The Orcadian Features - Review 2001

A look back at events of 2001

APRIL

Councillors met in private to discuss the future of the Kirkwall/Invergordon shipping route and agreed to offer a maximum of £50,000 as an emergency measure because of the foot-and-mouth crisis, dependent on the Scottish Executive coming up with additional support.

The service had been struggling to stay on an even keel and the operators Streamline Shipping Group said that unless some form of aid could be secured they would stop sailing on April 26. Despite last-minute attempts to find a solution it was apparent that no long-term assistance was forthcoming and the Contender set sail for her last journey on April 29 having carried out a couple of extra sailings beyond her original finish date.
Visitors to Orkney were urged to continue to be vigilant when on the island as the tourist season got under way in the shadow of the foot-and-mouth crisis. The advice given by Val Cameron, OIC’s principal environmental health officer, was to obey the guidelines laid down by farms and other land managers.
The heir to the Norwegian throne, Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, pledged to return to Orkney after his first visit this month. He chose to visit Orkney as one of his few official royal engagements in the year.

He commented on the close ties between Orkney and Norway and the countries’ cultural similarities, arriving at St Magnus Cathedral for the St Magnus Day service and officially opening the new St Magnus Centre.
Joint Flotta terminal manager Mr Terry Buchy admitted that workers made redundant on Talisman’s takeover of the terminal were being reinstated. Six core members had been re-employed all of whom he believed had accepted redundancy packages at the time of the takeover.
The Ministry of Defence put back their plans to remove most of the oil leaking from the wreck of the HMS Royal Oak by a whole year in order to carry out a risk assessment and further survey work on the vessel.

The delay came despite claims that work on the vessel in February and March, when more than 30 tonnes of oil was taken out of the hull, proved that the extraction method was successful and technically and environmentally sound.
The walls of the building that once housed Learmonth TV and Telecare bit the dust as the final phase of the Kiln Corner Development began.
Steps by Orkney Islands Council to “wash their hands” of the annual Ba’ game led to a claim and counter claim that the decision would be the death knell of the traditional event. The decision was originally taken following insurance fears over liability for injuries and damage to property.