HIE centralisation

What we will now see is an imposition of Scottish Enterprise-type rules that deny assistance to many businesses because they do not have significant and sufficiently high growth potential. This model is totally unrealistic and unsustainable in a Scottish economy that is facing huge challenges, and is even more threatening to the economy of the Highlands and Islands where our economy relies on SMEs.

We must also remember that HIE is not just an economic development agency, it has a unique role in supporting community strength, and that vital role will suffer greatly when placed under remote control from a Holyrood quango with no experience of that role.

We have seen no answers to these vital questions from SNP MSPs in the Highlands and Islands, proving that even they, on such an important issue, will doff the cap to Holyrood’s power rather than dare to oppose these ruinous plans on behalf of their constituents.

Ada H Campbell

Druim Dubh,

Paiblesgarry,

Isle of North Uist

Sirs,

Professor Jim Hunter in his campaigning article in the P&J on 6th December, is quite right to break ranks with his SNP party colleagues over the centralisation of control of HIE to a new Holyrood quango, and to call on Highlands and Islands SNP MSPs to reject the move.

As Prof Hunter points out, the SNP have, for the last ten years, cut HIE’s budget, abolished its 10 local enterprise companies and steered the agency toward SNP policy rather than local derived solutions to very different problems.

Letter: “Ruinous” move to centralise HIE

8 December 2016