Taking the long view

I have meant to take this blip for a while.

The statue is a new piece of civic art in Port Glasgow, called "The Shipbhilders".   It was erected earlier this year and is by John McKenna.  It stands in the town's Coronation Park right by the main road to and from Glasgow and next to the Ferguson shipyard.  It is already bedding in, as the birds perched on it show ! 

However in the background( at present)  is one of the two troubled ferries that have been under construction here for a long time.   If you live in Scotland you will know the story, but the news   now is that the first of these  (the one in the picture which is for the Arran service) will now go into service next year which is five years late though the second will not now be delivered until early 2024, making it a year later. 

This has created lots of severe difficulties for island communities and is the subject of several inquiries.  As a former island MSP I know and share the anger and concern .  There needs to be an understanding of what went wrong but seeing one of the vessels  next to a statue that pays tribute to the ship building traditions - and skills - of the Clyde does at least allow passers by to take the long view and have some hope that the saga will be over and the ships fulfilling their vital role before much more time elapses. 

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