January 2009 diary column
03 July 2009
Homecoming & Burns.
As I’m sure you all know by now, 2009 has been designated as the Year of Homecoming, and it is now well underway. Using the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns as the catalyst, the idea is to attract the Scottish Diaspora worldwide (and there are an estimated 50 million of them) to ‘come home’ and explore/celebrate/discover their Scottishness. I hope it is a roaring success, as our tourism industry could use the boost, and it could bode well for this region given our strong Burnsian connection. The exchange rate is in our favour from that point of view as well, proving that every cloud does indeed have a silver lining.
This year has also given an added dimension to the Burns supper season, and I’ve greatly enjoyed those in which I have participated thus far. I was greatly honoured to propose the Immortal Memory at ‘the big one’ on 25th in the Easterbrook Hall, and I hugely enjoyed hosting my own supper as Presiding Officer for the Scottish Consular Corps in Holyrood. In between those 2 big events, however, I attended the Carsphairn Burns Supper – a packed village hall, excellent food, prepared by the ladies, served by the men (they are very obedient, madam chairman informed me!) and attended by most of the local community. It was warm, it was friendly and it had an intimacy about it that is impossible to recreate in the more formal setting of a Parliament or a large town hall. I felt hugely privileged to attend the 2 ‘big ones’, but Carsphairn was, to me, what the spirit of Burns is really all about.
Terminal 5 and B&Bs.
Contrary to the thoughts of mayhem that instantly fill the brain when anyone mentions Terminal 5 at Heathrow airport, the place is utterly fantastic. Now that the teething problems that followed its opening have been sorted out, I can now personally testify to its speed and efficiency. Indeed, having checked in for a transatlantic flight just before Christmas, I found we had hours to spare before our departure. It was during our second, or perhaps third, coffee that I checked my Blackberry – (everyone in airports checks their Blackberries nowadays don’t they?) and found a bonus Christmas present that had been forwarded by the Minister for Community Safety.
Following a meeting with myself and at least 7 other MSPs, along with a number of constituents who operate Bed & Breakfast establishments, my Blackberry informed me that the Minister had decided to rescind previous guidance on fire regulations and rethink the whole thing. This guidance had resulted in small B&B operators being visited by fire officers and then being required to carry out a number of actions to improve the safety of the building. The problem was that the actions required were nearly always completely out of proportion to the size of the establishment. For months I, and others, had been seeking a rethink. We got it, and I can only commend all the MSPs who took up the cudgel, and the Minister for listening.
What I do not recommend is trying to put out a local press release on the matter and write to all B&B operators in the constituency to tell them the glad tidings from Terminal 5 when you have just been called to the boarding gate. You get strange looks from other passengers. But our B&Bers got an excellent Christmas present.
Christmas at Copacabana.
Regular readers to this column will know that last Christmas gave us the opportunity to meet our 2 new granddaughters. What I don’t think I previously revealed was that this glorious meeting took place in Brazil. The reasoning behind this exotic location was that the Argentinean branch of our family could come north, the American branch could come south, and we could travel west to meet vaguely in the middle. Strange reasoning, you might reasonably think – but that is what passes for logic in the Fergusson family.
One of our young had found a house for rent about an hour north of Rio de Janeiro, and it was just perfect. A half mile long beach was only 200 yards away – the view was spectacular – there was room for 8 adults and 4 children to find some space on their own if necessary (with a family reunion like that of course it was necessary!) and all in all it was the most wonderful 10 days being crawled over by babies, dragged off to play with 2 five year olds, and generally revelling in the lack of any other duties.
Rio itself is quite stunning, with its dominating features of Sugar Loaf Mountain and the incredible statue of Christ that dominates the city when not hidden in the clouds. I only visited the city once, and loved it – until we took a look at Copacabana beach. Mile upon mile of sand, sea and suntanned torsos sent me back to our secluded peninsula as fast as I could, and there I remained. 40 years ago I might have revelled in that sea of human beings along the coastline – now I’ll leave the Copacabana to Barry Manilow!
Barack to earth?
All of the above now seems like an age ago, as it wasn’t long after our return that the mail started coming in again, Parliamentary duties began once more and suddenly you wonder if you’ve had a break at all! In that regard 2009 has begun much as 2008 finished – with one major difference 3 weeks into this new year. The quite incredible scenes in Washington heralding the inauguration of the 44th President of the U.S.A. simply took the breath away. There is, there has to be said, something remarkably different about this extraordinary man, and yet my first feeling towards him is of sympathy. That is for the simple reason that the weight of expectation that is on his shoulders has to be unprecedented – it cannot be right that so much hope for change can be vested in one man. Can it?
Forestry Plans.
Much has been written in the local press of late about the Government’s proposal to lease out a large percentage of the Forestry Commission’s estate to the private sector, thus freeing up an estimated £200 million for investment in further plantings in order to better meet both planting and environmental targets. This is, understandably, hugely controversial, and it has generated an enormous amount of correspondence of both surface and e-mailed variety, as you would expect in an area where forestry is such an important industry. It is when issues like this arise that I find the gag that is rightly imposed on me because of my role as Presiding Officer frustrating in the extreme, as there are many things I would like to say, on both sides of the argument.
However, although I cannot make public pronouncements on issues over which I may have to preside in the Chamber (and therefore potentially use my casting vote) I can ensure that Ministers are kept very aware of the concerns that have been raised with me. As the MSP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale it is no less than my duty to do so, and that is exactly what I will continue to do in this instance.
Contact.
Just because it’s a new year (already 1/12th gone) doesn’t mean I’ve changed my routine. My Friday evening surgeries continue as always, and I’m more than happy to make other arrangements for those who can’t make my surgeries. Just phone 0800 028 7260 for details.