SAC designation and to pass on the concern many of the people of Barra have about this designation.
Dr Allan commented:
"I had a frank meeting today with Michael O'Briain of the European Commission's Directorate General Environment, Nature and Biodiversity Unit about the prospect of a marine SAC in the Sound of Barra and Mingulay. The meeting was constructive, but I made very clear the strong feeling of the people in Barra and indeed the real anxieties which islanders have about this possible designation.
"I remain unconvinced of the case for the SAC and will now be pursing the issue further with Scottish Natural Heritage to establish what scope they have to decide the location of SAC's in Scotland in the coming year. I will also be pursuing it with Roseanna Cunningham, the new Environment Minister.
"I will be back in Barra in the next few weeks and hope to report back to fishermen and others about this."
The community needs serious guarantees
And
I remain unconvinced of the case for the SAC?
The initiative comes, (sic) from a European Commission
And
[I] will now be pursing the issue further with Scottish Natural Heritage?
And
[I] will now be pursing the issue further with Scottish Natural Heritage?
And the final sad, little, comment
I will be back in Barra in the next few weeks and hope to report back to fishermen and others about this.
The apparent absence of Iain Hudghton seems to have left the little boy at the mercy civil servants who have convinced him to give up the fight, as they promise, really promise, not to do anything adverse.
He is now going to SNH to try to stop the 'designation-mad' Scottish Government from 'designating Barra even more tightly'.
He hopes to report back in the next few weeks, presumably hoping that anger about his failure will have faded. I would have expected at least an immediate visit or update.
As did the people of Barra; who are now expecting to be sold out by the Government, who will duly blame Europe for all the problems.
4 comments:
Cue the usual suspects, venting their spleen...
What irony. One community begging to be designated (Harris) another (Barra) begging to be left alone.
Are the SNP really going to let communities call the shots?
Just where was the Barra Bhoy when this important meeting was taking place?
Avoiding anything that requires hard work.....
"Barra and South Uist councillor, Donald Manford, and myself have already met Scottish ministers about this issue and it is very clear the SAC is being pushed from the European Commission - not from Scotland".
Angus, i think you'll recall that this is not the case. The Beach Bouy and the Barra Bhouy are desperately trying to blame "a European Commission". Pathetic attempt and something that was already pointed out to them when we met in Barra a few months ago. But like all their other pronouncements - it's just more pish and wind. and there's trouble ahead - the Absent Allan is also pissing off my fellow Barraman - cos he's leaving him standing in the publicity stakes. he's upstaged him on this matter which is so clearly a Barra issue.....I also hear of tension in the office(you live in Stornoway and must know) Beach Bouy has a competent assistant and Barra Bhoy has a fellow called Kenneth Flip....
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