Letter: Puzzled by the Actions of OIC

Dear Orkney News,

I am puzzled.  OIC have bought three, small, unspoilt islands, and plan to proceed to despoil them by building wind turbines to produce energy, when Orkney has as much wind-powered energy as we need, and more, which is why some of it may be exported via the sub-sea cable.  Yes, this would mean that the wind farms would be away from people, which is a good thing, and also,  could mean that OIC, and Orkney, could obtain revenue from the wind farms on these islands, eventually.  But, meanwhile, services which are needed NOW, such as wardens for sheltered accommodation for old folk, learning facilities for special needs children, concessionary travel, and a number of other projects which benefit the most vulnerable in our society, are being cut, by the Council, because, they say, the money is not there to support them.

Much is made of the fact that the Stewart Endowment Trust intend to plough some of the proceeds from the sale, back into Orkney.  This is very good of them, but  has nothing to do with OIC.  Presumably,  if Donald Trump had bought the islands, the Stewart Endowment Trust would have used the proceeds in the same way.

The aim of OIC, appears to be to make money for OIC.  A Council, is not a business venture, it is a public body – there to benefit the people of the area it serves.  If that includes making money to be spent for the benefit of those people, yes, a good idea, but, when necessary services are cut, whilst money is spent on ventures which may, or may not, produce money, sometime in the future – that does not compute.

So, I’m puzzled, and also wondering how and why this Council continues to be in control.  And, however wrong this waste of funds may be, I have a feeling that, if the Council want to go ahead with it, they will – that’s  what they do, mostly.  How do they repeatedly get away with it?  That’s another thing which puzzles me.  I am repeatedly puzzled by the actions of OIC, and also, angered. Are you?  Who will you vote for, next time round?

Yours, Bernie Bell, Orkney