More on the cost of island life

Further to his earlier post on the cost of island life, Calton is pleased to see that more money has been made available to avoid huge increases to the ferry fares which hauliers have to pay to take goods to the Hebrides. It may seem unfair to those who live in the central belt that we should be subsidising islanders but when the alternative is considered it makes sense. Otherwise the islands will become empty (apart from sheep and windfarms) and there will be even more competition for scarce jobs and scarcer housing in the central belt. Calton is not a fan of large-scale government intervention however there are times when it is necessary. Communities cannot always be left to the mercy of the free market economy.