MagnieSinclair Posted February 4, 2012 Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 If Scotland becomes independant following the 2014 referendum, what position does this leave Shetland in. Would Shetlander's wish to become part of a newly independant Scotland, remain part of the UK, or wish to themselves become independant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebedee Posted February 4, 2012 Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 I think much much more information is needed before anyone can make a real judgement on this. For example - we depend on the UK for the majority of the goods sold here. We rely on what is a reaosnably priced postal service. Our lifeline ferry service is subsidised. As is our air travel. If we stayed with the UK - would our nearest ferry landing be Newcastle? Really, it is MUCH too simplistic to ask the question at this stage without more information on the implications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagnieSinclair Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 i agree that much more information is needed on this subject, and hopefully as people consider and debate that matter, some of that information may become to light; as well as new information be sought after. as these issues are discussed and answered, then a greater knowledge of the issue will hopefully help people make a more enriched judgement on Shetland's constitutional future. to put my opinion forward, here are some of my suggestions to your dilemma's1. while we do depend on the UK for most of our goods, there is no reason why shetland can not produce a greater quantity of her own needs for herself. large portions of the isles remain unproductive, and could be utilised more efficiently to produce most of our food needs.2. im sure that an independant postal service would not cost a great deal more than is does currently.3. whether or not a shetland gov decided to subsidise travel links to the rest of the UK is a debate that we shetlanders would need to consider, and where we would take resources from elsewhere in the public sector to pay for that.4. Yes, our nearest UK port would likely be Newcastle, but i am sure a Scottish link would be maintained with Shetland, as Scottish buisnesses would still wish to benefit from trade with us, it would just mean that Scotland would not subsidise the ferry link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebedee Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 'Goods' doesn't just include food. It includes building materials and computer equipment and furniture (as examples) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagnieSinclair Posted February 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 i am aware that shetland would have no choice but to import much of its goods as we we have no natural resources to self manufacture them. however, consider that, should investment be made in tree planting in the isles (which doesn't sound that farfetched as the isles were once upon a time covered in trees), then thinking long term, we would not need to rely as heavily on wood imports (although i accept that we would perhaps never produce enough to be selfsufficient). we already have quaries in the isles (although, again we could never be selfsufficient). as for technologies, such as computers, much of the raw materials needed for these are imported into the UK anyway, so that is not like something that Shetland would have to import that the UK doesn't. investments in the isles could mean that such materials were bought in and then the products were made in the isles. Many of the goods Shetland would need to import is purely because we dont currently have the facilities to make them ourselves. Other small countries face the same obsticals and they still manage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redrobbie99 Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Magnie poses the question what would shetland do if scotland become independant .I very strongly suspect the answer would be nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shifte Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 I'm not from Shetland, so don't treat this as more than biased, subjective opinion: I think Shetland would do better for itself attached to Scotland rather than the UK because of geography, history and politics. Free university education, no prescription charges and the like are benefits Shetland enjoys currently. 9 grand a year uni fees would be the name of the game if you remained as part of the UK, for example. I'm not informed enough to say whether Shetland could manage itself independently or not; really that's not for me to decide as someone not from the isles. I really like Shetland and hope it stays with Scotland, but it would be supreme arrogance and indeed hypocritical of me to do anything but respect the decision of the Shetlanders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuckleJoannie Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 There are a few in England that think Shetland should be independent as a means of keeping the oil out of Scottish hands. http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/7618653/freedom-for-shetland.thtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Equality Street Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 I'm probably against it, but I'd like to see it put to the vote should Scotland become independent. While it would be interesting to watch Scotland & England squabble over whom could lay claim to "shetland's oil", I think it would be naive to assume that the ordinary Shetlander would get any share of the booty. I suppose if the SIC became a governing body it would throw up a lot of interesting questions. Would only native Shetlanders be entitiled to run for President/prime minister, for example? While I'm largely against some of the cut-and-run "sooth eens" that occasionally end up in positions of power, I hardly think the likes of Mr Clarke serve as examples of great leadership, despite his inexplicably favourable coverage in the local press lately... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
werder Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Shetland could not run itself as an independent country. The council can't decipher their ass from their elbow, never mind trying to run an independent Shetland. I also don't see where any other suitable candidates that could be president/prime minister would come from? The best thing that Shetland can do is to continue the way it is. I just don't understand why people think that it would be necessary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorrie Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Well, the Faroese seem quite happy. No real reason why Shetland couldn't work on the same basis as far as I can see. But first Shetland needs a cohesive and popular Independence movement........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 Well, the Faroese seem quite happy. No real reason why Shetland couldn't work on the same basis as far as I can see. But first Shetland needs a cohesive and popular Independence movement........ I thought there was one here! Citizen Kavi. and George the Gent is President. ( a catchy slogan) It does seem that no one wants to take this up in the real world. It would be interesting and exciting to see the debate in the real world as well. It will highlight all the problems, but I also think much of the drum banging will be on the oil revenues and who has right to them. It will be the governance of the proceedings that needs to be put in place first, which will divide folk from the off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redrobbie99 Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 One of the the main reasons which used to be given not to go independant was that the average person in shetland would be worse of try telling that to many people in the SIC workforce who have already been banned from overtime which many people depended on to make ends meet . They now have to face swinging cuts to their pay and conditions topped with a pay freeze till 2020.A bit hard to take when shetland is surrounded with oil and gas feilds worth billions not to mention the huge strocks of fish most of which is hovered up by other EU vessels. Yes the UK has done shetland proud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George. Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 It's only the oil that drives the game, isn't it Assistant President Peat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 The worry with it George is we would need to oversee this ourselves. If it is seen or deemed that we are not managing it right, the Islands could be invaded by the Yanks, or worse. You have my support boss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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