Scapping of Scottish Enterprise

[concerned resident]

I noticed on the news that there is mention of scraping the Scottish enterprise agency, I only hope the same goes for Caithness Enterprise, as I do not see them as value for money, only a drain on the Tax payers, and there record of failures, the worst being a Woollen Mill, and now they are our hope of bringing new development into the area, With the decommissioning of Dounreay, God Help US. I expect our new Politicians will be the same as the old ones, and talk up on how great they are, when everybody knows they are a complete waste of money.

[crayola]

Good God man, will you ever start a thread without a wearisome whinge? What have you ever done for our precious community? Are you capable of anything other than scraping together pointless and destructive criticism? A woollen mill is a million times better than woolly whinging. Pray, tell us, what would you do?

[concerned resident]

Crayola
Good God man, will you ever start a thread without a wearisome whinge? What have you ever done for our precious community? Are you capable of anything other than scraping together pointless and destructive criticism? A woollen mill is a million times better than woolly whinging. Pray, tell us, what would you do?

The First thing i can thank God for is, that i am not married to you, if this is your out look on life, no wonder these companies are so incompetent, and it is totally ignored. You would not happen to work for such a company? Sorry to have disturbed your dream world. I have to live in the real world.

[Boozeburglar]

I certainly think that CASE has shown itself to be pretty incompetent in regards to funding they allocated. Norfrost anyone? More specifically the ex owners.

Huge amounts of funding sunk into businesses that should have stood on their own; battery factory anyone?

What Caithness needs is more diversity; smaller start ups in current and future business areas, not funding of call centres that will inevitably sustain only short term employment.

I think it is a disgrace to cover half the county in wind turbines, but is it not even more of a disgrace that they are not built locally?

We just had a major surfing event, why is there not a large surf school/sea sports/outdoor activities centre in Thurso? Is this aspect of Caithness not worthy of promotion as much as the dead nuclear dump out West is worthy of an exhibition in the Thurso Town Hall? I am struggling to think of a better way of defining Thurso as a town and a people looking backwards, to have a shrine to an impotent god of the past right in the heart of the town. I wonder, shall they have pictures and articles about the beaches at Reay and Dunnet as part of their exhibition?

Why not convert the old mill area in Thurso to an exhibition centre, focussing on the history of Old Thurso, the pre Dounreay small town?

You would think that Thurso and Caithness never existed before Dounreay, rather than the case that it was a very interesting small community, having come through the times of the great wars, the end of the fishing industry of Wick. There is a story to be told about the Clearances, both voluntary and forced, and the croft life that set the tone of the population right up to the seventies and eighties, despite the influence of the big pollution factory.

The worst thing about organisations like SE and CASE is they are run by people with so little imagination.

[sweetpea]

The worst thing about organisations like SE and CASE is they are run by people with so little imagination.[/quote]

you may be right about 'run by' but I'm sure there must be some really good people working for these agencies that feel frustrated by the ethos.
In SE there is a chance that they might make a Scottish Skills Agency made up of 2 braches of their work that currently goes on. It's not just about throwing money at businesses, that's what gets the bad press. A lot of individuals are helped by these agencies too. I think that locally they have quite a lot of freedom to do their own thing so maybe that says something...

[crayola]

Good post Boozeburglar. I hope our wearisome whinger reads it and learns. Mr resident didn't answer any of my questions so I will ask him again, 'What have you ever done for our precious community? Are you capable of anything other than scraping together pointless and destructive criticism? Pray, tell us, what would you do?'

Mr resident, since I have never seen you address any specific issue or put forward any positive ideas on any topic whatsoever, I would assume you have plenty of time on your hands to consider my questions, if you understand them, that is.

I have never worked for or with CASE or Scottish Enterprise and I have no contacts with them or any other development agency.

[concerned resident]

Crayola,
Sorry i did not have time to answer your questions, but i had to go to work, to help pay the Tax's, to pay for the wasters (like Caithness Enterprise)
and i did not finish till late last night. I am a member of 5 voluntary organizations, and have been for a good few years, what that has to do with my question, i cannot see. I mention my opinion on Scottish enterprise, and you consider it Whinging, there have been other interesting comments made by Forum members, but you appear to take affront to my negative view, i probably think of what a difference the 7 million wasted on Brora Woollen Mill, would have made to the community, that was there crowning glory, you state a woollen mill is a million times better than woolly whinging.. I would sugest that you go back to whinging at your Husband, and not accusing forum members, when they state there own opinion. Dictionary states- whinged, whing·ing, whing·es Chiefly British
To complain or protest, especially in an annoying or persistent manner. sounds like you complaining about my question.

[crayola]

At last! There's hope, but is it as we know it?

[Tubthumper]

I noticed on the news that there is mention of scraping the Scottish enterprise agency...

