We were pleased to see the North Star running on their front page our idea of having a referendum on STS as floated in Oil Leak 69. Why not? This is an issue that the people living on the shores of the Cromarty and Moray Firth care deeply about – so why not let us have our say? As the North Star headline says, Ask The People! If the CFPA have the levels of support they claim, what is to fear from a democratic vote? It is after all our firth that the CFPA are in the privileged position of managing on our behalf. A fair, referendum, run by the electoral commission with agreed spending limits. As highlighted in the article, we commend the work the CFPA has done in attracting cruise ships to the firth and for their support for Invergordon RNLI. Cromarty Rising are not against the CFPA per se, we are against STS – we firmly believe that it will be to the detriment of the environment and economy of the Inner Moray Firth. The CFPA see it as providing an essential income stream. Positions are entrenched and without the CFPA capitulating or the Scottish Government stepping in to give the Port the £500K per annum they need to pay their loan interest then there is no solution. So lets have a fair and open vote – if the majority really want STS then we will accept the referendum outcome. It seems like a fair offer to us and a solution to an increasing acrimonious dispute.
