THE UNSEEN HOMELESSNESS ON SKYE
Below is an article I wrote for the fantastic MANNIEFEST 16 page pull out edition in The National, which focuses on what Independence can bring to those of us lucky enough to still reside in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
The piece I wrote was sadly a negative piece with regard to the housing crisis we are facing.
The housing crisis, of course, is an issue nationwide and it is important to realise this. However, I have always believed the crisis needs addressed differently area by area. We will resolve the housing crisis differently in Skye, compared to how we will address it in Glasgow, and we will do so differently in Thurso as to how we would in Aberdeen.
It is important to understand each area’s challenges and this is my piece on the many hurdles I have faced and continue to face on Skye. Below the article, I have made some additional comments, with videos and links to similar articles addressing the current crisis.
COMMENT
While I obviously wish it were not necessary to write such articles, I am thankful to The National and Lesley Riddoch for giving me the chance to write about this extremely important subject. It hopefully raises people’s awareness of how bad we have allowed this crisis to become.
We need more people not just talking about the housing crisis but taking action. Lesley made a comment that has really stuck with me, when chatting about the article that “most people don't see the Skye crisis as a housing or homeless crisis as they don't see people on the streets, but that’s due to most of us living with parents or on friends sofas etc.”
This rings so true, and while we may not be out on the streets, the situation here will force many from our islands. This has, and will continue to have a knock on effect to our island culture, our Gaelic language. It also means that businesses cannot fill job vacancies due to not enough residents left on the island, and no accommodation to bring staff in (this including healthcare jobs as we know only too well on Skye).
We need action now from our elected government and local authorities and, if they fail to do so, we need our island communities to stand up and demand the required action.
Land Reform is and has been needed for years, in reality decades and centuries, and it must happen if we are to see the change we desire.
Another action that can be taken, one that can be taken now, is a Short Term Lets control area. This is something important that the Living Rent union are pushing local authorities on, and I would ask anyone interested to have a look at their website and consider joining or supporting them.
JOIN LIVING RENT HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS UNION
Below are some links and videos I feel are relevant to this piece.
Lesley Riddoch’s fantastic speech at Manniefest last weekend explaining the importance of Land Reform
Dolina MacLennan inspiring rendition of the final two closing versus of The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil
Màrtainn Mac A'Bhàillidh brilliant guest blog on the Clearences2.0 on Barrhead Boy
Màrtainn Mac A'Bhàillidh article in the National’s Manniefest special edition on the survival of the Gaelic Language
THE SURVIVAL OF THE GAELIC LANGUAGE
