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SLG
Born Again..........and still Scottish!
Joined: 16 Sep 2005
Posts: 5515
Location: Dùn Eideann
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 Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2005 12:10 pm Post subject: The new Highlanders |
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Leader anns a' Phàipear Bheag, 25.11.05
| Quote: | The new Highlanders
In a speech last month outlining his vision of the Highlands and
Islands in 20 years' time, HIE chairman Willie Roe began lightly.
He talked of a couple of "sixth-year pupils at Sgoil Lionacleit on
the Isle of Benbecula in the Hebrides" in 2025. Their names were
Janak Morrison and Catriona Pogorzelski - "Some of you may find my
name a little unusual for the islands," said Roe's fictional
Janek, "but my father is Scottish and my mother Polish."
Willie Roe did know something that we did not. Last week Highlands
and Islands Enterprise issued another press release. This one
indicated that the number of "overseas nationals" working in the HIE
area has doubled over the last two years. There are now slightly more
than 2,500 migrant workers here. Most of them have come from Eastern
Europe, and most of them are based in the north-east - although some,
quite evidently, have moved to the west coast and the islands.
Those 2,500 people represent a tiny proportion - just half of one
percent - of the overall population of the HIE region. They are
mainly young and well qualified. There is evidence that many do not
enjoy the best of employment conditions, but they are nonetheless
pleased to be here.
And we are pleased to welcome them. They clearly represent a vital
addition to the Highland labour force. And they can represent a
valuable asset to what is still an aging Highland population.
The good news is that the latest surveys show that 84 per cent of the
resident population reports "that their communities were accepting of
people coming to live there from outside the Highlands".
This, therefore, is addressed to the 16 per cent who, presumably, are
not so accepting. Aside from died-in-the-wool, irreconcilable
racists, there will be a few who are concerned about the
supposed "dilution" of Highland and Hebridean culture. These people
have already been agitated by the headline news that, as a result of
this increase in the immigrant workforce, children in Highland
schools now speak no fewer than 58 different family languages, other
than English and Gaelic.
This need concern us only if, as a result of their education in the
Gaidhealtachd, those same children end up still unable to speak
Gaelic and English. At present, given that many Highland and Island
children of Gaelic-speaking families are themselves educated out of
the language, the former is likely to happen.
But it will not be the fault of the immigrants. Culture and language
have nothing to do with genetic origin. If a culture and a language
are strong and attractive enough, they will absorb and adopt large
numbers of immigrants and their children - as Gaelic has absorbed and
adopted foreigners since the first MacLeods arrived from Scandinavia.
Our welcome to this fresh, young blood should be all-embracing. Our
appreciation of the skills and commitment and renewal that they can
bring to this area should be unconditional. As much as anything else,
we have a duty - to ourselves and to them - to ensure that when
Willie Roe's imaginary "Janak Morrison and Catriona Pogorzelski"
attend Lionacleit School in 2025, they can address the chairman of
HIE in Gaelic as well as in English and Polish. |
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azzuri
'Our Scotland' Fossil
Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Posts: 3787
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| Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2005 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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Excellent outlook by the locals and immigrants themselves.
Lets hope everyone who comes to this country is welcomed and are as happy to be here. now - those working conditions. 
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