Where did all this snow come from? It was fine when I looked out at teatime and then, a few hours later, the place was covered in snow.
Still, there is something special about the first snowfall of winter, isn’t there? An hour ago, I must admit I was tempted to just take off my socks and shoes and go running through the snow. But then I got cold feet.
I wonder if Western Isles Council will get cold feet or will they start charging tourists a tax – oops, sorry, apparently we should call it a levy – to come up here to these sparkling jewels in the west that are the Outer Hebrides.
Not that there will be much opposition to relieving the towrists, as is the Great Bernera pronunciation, of their shekels to stay here, but it will be about what we should be doing with the oodles of tax revenue that we get out of them.
It is likely to be a 5% charge on all accommodations. Should it go to the providers? Hmm, there’s little support for that. Should it go to the council and these other bodies that provide and maintain the tourist attractions? Hmm.
Or should it go to the common non-touring residents of these islands who have to suffer at the hands of two incompetent and uncaring governments who have slashed winter fuel payments for the elderly in this coldest part of the UK and who cannot provide decent ferries or properly maintain the tubs we do have?
What’s the bets the poorest islanders see nothing?
Our council is to spend thousands on a consultation but what’s the betting the poorest islanders will see nothing?
The big prize will be if the law can be changed to include cruise ship passengers. Because they stay on board, they’ll escape the current levy.
About one million cruise passengers arrive in Scotland each year. We could be like Greece and charge them €20 to set foot on an island.
Around 70,000 passengers from 90 cruise ship calls came ashore to Stornoway this year. I’m running out of fingers. Where is my calculator when I need it? That would be a lot of dollars to fix the crumbling road used by buses to get to the Garenin Blackhouses.
It would also ease the blood pressure of gallant Angus Macleod in Tolsta Chaolais, who has been campaigning for years to get that narrow road fixed properly but was always told the council had no money left in the kitty to do wee side roads. Angus, I would help if I could. Oh, why was I not born rich instead of good-looking?
It is also not looking good that there is apparently no money in a kitty anywhere to run essential services like our main Post Office in Stornoway.
It is on that list they are considering, which almost certainly means it is for the chop. Is there nothing that will not be taken away from us? I feel a wee William Wallace rant, as we saw in the film Braveheart, coming on. “And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin’ to trade all the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take … OUR FREEDOM.”
Our own governments are responsible for running down the isles
It feels like that sometimes up here but it’s our own Scottish government, as well as Westminster, that is also responsible for running down these isles through its lack of care or compassion.
It’s also our fault. We do not buy postal orders like we used to. We do not do the football pools so much and if we do the lottery, we pay online. We could buy all kinds of insurance at the PO, but most of us don’t.
Most pensioners now get their payments put directly into their bank accounts. Who is going to pay for that large building on Francis Street if we do not use it every week? Some fairy godmother?
This cold snap reminds me of last winter. Mrs X got up earlier than me one bitterly cold morning. I thought she must have an early photo job to go to so I wrapped myself back up in the duvet and went back to sleep until she texted me saying: “Windows frozen. Won’t open.” I wondered why she was opening the kitchen window so early? Oh, of course. She’ll have burnt the bacon.
So I pushed myself back onto the pillow and replied: “Just pour a little lukewarm water over it. Then gently tap edges with my hammer.” That’ll fix it. I am brilliant, me.
Ten minutes later my phone chirps again. She had written: “Oh why did I listen to you? This computer is really messed up now.”
Iain Maciver is a former broadcaster and news reporter from the Outer Hebrides.
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