The chairman of Caledonian MacBrayne, Erik Østergaard, must attend an island ferry crisis summit next week or resign, Torcuil Crichton has said.
The Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar has demanded that the Copehagen-based quango
boss of the ferry company must “turn up or go” and take responsibility for the ferry
mess.
Mr Crichton said: “If, unlike every previous CalMac chair, he is not prepared to face the people, then he has no right be in the job. Turn up or go, it is as simple as that”.
Island business leaders in South Uist have called the summit for April 15 with all political representatives and other stakeholders invited to attend. South Uist is one of the islands worst affected by the ferry crisis due to the chronic shortage of vessels and lack of forward planning.
Mr Crichton said: “It is hard to understand the depths of despair that the latest events have caused, particularly in South Uist and Barra, without having been in these places. Indeed, it is difficult to know why Mr Østergaard would even want to hold this sinecure when he has so little interest in, or connection with, these islands”.
“For years, CalMac has been a ship without a captain. The fact that its chairman has never visited the ports and communities worst affected by these failings adds insult to injury and should shame Mr Østergaard into resignation.”
Mr Crichton added that it was “almost beyond belief” that the Scottish Government
Transport Secretary, Fiona Hyslop, had re-appointed Østergaard and other CalMac board
members after it was revealed that they had, quite literally, never visited a port
served by the company.
He said: “It is ironic that a part of one of the stricken CalMac vessels, the Caledonian Isles, is being sent to Denmark for repair. That is the closest the CalMac chairman is likely to get to a CalMac ferry, unless he is prepared to visit the islands”.
Mr Crichton pointed out that Mr Østergaard was previously chairman of CMAL, the Scottish Government’s procurement quango for eight years, while the current crisis developed.
Mr Crichton said: “He is the man who knows where the bodies are buried which is presumably
why SNP Ministers need to keep him on-side. It is time for Mr Østergaard to be subjected
to intends scrutiny and to be held accountable for his role in this whole ongoing
affair.
“His willingness or otherwise to attend the South Uist summit will be a final test of whether or not he is fit for the job”.
Caledonian MacBrayne chief urged to make special effort to attend Uist ferry crisis summit
7 April 2025