No one to blame but ourselves

With regards to Brian Smith’s Consulting the Bible (SN, 3 September 2019), given we used to belong to the same broad church, no doubt he and I can usefully reflect on John 8:7. Yet at times I can’t help wondering how his Scottish Socialists are doing…

In this era of forgiveness and reconciliation all that will be needed shortly is for our comrades in the north to visibly repent of their silence, inaction and obstruction of reform for Shetland Charitable Trust, as this is the ‘community’ body that enabled Viking Energy’s plundering every step of the way.

Fraternity will be then restored and Shetland Labour Party will be able to return to campaigning for social justice locally, freed from the dead hand of vested interests.

These should thereafter be confined to stifling the thoughts and deeds of Shetland’s ‘Liberal’ ‘Democrats’, where they so evidentially belong.

Really, if anyone wants to plunder the community coffers, just get your pals to take up a couple of positions in our local political parties and have a hey day. There are millions there unguarded so long as you promise to create a few jobs.

What we on the left in Shetland have lived to see during the era of narcissism-of-small-differences has been truly lamentable. We are meant to have the analysis and courage to stand together with people against big business. Dismal.

When our neighbours come plundering our funds and our landscape we have nobody to blame but ourselves

Peter Hamilton
Scalloway