Letters / The whole of Shetland
Now that the diggers are poised to rip up the Clickimin campsite to start on the SIC’s latest white elephant, (white elephant in respect of the SIC’s historical and abysmal track record of managing big and expensive projects such as Norröna, new Sullom tugs, Bressay bridge, Sumburgh Airport etc.) the new “Stuff Rural Shetland” flag flies high on the pole above the baboon house at the Hillhead.
Whilst there are many questions this council needs to answer, there are two that are most pertinent.
1. With the inevitable migration from rural Shetland to the Lerwickopolis over-spill toonships of Gulberwick, Tingwall, East Voe, Whiteness & Weisdale, will the SIC put pressure on the red tape riddled planning department and ‘out of control’ building control to allow more affordable/low cost housing?
2. What argument will the SIC now use against the Scottish or Westminster governments, should they wish to cut or withdraw travel and transport subsidies to the isles using the SIC’s own “you choose to live there, so lump it or move to Aberdeenshire” ethics?
After this the next most important question on the minds of many rural folk is “why aren’t Lerwickopolis folk charged four times the council tax than rural folk, to pay for at least the four times as many SIC services they receive, as opposed to all the nothing services we are now or about to not receive in the rural areas?
The SIC has never had the ability or brains to do anything in a fair or economic way.
For every pound they save when closing a rural school, cut gritting to the most vulnerable areas or undermine the heart of rural communities, they waste £100 on mismanaged projects and participate in rank gambling of Shetland’s future purely on the importance of Lerwick.
I think Stuart Hill has a message for all rural residents, declare your house a Crown Dependency & pay nothing to the SIC until they accept that they are there to serve the WHOLE of Shetland and not just Lerwick.
Vic Thomas
Clousta
Rural Shetland
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