Letters / Party-political game playing
For the third summer in a row our elected representatives are going to talk and talk and talk about tunnels. What exactly are they adding to the debate or indeed the technical and financial details required by the Unst and Yell groups?
The groups have worked out for themselves without any handholding from SIC, Holyrood or Westminster politicians that the issue is mostly political, not particularly financial.
There is plenty of money around in the world’s seventh richest economy, it’s just in the wrong hands and invested abroad, rather than here.
Nothing new here. We have said as much for the past two years. Not a boast, a fact.
Mr Cecil Robertson, a passionate and extremely intelligent supporter of Shetland and follower of SAAT – Shetland Autonomy Action Team – has done the finances. See his independent Not fit for purpose letter here.
Using our (your) £1.5 billion pot with the consent of the SIC and Shetland Charitable Trust as guarantors and investors, the tunnels are entirely viable now.
We need wise and courageous local leadership not the Scottish nor UK government representatives. Not talk, but action, commitment, leadership – not party-political game playing.
The same goes for replacement ferries by the way.
An autonomous Shetland body like that of the Isle of Man, Channel Islands or similar (Faroe), liberated from vested interests of Holyrood or Westminster and the current dysfunction hierarchy of local government could show the way.
We could of course hand the whole project over to the charitable trust as a long term 30-50 year investment, for return, like a mortgage, with the guarantee that it adds, by external, professional independent appointments based on demonstrable competencies another 23 trustees to its board, from all over Shetland and maybe even some from Shetland’s highly experienced and qualified global diaspora who support the cause of autonomy and can bring ‘new eyes’, not myopic ones.
Shetlanders can then get on with sorting out its new local government arrangements. Ensuring those who stand for election can demonstrate – with and through extensive training and examination – competencies in decision-making, managing millions of £’s, managing staff, leadership and negotiation skills and the ability to communicate with us and be transparent and accountable as per the Nolan Commission Standards in Public Life.
Would a majority of Shetlanders back an independent, non-party approach to lead the way? We don’t have to wait for ‘their’ (Holyrood, Westminster or current SIC) elections.
Let’s organise our own, through Meta or a more secure platform – Eventbrite. Let’s have a proper in-depth community debate and discussion, with a referendum – not a simple yes/no one, but a much more sophisticated decision-making process.
‘Be bold and strong as they.’ Perhaps those who need the tunnels the most – Unst and Yell can lead us – please! Steven?
James J Paton
Administrator/Moderator
SAAT – Shetland Autonomy Action Team
Lerwick
