WE'RE SMILING NOW BUT WILL WE BE WITH ALASDAIR DOWN THE LINE?

With reference to Alasdair Anderson’s concerns, as detailed in the P&J on 8th May 2008


Dear Editor,

In all honesty I was, & still am, sincerely shocked to read of the Black Isle developments which are favouring an already well established business. Sorry, please remind me...why did they get such a grant? Admittedly, we gratefully received a 50% grant for the purchase of our own woodchip boiler. Would £3m not be better distributed amongst 30 business who can install a boiler & then use bio-fuel rather than just offer a hand-out to one business who produces it? Has anyone heard of supply & demand? Has anyone heard of helping those who actually need it?

My bemusement increases as I hear of Archie McCreevy’s inability to gather the overall picture on bio-fuel. He states that ‘Balcas will be supplying their own product which is distinct from that of Raddery Sawmill’ – what does he mean by distinct? It’s all bio-fuel! Does it really matter that one is a pellet & the other a chip?

I am not finished yet...in the article it is referred to Balcas having other components to its operation, which ‘offer significant advantages to the Highland economy’ - & what are these advantages? It is my understanding that a unique drying procedure will be in place to assist with the overall production of the wood pellets – meaning an increased emission of CO2 into the atmosphere. I would like to point out that our supplier, Raddery Sawmill, using a natural drying process with minimal carbon footprint. Our latest moisture content on delivery was 24% - beat that Balcas! Naturally of course!

So, Archie McCreevy, if Raddery Sawmill goes out of business, does Alasdair have to pay back HIE the grant originally awarded?

‘No comment’ you say?

Typical.


Caroline Gregory
Managing Partner