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The truths they don't want you to read....

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Business developments in Barra

Just why are Marine Harvest calling an urgent meeting in Barra on Tuesday?

A meeting to which the Community Councillors, as well as Councillors and the public are being invited to attend by Platform PR of Edinburgh.

Inside information to the usual address please....

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Angus
Can you publish a copy of the invitation, as it does not appear to be in general circulation in Barra? Our local information highway is normally faster than the internet (connected communities anyway!)but seems to be somewhere behind yours on this one.

PS Is there any hint of a small libation if we agree with whatever it is they want?

Anonymous said...

This will be the softening up of the community in advance of the proposed super fiishfarm being dumped on the fishing grounds of Barra. As usual, the local community is last to know about the fate proposed for them.

The unfolding shambles in Lochboisdale, escapes from Cheesebay, escapes in Linnie, superlice in Seaforth ... Where can they go next that has been untouched and con the community into the benefit of a multi national company running a fish farm.

The island of Barra has very few assets, a clean unspoilt fishing ground is their jewel, and the silken tongues of the Marine Harvest PR machine will soon have it prised from them.

If there is scope for fish farming to be developed in Barra then the community should be the applicant for the seabed lease which would then give them control - and serious income - over the development. The alternative is to end up like every other sea loch in the Western Isles and west coast. Exploitation, and crapped on when of no further use.

Anonymous said...

Anon 7:46

Control of consents to develop a new fish farm now lies with the planning dept of the council and not with the Crown Estate, although the actual lease is granted by the CE, planning permission must be granted.

As part of the planning process there has to be local consultation as well as with the usual statutory consultees. It is no surprise that the Barra community is the very last to know of this proposed development, it has been common knowledge on the other side of the caolas for some time.

For you to think that the community will get anything from this bunch just shows your naivety in how they operate. In Lochboisdale they rent a poky wee office, in North Uist they have a porta cabin.
The only asset which they have is the actual lease of the seabed, everything else - including the workforce - they can walk away from. Annually they take millions from the Western Isles, in return they invest nothing in the community.

This is a foreign owned company that is seeking to exploit the only real asset that Barra has. Take control of it yourselves, or at very least get something worthwhile from this bunch of rogues.

There are established figures in the industry which can serve as negotiating guidelines for you.
Otherwise, just roll over and hand it all to them on a plate.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Marine Harvest are going to back the Marine SAC ;-)

Anonymous said...

9:09

That would account for the delivery of Brown Envelopes by hand at Sandwick Road then. You can ruin anything you like in the Islands if the price for the chosen few is good enough.

Anonymous said...

Anon 4:26

Brown envelopes in Sandwick Road indeed!

I hear that the announcement of this development is to be made in Stornoway. The masters of the universe then make their way to Barra and dispense glass beads and mirrors to the native population.

Struck dumb in amazement at the gifts they receive from the men who come from the sky they will hand over their most comely maidens... and community consent for a giant fish farm.

Baby Ben is reinforced this time with a team of silken tongued strangers, who knows how he will beguile the Barraichs with hollow promises

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know if anything might have happened with the MHM fishfarms in Chile? Is this perhaps why they are doing a U-turn and having to reinvest in the Hebrides?

Anonymous said...

http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/News/Press_Releases/Protecting_ocean_life/Contamination%20Chronology%20012309.pdf

Long way south said...

Well I am amazed how long it has taken the good people of Barra to realise that Ben and the King are just employing the tactics that the ancient Shetlanders (oops Vikings!) used.

1st part was to plant a spy in the community – Wonder who he is?