Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
PRESS RELEASE
22 August 2001
For Use: Immediately
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Comhairle nan Eilean Siar PRESS RELEASE 22 August 2001 For Use: Immediately | |
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar's Chairman of Transportation, Mr. Norman A. Macdonald, has slammed articles in today's edition of The Scotsman on the ferry company Caledonian-MacBrayne as one-sided, ill informed and negative.
The Western Isles Transportation Chairman has also stated that the articles are undermining the Transport Minister as she tries to represent the views of communities served by the Cal-Mac ferries at a European level.
A series of articles on CalMac appeared in today's Scotsman and the Edinburgh based newspaper also carried an editorial that claimed: "The CalMac monopoly must go. Initially its routes are best franchised in separate bundles to encourage competition, investment and innovation".
Local authorities for areas served by Calmac's lifeline services, MPs and MSPs have all made the case that the CalMac routes should be tendered in one bundle to prevent private companies 'cherry picking' the more profitable routes at the expense of non-profit making routes serving remoter communities.
Speaking today, Mr. Macdonald said:
"The Scotsman newspaper and its writers really should try sending someone
to the islands to find out for themselves the views of people here. The Comhairle
is of the view that these essential services should remain within the public
sector and that no aspect of the service should be privatised. Recent experience
of private sector involvement with our lifeline services has done nothing but
reinforce that view amongst the users of these services within our communities."
Ends
Issued by Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 01851 706412 (Home)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk