Commenting following demonstrations in the Western Isles against the impact on communities of the growing ferries crisis, Highlands and Islands MSP, and Convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Cross Party Group on Islands, Jamie Halcro Johnston said:
"The protests on South Uist have been a powerful demonstration of the growing anger of islanders and of communities across the west coast of Scotland.
“They should act as a clear warning to the Scottish Government that the growing ferries crisis may be an inconvenience to ministers, but for islanders it is a serious threat to the very sustainability of their communities.
"I have no doubt that it will not be the last demonstration we see in ferry-dependent communities. People and businesses across the west coast have shown incredible resilience and determination in the face of adversity, but they feel that their way of life – and even the very future of their islands – is under threat.
“They are desperate for action to be taken and to be able to have some confidence that things will start to improve. But all they get from SNP ministers in Edinburgh is more platitudes and broken promises.
"The crisis facing Scotland's island communities is real, and it is well beyond the time the Scottish Government took responsibility for it and took real action to solve it.
“These are lifeline links for local communities, and the SNP’s failure to deliver a reliable and resilient ferry service risks another wave of depopulation of our islands.
“But as the crisis grows, nothing could highlight the utter failure of the SNP Government than the fact that Scotland is now without even a Transport Minister to take control of the situation.
“Three different Transport Ministers in 2 years, and now a rudderless ship with no minister at all – it’s no wonder islanders have lost all faith in this disinterested central belt-focused government”.
