Didn't know that's what an economic rocket scientist is.
Whatever has been spent on the harbour infrastructure is indeed money down the drain if the developments and improvements are not being used in such a way that they give a worthwhile return on the investment.
It is quite normal for ferry services to be subsidised. Whether they are essential to a community or not is a matter of subjective opinion. They can be an aid to economic development. You quote the figure of £1m. This is not a lot of money in the wider scheme of things. It is the turnover of a relatively small retail business. Why should public money not be available for projects in Kintyre when it is available to other communities? There are a lot more profligate ways that public money is spent than this one.
So far as outlay is concerned, there can be no return on investment without outlay. It does not make sense to cancel a project because it is going to cost money. If this were the case, no project would ever go ahead. The feasibility of this project and its potential has already been looked at by the business community and seen in a favourable light.
The ferry has
not "already been tried". Firstly, the service that Western Ferries ran to Red Bay in the 1970s suffered from being at the same time as the height of the "troubles" in Northern Ireland. Secondly, the service that ran more recently was no yardstick against which to judge the current proposal. It ran on a seasonal basis, summer only, and was therefore mainly going to attract touists and day trippers. My opinion at the time, and I am still of the same opinion, was that it was a waste of time, and a postponement of what was actually needed. It has merely given spurious ammunition to the "anti" lobby. Only an all year round service would be of any long term benefit to the communities on both sides of the North Channel.
As you will be aware, I have already had a protracted discussion with Sweltered on this subject, and am just responding to what you have said. I don't propose to go down that road again on this subject, as I have no vested interest other than my opinions.
