Stornoway Trust elections
I got my voting papers today, as I suspect most people did.
Apropos nothing in particular, we noted that 10 of the 11 candidates (for 5 posts) work in the public sector. I think that this also reflects the status of the current Trustees.
Why are the self-employed and those in the private sector so reluctant to stand?
Apropos nothing in particular, we noted that 10 of the 11 candidates (for 5 posts) work in the public sector. I think that this also reflects the status of the current Trustees.
Why are the self-employed and those in the private sector so reluctant to stand?
49 comments:
Self employed = too busy
From your link:
"This organisation is classified in our database as follows:
District: North East Scotland » Moray"
Angus, Why didn't you stand? That might give you an answer.
I noticed that one candidate is openly stating that he is not for the advancement of the isles.
To the other candidates a simple question.
I have a pocket full of loot (no I am not Fred the Shred). I would like to invest in the preservation of the castle and convert it into a hotel conference & golf centre. Of course the guests would need the course to be open on a Sunday. What would you do?
In response to 3.45pm, in the parish of Stornoway Lews Castle is the number 1 folly closely followed by that other drain on the public purse An Lanntair. Any fule knows that as the existing hotels have a large surplus of empty beds for the bulk of the year there is no way another can be made to pay. Conference Centre? Don't make me laugh. No. Remove the roof and any loose masonry and market it under 'We think Prince Charlie might have slept here'
There's a thought - are any councillors currently wooing Fred? Just what we need here. But flippancy aside, excellent question, 3.45pm.
However, can I say the unsayable: I appreciate that the castle has a spot in the hearts of those who attended it for various reasons, obviously it's a landmark, and it's historic in a way, but it is not the wonder that it's being presented as, architecturally or historically, and we should face that. It's not like it's Eilean Donan, is it.
4:37
Have you ever tried to get a hotel room in Stornoway over the winter- I have, and there's not that many available. In the Summer- pot luck, Festival time- no chance.
Quote from Candidate election statement.
'I firmly believe in the Stornoway motto "God's Righteousness is our Inheritance".
It used to be 'God's Providence is our Inheritance' - referring to the importance of herring to the local economy.
I've been away recently so maybe it's been changed?
And what exactly does a trustee of the Stornoway Trust do? I voted for the first time in the last elections and cannot actually remember anything about them since that point. What is their role in society?
It just seems another position like to a councillor, MSP or MP for that matter, get the title and do diddly squat.
Happy to be contradicted
9:50
In a nut shell their role is to preserve the Sabbath.
5.42 Yes I have tried to get a hotel room in the Winter and as you say it can be difficult especially over the weekend when some either shut completely or shut down partly,or offer a reduced service due to the lack of trade. There is a particular problem throughout the short Summer season and every six years when the Mod arrives for a few days but this could not sustain the millions of pounds of investment necessary to create a superior hotel of Lews Castle
8:52,
It is "God's Providence is our Inheritance" but as you surely know by now, Sy Trustees are beyond us mere mortals and can change anything they want, usually without consultation.
Anon 3:45,
"I noticed that one candidate is openly stating that he is not for the advancement of the isles."
Which one is that then?
I think it must be Iain Don Maciver:
Although I am advocating change in these areas (whole estate and communications), I also feel strongly that we must preserve the traditional values that have served our community well (sic) for many generations, and that the Trust must not be forced into changes that would undermine these values.
One of the others has a touch of the remarkable Gordon Campbell about him - the Caithness Capercaillie, an independent candidate at every election in Caithness & Sutherland. Likes to write in CAPITAL LETTERS and use words like "magnificent".
The glorious election addresses of the dirty (almost) dozen can be found here:
CalMac employee Ian Don is standing on an anti-Sunday ferries and anti-Sunday golf platform, as encouraged by Alasdair Allan.
12;00, interesting how you selectively quote I.D. Maciver to suit your own agenda. Reading his full statement, which was unfortunately not printed in the postal leaflet sent out with the voting forms, there isn't a sentence in # 1 & 2 that isn't true.
The last time I received any communication whatsoever from the Trust was just before the last election. How about you?
10:52 It is Calum Maclean.
As a member of LDOS et al he is against Sunday flights, etc.
Ian Don obviously does not want changes either.
