November 2009 diary column
03 December 2009
November 09 diary
NHS Consultation.
The current consultation exercise being carried out by the NHS Board is raising understandable consternation – especially amongst those communities whose hospitals are facing closure if Option 3 is eventually adopted. Given that the Board have indicated that Option 3 is very much their preferred option, it is not hard to understand why the view is widespread that the outcome is both predetermined and inevitable. I can only say that the Board have repeatedly assured me that this will be a genuine consultation, during which the views expressed will be noted and taken into account before the final decision is made. I would also say that the opposition to the closure of both Thornhill and Kirkcudbright hospitals across both of those communities seems to be 100%, and I am not at all surprised.
What is vitally important, however, is that all sides are given a fair and reasonable opportunity to put their side of the argument at the various drop-in sessions and public meetings that make up this exercise. If communities in my constituency remain vigorously opposed to the proposed outcome, they will have my unstinting support, but only if they come to that position having given Health Board officials every opportunity to state their case in a calm and reasonable way. Anything else is mob rule, and I have no time for that.
Remembrance.
One of the greatest privileges I have every year is that of laying a wreath on Remembrance Sunday on behalf of the Scottish Parliament at the stone of remembrance outside the City of Edinburgh Chambers. I don’t think it was only because the sun was shining brightly that the crowd was significantly bigger his year, but it was markedly so. I think it is partly because the veterans that we now honour are no longer just the older generation, but youngsters who could be our sons, cousins or brothers and sisters. There is something very moving at the reawakening of recognition for their duty amongst those who, like me, will never experience going to war, but who fully benefit from the freedom that is won by those who do.
Bureaucratic Nonsense.
Dumfries & Galloway’s first recognised Fair Trade village – Dunscore – recently approached me to help them achieve their desire to erect ‘Fair Trade Village’ signs at the entrances to the village. Having applied for what they assumed was a formality, the good folk of Dunscore were somewhat taken aback to be told that such signage wasn’t allowed. I wrote to the Minister suggesting a rethink. He replied saying that it wasn’t allowed. I now have in my possession a photo of a sign on a road entering Aberdeen which states clearly, ‘Aberdeen, Fair Trade City’. I’ve written back to the Minister….
Debt.
In any recession, debt takes on a menace of its own, and I was horrified to read some of the statistics in a recent report by the Citizens Advice Bureau entitled ‘Drowning in Debt’ which was also the subject of a recent Parliamentary Members Debate. While the debate highlighted the invaluable role of CAB advisors in managing debt, and I cannot commend that role highly enough, it is chilling to read that “the average debt owed by young people is increasing twice as fast as the rate for older clients”; that “almost 1 in 5 debt clients felt pressurised to borrow more money to refinance their debts”; and that during 2008/2009 Dumfries & Galloway Citizens Advice Service dealt with debt problems totalling £10.7 million, of which almost 65% is classed as ‘consumer’ debt. I am probably lucky in that, when I was in my teens and twenties, credit was not that easy to come by. Now it seems all too easy to get into a borrowing situation which any recession can turn into a nightmare. And we’re still in a recession, so the CAB will be kept busy. Thank goodness for them.
Leswalt Homecoming.
My brother, sister and I went to a lovely service at Leswalt last Sunday at which anyone who had been baptised in Leswalt church was given a special welcome. The 3 of us lapped it up, and thoroughly enjoyed the occasion until my 90 year old mother, who had come with us, suggested quietly at the end, that we should carefully inspect the baptismal role that was on display, as she wasn’t entirely certain that all 3 of us had actually been baptised in Leswalt. All proved to be well, however, and my siblings felt duly relieved that they hadn’t attended under false pretences. I had no such problem as the Minister read out my entry during the service – kindly including my date of birth. No hiding my age now – well, not in Leswalt anyway!
Alien Invaders.
Many moons ago, someone brought some American Signal Crayfish to Loch Ken. They liked it very much, and have become such a problem over the years that a recent pilot scheme was undertaken to determine the extent of the problem. Although a report is due to be published shortly, which will make public the facts and figures, I am assured that no one who took part could believe the scale of the problem. ASC kill everything, and I really mean everything, including each other if necessary, resulting in a loch that is devoid of every other living species. Then they migrate. They have no predator to reduce their numbers and they burrow into the bankings to nest and lay eggs. In short, they will have to be stopped somehow or they will eventually dominate all of our lochs and waterways. You may think I am exaggerating, but I am not. This is serious, and serious decisions are going to have to be taken by Scottish Ministers in the very near future. I will keep you posted.
Big Success.
Expanding almost as rapidly as the crayfish, but with much better consequences, is Dalbeattie’s annual Hardrock Challenge. I had the pleasure of starting it last year, and been hugely impressed at the enthusiasm of both participant and organisers alike, and I am not in the slightest bit surprised to hear that the entry numbers are to be capped next year due to the increasing popularity of the event. It must be an almost unique event, involving a 10 mile run and a 16 mile bike ride which can all be done by one person, but is more often split between two. The Challenge has come a long way in its 6 year history, and it attracts competitors from near and far. Long may it last.
Must See Exhibition.
As part of marking the 10 years of devolution, the Parliament commissioned a travelling exhibition to encourage people to use their Parliament in different ways. The exhibition has travelled round Scotland over the year and is coming to Stranraer from 19th December to 16th January where it will be in the library. It takes the real life experiences of 10 individuals and tells their stories of how they ‘engaged with’ the Parliament. Having met all the participants personally, I can testify that they are truly inspirational people, and their stories are the same. I hope you will take the opportunity to see for yourself if at all possible.
Next Year.
I suspect my next diary column will be in 2010, and I cannot believe 2009 is almost behind us. No, I am not ready for Christmas and haven’t even begun to think of Christmas shopping, ‘though I will confess to having signed quite a few Christmas cards. I only hope that you are better prepared than me. See you next year!