FERRY SLIGHT WORRY
Most readers will be aware that there is talk of an industrial dispute which could lead to ferry disruptions later this summer. The real risk is thought to be very slight - both parties to the dispute are anxious to reach a just and acceptable settlement. In the meantime, it is quite certain that nothing can happen before August 28th and intending passengers who are concerned may care to take a few simple steps. It is advisable to make definite reservations on the ferry, so that travel insurance will cover any disruption; and it is advisable to use a credit card for all pre-payments for any component of the trip, so as to maximise the possibility of consumer protection. It is true that Colonsay could be affected if a disruption actually arose.
We do not have any direct comment from the Trade Union, RMT, but it is known to be negotiating actively to find a resolution. The following information is based upon statements issued by the employer and is the most comprehensive available to "The Corncrake" at this time.
Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne will meet RMT union representatives again on Monday (4 August) to continue the wage negotiations which took place in Glasgow today (Friday, August 1) and adjourned after four and a half hours.
The talks, which took place at the RMT's Glasgow offices, were described by the company as "constructive and amicable".
Caledonian MacBrayne Director of Human Resources Alasdair MacInnes, who led the talks for the company, said: "There are a number of issues raised in the discussions today which will require further consideration. I will now be addressing these points as a matter of urgency and I have asked the union to continue the meeting on Monday. Until then, it would not be right to comment on the arrangements which were being discussed. Caledonian MacBrayne believes that the company has made a fair and reasonable offer in the circumstances and will pursue every opportunity to avoid the need for a ballot and threat of action. We will obviously keep all our regular channels with the union open in the interim."
The RMT union has advised CalMac that they will ballot members on industrial action and the result is expected on August 21. Strike action is even then by no means automatic and the company hopes that the issues which remain unresolved will be successfully concluded by then.
Mr MacInnes added: "We will keep our customers informed of progress. Caledonian MacBrayne has no wish to see strike action and sincerely hopes that this will be avoided. We will do everything we can to achieve a successful outcome for all concerned."
EMMA JEAN LEPPARD
Congratulations to George and Pauline Leppard on the birth of their daughter Emma Jean at Queen Mother's Hospital, Glasgow on 16 July. Emma arrived at 2.04 am, weighing-in at 6lbs 12oz. Mother and baby are both well, and the whole family is home again in Colonsay where they were welcomed by grandparents Jim and Jeannette MacLoughlin.
COLONSAY DIARY
The number of summer visitors has been running at a high level - on 28th July there were 340 more people on the island than on March 1st, and on 30th July numbers peaked at 500 when "Hebridean Princess" was alongside; a telephone cable that was damaged recently left all of Kilchattan without communications for more than five days; Brian Hindmarch's new book has been well-received locally and many people have purchased work from his exhibition at the Heritage Centre; sheep-shearing has been completed throughout the island in record time, assisted by a mobile task-force of Scots and Australian specialists; Fay is back from Orkney for a while, engaged in a survey of the chough population; the first two central-heating installations have been completed under the free-for-pensioners scheme; an extensive programme of vital conservation work has just commenced at Oransay Priory; Rosebay Willow Herb is rampant at Kiloran:
END OF THE PIER SHOW
Bin Laden look-alike Barshak seems to have a double of his own. A recent vigorous performance at Scalasaig was perhaps more enjoyable for spectators than the audience participant. Gripping stuff.
Our picture shows the real Barshak, Edinburgh Fringe performer.
The following links provide full details of businesses and projects that have received AIE funding and support in recent months:
QUEEN OF THE SEA
Chloe Shaw was recently crowned as "Queen of the Sea" and is pictured here beside her escort, "The Captain".
PLANNING NEWS
Controversial new site:
The Planning Committee met publicly on site at Glassard in order to decide the issue; verbal submissions were accepted and then the issue was put to the vote. The motion, to authorise outline planning permission for a new dwelling-house, was carried unanimously. There seems to be general agreement that the process was instructive and that in future the Community Council should formally consider all new planning applications as a matter of course.
Sheltered Project in difficulty:
In a startling new revelation, it was learned that a visionary proposal for the Senior Citizens has been rejected. The complex was to have been called "New Jerusalem" and developers A.A.Gabriel Associates expressed their chagrin in a prepared statement. The new development was to have afforded a high level of security, with no less than twelve gates to maintain full accessibility. Plans show that it was to have been perfectly proportioned, and built to the highest standards. For visual amenity the walls were to have been built in jasper, beautifully adorned with saphire, agate, emerald, onyx, carnelian, quartz, beryl, topaz, chalcedony, turquoise and amethyst. Gates of pearl and golden pavements would have enhanced the sumptious nature of the structure, but unfortunately it was not to be.
