Call for Meeting about Sunday Sailings

The Western Isles Presbytery of the Free Church of Scotland has called on Scottish Transport Minister Tavish Scott to attend a public meeting about Sunday ferry sailings across the Sound of Harris.

The presbytery describe Caledonian MacBrayne's decision to launch the service, against the wishes of the churches the Western isles Council, as a "critical political issue" and is calling on the First Minister to force either Mr Scott or CalMac chairman Dr Harold Mills to meet local objectors.

The Presbytery have previously asked Mr Scott to step into the row over Sunday sailings but was told it was an operational issue. The Presbytery Clerk, the Reverend Malcolm Macleod, said the company ignored opposition from islanders and Western Isles Council and maintained that First Minister Jack McConnell must defend democracy by making sure either the transport minister or Dr Mills attend a planned public meeting to be held on Harris.

Islands MSP, who met a delegation of councillors and members of the Lord's Day Observance Society at the weekend, said he was confident of arranging a meeting between Mr Scott and protesters.