Sovereign Shetland

[Hakon J]

It's always someone else's fault ...

[Ghostrider]

It's always someone else's fault ...

 

"Fault" ???

 

Don't think I assigned "fault" anywhere. While the status quo may be far from ideal. it is passably functional. I don't see any urgency to change, but if change was afoot, I could be persuaded to back it if the speil was convincing.

 

This is the 'Sovereignshetland.com' thread after all, just expressing my personal opinion.

[crofter]

I see this on www.forvik.com

 

Somebody has hacked the site perhaps?

 

Forvik has announced the appointment of a Minister for Aerospace. Chris Tyrie has extensive experience in the field and has worked on Russian and Australian space programmes. The Forvik Aerospace programme (Star Peace) is headquartered at a secret launch site code named "Muspell" (The southern land of fire) hidden deep in the Australian Outback. The Forvegian bid to conquer space is conducted in secret, but video footage will be available to keep the Forvik public informed as to progress. Why Australia? In the 50s and 60s the UK used Woomera, South Australia for testing their launch vehicles and to launch satellites. The Forvik Star Peace space programme will be directed towards strictly peaceful end.

 

The new Minister wasted no time in announcing the commissioning of the "Free ZE" sounding rocket project.

 

The project is to consist of a series of sounding rockets to be developed and launched at a secret launch site code named "Muspell" hidden deep in the Australian Outback, far from the UKs Intelligence services that may work to subvert Forvegian domination of Space due to their own space programme's descent into non-existence.

 

Each rocket will be of increasing size and power, and act as the first steps towards a permanent Forvegian Moon base scheduled for completion in the 3rd quarter of 2563.

 

The Minister was quoted as saying that "...due to Forvegian peace forces being tied up on continuous patrol for UK incursions into our territory, the only viable option for increasing our territory beyond Shetland is in the much warmer climate of deep space."

 

The Minister denied accusations that the project would increase the cold war tensions between Forvik and the UK citing the "Land Rover Gate" and RBS scandals that have rocked the Forvegian people in recent years.

 

"The UK has the monopoly on increasing hostilities" the Minister was heard saying, "They may have a nuclear arsenal, but we have Stuart, so they are hardly in a position to threaten us. "

 

Regular updates on the project will be posted in the "Aerospace" group of the community section.

[George.]

I think there is a spelling mistake in there. It should read "They may have a nuclear ass 'n' all"

[Ghostrider]

I see this on www.forvik.com

 

Somebody has hacked the site perhaps?

 

Difficult to say, its arguably of a similar standard to some of whats been posted previously, that the man himself has stood by.

[paulb]

is an undischarged bankrupt allowed to run a buisness. he is still taking money in.

[fionajohn]

in everything i have read i can not find the alternative i would think that is the most sensible . go for isle of man status this could invite a large amount of rich buisness people if the tax incentives were inviting and possibly be very acceptable to the oil industry

[CShetland383]

The population of shetland is ~22000. North sea oil production is currently around 2.5mbpd, although how much of this would lie inside a sovereign shetland's territorial waters is a matter of debate.

 

At the current spot price ($125.34 at the time of writing) this equates to £80.16, making the value of oil extraction from the north sea £200,400,000 per day, or £73.146 billion per year.

 

http://www.acorn-ps.com/web/page/oilgas/nsfields/nnsmap.htm

^Looking at the map above, it seems a safe assumption that a sovereign shetland would control at least 20-25% of this production, so I'll use the low end of that assumption here.

 

This gives us an estimated contribution of £14.63bn per year from the oil industry alone (and obviously gas production at shetland is increasing substantially too).

 

This would give the islands a GDP/capita of £663000, more than 25 times higher than the UK average, and higher than any country in the world, indeed, more than 6 times higher than monaco. This ignores the contribution of natural gas production and the natural competitive advantages that low-regulation, low-tax sovereign states have.

 

In addition to this, as a sovereign nation shetland could leave the EU and thus be free of the common agricultural policy that has killed our fishing industry, from which we would derive further benefit.

 

The islands have had so much opportunity to build something truly magnificent, to create such a wonderful bright future for all who reside there, and given the scottish independence debate, there is a rare opportunity to do it.

