South Uist islanders ‘being pushed to despair and must be compensated’ for ferry cancellation, first minister instructed

Islanders on South Uist are being pushed “to despair” by the cancellation of a ferry service and must be compensated for the disruption, Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf has been instructed.

Ferry agency CalMac has lower sailings from Lochboisdale to Mallaig on the mainland for the remainder of June.

MV Lord of the Isles, the vessel which normally serves the route, has been redeployed to Islay as a result of ongoing restore points elsewhere within the fleet.

At First Minister’s Questions (FMQs) on Thursday, Scottish Tory chief Douglas Ross stated a 3rd of South Uist’s inhabitants protested earlier this week and had been “rightly furious” over the choice.

Mr Ross stated the federal government’s “failure to build a working ferry network” was “causing chaos” by “ruining lives, damaging businesses, costing jobs and driving islanders to despair”.

The Conservative requested the primary minister: “Jobs and businesses are on the line because of SNP failures. So, will his government compensate islanders for his mistakes?”

As properly as treatment supply considerations that might drive folks away from residing on Scotland’s islands, Mr Ross additionally highlighted the plight of Eileen MacDonald, of Doune Braes Hotel within the Outer Hebrides.

Mr Ross quoted Ms MacDonald at FMQs, telling Mr Yousaf she stated: “Enough is enough.

“The island is in such a horrible approach. Hotel bookings are down greater than 50%.

“In 40 years of living on Lewis there is no vibrancy. We are in despair.

“We can’t be fobbed off with empty phrases any longer.”

SNP government ‘committed’ to more vessels

The first minister said the Scottish government understood the disruption caused and would look at what could be done to support businesses.

He said the system used by CalMac to determine which ferries are taken off to serve other communities has often impacted South Uist.

Mr Yousaf said officials will be visiting South Uist to talk to those affected.

He added: “Of course we recognise the disruption caused, not just to businesses but of course to island communities who depend on these lifeline services.

“So, we completely recognise that influence and that disruption. That’s why we’re dedicated to, for instance, guaranteeing that we’ve got six new vessels within the community by the top of the parliamentary time period.”

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The first minister stated he would preserve an “open mind” over compensation and accepted it was a “fair question” to lift, however defined that it had not but been introduced ahead as a result of efficiency deductions taken from CalMac are invested again into the community.

He highlighted the £9m offered by the Scottish authorities for the nine-month-long mortgage of MV Alfred from Orkney-based Pentland Ferries to “bolster the resilience” of the ferry community.

Mr Yousaf added: “I’m happy, of course, to re-examine the issue [of compensation], but any such scheme would need to be carefully considered because it then would require a very stark choice to be made about those funding priorities.”