This post is, strictly speaking, not about Caledonian Macbrayne at all but about the unprecedented row between Nicola Sturgeon's government and 'Monaco-based billionaire tax-exile' Jim McColl's firm, Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd (FMEL), the last civilian shipyard on the Clyde and now wholly-owned by The Scottish Government. It's a tale, really, of You Couldn't Make It Up.
Two days ago, on 05 February to be exact, Mr McColl gave evidence before a Holyrood committee investigating the ocean-going shambles involving FMEL claiming that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon 'shafted' FMEL over the contract price of the two ferries being built, the partially-completed Glen Sannox and the now-infamous Hull 802.
To us, Mr McColl's claims that he was 'shafted' because Ms Sturgeon had publicly announced the cost of the ferries as £97 million, as opposed to the true cost calculated by FMEL of £105 million, appear unworthy of belief. In other words, he and Ms Sturgeon, through the wholly Scottish Government-owned firm Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), were squabbling over a difference of some £7 million, some 6% of the sum he was looking for to build the two ferries.
If that was so, then why the hell did they not split the difference and settle for £101 million and save a mountain of very red faces - and not to mention a large number of jobs on the Clyde? Or, for that matter, why, as a matter of honour, did Mr McColl not gladly pay the difference as a matter of goodwill out of his so-called personal billionaire funds?
To us, Mr McColl's claims that he was 'shafted' because Ms Sturgeon had publicly announced the cost of the ferries as £97 million, as opposed to the true cost calculated by FMEL of £105 million, appear unworthy of belief. In other words, he and Ms Sturgeon, through the wholly Scottish Government-owned firm Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), were squabbling over a difference of some £7 million, some 6% of the sum he was looking for to build the two ferries.
If that was so, then why the hell did they not split the difference and settle for £101 million and save a mountain of very red faces - and not to mention a large number of jobs on the Clyde? Or, for that matter, why, as a matter of honour, did Mr McColl not gladly pay the difference as a matter of goodwill out of his so-called personal billionaire funds?
Our view? We believe neither party, Mr McColl nor Government, as one party appears as untrustworthy as the other. This debacle will run for quite some time to come and we'll keep our eyes open.
Meanwhile, we kid you not, Mr McColl remains one of Ms Sturgeon's Council of Economic Advisers!
Meanwhile, we kid you not, Mr McColl remains one of Ms Sturgeon's Council of Economic Advisers!
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