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Politics

Traditionally Lib-Dem Orkney is very well represented by Alistair Carmichael at Westminster, and Jim Wallace MSP in the expensive building in Edinburgh. We also have an MEP but no one knows who that is. Orkney forms one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland, and are a Lieutenancy Area.

Quite why we need three representatives for 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.

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.

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 everyone’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 week barely passes by without half a million here or a million 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 properly to do whatever it was meant to do prior to being converted by the mechanism of economics into deluxe accommodation for the contractors and secondary beneficiaries of the Capital projects.

The visual impact of this is a radical transformation of the architecture of the Islands and the rapidly expanding modernisation of Kirkwall. The last five years has seen the advent of roundabouts, rush hour traffic and espresso. The pace of utilitarian or executive style block built bungalow house building is extraordinary given a supposed declining population.

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 seems to be somewhat stalled at present but doubtless will resurface.

The second is the debate concerning Wind turbines and renewable energy. The third has just become topical and concerns linking Shapinsay and Rousay to the Mainland, and linking Mainland to Caithness (The Scottish Mainland), under the Pentland Firth by Tunnels, 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 import hundreds of highly paid male workers with consequent social implications.

Wind turbines are intuitively sensible here, but the failure of the Government to responsibly manage energy policy is creating almost a free for all in development practice with those who shout loudest and those with the greatest vested interests currently dominating. Orkney could easily be self-sufficient in energy generation. To turn it into a Wind Factory is neither visually desirable or of any long term economic merit. I am personally very disillusioned in the renewable debate and may expand this topic later.

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 would 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 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. The money people 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 local papers, the Orcadian seems to take a neutral stance whilst Orkney Today seems to be a feckless cheerleader for any development that the money seekers desire. The sad probability is that some or most of these things will come to pass.

 

 

 

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