Continuing from my previous post – it seems that the gloves are off and unsurprisingly the Lords Observance day Society are not taking the news of Sunday sailings lying down.
BBC Scotland reports (in a slightly less sensational way than Hebrides News)
Opponents of Sunday sailings between Lewis on the Western Isles and the mainland said they were preparing a legal challenge against the move.
The Lord’s Day Observance Society disputes claims Caledonian MacBrayne is in breach of European law by not running the service.
The society claimed the ferry operator had refused to make public the text of legal opinion it received last week.
CalMac is due to hold discussions on the Sunday service.
Last week, the company said it had been told it would be unlawful to refuse to run a service because of the religious views of just part of a community.
Pro-sailings campaigners sought advice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Sources at CalMac told BBC Alba the service was now “inevitable”.
After seeking its own legal opinion, the ferry operator said its advisers warned it could be unlawful to refuse running a service on account of the beliefs of a section of the community.
For those not in the know The Lords Observance Day Society is a force to be reckoned with on the Isle of Lewis and Harris. It is primarily a group made up from Free Presbyterian church goers and ministers. And what they stand for is in their title! Currently they seem to hold quite powerful positions in the island. There are similar societies across the world
20 May , 2009 at 2:55 pm
Is anyone forcing this group to travel on a Sunday sailing?
I should imagine the answer is “No”
If any of these people require emergency treatment on Sunday, do they postpone until Monday?
I should imagine the answer is “No”
Do any of these people work outside the island?
I should imagine the answer is “No”
Are they the majority voice on the island?
I should imagine the answer is “No”
20 May , 2009 at 10:33 pm
;0)
20 May , 2009 at 3:04 pm
From the Hebrides News “Mr Timms not only refused point-blank but asserted that CalMac are not obliged to under the Freedom of Information Act – a law Dr Campbell hadn’t even mentioned.”
Any request for information has to be considered a request under FOI, even if that legislation is not explicitly referred to.
Therefore, Mr Timms was correct.
I also understand that correspondence and advice from legal representatives is exempt under same, which is why it is known as “privileged information”
20 May , 2009 at 6:03 pm
Your use of the term ‘lying down’ is wonderfully ironic. When they started ferry services to Skye many decades ago the L D O S and others lay down in front of vehicles trying to use the ferries. That should be fun.
20 May , 2009 at 10:33 pm
really i didn’t know that, reckon they might be doing it again if the sunday sailings start again!