Work is resuming at this site of heavy industry, a few miles south of Stornoway and about a mile from the lighthouse after which this blog is named.
A European manufacturer of windturbines has granted a contract to Arnish, which would see it producing one turbine a week for a variety of projects across Europe. This is good news for employment in Lewis, although employee confidence in the Yard has plummeted following the collapse of two previous operators; at one point, the Yard had to ship one of its products away to Denmark for completion as it could no longer finish the turbines in question.
"A lot of funding has gone into the Arnish site,so it's about time that there is some good news to talk about. Any kind of work is welcome to the island,and hopefully this will kick start the yard. Good luck to to guys."
ReplyDeleteEx Arnish worker from out of Arnish
"Subsidy is a funny thing. In Ireland artist dont pay any income tax. It turns out that artists make stuff that returns money in the form of vat and supports other jobs. All this talk of creating jobs but failing to look at what really works and does not cost a lot to run. Removing income tax from artists would do more for sustainable employment than yet again funding the Arnish Fabrication Yard. I thought people learned from history but it seems the landscape is to change in a desperate attempt to make this buisness work. "
pondhead from Mull
"You are so right pondhead. Artists in Norway get a government stipend: they are valued. An artist friend in Bergen works with prisoners, and also on her watch, so to speak, are a philosopher and a poet. In Britain the majority of artists are despised by the authorities, an Emperor's New Clothes minority lionised by monied morons."
Flying Cat from save space: share-a-soapbox-today
"Personally I think the idea of a stipend sucks because its just another way of taking the edge off decision making and may take away the need for people to show / selling work. Artists need to be concerned about that. I don't even like the principal of the arts council folk choosing which artists live or die. Why is it good to make funds available to only artists who produce work which suits the arts council? Why is it for them to decide? Take a look at what has been paid out to artists compared to administrators - it funds mostly administrators and tea shops and not artists. I know lots of administrators living off arts funding yet I dont know any artists who make a wage from arts funding. Just get rid of the burden of income tax for artists and I have an idea that they will probably re-invest any money they make in their work. Musicians, painters etc are not likely to be paying much income tax anyway- but but the ones that do are making an economic contribution created out of thin air and ideas which actually creates a whole load of other jobs. I will not be holding my breath for this to happen. Enough"
pondhead from Mull
"While the crime of cronyism could be directed at the SAC I don't think this applies in Norway, where they are much more community-spirited than we are allowed to be in Scotland. so I strongly disagree with the statement that "the idea of a stipend sucks" and find it mean-spirited. Enough indeed!"
Flying Cat from clawsoot fangsbared