Any changes to improve the WI will by their very nature mean changes to the WI. Whether we are talking about ferries, the lost revenue to the islands by trade not moving and tourists not being here.
Golf (See tourists and ferries)
Diving and other water sports (see tourist and ferries)
Changes will have to come or this place will continue to die.
12.00 here. 1.11, I don't know how you reckon you know my agenda or even that I have one - I don't know any of the candidates and don't live within the estate, and frankly don't give a toss, except am slightly interested in whether voters in Sy may elect candidates who decide on things that ultimately affect the rest of the islands.
However I was interested, like the other guy, in how a candidate could possibly say they were against progress and had 10 mins to spare so I read the statements as provided by heb news, and tried to identify what 3.45's comment was referring to. Excuuuuuuuse me. Honestly, the level of discussion around here is pathetic. I'll leave you touchy divas to your parochialism.
Surely Iain Don would have to claim an interest if the Sunday Ferry issue was raised. As should Calum Maclean if he represents another organisation who is opposed to Sunday issues and anyone else who is involved in pro or anti Sunday committee's.
Anon 1.11 p.m. The reason Iain Don's statement was not printed was that he was to lazy to write it.
I wish people would stop peddling the nonsense that opening the sports centre or golf club on a Sunday would increase tourism. They come for the scenery, as they can get these other facilities anywhere else. Also, there's no chance they would get a round of golf as the natives would be filling in all the tee times!!!
Some candidates are very open about where they stand on the Sunday issue. As half the electorate are eligible to vote, I think we'll get a good idea of the public feeling by who gets elected. It'll be very interesting.
1.57
Just as well you have nothing to do with the tourism industry...all they need is scenery!!! Never mind visitor attractions, good service, a wide variety of accommodation, leisure and arts facilities, attractive places to eat and drink, etc, etc...
And you don't know much about golf either..yes, you can find courses everywhere but a good test of golf in pleasant surroundings will always attract golfers. Stornoway and Harris have that in abundance - 6 days a week for the moment.
Anyone who votes somebody onto a board such as the Stornoway Trust based on a single issue campaign is mental, there is a lot more to the Trust than Sunday activity, voters should be careful that they don't put in place a board that might make changes in one area whilst not having the where-with-all to promote development in another.
#1.57 you have a dated and simplistic view of tourists and tourism. Golf tourism is big business and weekend golfers fill the hotels in places like Arran and Islay. Also kids on holiday generally don't do scenery - they prefer active stuff like swimming in the local pool. Sunday is the busiest day in most pools. So who's peddling the nonsense? Who is stopping visitors as well as locals from enjoying these facilities? Or do enjoyment and Sundays not belong in the same sentence? We need to wake up.
1:38
"I'll leave you touchy divas to your parochialism."
Thank you. It'll save us some precious reading time.
On Sunday matters the candidates are likely to fall into one of two camps - pro-change or no-change. Unless you happen to have local knowledge it's not very clear from some the statements which way most of them would go on this particular issue. Or is it?
There is one candidate who was to the fore in his support for sunday golf. Fred the Shed. And there is also the lady who writes to the Gazette on a regular basis in support of sunday sports centre. The paraheadache. Dunno bout the rest.
Very clear where one candidate stands on the Sunday issue. He says it! That is Calum Maclean. The others do not. He is also for developing Arnish and Renewables, so he is not all one issue. Where do all the rest stand on Sunday Golf, Renewables, Arnish etc? Can you make anything from their statements?
Is it compulsory to be anonymous to post a blog on the site? That's part of what is wrong with this town- people scared to speak out!
There needs to be a balance of people on the Trust, including more women.
George MacLeod(anonymous)
p.s. Yes,I am biased.
1:33 The lack of statement is a clear statement in itself. Either they have a view and are hiding it, or they don't have a view. either way, would you want a either type of person representing you?
Open the gosh darn golf course on a Sunday and I'll buy your cokamamee castle with the change I find down the sofa. Yes it really is me.....or is it?
change is good for us
speaking as Christian and a local, i would prefer sundays to be left alone. But i do also recognise that there are a (currently) a majority who are not Christians. Also it might interest some to at least read the OT which gives clear instruction for the Hebrews living among those who are not Christians - IT DOES NOT SAY TO PREVENT THEM TRADING - rather just that you should not trade with them (whether that is on Sunday's only is not made clear) but the idea behind it is. Christians, and Christians only, are the ones prohibited from trading on a Sunday
(L.S)
@LS - I hesitate to pick holes in a sensible comment but there are no Christians in the OT. If you mean NT, could you give references as I'd like to read this.
