CALMAC FERRIES LTD (1)

First,  caveat lector.  We are not CalMac-bashers like so many others in the Western Isles.  We have long taken pride in CalMac but that does not mean for a second that we will always be uncritical.  It's time to get up to date and take a closer look and see Who's Who in the company.

What we know now as CalMac Ferries Ltd  was incorporated on 12 May 2006 after the previous operating company,  Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd,  was forced to split in two apparently because of EU Regulations.  We have never been satisfied with that explanation but that is now by-the-by.  

One half of Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd became CalMac Ferries Ltd  (CFL) while the other half became Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd,  the infamous CMAL.  The new regime had CMAL  retaining ownership of the ferries and the infrastructure such as harbours and piers and onward leasing those vessels and facilities to CFL as  operator of the new regime.  

The new regime meant,  of course,  that we here in the Islands would never have contact with CMAL as ferry owners so that,  inevitably, our only contact with our lifeline provider would be with the ferry operator, CFL.  The MacBrayne name,  going back  nearly two centuries in the West Highlands,  would be no more,  at least in practical,  everyday matters.   Both CFL and CMAL are 100% owned by The Scottish Ministers although CFL and CMAL are completely separate companies.   That,  the division between ferry owner and ferry operator,  causes enormous problems.

CFL has currently eight Directors of the type required by law.  Of those,  six are outside,  Non-Executive,  Directors and only two are Executive Directors from within,  viz,  Robert Lindsay Drummond and  Duncan John Mackison.  It means that only Robert (Robbie) Drummond  and Duncan Mackison have intimate knowledge of the day-to-day running of the company.  Robble is the Managing Director while Duncan is the Chief Excutive.  We have no idea of the difference between those two roles.

Robbie has an interesting pedigree.  According to Companies House,  he has had a total of 28 registrable company appointments,  9 of them current,  including Stramash Social Enterprise Ltd  and Rathlin Ferries Ltd.  Duncan has had spells at the dreaded Serco and the even more dreaded Gupta Family Group Alliance (currently being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office),   another spell in property management with the (Duke of) Buccleuch Group and is currently Chairman of the Board of Governors of The Glasgow Academy!  

For the record, according to company spiel, the other Directors of CFL are David McGibbon,  Susan Browell, Michael Comerford,  Tim Ingram,  Grant Macrae and Albert Tait.  What contribution those individuals make to CFL we simply do not know and if they have any close connection to the problems of running West Highland ferries they are keeping it a very close secret.  We'll have a further look at the Board in the not-too-distant.

All in all,  for us here,  it's a deeply unfortunate way to run a major,  lifeline ferry company.