IT WAS meant to be a showcase for all that is good and worthy in the Scottish Parliament, but Holyrood's glossy annual report became the subject of ridicule when it was published yesterday - because it prominently features two former MSPs who have left the parliament in disgrace.It's not as if there wasn't enough time to avoid this stupidity:Embarrassed officials were forced to explain why they printed pictures of Lord Watson of Invergowrie and Keith Raffan, both of whom left the parliament following scandals.
The annual report was printed over the summer, a considerable time after Mr Raffan had left and at least six months after Watson had been charged with wilful fire-raising at a political awards dinner.The "officials" who have written the report say that they don't want to "air-brush history". There's absolutely no danger of the Scottish people forgetting about the two politicians concerned. But an annual report is normally designed to promote the good news about the organisation in question. Can one imagine a PR company proposing a report that included a photograph of an ex-employee now serving time for fire-raising at a hotel that had been occupied by his colleagues? The officials in question should meet the same fate as would have rapidly overtaken a private PR company that acted in this way.But officials saw no need to alter their plans and produced the report regardless.
Incidentally, why are around 29% of the reports being published in Gaelic, a language spoken by about 1% of the population?
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Kenny McCormack
"Can we have programmes in Highland English as well please rather than Upper Class Kelvingrove"
Please don't encourage these half witted MSP's as they will soon be wasting yet more taxpayers money on non existent languages.
The thing about Gaelic is that it is a real language. Highland English (like American English) is a phoney language, as is the so called 'Scots language'. A Highlander can perfectly well understand a man from Kelvinside as he can a man from America. This is because all are English speakers. Lets not pretend anything to the contrary.
1 October 2005, 12:30:51 GMT+01:00
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IJ
Talking of priorities, one question for the European and external relations committee is how will Scotland keep the lights on in future. We are changing into an energy importer.
Unfortunately such is the lack of confidence in the political arrangements, that the Royal Society of Edinburgh has decided to launch an inquiry into our future energy security. Paid for by itself. Why isn't there a Minister to ensure value for money?
30 September 2005, 21:50:53 GMT+01:00
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dave t
Cuimhnich air na daoine bho ʼn d' thainig thu (Remember those you come from)
Can we have programmes in Highland English as well please rather than Upper Class Kelvingrove
£225 a month poll tax and you go into the council offices to see leaflets in urdu, Bosnian and loads of other languages. We've only got three Africans, a dozen Asians and around 100 chinese up here!
Can't wait to hear wee Jack trying to speak Doric.. fit like loon?
30 September 2005, 21:30:59 GMT+01:00
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Kenny McCormack
"Incidentally, why are around 29% of the reports being published in Gaelic, a language spoken by about 1% of the population?"
Wouldn't it be good if the MSP were obliged to use Gaelic in Parliamment? Wouldn't do much for the language, but it would be fun to watch those slack jawed troglodites try to get their tongues around Scotlands ancient Irish tongue.
29 September 2005, 20:34:37 GMT+01:00
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