Isles FM News in association with Hebrides News - Monday 14th September 2020

MSP’S CONCERN OVER HIAL’S AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT STRATEGY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

SNP MSP Alasdair Allan has submitted a response to the retrospective Islands Communities Impact Assessment concerning HIAL’s Air Traffic Management Strategy (ATMS).

The programme would see islands-based air traffic control officers relocated to a central surveillance centre in Inverness and Benbecula Airport downgraded to an Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFAIS). The strategy was approved in 2018. The impact assessment, which was required by the Scottish Government in spirit of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, is being undertaken by Reference Economic Consultants.

Commenting on the consultations, Alasdair Allan MSP said:

‘Over the past year, I have raised the anxieties of constituents that the strategy will have a negative impact on islands communities with both HIAL and the Scottish Government.

‘The removal of these jobs will have a severe direct impact on the local economy. At a time when the government is beginning to decentralise public sector jobs to the islands, this action by HIAL decision is regressive.

‘The development of air service delivery should ensure that the needs of the communities at the heart of policy. I hope that this first-ever impact assessment under the Islands Act will mitigate the negative impacts which ATMS may cause.’

Read more: Isles FM News in association with Hebrides News - Monday 14th September 2020

Isles FM News in association with Hebrides News - Tuesday 1st September 2020

E-SGOIL NATIONAL OFFER FOR SCOTLAND GOES LIVE

E-Sgoil the Comhairle’s online Learning Centre, is offering young people across Scotland, access to a national, on-line education resource.

This new service will provide opportunities to participate in an extensive series of live early-evening study support webinar lessons, from their own homes

Pupils will benefit from specialist teacher input during the live, real-time webinar lessons and can access subject specific resources in advance of the webinar lessons

e-Sgoil Study Support webinar lessons are scheduled to run for a period of eight weeks in the first instance and employ a ‘flipped learning’ approach, where participants undertake prior learning using supplied resources before attending a real-time 45-minute webinar, hosted in Glow.

The following courses are on offer: Business Management, Chemistry, Computing Science, English, French, Gaelic, History, Mandarin, Maths, Music, Physics, RMPS and Spanish. Digital study skills lessons are also offered under the new Study Support scheme.

Read more: Isles FM News in association with Hebrides News - Tuesday 1st September 2020

Isles FM News in association with Hebrides News - Monday 31st August 2020

POINT COLOURS ON SLOPES OF KILIMANJARO!

The colours of island football team Point FC are in action on the slopes of Kilimanjaro after the community consultant for wind farm charity Point and Sandwick Trust brought them out to Africa.
Alasdair Nicholson was making the trip – postponed from March to August due to the coronavirus crisis – in a personal capacity but was pleased to bring with him the strips, surplus after Point and Sandwick Trust had sponsored new ones, as a gift for the children of Mbahe primary school.
He also brought them footballs and pens, donated by Point and Sandwick Trust, and biology textbooks for the neighbouring Daranjani secondary school.
Alasdair has been making regular visits to this part of Africa since 2015, primarily to develop local skills in community enterprise. His trip this year renewed his contacts with Ndoro Cultural Tourism Enterprise, who are interested in hearing about the progress of community projects in the Outer Hebrides such as the Point and Sandwick Coastal Community Path, and also with the school, who had asked for the science resources during a previous visit.

Read more: Isles FM News in association with Hebrides News - Monday 31st August 2020

Isles FM News in association with Hebrides News - Thursday 27th August 2020

NEW WESTERN ISLES FERRY DELAYED UNTIL 2023

A bigger, 102 meter long, ferry for the Lochmaddy and Tarbert routes will not sail until 2023, some five years later than the original date. The new vessel is one of two twin ships being constructed at the Ferguson Marine yard on the Clyde. The other vessel will operate the Arran service.

Work had slowed to a crawl in 2019 and then the ship builder, owned by multi-millionaire Jim McColl, went bust before the Scottish Government took public ownership of the yard last October.

In common with the rest of the manufacturing sector, the yard has been either closed or on restricted working for nearly six months due to the impact of the coronavirus.

The total additional estimated cost for the project remains unchanged at between £94.8 million and £98.8 million.

Read more: Isles FM News in association with Hebrides News - Thursday 27th August 2020