John O' Groat Journal headlines for April 21, 2017

MORALE and safety at Dounreay are being undermined by the amount of chopping and changing that has taken place over the past five years in the site's clean-up programme. That is the verdict delivered by Dounreay Stakeholder Group, in its response to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's draft business plan for the former fast reactor complex.

PROVING to have the "write stuff", two Wick authors have won major awards for their books at a national writing conference. Talking Volumes and Caithness Writers club members Catherine Byrne and Morag Oag both walked away with prizes from the 48th annual conference of the Scottish Association of Writers, for their work.

THE reinstatement of training for junior doctors at Caithness General Hospital could help retain and recruit staff and give the hospital stability. That was said yesterday by Linda Malik, a prospective candidate in the Wick and East Caithness Highland Council ward.

WORK is almost complete on improving a public playing field to a north Sutherland village to allow it to become more resistant to the elements during the winter. Drainage to Bull Park in Bettyhill is expected to be finished next week as part of a project which received £16,000 from SSE and £1000 from Bettyhill Renewables Community Fund.

THE lives of seven men, who served with Australian forces during the two world wars and whose names are marked on gravestones in Caithness, will be commemorated at a special service. The Wick branch of Royal British Legion Scotland, has organised a ceremony to remember the far north members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and who were killed during World War 1 and World War 11.

THE difference in approach to tidal energy between the Scottish and French governments is stark according to the chairman of Gills Harbour Ltd. Bill Mowat, who is also the vice- chairman of Dunnet and Canisbay Community Council said the French are powering ahead with their tidal stream energy projects.

NFU Scotland has welcomed a speedy response by Marks and Spencer that will see 100 per cent Scottish lamb returning to the shelves of its Scottish stores by the weekend.

AN event held in Caithness this week to ensure the voices of disabled people are heard, was "absolutely brilliant". So said John Beaton, Inclusion Scotland's Highlands policy and engagement officer after the event at the Pulteney Centre in Wick on Tuesday.