 

The window of opportunity is closing very rapidly. Currently, it is still possible to use Shetland's natural resources to create a vibrant state with an economy diverse enough to survive the inevitable loss of the fossil fuel industry that awaits the next generation. Soon, this will no longer be possible.

A lack of competitive enterprise, and a lack of the important fishing industry (~£250m/year), both arguably a result of the over-regulation of the UK & EU government, will make shetland increasingly dependent on a dwindling oil industry. This is not a bright future.

 

We are approaching a crossroads. Which way will you go?

I wonder.

[ArabiaTerra]

Err, CShet, the oil doesn't just jump out of the ground and into your petrol tank you know. It costs money to run those oil rigs, tankers, oil terminals and refineries, A shed-load of money.

 

Now if you're arguing that we could be in line for 25% of the tax revenue the UK makes from the North Sea, then you might make some sense, but that's a much smaller figure.

 

The window of opportunity is closing very rapidly. Currently, it is still possible to use Shetland's natural resources to create a vibrant state with an economy diverse enough to survive the inevitable loss of the fossil fuel industry that awaits the next generation. Soon, this will no longer be possible.

A lack of competitive enterprise, and a lack of the important fishing industry (~£250m/year), both arguably a result of the over-regulation of the UK & EU government, will make shetland increasingly dependent on a dwindling oil industry. This is not a bright future.

 

We are approaching a crossroads. Which way will you go?

I wonder.

 

It's obvious.: Windmills

 

£30,000,000/year, profit, in perpetuity. The wind won't run out.

[Ghostrider]

In reply to the post title. Nobody will admit publically to taking it seriously, as IMHO for at the last 4 years the media coverage teh subject has received, has almost been exclusively as a result of one man and his continual ill-thought out, amateurish and farcical antics which, he claims, are designed to keep the issue moving forward.

 

While he's entitled to think and believe what he likes, the only view I'm seeing is one of him acting the part of the court foolfor self-publicity, at the expense any serious debate on Shetland's future other than the one the status quo will lead us to. Folk won't risk raising their head above the parapet for fear or being tarred with the same brush as him IMHO.

[Infiltrator]

North sea oil production is currently around 2.5mbpd, although how much of this would lie inside a sovereign shetland's territorial waters is a matter of debate.

 

 

Very short debate I'd suggest - none of it, can't see the UK giving it to Holyrood, let alone Shetland.

 

Whenever it's been debated on here before, the whole Shetland sovereignty discussion centres around the oil tax revenue.

 

It seems folk want independence for Shetland, but only as long as it's a wealthier Shetland.

[MuckleJoannie]

Among the SNP's prposals for when Scotland gets its independence is setting up a fund from oil revenues and I am sure that more of their plans depend on oil revenues. Obviously this depends on the result of the independence referendum. If Scotland votes for independence Shetland will have a good bargaining counter in the form of the oil fields that are near us. This is something that the new council will have to deal with but only one prospective SIC councillor has mentioned this in their manifesto so far.

[exciseman]

. If Scotland votes for independence Shetland will have a good bargaining counter in the form of the oil fields that are near us. This is something that the new council will have to deal with but only one prospective SIC councillor has mentioned this in their manifesto so far.

Will someone please explain on what basis Shetland has a control over any oilfields? – Shetland has no more legal right to the oil fields before or after independence than any other county in Scotland. Shetland has no powers to negotiate revenues from oil taken from UK waters or Scottish waters - Shetland has no legal basis by which to gain these powers from Britain or Scotland.

 

The only bargaining chip Shetland had in the 1970s was control of the inshore sea-bed and Sullom Voe – the oil companies can now bypass Shetland if they want.

[Dratsy]

^ just how would the waters be Scottish or UK if we were to go it alone it is after all as Grofaz continually asserts a matter of geography.

[exciseman]

^ just how would the waters be Scottish or UK if we were to go it alone it is after all as Grofaz continually asserts a matter of geography.

Unless you think the Stuart Hill is correct (and he may be) Shetland has no legal right to hold a referendum to 'go it alone' no more than Scotland has a legal right to their referendum - the Uk (or Scotland) would have to grant Shetland the same powers to 'go it alone' as is the case at the moment with Westminster granting Scotland powers to hold an independence referendum.

I can't see any government UK or Scottish letting Shetland break away - indeed it would set a precedent for any county of Britain to leave the UK - it just won't happen.