John O' Groat headlines for April 26, 2013

WORKERS at the failed Icetech freezer factory in Castletown were “kept in the dark” about the liquidation of the company until the last minute, it has been claimed. The alleged secrecy emerged after the John O’ Groat Journal obtained copies of three letters sent to the 70 staff, by management, in the two weeks leading up to the demise of the company. On April 10, employees were told the situation at Icetech remained difficult and the company had no option but to stay closed for a further week. Production, it was stated, was due to restart on April 22 – ironically the day Icetech went into liquidation. Full holiday pay was to be made for the additional week.

AN act of vandalism at a historic Thurso church was this week described as “absolutely disgusting”. Local community councillor Don Smith, who is also a member of the Thurso Heritage Society said those responsible for smashing five gravestones at Old St Peter’s Kirk, showed “a complete and utter disregard for the history and heritage of the town”.

A Caithness public leisure amenity could be left unattended, if a private operator cannon be found to take it over, prompting concern about a surge in anti-social behaviour and vandalism. High Life Highland has revealed that its current tendering process for Rosebank Playing Fields in Wick fails, the area will be left unsupervised, but still available to public use.
RURAL schools must not become the poor relations to new state-of-the-art primary schools which are being built in Wick. Thrumster Parent Council chairwoman, Linda Malik, said Highland Council must start looking at investing in rural schools to safeguard their future. Her view come after thirty-eight recommendations were made by a rural education commission led by Sheriff David Sutherland and after the Scottish government ordered a report amid concern about the closure of village primaries.

CAITHNESS Disabled Access Panel has doubled its group membership in little more than a year with a record 25 people turning up to last month’s meeting. The group, who meet in Wick Youth Club, tackle, and make aware to the public, the huge problem people with mobility problems face, in gaining access to shops restaurants, hotels offices and public venues in the county.

IN the Easter holidays, 37 pupils from S4 and S6 and five teachers went on a fantastic trip to Germany and Poland. The intrepid group of adventurers travelled overnight down to Glasgow then flew to Berlin. On arrival, they were met with a blanket of white. Fluffy, snow covering the city. Althouh cold and tired, they marched on to their first adventure, a guided tour of the city seeing sights such as the Brandenburgh Gate, the Reichstag and the Holocaust memorial.