| N E W S F E E D S >>> |
Caithness News Bulletins Elections 2003
|
Elections May 2003
|
|
17 March
03 This was said by Rob Gibson, the SNP's prospective Scottish Parliamentary candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross. He explained, Scotland must play a major world role in decommissioning technology and with Independence when all AEA operations in Scotland can be headquartered in Caithness. The SNP will back such a shift of job opportunities to Caithness locations. International law states that the Vienna Treaties guarantee finances will always flow from the government in London whose responsibility does not end, for the Dounreay site and many others, when Scots achieve Independence. 26 February 03 'The SNP believes that increasing population creates greater economic activity. It is the most pressing task we face in the north today, because the census data shows Caithness and Sutherland in particular losing far too many young talented people. HIE has welcomed an increasing Highland population but that is in Inverness, Skye and Lochaber. It has not addressed the repopulation of the Far North. 'SNP strategy sees this as key. The farming analogy fits well. We are long famed for raising store cattle and sheep that are bred for export for finishing elsewhere. Must our youngsters follow the same path? Older folk as a key voting group must be made aware that they can't expect to keep up the level of existing service with a constantly falling population. It seems the Lib Lab Scottish Executive has not grasped how to stem the tide so it is time for others to try. Public service jobs must be dispersed to the small towns of this area. Around these more professionals and trades will see a future. That has to be a high priority for the government after May 1st. Additionally the SNP has already argued that hard-to-fill Far North health job could be filled by fast-tracking qualified asylum seekers with their families to take up medical and other vacant posts. But the Home Office bureaucracy makes this almost impossible. We disagree with those who say that Scotland has no place for new blood. But we hope that our own youngsters will see a really positive future when Independence is achieved.' |
23 March 03 'Prising the workforce of Scottish Natural Heritage out of Edinburgh proved difficult. But future departmental and agency dispersal plans have to be more ambitious and spread much-need work well beyond Inverness. 'While welcoming the SNH move to the city Stuart Black, the acting chief executive of Inverness and Nairn Enterprise predicted that Inverness will double in size within 30 years. Since the infrastructure of the city will need huge investment to cope, surely it makes sense to spread the benefits and the jobs across the North? 'HIE must promote the needs of smaller Highland towns with an injection of public sector jobs. They know that European funding packages for regional development insist on quality development for all areas and in order to promote multi-centred regions the Scottish Government must take firmer steps to apply these ideas in practice. From Invergordon to Wick we need dispersed government job now to stem population loss and create quality jobs. 'The SNP is committed to government job dispersal, so every part of the Highlands must demand their fair share.' 17 March
03 This was said by Rob Gibson, the SNP's prospective Scottish Parliamentary candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross. He explained, Scotland must play a major world role in decommissioning technology and with Independence when all AEA operations in Scotland can be headquartered in Caithness. The SNP will back such a shift of job opportunities to Caithness locations. International law states that the Vienna Treaties guarantee finances will always flow from the government in London whose responsibility does not end, for the Dounreay site and many others, when Scots achieve Independence. 26 February 03 'The SNP believes that increasing population creates greater economic activity. It is the most pressing task we face in the north today, because the census data shows Caithness and Sutherland in particular losing far too many young talented people. HIE has welcomed an increasing Highland population but that is in Inverness, Skye and Lochaber. It has not addressed the repopulation of the Far North. 'SNP strategy sees this as key. The farming analogy fits well. We are long famed for raising store cattle and sheep that are bred for export for finishing elsewhere. Must our youngsters follow the same path? Older folk as a key voting group must be made aware that they can't expect to keep up the level of existing service with a constantly falling population. It seems the Lib Lab Scottish Executive has not grasped how to stem the tide so it is time for others to try. Public service jobs must be dispersed to the small towns of this area. Around these more professionals and trades will see a future. That has to be a high priority for the government after May 1st. Additionally the SNP has already argued that hard-to-fill Far North health job could be filled by fast-tracking qualified asylum seekers with their families to take up medical and other vacant posts. But the Home Office bureaucracy makes this almost impossible. We disagree with those who say that Scotland has no place for new blood. But we hope that our own youngsters will see a really positive future when Independence is achieved.' 16 February 03
Extracts From Adoption Speech Golspie We can achieve sustainable economic growth. The north must attract the manufacture, installation and operation of various forms of clean energy. Why? Because we have biggest waves and huge tidal power in the Pentland Firth and live in the windiest corner in Europe. How? Just like whisky distillers who use local resources and export much of the product, so we must grasp the chance to lead the way out of fossil fuel and nuclear dependency across Europe. Our oil resources also produce big taxes - but Scotland could gain all the tax from the new fields such as the refurbished pipeline from the Talisman field to the Nigg terminal in the Cromarty Firth to reinvest through independence. A major offshore windfarm in the same area off the Caithness coast could also boost the Scottish Treasury for many years to come. At Nigg we should already be building renewable energy equipment if the Scottish Executive had any ambition to lead a Scottish energy strategy. Instead we are told of speculative