Cllr. Wormwood, speaking for the planning committee, commended the spirit with which such opulent sheltered housing had been proposed. Unfortunately it would have contravened the County Plan in a number of ways, not least by the use of non-traditional materials.
Local resident Mr. B.L. Zeebub was somewhat more outspoken in his comments, feeling that the new development might have outshone his own holiday home and indeed would have been almost as flamboyant as his regular home in Nether Region. He was supported in this view by Old Harry, who felt that there would be an imbalance between the residents of New Jerusalem living in rapture whilst everyone else was still struggling with the goats. Unhappily this comment was immediately challenged by Old Nick, who felt that the goats had been wrongly impugned in an example of feet-ism. Matters went from bad to worse when the Whore of Babylon sought to have the original decision reversed on grounds of economic need and the proceedings eventually closed in some disorder.
WHAT'S ON IN COLONSAY
Community Council Meeting, 4 August 8pm, all welcome
Visitors' Ceilidh - Village Hall on Saturday 9th August
The Colonsay International Golf Open 2003 will be held on Saturday 23rd August at 1pm
Mondays 6.00 - 7.15pm, Village Hall
RAQS SHARQI - EGYPTIAN DANCE
Raqs Sharqi is the traditional women's dance of Egypt. It originates in the gypsy dances of the Middle East and North Africa. In a contemporary form it is enjoyed by women all over the world.
Classes are suitable for women of all ages and fitness levels. Raqs Sharqi is great for increasing strength and flexibility and classes take place in a relaxing and friendly atmosphere. Island residents, visitors and children - all are welcome!
Miki Perkins has studied Raqs Sharqi for five years. She taught regular classes in Australia and continues to enjoy sharing this unique dance form with others. Participants should wear loose, comfortable clothing.
"Tides" Seafood Shop - Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 1 - 5.30pm
Colonsay House Gardens - every Wednesday and Friday afternoon; refreshments are available
Boat Trips - daily, obtain brochure at Hotel, Pantry, Shop, P.O., Bookshop or Pier.
Note: On Mondays, the service to Port Askaig connects with the Kennacraig ferry.
Quiz in the Hotel every THURSDAY at 9.30 pm.
Quiz-Night Special - 3 Course Meal 6 - 8 pm @ £12.50
Evening Meals: 6pm - 9pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
5pm - 9.30pm on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Lunches served daily 12 - 2.30pm
Bar open: 12 - 2.30 and 6pm till late (from 5pm on Friday and Sunday).
The Pantry - Summer hours apply
Tel 01951 200235
Church Service
Please note that services in both the Baptist Church and the Church of Scotland are at the new time of 11.30hrs. Services are held every Sunday in August in both churches - see notices in the shop and hotel for further details.
CAROLINA SCOTS CELEBRATION:
November 28 - 30 at The Fair Barn, Pinehurst, North Carolina. A commemoration of the 1803 arrival of Daniel Kelly from the Isle of Skye, but a weekend of activity that will appeal to anybody who can make it to the venue. More information on www.carolinascots.com
TOPICAL LETTERS
For convenience of readers, letters now appear in two sections. Anything to do with current events appears here, and letters to do with the Magazine section or historical research etc. will appear at the end of the Magazine section.
Cal-Mac Users' Committee
5th Floor, Corunna House,
29 Cadogan Street, Glasgow, G2 7AB.
Telephone: 0141 221 7760
Fax: 0141 221 3393
Email: info.scotland@railpassengers.org.uk
29 July 2003
Dear Sir
The RMT Union will soon be balloting its Caledonian MacBrayne members in support of strike action yet again. If a strike occurs it will probably be in four or five weeks' time, ie. the first week in September. While Scottish school holidays will be over by then many English holidaymakers will be about to leave for home, and may thus be deterred from coming to Scotland in the first place for fear of being stranded. This is the fourth or fifth time in the past few years when strike action has been threatened, or has actually occurred, on the Cal-Mac network.
While we refuse to take sides in this, or any other, industrial dispute, these serial interruptions are extremely damaging to passengers and freight users of Cal-Mac's services.
People living in island communities expect their lifeline transport links to be maintained day in, day out. Indeed, the Scottish Executive's Draft Tender document includes the word "lifeline" in its title. It is surely farcical that these lifelines can be cast adrift because of a ballot of workers largely unaffected by the lack of the lifeline. Why should they be able to hold entire communities - often fragile ones - to ransom?
Some islands have a regular air service, others are connected by road or causeway to the mainland or to another island served by air, others have a ferry provided by a different operator. Of the island communities served by Cal-Mac only Arran, Bute, Coll, Colonsay, Cumbrae and Gigha are wholly dependent on Cal-Mac's services.