After they've been scraped, what would you do with the scrapings. Also, as asked, what would you replace them with? And based on the fact that one of their chief remits is to assist us (the taxpayers) to realise our potential & ambitions, is it not down chiefly to us to get off our hips and makes the moves to do so?
If they hadn't invested in the Woolen Mill, would you have been gurning that no money ever gets spent up here?
Any opinions on the CASE cash invested in Norfrost that seems to have gone east with the previous owners?

[crayola]

After they've been scraped, what would you do with the scrapings.I assume he'd scap their spending and create an Institute for Gurning and Weaving with the money saved. Tourists would pour into Thurso and pay good money to watch the OP sitting in his living room and ranting at the screen.

What do you think of the pensions crisis mr resident?

Do you think witchcraft should be demonised?

Why did Labour settle for Gordon Brown when mr resident would have cured all our ills?

[concerned resident]

Crayola,
To replace Scottish Enterprise, i would want a body, that would investigate any investment, and be accountable for any mistakes, and be independant and impartial of any local firms, and not a Government Quango.
I notice that you appear to have a problem with me asking for member views on this subject, you have stated wearisome whinger / Gurning and weaving, to my question, and your last stupid reply does not even deserve a reply. If you cannot construct a reply, with out slagging that person off, for asking the question. i feel sorry for you, as you must be a very bitter and twisted person, and i am sure there must be help out there for you, some where.

[gleeber]

One of the main ingredients needed to successfully create a business is risk. Not everybody has that ingredient under their hats.
The people in CASE or any other body funding business know well enough that risk is an essential ingredient in any successful business so funding any business will always carry a degree of risk.

[davem]

I know people who work for CASE who are very capable and competant.
To be honest I got too bored after the first few salvos of stuff that should have stayed unshared. "My god" I can grumble with the best, but its like an olympic sport here - anyone here had a glass half full?

As an incomer I note the vast difference in infrastructure and facilities for visitors between here and Orkney. Orkney does seem to welcome visitors, caithness likes visitors but its more take us as you find us here. I do think that some effort might be put into giving people more of what they need to make it worth stopping on the way to Orkney.

As to CASE and projects, Norfrost from all accounts was like working in a Gulag. Staff were used, abused and treated appallingly yet the whole county seemed to revere the architects of that empire that the county funded. It was a good product but unless an employer values it's workforce no amount of public awards and praise for the owners will ever save it. It wasn't just CASE that was taken in though was it?

As to the woolen mill and other projects because so many people depended on the companies every bit of help was given to try and keep the economy moving. I am sure that after the disasters of investment in what seemed to be personal fiefdoms that more checks and balances are in place. I didin't notice any public complaints when the support was given though.

Anyway we can all sit at our PC's saying why don't they....if you don't do anything constructive don't moan, as bad is moaning about people moaning -
if you can't say anything nice......... it does no one any credit to amplify bitterness.
Dave

[horseman]

crayola you are not yourself, have you had a night on the tiles? I feel you are attacking that wee man with more venom than is due.Obviously only my thoughts on it,just seems ott.

[crayola]

I am myself and it's the cumulative effect of almost three years of gurning posts (http://forum.caithness.org/search.php?searchid=126537) that makes me want to help him. He defends himself by insulting me personally as he has done in every post in this thread. I am trying to help him out of his darkness and to help him to form a more positive and constructive outlook on life, love and capitalism. I think he needs to find his inner self and I can recommend some literature to that end.

[Tubthumper]

Crayola,
I notice that you appear to have a problem with me asking for member views on this subject, you have stated wearisome whinger / Gurning and weaving, to my question, quote]

[quote=concerned resident;226752]I noticed on the news that there is mention of scraping the Scottish enterprise agency, I only hope the same goes for Caithness Enterprise, as I do not see them as value for money, only a drain on the Tax payers, and there record of failures, the worst being a Woollen Mill, and now they are our hope of bringing new development into the area, With the decommissioning of Dounreay, God Help US. I expect our new Politicians will be the same as the old ones, and talk up on how great they are, when everybody knows they are a complete waste of money.

Mr Conc Resident
Err, I can't see where you asked for member views on this subject. Your first post was a series of sort of statements. Nope, no requests for views in any of the others. I can't see where you asked Crayola a question either.
And I've got to admit, your posts look like a load of gurning and whingeing without any sort of positive suggestions. To get wired in about her husband is a bit rash in my view, she only suggested you stop moaning.
Am I missing something?

[concerned resident]

Tubthumper -I made the comment about Scottish Enterprise giving my opinion,
then took it for granted that other forum members would respond with there views, as they usually do. But all i got from Crayola was wearisome whinger / gurning and weaving, for one comment, this is not the sort of constuctive criticism i had hoped to get in reply, from a forum member. But you appear to agree with Crayola, so i will refrain from making any more contentious questions on the forum, in case they offend anyone. As it appears to have done. The Forum is going to get very Boring.

[crayola]

Don't go mr resident, not when you are beginning to open up and enlighten us. Come on man, you are involved with five voluntary organisations so you are surely blessed with an overabundant supply of positive ideas to help the Caithness economy regenerate itself.