Letters / Invest in Mareel
As I have followed the progress of Mareel I have become increasingly alarmed at how determined some short-sighted people are to ensure it never succeeds, and I do wonder why.
Ever since I remember, and I go back a good few years, there has been a campaign against this building ever becoming a reality.
Even now it is up and running and proving to be so popular, this unrelenting campaign continues.
Last week’s Shetland Times took it to new extremes. Was the intention to intimidate the councillors from daring to finally secure the building so many people have fought so long and hard for?
I trust the councillors are made of stronger stuff and are not swayed by those who claim at a time of cutbacks Shetland cannot afford to find this money.
In my view Shetland cannot afford NOT to find this money – the consequences are quite unthinkable.
Before it opened we were told Mareel would never wash its face. Now, after just four months, its success is exceeding all expectations.
Now the campaign blames Shetland Arts for the building going overbudget. How so? If you contract a firm to build a house and they take twice as long as they said they would to finish it, it is bound to go overbudget.
Rather than being condemned, Shetland Arts should be applauded for holding their nerve under such constant attack and still managing to deliver the cinema and venue the islands have been crying out for.
At a time of cutbacks it is easy to portray Mareel as an expensive luxury that Shetland can ill afford.
In truth this is exactly the sort of investment in Shetland’s future that the reserve fund was created for and in the long term will reap far greater dividends than investing £500,000 on the stock exchange.
So I would say: “Invest in Shetland. Invest in Mareel!”
Hilda Sinclair
Argyll
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