The time has come for these communities to demand something better from the Scottish Executive. We have been told that no-strike agreements are expensive and may be unenforceable. But we have been here too often before to rely on pious hopes. If wages have to be increased on services to these six islands in return for a guaranteed service, so be it. Let the fares on these services be increased in the appropriate proportion. Those who benefit from this guarantee - islanders for the most part, but also visitors - ought to be happy to pay slightly more for what is, in effect, an insurance premium providing the comfort of a service day in, day out, regardless of industrial disputes elsewhere on the network.
If, as seems likely, other islands and mainland communities served by Cal-Mac where a travel alternative exists seek to emulate Arran &c. in demanding no-strike agreements, that would be a matter for them to deal with after the dust has settled.
We expect the Invitation to Tender document to be published within a few months, and this may be the last opportunity for several years to put in place this overdue reform. My Committee will be pressing hard for its implementation, and we seek the support of those communities who stand to lose ferry services yet again. Lifeline services are just that, and are far too important to be jeopardised by the continuing failure to come to a long-term agreement about wages and conditions. It's time to put passengers first.
Yours faithfully
Mike Lunan,
Convener
To the Editor,
The Corncrake
Dear Kevin,
For some reason my name seems to have been omitted from the list of objectors to the proposed development next to No.1 Glassard. Now that the Planning Committee has visited the island and unanimously approved the planning permission, it is somewhat academic, but for the record, I did object. [Whoops - sorry, slip-up by Editor]
I think there are wider concerns raised on the back of this particular application, which might usefully be debated both in the "Corncrake" and on the island generally. As everyone is aware, there has been a considerable building boom on Colonsay in recent years, with some 25 new houses built in the past ten years, the majority of them in the past three years. As a response to the findings of various studies that housing was a factor impeding development on Colonsay, this is in itself welcome, particularly where it has enabled local families to move into brand new homes, either as owner-occupiers or as Housing Association tenants. However it is legitimate to ask where we go from here. The latest spate of applications seem to be from people who wish to build holiday homes on the island. Admittedly this will bring spending power into the community, and provide some employment for local people. But do we want Colonsay to end up in the same situation as some Greek islands, or indeed many mainland communities in the Highlands, where the majority of houses are occupied for only a few weeks each year?
I write as the owner of a second home on Colonsay, although in my case I have owned my house here for the past 14 years and my connection with Colonsay - and with this house - goes back much further than that. Second homes have a place in a community such as ours, and can help to strengthen links with the world beyond our shores, to everyone's benefit. But like many people, I begin to wonder where the present building boom is going to end. There is in the longer term a danger that with houses appearing all over the island, and the year-round resident population being outnumbered by seasonal visitors, the very features that draw people to Colonsay - its unspoilt natural beauty, and the vibrancy of its local community - may be destroyed.
Clearly [there is an] interest in selling housing plots so long as there is a demand for them. Equally there are a number of local craftsmen who are deriving great benefit from the current spate of house-building, which is enabling them to bring up their families in safe and pleasant surroundings, and ensuring the viability of the local school. Sheer economics suggest that the building boom will continue indefinitely. But I do think the community as a whole needs to consider carefully what the long-term effects of this will be.
No-one can be against change. Colonsay has already changed radically from the way I first knew it in the 1950s, when it was almost entirely dependent on agriculture, and overwhelmingly Gaelic-speaking. The advent of mains electricity and water, a reliable phone link and a more regular ferry service can only be welcomed, as can the "hands-on" approach of the present proprietor. But one would hope that, in a place as special as Colonsay, change would always be for the better, and not to the detriment of the community. That is why I think we need a debate.
Le deagh dhurachd,
Alastair M. Scouller
3 Glassard
Hi Kevin
Ross may have already spoken to you about this but, if not, we wondered if you could include a piece in the Corncrake for anyone wishing to have work done on headstones at Kilchattan Cemetery.
I have been in touch with Stokes Memorials in Dunoon, where our headstone came from, and, if it is financially viable, Mr Stokes is willing to travel to Colonsay to do the work needed and any other work that needs to be done. Before committing himself he would like to know how many people would like work done (cleaning of headstones, engraving etc.) and asked that people should contact him.
Obviously the more jobs he has to do the cheaper it will be per person. His e-mail address is stokesmemorials@yahoo.co.uk phone number 01369 702162 and the address is 312 - 314 Argyll Street, Dunoon, PA23 7RD. He is getting in touch today with Peedie to have a notice put up in the shop to this effect and asking if people can send a photograph of their stone (if possible) to him, describing the work to be done and he can then work out a price and deal with the people direct.
I understand that quite a few people want work done, several of them who don't live on Colonsay, so, if it is in the Corncrake everyone should get to know about it. Mr Stokes is talking about going over possibly in late September so, the sooner people contact him the better.
Hope this finds you all well and hope to be over soon.
Regards
Ann Fuge
The Magazine Section
