Independence for Shetland!

[Brian]

I chuckled when I read the contributions from Ghostrider and Man of Kent. The Highlands and Islands Development Board in its original incarnation was of course largely run by a Shetlander, of happy memory. Far from being ignorant about the whereabouts of Shetland, the HIDB was a key reason for Shetland's prosperity in the late 1060s. I take it that Man of Kent is a young thing, and can't remember those days.

 

25 years ago a US student wrote a brilliant thesis about Shetland, where she showed that in the forties and fifties Shetlanders had hated the snooty English and the English accent, and loved the warm Glaswegians and their twang. In the seventies the situation reversed itself: the Shelties grew to love the efficient English, and distrust the boorish Scots. I suspect that Ghostrider, who presumably has it in mind to emigrate to Kent, has been much influenced by the later tendency. I don't need to say how absurd all such prejudices are, I hope!

[Ghostrider]

^^ If that's Kent County, Maryland or Virgina, you're not wrong.

 

I won't argue that the HIDB put some good Shetland's way, simply because I am unfamiliar with the political etc circumstances that brought the HIDB in to being, but I do wonder if Scotland had had no "Highlands" and Shetland was the sole Scottish isle, if the HIDB would ever have existed.

 

In any case, one swallow does not make a summer. My negativity towards Scots is a result of a whole lot more than just the last 38 years, or one act (ie the HIDB) can rectify. For approx the first 450 years of their involvement with us, they seemed incapable of seeing Shetland and Shetlanders as anything other than to be used, abused and plundered. From what I've seen coming out of Edinburgh these last few years, I see no reason to suspect they see us as being any different today.

 

Yes, I know, forgive and forget, turn the other cheek and all that. Sorry, but I don't do that unless the other party gives me reason to, and so far I've seen none forthcoming.

[Brian]

How do you explain the latest financial settlement for Shetland by the Scottish government?

[Ghostrider]

^^ Well, firstly, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm under the impression that a bribe/bonus for councils who froze Council Tax at 2007/08 levels for 2008/09 was offered to all Scottish councils, so by doing so Shetland was guaranteed extra government money anyway.

 

Secondly, right now Shetland has a lot that Scotland wants a slice of, especially if they have independence for themselves in mind. If they go independent they want us with them, not going independent ourselves or going English, and taking the fish, oil etc that's in our waters with us, so they have to keep us sweet and make themselves look like the good guy in our eyes to have any hope of that.

 

Yup, I'm getting very cynical in my old age I know.

[Muppet]

Not so sure you're being cynical there. Has the SNP not said from day one that if Shetland wants its independance, they can have it, but they're keeping the oil.

 

Just like everybody else, they're not in the business of looking after our interests, theyre in the business of looking after their own

[Styumpie]

The oil that is in our waters, it should belong to us if we go independent.

[Brian]

What are all you guys going to do about independence for Shetland? what is your strategy?

[penfold]

Well first of all if people want independence they should look at what overall strategy will bring around the desired result. The one thing that will have all interested parties slavering at the mouth is the postion of Shetland to the oil reserves north and west of here as the oil price rockets towards the heavens it is a powerful motivator.

 

Once a political consenus has been found on the islands through a body not unlike the convention that preceeded the move to Scottish devolution, then the convention would begin negotiations with the interested parties e.g the Scottish government and the UK government, but also our near neighbours in the Scandinavian world and use the current situation to bargain first more autonomy and then full independence, it will take hard work but it is not unachievable. It just takes a dedicated desire to see it through.

[Ghostrider]

What are all you guys going to do about independence for Shetland? what is your strategy?

 

Speaking entirely for myself, there is no strategy as yet, nor is it known if anything is going to be done about it, an immense amount more information needs to be sourced and considered before any decision can be taken as to whether it is the viable and desirable way to go. There are multiple options which could be brought to the table, each with it's own assets and drawbacks.

 

What I do know is, personally speaking, that by all appearances an independent Scotland, and especially Shetland within an independent Scotland is somewhere I really do not want to be.

[JohanofNess]

I'm just waiting for the folks on Mainland Shetland telling the outer isles to sling their hook because they take too much money from the big pot that is the oil money, Independence for Foula whether it likes it or not. I don't think Scotland if it got independence will give Shetland or any other island the option of sticking with England and there are moans coming from England they are sick of subsidising Scotland so why would the Westminster govt take on parts of Scotland that require more subsidy than others (not that I'm saying Shetland does).

[Brian]

In other words, nothing.

[Ghostrider]

I'm just waiting for the folks on Mainland Shetland telling the outer isles to sling their hook because they take too much money from the big pot that is the oil money, Independence for Foula whether it likes it or not.

 

You must have missed it, I've been of the belief for years that the likes of Foula and Papa Stour should have been left to their own devices to survive or die as they will. Once an isle cannot sustain itself form within, but needs significant cash injections from elsewhere to maintain it, the case to keep them on life support indefinitely is one I cannot agree with.

 

It has nothing to do with how much they cost the "oil money pot", it's everything to do with how much money it costs, period. How can you justify spending such a high level of public funds, from wherever they come, for such small numbers of people, for apparently no return. Many once populated small isles around Shetland have been abandoned in the last 200 years, why suddenly try and halt that natural progression, and at such immense cost. What elevates the likes of Foula or Papa to be worthy of such efforts, that didn't do the same for the likes of say, Havera, Mousa, St Ninian's etc etc?

[JohanofNess]

The difference is 150 years ago when an isle was dying on its ass people were less likely to do much about it, but these days people have a whole new yearning to moan endlessly about the injustice of the situation they find themselves in. Not to stoke an incomers argument but how many of the wee isles are fully populated by born and bred Shetlanders and how many are new to the island and not aware that they could be left on a rock with no services?. Nigel and Mavis from Kent are more likely to kick up a fuss about having sausage all electricity or no main road than Bertie and Mable who have lived their whole lives like that.

 

I agree with you, if the island can't sustain itself tell the residents to stump up for it themself and if they can't it's their choice to remain on the island.

[Brian]

Presumably Johan and Ghostrider believe that Danish subsidies to the Faroe islands should be cancelled forthwith.

[MJ]

^^^^

Most Danes believe so too.