Wednesday 27 April 2011

A Night at the Hustings

The first hustings in our new hall was successful, good natured and heckle free.

The candidates representing the four main parties, (l to r) Graeme Dey (SNP), Hughie Campbell Adamson (Con), Willie Campbell (Lab) and Clive Sneddon (Lib Dem) fielded questions on the economy, renewable energy, farming and services in rural areas, student funding, skills training and apprenticeships.

Hustings chairman, John Duffy managed the speakers and the audience with aplomb. He grouped questions on one subject into multi faceted probes and was alert to the danger of candidates digressing.

The audience raised questions that varied from the predictable, but important, to the surprising, but nonetheless significant, and candidates agreed that they had learned from their evening with us. By the end of the event the consensus among the candidates was that they want a 'greener' Scotland with consistent, ‘joined up’ thinking between administrative bodies.

ENKCA Chairman Phil Jenkins who opened the evening reminded us that we are privileged to live in a democracy and asked us to think of the peoples of Bahrain, Namibia and Syria who are currently struggling for a right which we should not take for granted.

Once more, a new venture brought new faces into the hall, most already known to some of the community, but yet again, it was an opportunity to let people, outside the usual ENKCA supporters, see our facilities. A quick cuppa allowed the public to buttonhole the candidate of their choice, while some prospective MSPs wanted to hear more of the background to the issues raised.

ENKCA took full advantage of the situation to sell tickets for our fabulous raffle which will be drawn at the Ceilidh at the Eassie Does It music festival on Saturday, May 14 th.

Raffle prizes include - one week’s self catering holiday accommodation in Portugal - April/May 2012 (flights not included), bespoke handbag made by Carole Mungall, £50 John Lewis voucher, case of Angus Ales, hamper of Thistle Soaps, Phoenix card hamper, beauty voucher, bottle of whisky.

Then we went home on a balmy, April evening - honestly!

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