Swinney to return to the isles on two-day visit
First minister to be main guest at a public event hosted by SNP parliamentary candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad
FIRST minister John Swinney is set to visit Shetland later this month for a number of Scottish Government and SNP party engagements over a two-day period.
He is scheduled to meet college staff, fishermen and salmon farmers at the Centre of Sustainable Seafood in Scalloway, part of UHI Shetland, and travel to Yell to visit renewable energy projects including the community owned Garth wind farm.
Swinney will also visit schools to hear about early years provision in Shetland.
He was last in the isles in October when he toured Lerwick fish market and attended a meeting of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands, among other engagements.
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The first minister will be accompanied by local SNP parliamentary candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad on some of his engagements.
He will also be the main guest at a public event at the Shetland Museum and Archives, to discuss a future vision for the isles.
Hosted by Goodlad, the Shetland’s Future: Our Seat at the Table conversation seeks to explore what she described as a “bold, hopeful vision for Shetland”.
They will be joined in by conversation by energy consultant Daniel Gear, fisheries scientist Dr Beth Mouat, broadcaster Claire White and Shetland News editor Hans J. Marter.
Goodlad said: “John Swinney is going to spend a good proportion of the time across the isles, and not just in Lerwick, which is good, because he is going to experience the geographical complexity.
“And that will be key for his understanding as to what we are making the case for when we talk about improving infrastructure, tunnels etc.”
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Regarding the public event on 20 August, she added: “We want to open this up to as many people as possible. It is about big themes that matter to Shetland.
“It will be a very open event where people can ask questions; it’s free and I encourage folk to come along.”
For more information on the event and for tickets, follow this link.
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