The future for Qinetiq: updated (again)
Repeated stories reach me about the possibility of Qinetiq soon announcing that they are pulling out of Uist.
I sincerely hope that these stories are flatly denied by their owners, The Carlyle Group, who picked the company up for a song when the Labour Governmentprivatised it commercialised it gave away the country's future defense strategies brought in external management in 2001.
It is a key part - other than the Comhairle, indeed the major part - of the Uist economy with over 200 people employed and bringing perhaps £10m into the local economy annually. Without it, outward migration is going to go through the roof and the islands will be in economic meltdown.
There is no way that tourism, economic desigantions or even community ownership of the land will be able to reverse the destruction that such a move would create.
I so hope it has no basis in fact, and if anyone can confirm - one way or the other - then please feel free to do so.
Update:
(Sorry, the update didn't appear correctly, and I was unable to make the corrections until Tuesday pm.)
I sincerely hope that these stories are flatly denied by their owners, The Carlyle Group, who picked the company up for a song when the Labour Government
It is a key part - other than the Comhairle, indeed the major part - of the Uist economy with over 200 people employed and bringing perhaps £10m into the local economy annually. Without it, outward migration is going to go through the roof and the islands will be in economic meltdown.
There is no way that tourism, economic desigantions or even community ownership of the land will be able to reverse the destruction that such a move would create.
I so hope it has no basis in fact, and if anyone can confirm - one way or the other - then please feel free to do so.
Update:
The MoD will announce the result of studies into the operations of the Hebrides air ranges on Wednesday 17 June. You are invited to a press conference at 1.00pm at Congreve House, West Camp at Balivanich, where MoD staff will explain what changes are proposed for the ranges on Benbecula, South Uist and St Kilda. MOD will also explain why, when and how those changes will be made. An MoD spokesman will be available for interviews.Oh, Oh, bad news!
(Sorry, the update didn't appear correctly, and I was unable to make the corrections until Tuesday pm.)
14 comments:
The Puff Inn
R.I.P.
We see yet another economic blow to the Islands on the horizon with the news that the range in Uist may potentially close. If range operations are scaled down or changed to a pretty much unmanned operation and controlled remotely (which I believe is an option) then it will be a massive blow to the Uists and also the whole of the Western Isles. It will also be a sad, irreversible, loss to St Kilda. The folk working out there on the tracking range have been a great resource over the years for all who have visited the unique archipelago.
The Western Isles faces many economic issues right now - 200 jobs may go in Uist on Wednesday, the salmon farming industry is in crisis and the lack of construction work are all serious economic concerns that have the potential to greatly increase outward migration of people of working age with young families. If there was a downturn in the offshore oil industry right now the Islands would have a massive issue as it must one of the biggest employers left.
If as much energy went into solving the economic issues that the Islands face as is going into the debate (rant) about Sunday ferries then maybe the future would be ever so slightly brighter. I don’t entirely blame the government for the economic issues that we face, sometimes I also blame ourselves.
Macneil seems to be on a win win sutuation here. He was very quick to come out with “The Labour Government will not be forgiven if things end up as bad as some people suggest.” Point scoring I think. Had they been anouncing more jobs do you think the quote would be the reverse?
I'm not sure that the Barra Boy is on a win win situation. Is the SNP position not one of "all UK forces would leave Scotland?" This is merely a foretaste of what will happen to areas in Scotland if the SNP achieved independence for Scotland.
Well 15 years ago Calum Macdonald when in opposition saved the Uist jobs. Let us see what the Barra Bhuoy can do now.
5.06 I agree that we must look to ourselves. It would be worthwhile to look at other islands and see what is working well there and then emulate the best, where we can. Crying that we are always disadvantaged due to distance, transport etc is doing us no good, we need to look for innovative solutions.
Despondancy no more. Peter Peacock is on the case soon to be followed I would think by Ms Grant and Mr Stewart
Bad news for the Barra Bhuoy Crofter " as stated in this weeks Mail on Sunday". With all the people going to leave the Uists and Barra he won't have much use for the dance studio in his new mansion. "Funded by the crofter grant and loan scheme".
As far as I was aware you were not eligible for the grant if you were adequately housed and lived with in 10 miles of the croft but our sleazy MP found away round it. "Looks like more false truths from our crofting MP."
So here we are again the tax payer paying for yet another of our MP's dwelling houses. According to the Mail on Sunday the Barrachs are not happy and think he is rubbing their nose in it.
12.23 Too late. The islands could, with proper internet access installed, have embraced a very wide range of digital industries which would have attracted revenue, and families, to the archipelago.
But, for several reasons (corruptness, self interest, suspicion about the Internet, implicit and explicit desire to "control" information to the populance), the Outer Hebrides didn't. And blew it.
Socio-economic analysts will look back in a few years and see the decision to opt out of national / BT broadband coverage as an underlying reason why the Outer Hebrides tanked economically. It's a pity that most residents and, especially, politicians here can't see it, or (for negative reasons) don't want to see it.
It's nearly 2010. Too late now.
So our MP admits he is a part time MP as he states he is still an active crofter. So surely he should be on a pro-rata salary.
Are not DJ Macsween and CI Macmillan crofters ?
Macsween and MacMillan are indeed crofters of sorts I believe. But they don't pretend also to be MP's.
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
For all their hysterical grandstanding on the floors of the two parliaments, Angus Macneil and Alasdair Allan will not fight for jobs on Uist.
Why?
Because their party wants independence and, if we had that, there would quite simply be no military presence, British or otherwise, in Uist or in Scotland.
Tell the truth, guys. You're not bovvered.
1.04
Read the manifesto. Your mis-informed.
12.58
yeh they insted pretend to be some sort of "politican". Makes me laugh so hard I cry....
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