Our well rounded Coffin maker having nominated Zena Stewart(pro Sunday Opening)for the Trust, appears to have changed his opinion on the issue, having vehemently been against Sunday transport links when he was a Councillor, despite using Sunday flights on many, many occassions himself!
I understand that there are around 600 members of the Golf Club I do not know how many of them are elegible to vote in the trust elections but I do know that there are in the region of 9000 people eligible to vote. It will be interesting to know which side of the argument comes out top of this poll. But remember there are at least 8400 non members who have a vote and I for one hope that they use that vote to stop a minority group from imposing their desire on the rest of us who still want to keep sunday as it is, and I say this as a person who is not a regular church goer.
I have heard all the arguments for and against and i think that the sports centre may have merit as it is open to the public but the golf club would not unless you paid a couple of hunred quid membership and paid for forty quids worth of bar services whether you use it or not.
Hopefully in this case I want does not get.
Why has the question of advancing the local economy become synonymous with the Sunday issue? Are people not just seizing on the Sabbath closing as a scapegoat for our economic ills? Last time I turned the news on or read a newspaper, this was a global crisis. Try blaming the bankers and the politicians, not the General Assembly.
Our business is 6 days a week,therefore we are usually denied the usage of the sports center. How can people complain about economic decline and depopulation and then still hold this unrelenting stance on development and freedom of movement. Fact is that no Sunday ferries means no weekend visitors and no hopping over to the mainland for whatever. The resulting remoteness causes people to leave and deters businesses. It is rubbish to say that the status quo works because clearly the position we are in is not the best and worsening.
What do LDOS want a island with no people other than the devout? Obviously.
Quote from candidate election statement:
'I support the Trust’s Sunday observance policy. I believe it has worked well in the interests of the estate in the past and will do so in the future. It was crucial in the Trust’s negotiations with Fred Olsen in the early seventies for the lease of Arnish for the construction of the fabrication yard. I don’t believe such a policy is a hindrance to progress. It was implemented successfully during the most economically prosperous period in the island’s history in the seventies and eighties when Arnish was at its height of activity.'
In what way did this policy work well? Itinerant worksers spending Sundays in the pub instead of working? It was also a sham and work went on under the guise of essential maintenance. Whether it contributed to the demise of Lewis Offshore is arguabale but you have to ask what positive purpose it serves to ban Sunday working at a remote site like Arnish. It would be interesting to find out if the latest tenant - BI-FAB has signed up to a no-Sunday working clause.
Arnish - when it's open - has been working Sundays for many a year, as anyone who's worked there knows. 'Maintenance' indeed.
Still, as long as they don't hang their boiler suits out to dry on a Sunday...
The local government worker(s) who are in the running want to keep things closed on a Sunday are quite happy to send contractors out on Sunday to mend toilets/heating/light bulbs and street lights to name just a few things. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
The previous Arnish tenants worked on Sundays.
God's quiet Sunday golf course is our Inheritance
I'm sure that's it.
Suggestion: bring back open air services (I wonder how many would really put themselves to any discomfort these days) and use the golf course on Sundays for that. Nice slope; very suitable. Creates a bit of work in tidying up the green afterwards.
Anonymous 5.52: "i think that the sports centre may have merit as it is open to the public but the golf club would not unless you paid a couple of hunred quid membership and paid for forty quids worth of bar services whether you use it or not.
Hopefully in this case I want does not get."
I don't mind comment that's accurate but when someone has to resort to deceit to support their argument, it rankles.
FACT: Just as at the Sports Centre (which also has members) visitors to Stornoway Golf Club can pay a fee and play.
FACT: Bar vouchers no longer operate at Stornoway Golf Club.
Let's hope people vote in this election on all the issues and not just to stop people playing golf
I see none of the pro-change(!!) candidates have been elected. The silent majority have spoken yet again.
11.25 I wonder if this is why every one of them went broke or pulled out for lack of work?
1.42 - Are you suggesting that breaking the Sabbath resulted in their downfall?
I wager more Lewis babies are conceived on a Sunday than on any other day.
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