Worth every penny

In reply to the request for costs to the council taxpayers of Shetland (‘Different budgets’, 31/8/14) relating to Nicola Sturgeon’s recent visit to the isles, I am pleased to reassure them it was nil.

The funds were raised out of a lot of individuals’ pockets and worth every penny.

The Shetland Women for Independence group invited the deputy First Minister to visit the isles, which she did by catching the NorthLink ferry from Aberdeen.

She worked from the moment she stepped on board, and from dawn to dusk on the Wednesday, receiving a standing ovation from a packed auditorium in the Shetland Museum and Archives at 10pm, before going off to speak to Radio Shetland.

She very kindly opened the Yes Shetland shop for us at 9 Harbour Street.

One correction to your correspondent’s letter should be made, I did not say Mr Cameron’s visit cost the taxpayer £3,000 for the booze up in support of Better Together. The trip from London using a BAE 146 jet belonging to the Queen’s flight for four days, a huge entourage of hangers-on and security, a convoy of four vehicles to cross the Sumburgh Airport runway to avoid meeting the public in the terminal, food and accommodation etc. cannot have left any change out of £500,000, money belonging to the taxpayers and certainly funds which could have been spent on public services like school buses.

I leave it to your readers to decide which was better value for Shetland.

Douglas Young
Sumburgh