bids to weld bits of an aircraft carrier order, possibly in 2006. Such a once in twenty-five year lottery is a hailed a 'golden opportunity for the North' according our LibDem MSP. Could we not be ahead of the game for once with renewables and be building new tanks for on-shore fish farms that are needed to boost protein food production? Sustaining our environment is an essential part of sustainable economics, so we must ban dangerous cargo vessels from the Minch and re-organise the Pentland Firth traffic if there's every going to be a deep sea/shallow sea transfer port at Scapa. On land we must speedily curb over grazing by deer and free range sheep . Regenerated woodlands can turn a devastated Highland landscape into balanced uses with plenty jobs like our Norwegian neighbours do so successfully in a more extreme climate. Surely that will attract many more visitors to enjoy our scenery and vibrant human communities than mere wilderness does today? Diversifying land ownership and use has long been a top SNP priority. First re-jig the LFA payments to favour the most needy. Second, grant hereditary farm tenants the right to buy and release their potential. Third give support to crofting communities who have already taken over their land like the Assynt and Melness. They need fostering and not ignoring just because they don't fit the 'one-size-fits-all' New Labour model. Many others will emerge when we build up trust and confidence, as opposed to Labour's divide and rule. Fourth, we welcome the NW Cattle Producers Association launched last month. It aims to supply locally bred beef to local markets before thinking about any export trade. Fifth, process timber for construction, not for paper pulp. Building new wooden homes with top insulation values, aided by low cost, low tech, water powered solar heating could all make many new jobs in the Far North. Our languages and culture
are key parts of the North renaissance. Bigger spin-offs will flow from
local self-confidence generated by Gaelic medium education as well as the
individual and community confidence boosted by the Feis movement. More of
our young people are making music today than ever An international festival
on the Cape Breton model - called Highland Colours - could boost many
small communities. In Cape Breton they use thirty-three venues, and the
bonus is we could celebrate Highland Colours in far better weather than St
Andrews Day, or Burns Night. Our cultural life is a magnet to
international visitors. So lets firm up the 2006 date Highland Council has
mooted, the Next we need more business
HQs set up here. AEA Dounreay has to become a world centre of excellence
in nuclear decommissioning skills. We should start to negotiate now to
bring its HQ to Caithness. Also we should lay claim to a department of
government from the pick of those that return from London as we move from
devolution to Independence. As I've said, a ministry is for life, unlike a
call centre. And is it too much to hope that Kyndal, the Invergordon &
Dalmore independent whisky makers could bring their HQ New business births are a key indicator of our ambitions. Solar panel making, kiln-dried timber frames for houses, far more local food and drink makers like the success of the Golspie water mill, local energy co-ops using biomass and other renewables can build local income. A very minor transport revolution could bring year round attractive steam trains to run the Lairg Loop and also build a Dornoch Rail Bridge to speed up the far north rail route without damaging Mid-Sutherland. The proposed Highland Clearances Centre and monument at Helmsdale will become a world-wide attraction and big new employer. We need the ambition here of the magnitude of Cornwall's Eden Project whose huge biomes show that humans have to live in harmony with the world's plants. It employs nearly 700 in what was recently a worked-out china clay pit. Another key is to develop, attract and retain work in the Far North. Our youngsters at school need to know what careers opportunities they can enter here once qualified either from a city campus or in the UHI Millennium Institute. Skills at all levels are needed. The agricultural skills in crofting need to be augmented by the opportunities provided by poly tunnel and solar panel technology. Our Return to Scotland visitor strategy could re-introduce young Scots to their own beautiful country. Youth hostels like Carbisdale and derelict hotels like the Sutherland Arms, Lairg could become major outdoor centres for the North linked by rail to the network. Leisure and cultural skills are needed, translation skills and the wider use of Gaelic must play a part. In short the confidence to build a satisfying life here can only be assured with well-paid jobs. For every parent who says what a great place it is to bring up kids, we have a duty to make it possible for succeeding generations of young Highlanders to do the same. To sustain our population levels and increase them are the most pressing tasks we face in the north today. The census data shows Caithness and Sutherland in particular loosing the biggest numbers. Contrary to HIE propaganda about an increasing Highland population our SNP strategy will repopulate the Far North. The farming analogy fits well. We have been used to breeding store cattle and sheep for export and finishing them elsewhere. Must our youngster follow the same path? Only the SNP will drum it into the election debate that folk here can't expect to keep up the level of existing service with a constantly falling population. In addition as we argue in the Caithness health job crisis, we should seek out qualified asylum seekers with their families to take up medical and other vacant posts. The final proof of success
is much-improved life expectancy. A hand to mouth existence, seasonal work
patterns, poor pay, damp homes are the lot of far too many of our people,
and along with rising drug abuse patterns and disguised unemployment
through emigration they all eat into our basic health. We really have to
get more exercise, cut down binge drinking and a curb a fast food diet,
the statistics are plain to see. We could really enjoy more relaxation,
active sport and bit of indulgence in the sustained pleasure of food,
family and active community life. These are proven indicators of longer,
more fulfilled lives everywhere. Friends, we must be ambitious to
realise our nation's true potential, we need voters to understand how
Independence for Scotland holds the key to |