Scottish Labour candidate Rhoda Grant has this week welcomed Marine Harvest’s plans to create 55 full-time jobs at Kyleakin, Skye, through the company’s proposed new £80million fish feed factory.
Mrs Grant, who is standing for Labour on the Western Isles and again on the Highlands and Islands list, had earlier this month talked to Ben Hadfield, Marine Harvest’s managing director in Scotland, following the company’s announcement that it was to shed 80 jobs across the region.
She then received the assurance that the firm’s new feed plant would be located in the Highlands and Islands and the company would continue to invest in the region.
“Obviously I am still concerned about the 80 people who will lose their jobs across the region and I have asked what the Scottish Government is doing to help those made redundant find new jobs,” she said.
“However, these new jobs have been heralded by the company as being well-paid and it is a large investment in Scotland and the Highlands which should be a big boost for the local economy. I hope to hear from local people about their views.”
Linda Stewart, Scottish Labour’s candidate for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, added: “I hope to find out more about the proposals later this month when the company holds its public exhibitions but new jobs being created in rural Highlands and Islands are few and far between and will provide a boost for Skye.
“Obviously the finer detail will have to be looked at by those who are most affected in the community.”
The plant will produce food for the firm’s Scottish fish farms as well as those in Norway, Ireland and the Faroe Islands and could be up and running by 2018.
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