Greens respond to Calmac legal action
Responding to reports that Calmac has raised legal proceedings against the Scottish Government over the awarding of the contract from the Northern Isles Ferry Services, Scottish Greens Transport Spokesperson John Finnie MSP said:
“My constituents in the northern isles who rely on these lifeline services will be dismayed at the whole procurement saga. The fact that the publicly owned ferry company is taking the government that owns it to court does not fill me with confidence, and certainly doesn’t suggest that Transport Scotland has a handle on what’s happening. Ironically, when the Scottish Government first announced that the contract would go out to tender, instead of awarding it to the public operator as Greens favour, they claimed they had done so to avoid the possibility of legal action. I expect the Islands Minister to come before parliament as a matter of urgency, explain exactly what is going on and how my constituents will be affected by this protracted saga.”