Letters / Prax deal not necessarily in Shetland’s interest

I read and re-read your article on Total selling out the local gas terminal and mature fields to Prax.

It is very unclear what Prax’s aims, strategy and intentions are.

Global giants (Total) selling out to much smaller ‘London-based’ companies is not necessarily in Shetland’s interests.  Where will the dwindling profits (hence the sale) go?

To continue or indeed increase profitability, usually means a reduction in staff and/or their terms and conditions.

I’d be interested to hear from the unionised staff in six to twelve months after they are TUPE’d to Prax. Watch this space.

Local petrol heads will perhaps be reassured that future exploration and production will come on stream given Labour doesn’t give a toss about the environment never mind the local massive contribution to climate change, as London and England benefits disproportionately from our local resources.

I am all for a just and timely transition, that will take time. Transition should not however mean new wells.

We managed when coal was rapidly axed, although Thatcher – the gas & oil industries’ friend – unnecessarily made at least one million unemployed and with their dependents another two to three million forced into poverty in the mid-80’s costing the public a fortune in unemployment benefits and health cost (see 1978 Black Report on poverty related ill- health).

Cheap, dirtier – sulphurous – Polish coal, caused acid rain over Scandinavia, despite ‘scrubbers’ latterly, and was used until the ‘dash for gas’ came onstream, only for gas to cause a new round of mass poverty by Tories, enabled in 2010-15 by Tory Lites (Lib Dems) allowing Ofgem to unnecessarily raise electricity prices and meaningless standing charges forcing millions into poverty yet again.

When will we learn that Tories and their Lib Dem enablers are toxic for us and our environment?

James J Paton
Lerwick