Bidh fios aig an fheadhainn a tha a’ leantainn a’ cholbh seo gum bheil ùidh mhòr agamsa ann an seanfhacail agus a’ bhunait fìrinne a th’ annta uile. Ach an-dràsta ’s a-rithist nochdaidh suidheachadh a chuireas teagamh san fheallsanachd agam agus bho chionn ghoirid tha mi air a bhith a’ cur ceist sa ghnàth-fhacal “gliocas na h-aoise”! Ged a tha fios farsaing nach eil dad a bheir bàrr air eòlas ann am beatha neach sam bith, nach olc agus draghail eisimpleirean cheannardan chuid de na dùthchannan as cumhachdaiche san t-saoghal an ceartuair. Mar eisimpleir tha ceannardan Iran, An Ruis, Sìne, agus Israeil, uile còrr air seachdad agus aon anns na h-ochdadan, is le eòlas aca uile air sgrios is bròn cogaidh, nach saoileamaid gum biodh iad a’ cuimseachadh air sìth. An àite sin tha iad gu ìre a’ sìor bhagairt cogadh, agus le armachd niuclasach dh’fhaodadh leithid sin a bhith nas milltiche na dad a chunnacas riamh air thalamh!
Tha dìcheall ga dhèanamh gus cùisean a shocrachadh le dleastanas ga shùileachadh bho cheannas Ameireagaidh, ged a tha an Ceann-suidhe Biden ga nochdadh fhèin beagan dìochuimhneach aig amannan. Theagamh nach eil sin na iongnadh dha fear a tha ochdad ’s a h-aon, agus tha cuid den bheachd nach bu chòir dha seasamh airson taghadh Chinn-suidhe na dùthcha a-rithist. Ach thagh luchd-taice a’ Phàrtaidh Dheamocratach e a dh’aindeoin aois, agus chan eil luchd-taice nam Poblachdach fada air deireadh is iadsan a’ cur Dòmhnall Trump air adhart a-rithist is esan seachdad ’s a seachd. Tha fhios gur i a’ cheist as dorra a freagairt ciamar idir a tha uimhir de shluagh Ameireagaidh deònach taic às ùr a chur ri Trump an dèidh a chuid giùlain san dreuchd roimhe. Am faodadh Ceann-suidhe Ameireagaidh a bhith air a thaghadh is e sa phrìosan, agus dè an leisgeul airson leithid de dhìth gliocas sluaigh?
Tha e tàmailteach luchd-obrach Chalmac a bhith gan càineadh air sgàth ’s mar a tha brisidhean bitheanta a’ toirt droch bhuaidh air ìre nan seirbhisean aiseig aig a’ bhuidheann. Choisinn Calmac cliù agus meas thar iomadh bliadhna le earbsa nan coimhearsnachdan a bha gam frithealadh air a bhonntachadh air eòlas sàr obair-mharaireachd. Is bochd mar sin gum biodh Buill Pàrlamaid gun eòlas sam bith air leithid de sheirbheis a’ faotainn an sàs, agus mar a chunnacas nuair a bha togalach na Pàrlamaid a’ dol suas ann an Dùn Èideann agus a chuir Buill ri cosgais na cumhnant sin, tha iad air an aon seòrsa bùrach a chruthachadh le cùmhnantan aiseagan ùra air Cluaidh!
Chan eil lùghdachadh a’ dol air luchd-siubhail agus bathar a tha ga ghiùlan, agus le aithne air mar a tha làraidhean a’ fàs nas motha tha e deatamach dha Calmac dìon a chumail air structair agus sàbhailteachd nan soithichean, agus tha fhios gum bu chòir goireasan tomhas-cuideim làraidhean a bhith aig gach port. Chuireadh sin stad air feadhainn a ghabhadh brath agus a dh’adhbharaicheadh leithid soitheach a bhith mach à seirbheis fad mhìosan le ramp briste.
Regular readers of this column will be aware of my interest in proverbs and on how they are based on people’s life experience. One such says, “there is no substitute for experience”, closely mirrored by “the wisdom of age”, and I have been reflecting on how the recent behaviour of some prominent world leaders is at odds with the perceived wisdom of the proverbs.
Where the leaders of Israel, China, and Russia, are all septuagenarian, and Iran’s Ali Khamenai is eighty-five, one would have expected them to be focusing on peace rather than the risky belligerence they are displaying.
While America, with other nations, has a significant role in pursuing a ceasefire in Gaza and a diplomatic solution to the conflict, octogenarian President Biden has demonstrated occasional lapses of memory and focus. Not surprising at his age some people argue, and they contend he should not be standing for the US presidency again. However, it was his Democratic Party supporters who selected him as candidate, and the Republicans aren’t far behind in selecting 77-year-old Donald Trump, despite his extraordinary behaviour when previously in post!
I sympathise with CalMac ferry crews exposed to criticism for service difficulties resulting from frequent breakdowns of vessels which are beyond efficient heavy-duty service. CalMac’s reputation in delivering lifeline services to remote island communities was built on long experience of masterly seamanship which earned the respect and trust of the communities they served. MSPs with little if any knowledge of such vital service industries should not be involved in detailed policy management to its detriment and cost, as in the Ferguson Marine debacle. Similar problems occurred previously during the building of the Scottish Parliament.
Speaking of policy, surely all ferry ports should have weigh-bridge facilities to protect vessels from transport operators who might unscrupulously endanger vessels and passengers by taking over-loaded trucks aboard.
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