Letters / Betrayal
In response to James Mackenzie (Choose your words more carefully; SN, 14/11/16), Sustainable Shetland and others in support of the UK government’s negative attitude to renewable onshore wind energy in the islands: yes, we’ve been betrayed!
Sustainable Shetland need reminding, yet again, that at the last poll of Shetland opinion on the proposed Viking Energy wind farm (More now for the windfarm than against: Shetland Times 10.12.2010) there were 36% for, 33% against and 31% undecided.
That poll indeed reflecting the growing level of support as the enormous benefits to the community became clear.
In other words, despite being extremely well organised and well funded, Sustainable Shetland could only muster less than a third of Shetland against the wind farm.
In the present, and likely future, desperate economic situation for Shetland, Scotland and the UK as a whole, the opportunities for green energy and community benefit that the cable and VE wind farm would bring have become increasingly important, if not critical.
Then there are the proposed Yell projects and the huge potential for tidal energy in Yell Sound and elsewhere … and let’s not forget the Western Isles in all of this.
I have no doubt that if a poll was carried out today we would find even less support for Sustainable Shetland’s stance, while the proportion of Shetland supporting the cable, wind farm and other renewable energy projects would be substantially higher.
The loss of such opportunities would indeed be a betrayal.
Laughton Johnston
Muckle Bousta
Sandness
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