THE GREYSUIT

I agree at present the trust owns the share in Viking, but that does not mean to say the Council will not attempt to buy some of that share back. With regards to sullom it does not provide anywhere near the amount of money it did, if it did the council would not be concerned with saving money, even with the little money still coming from sullom and Total the Council will have spent all it's reserves, these services maybe statutory but the Council provide them at a level which is well above the statutory minimum, do we really want to lose that.

Whether pro Viking or not, to me the key issue is Council spending, if Jonathan Wills statement on Council spending is correct "need to save 38 million off next years budget" then given the Councillors inability to make hard decisions on cuts the Council will have spent all it's reserves in about 5 years time, sure they can expect a few million from Total, but that will only cover the 2 million growth in social care every year. Once the Council has spent the reserves, then we can expect, No major capital works, no new roads minimum maintenance, impact on construction industry andd loss of jobs, can't afford to run the ferries, the isles will be lucky to get a couple of trips a day, the debate over schools will be irelevant as we simply won't have the money. Population will fall dramatically, impact on the leisure centers etc. and Shetland will go down hill fast. If anyone can come up with a better way to make the sort of money Viking can than lets hear it, because it seems to be we can either have wind turbines and an active economically properous community with a good standard of living and infrastructure, or we don't have Viking, the community implodes, and a private firm will build turbines anyway and the community won't benefit.

That would be no different to what they did in the Ness back in the 60s, when the transport links were far poorer than thaey are now. I am sure the Dunrossness would not want to go back to small schools.

Your comment on the telephone links to australia compared to Shetland just confirms your own ignorance

The residents of Lerwick have been spoiled for years with free bulky uplift from the door whilst rural folk have had to pay for the service, yes we get community skips but I usually have to drive for miles to find an empty one, stop your complaining and do something for yourselves, at least you know its only a two mile drive and the skips always available when you get there, more than I ever do.