“Shameful behaviour” at the fuel meeting 5/2/12
Sirs,
Last Tuesday evening (31 January) I attended a public meeting on Fair Fuel Prices,
hoping to find out why we pay so much more for the fuel here than on the mainland.
After more than two hours of lectures and questions, I found that I had learned nothing
new about this. As someone said, the meeting was all "smoke and mirrors", designed
to stop us from getting to the truth.
What I did learn, however, was a lot more about our current councillors. Cllr Donald John Macsween. MacSween sat through the entire meeting in silence. When it finished, he had a private chat with his colleague Cllr Macleod then, hung around the TV cameras and managed to get an interview.
He said nothing on our behalf, asked no questions of Scottish Fuels, but simply used the opportunity to seek personal publicity, which I found quite disturbing. Cllr Angus Campbell, the leader of the council and a major customer of Scottish Fuels, didn't even bother to turn up.
Cllr. Macleod was at the meeting, not as a representative of his community, but as an employee of Scottish Fuels. When I asked who was responsible for the high prices I was given no answer, but was laughed at by Cllr. Macleod.
When I pointed out that many people on the islands were choosing between buying food and heating their homes, Cllr. Macleod said that he was just an employee of the company and only did as he was told. I understand this is known as "the Nuremberg defence."
Shockingly, then, he went on to repeat several times that HE had been born and brought up on the island. I got the message. Having been born and brought up in Iran, I have heard this sort of thing before, and it was good to hear the shouts of "shame" from the audience whenever he repeated this.
I suppose I should be grateful that he didn't go on to call for me to be repatriated for having the cheek to ask questions on matters which don't concern a foreigner like me. Bringing up three children on this Island, it seems, is not enough for him. Video of the meeting is available at vimeo.com/35985362 so you can judge for yourself.
After this meeting, I cannot understand how Cllr. Macleod can honestly represent the people of these islands and his employer at the same time. Beside his despicable comments, his conflict of interest is far too great. I hope the good people of Point come to the same conclusion in May and allow him to concentrate on his day job.
Even though, as Cllr. Macleod helpfully pointed out, I was not born on these islands or even in this country, I will be supporting the SNP in the Council elections and in the independence referendum.
I have no doubt that they will represent us far better than these self-
Well, not only do I know what independent means but, unlike Cllrs MacLeod and Cllrs Campbell, I also know a conflict of interest when I see one.
Susan Duncan
52 Anderson Road
Stornoway