Readers’ opinion - week 14, 2024
Keep Brodick beautiful
Sir,
Picking up litter up is far from glamorous, but necessary. We are so lucky in Brodick to have a beautiful beach and walkway.
Unfortunately, the litter builds up on the paths, the sand and the gorse bushes.
It is a constant problem, which is why I hope people can keep this special coastline as litter free as possible by helping to pick up litter when they can. Let’s keep Brodick beautiful.
Yours,
Lorna McFarlane,
Brodick.
Negativity spreads like wildfire
Sir,
I write with sadness in my heart about the reality of the situation for businesses on Arran that rely on tourism.
It is getting worse, not better.
For the last two weeks, we have again been bombarded with negative ferry letters in the Arran Banner from our lovely poet and those who live or visit the island.
History cannot change, getting angry will not help, shouting about a government is pointless. It will not attract visitors if they perceive Arran has a real issue with its ferries.
The last two years of negativity and bombardment of the ferry have not only scared people off but created a wave of cancellations.
Do people not understand their negative views spread like wildfire? After all, people love drama.
I was talking on the phone with my business HSBC banking manager in London about cash flow and business and we discussed island living and he said, “oh, you cannot say islands and ferries in Scotland and not read about the negativity and the problems”.
Wow, London even knows of our woes. Well done to everyone who has an opinion, thinking history will unravel. It will not.
Let us try and remain positive for Arran and its tourism and tell people the island is open and offer help and advice on how to get here.
After all VisitScotland, CalMac and other tourism organisations are trying hard to let people know Arran is still open. How about we all do the same?
Yours,
Duncan Dowie,
Whiting Bay.
Six years of waiting
Sir,
Following the sacking of David Tydeman, the former chief executive officer of Ferguson Marine, and his golden goodbye of £105k amidst the ongoing ‘new’ ferry debacle, I was alarmed to read from a variety of sources that the handover of Glen Sannox will be delayed beyond May 31 2024.
Many will be aware the original plans involved a duel fuel system, but when the parts couldn’t be sourced, our government took the pragmatic decision to accept a single fuel system in the first instance. It now seems our politicians have U-turned and are insisting on a duel fuel system, despite Ferguson confirming the parts are not available anywhere in the world.
Much as I support ‘green’ initiatives, haven’t Arran and our businesses suffered enough already? After six years of waiting, cancellation and technical faults, don’t Arran residents, businesses and our excellent CalMac staff deserve better?
Yours,
Ian Clinton,
Shiskine.
A veiled attack
Sir,
As a long-term island resident and trade union activist, I take exception to John NE Rankin’s letter ’Elephant in the Room’ in the Banner of March 29.
The RMT, whose duty it is to protect and enhance the pay and conditions of its members, is not responsible for the design and procurement of ships and port services, climate change and other matters negatively affecting our service.
There are good reasons why they are accommodated aboard, relating to fleet flexibility and work-time regulations. The crew facilities are basic, considering they are away from home for two weeks at a time and their good humour and patience, despite all the current issues, is commendable.
The letter’s criticism of one of their unions is a veiled attack on the crews and should be rejected by your readers.
Yours,
Colin Turbett,
Shiskine.
They did Colin proud
Sir,
Thank you to everyone who took part in the 5km ’something’ on March 23 for Colin Totty. He had hoped to do a Race for Life to raise funds for Cancer Research but sadly died before achieving this.
The weather was biblical, but that didn’t deter around 50 hardy folk who walked, ran, cycled and pushed buggies. There were more taking part who couldn’t get across because the boats were off. The furthest 5km was run in Austria and the most unique was the ferret walk in Hampshire, There was a hill run during the week and a coastal row on the Sunday. Between us all, more than £1,200 was raised. We certainly did Colin proud.
Thank you to COAST for the venue, to Emma and Georgina for all their help, to everyone who baked, to family and friends, to the Soul Choir for a one-off reunion, to those lending gazebos and crockery. A further thank you to Zabdi for her stone-carving skills and Alistair from Makerspace Arran for the finishing touches to the incredible Colin Totty Trophy for the Arran Horticultural Spring Show.
A further £202 was raised during the afternoon for Arran Youth Foundations towards its education programme looking at addiction and substance abuse.
Yours,
Jo Totty,
Lamlash.
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