Politics
Traditionally Lib-Dem Orkney is very well represented by Alistair Carmichael MP at Westminster, and Liam Mcarthur MSP in the expensive building in Edinburgh. We also have an MEP but no one knows who that is.
Historically Orkney has often punched above its weight, with Jo Grimond, the charismatic Liberal Party leader back in the 1960’s and more recently, former Deputy Scottish First Minister Jim Wallace both being living here. Orkney forms one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland, and are a Lieutenancy Area.
Quite why we need three representatives for around 40,000 people (including Shetland) is unknown. At a local level, the Council is independent, made up of 21 councillor’s representing the Parishes and Islands.
Last year saw a major change in the make-up of the Council as old wood was pruned through the Scottish Executives cash inducements to long standing representatives to stand down. This will hopefully improve the relevance and currency of sitting members though changing the direction of the Behemoth that is OIC bureaucracy is no simple task.
The current Council attitude might be best described as consenting and commercial. Anything likely to bring jobs or money is generally supported. The result of this attitude may be beneficial in the short term, but much of the cultural heritage and customs of the Islands are in danger of being diluted to history in the pursuit of money. Aesthetics is probably thought to mean some form of physical exercise by most Councillors.
Part of the individual social culture here is avoiding controversy. Very few things stir Orcadians up enough to actually do anything, the last such major issue being the Uranium Mining debate back in the 1970’s. This allows citizens to moan without incurring any responsibilities, which is an advanced pastime for many.
Those who are committed enough to stand as representatives for election should be congratulated, and with a little good fortune perhaps the remaining dead wood can be cut out of the democratic process providing an imaginative and dynamic Council who are in tune with the future, not representatives of the past, or even worse, self-interested apparatchiks.
Consensus is a dangerous way to run a political authority as the absence of opposition allows for a cabal like culture to become entrenched with incompetence and vested interests too easy to ignore. In the past this system worked because every-one’s interest was the same - farming - but today it would appear that the attitude of the councillors is sometimes seriously out of step with a significant proportion of the population.
Money is something Orkney has become very good at. The council has around 200 million sterling in reserves, drawn mainly from prudent negotiation with the Oil industry in the 1970’s, and Orkney has been very successful (and continues to be) at gaining subsidies from the EC, Scottish Executive and Lottery for a wide range of projects.
A month barely passes by without half a million here or a million or two there for something from someone. The effect of this is a bit like the Russian Mafia World Bank scandals of the late 90’s, except that unlike Russia the money is used legitimately to do whatever it was meant to do prior to being converted by the mechanism of the economic multiplier effect into even more deluxe accommodation for the contractors and secondary beneficiaries of these Capital projects.
The visual impact of this is a radical transformation of the architecture of the Islands and the rapid expansion and modernisation of Kirkwall. The first five years of the 21st Century has seen the advent of Roundabouts, Zebra crossings, a genuine rush hour, traffic lights and espresso. The pace of utilitarian or executive style block built bungalow house building is extraordinary given a supposed static population. Housing policy and the quality of built heritage I deal with separately.
Three massive areas of possible change are at varying levels of discussion right now. The first of these is the possible location of a transhipment container hub on Flotta. This would be to replace the oil terminal eventually, and would service all North Atlantic container Ports. This project waxes and wanes and seems to be somewhat stalled at present but doubtless will resurface.
The second is the debate concerning Wind turbines and Renewable Energy, which I discuss separately.
The third is the somewhat wistful idea of under-sea Tunnels, and concerns possibly linking some of the outer Islands to the Mainland, and linking Mainland to Caithness (The Scottish Mainland), under the Pentland Firth, mini-versions of the Channel Tunnel.
Though superficially prohibitively expensive the tunnels are probably viable if considered over there potential life spans and especially if tolls are used. Each of these topics have benefits but equally each has huge potential drawbacks.
The container hub project will provide significant revenue and supposed jobs. It will also create possible environmental disaster and as a unintended consequence import hundreds of highly paid male workers with consequent social implications.
The tunnel idea is very sensible for Rousay and Shapinsay, indeed, it offers exactly the benefits the South Isles have gained in the past 50 years from the building of the Churchill Barriers in WW11.
It might actually be a brilliant idea to link Eday, Westray and Stronsay to Shapinsay at the other side of the island. This would integrate the entire land mass of Orkney, spread development and guarantee a viable future for the North Isles, which otherwise may well end up as RSPB reserves and retirement homes.
Though this would probably cost well over 100 million to achieve, as noted above, we have the money and no better long term use could be made of the Oil reserve fund. To tunnel to Caithness is different.
This has implications that would in one way or another, change Orkney for ever. Those who worship money would want this to happen as they would see economic advantages hitherto undreamed of. The social effect is incalculable. The main defence of the Islands against being sucked deeper into the damnation that passes for life in most of the developed world have been climate and location. Severe weather may remain, but the tunnel would end remoteness. Orkney would become far more accessible for hundreds of thousands of people.
Of the two now solely owned local papers, the Orcadian has always avoided editorialising, whilst Orkney Today seems to be a feckless cheerleader for any major development that the money seekers desire. The sad probability is that some or most of these things will come to pass.
