| HIE and Marine Harvest letters |
30 May 2003 |
Please find for information copies of letters from the Vice-Convener of the Comhairle, Angus Campbell, sent to HIE and to Marine Harvest last Friday. You will note that the Comhairle is seeking an urgent meeting with the Chairman of HIE. Please also note that the Comhairle will be holding discussions with WISCO and Stolts this week on the problems facing their industry. Nigel Sco Mr. Graeme Dear, Managing Director, Marine Harvest Scotland Ltd., Craigcrook Castle, EDINBURGH. EH4 3TU. Angus Campbell Dear Mr. Dear, PROCESSING PLANT, STORNOWAY, ISLE OF LEWIS First of all may I register the Comhairle’s extreme disappointment at the redundancies caused by the closure of Marine Harvest’s Processing Plant in Stornoway. I also have to say that we are extremely concerned about the knock on effect on other local businesses which could result in further job losses. Whilst I am grateful to you for your reassurances at our meeting yesterday, I would appreciate a detailed description of how your Company intends to minimise job losses through local redeployment and training and what efforts will be made to prevent people having to leave the Island to seek employment elsewhere. Also, what other efforts will be made to assist employees at what will be a difficult time for them and their families? I would also ask for written assurance that Marine Harvest Scotland will meet statutory requirements in terms of consultation and throughout the redundancy process. I would be grateful for an early indication of what progress is being made with regard to discussions with other local Companies. At our meeting yesterday you also described plans to develop the farming side of your operations in the Western Isles. May I ask for a written summary of these plans? Given the seriousness of the situation I would appreciate your reply as a matter of urgency. Yours sincerely, Dr. Jim Hunter, Angus Campbell Dear Dr. Hunter, First of all may I introduce myself as the Vice-Convener of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. I hope that Highlands & Islands Enterprise and the Comhairle can work more productively together on dealing with the economic issues facing the Western Isles. With regard to the recent announcement by Marine Harvest Scotland Ltd. of substantial job losses from their Western Isles operation, colleagues and I have been in discussion with Mr. Graeme Dear, Managing Director of the Company. Whilst we are grateful for the reassurances Mr. Dear has given on how the process of redundancy will be carried out and the efforts that will be made to find alternative employment and training for affected employees, there are a number of other issues which have arisen. These include the knock on effect on Transport Companies, the freight ferry, Packaging Companies and the support economy in general. Marine Harvest Scotland have announced that they intend to transport
fish from the Western Isles to a new harvesting centre the Company
intends to build at Mallaig which will create in the region of 10
jobs. If the harvesting centre is to be located in Mallaig because of the distance and time from markets, then this is an issue which is going to affect other Companies currently operating in the Western Isles and there is a real danger that they also will be forced to look at the option of relocating to the mainland. If this is the case then what plans would HIE have to support the industry which, as you are aware, is a major employer within the Western Isles? Perhaps particular niche marketing could be developed in certain parts of the industry such as the smoked salmon sector which are not so dependent on fast transport to the markets? Can I ask that HIE investigate this as a matter of urgency? As I said, I am keen that our respective organisations work closely together and I am particularly keen that action is taken to prevent further job losses in the Western Isles in this important industry. I am aware that we have a meeting in Stornoway on the 20th June to discuss general issues and, in particular, the jointly agreed strategy ‘Creating Communities of the Future’. However I would be very keen to arrange a more immediate meeting, regardless of venue, to discuss the particular problems facing us in the light of Marine Harvest’s disappointing announcement. Yours sincerely, Vice Convener c.c. Donnie Macaulay, Chief Executive, Wesern Isles Enterprise Nigel Scott Tel: 01851 709389 (Work) |
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