Globusz^® Publishing 

“This is the first full council meeting to be held on Enniskerry. I welcome you all here. A particularly warm welcome to you Miranda, as you join us today as the seventh member of the council. Miranda has been chosen by the popular vote of the islanders and will be representing the islanders directly. Her task will be to keep her ear to the ground and bring to us those general interests or concerns that may be missed by the rest of us here.

“Of course you have already have met and know everybody here quite well, but for formality’s sake, you will be aware that John, Gerry and Denise our three managers, Kate is our secretary and Philip is our treasurer, these five have been chosen for their specific tasks by me.

“I want to keep these meetings as informal as possible which brings me to the first question. Should we have an agenda and keep minutes of each of these meetings? John?”

“I think we should begin by keeping a record of whatever we discuss and decide, but discard the idea if it doesn’t seem necessary in the future.”

“OK, if you all agree, I will ask you, Kate, to take notes so that we do have a record. The next point that naturally follows is should we have these printed and distributed to all islanders? Denise, what do you think?”

“I think it is imperative that the islanders are kept totally up to date with what we decide on their behalf and this cannot easily be done by word of mouth. We are already publishing a monthly magazine but this is on matters of more general interest.”

“Fine, that means a copy to each homestead, Kate, and perhaps you, Miranda, could visit each family during the intervening periods and ask if they have any points arising from those notes or any other matter that you can bring with you to our next meeting. Miranda?”

“I do have one comment”— said Miranda. “It crops up more and more frequently on the grapevine. Many feel that a shop on the island would have its benefits.”

“Yes, this has been mentioned before but it’s more complicated than it sounds. It requires our islanders to have money. Some, I’m thinking of Nick, do not have any.”

“Doesn’t he get any unemployment or social security money from the state?” Philip asked.

“I don’t think he does. He had no fixed address before he came here and therefore seemed to have an impenetrable barrier to get any assistance. But, Philip, could you look into this for me and for him? It would allow us to go forward with our idea for a shop. I’d prefer it if you would deal personally with him about this. I don’t want his affairs to be distributed as part of the minutes of this meeting. Yes Kate.”

“Jim, I want to bring this next point up because Gerry here is directly involved and is reluctant to raise it with you, not wanting to get embroiled further in a situation that he feels is for the farmers to resolve. He is happy however, that I should speak for him. There is bad feeling about that is not good for the well being of the island. This is a problem that has been brewing for some time and it does not seem to dissipate. In fact the current dispute is becoming red hot. It seems that Charles has deemed one of Gerry’s Highland cattle so unwell that he will have to put it down. The farmers are not happy with his diagnosis and generally do not have confidence in his methods. Also they do not understand his aggressive manner. It has been said that his experience in the main has been with domestic rather that farm animals, which may be true. They have arranged for a second opinion from a vet from the mainland. This Vet was with the animal earlier this morning and first reports are that in his opinion the problem can be cured with injections and medicine.

“Charles has never integrated well with the other islanders. You will remember there was an awkward situation when he insisted on testing our milk supply and almost closed the production down. As you may also know he has already put down a number of pet animals. In Nick’s words: ‘e’s already put down one gerbil from the school, Sally’s pet cat got the chop, five of the kids rabbits an’ four sheep wont see the light of day again. I ‘fink ‘e’s the Shipman of the veterinary world. Glad ‘e’s not our doctor, I wouldn’t give much for our chances if ‘e were.”

“Many of Nicks words can be quite amusing — I said — but there is obviously a serious side to this matter. I know that islanders are our doctor or one of the farmers, Gerry, Ian or Pat to unofficially give an opinion of their animal’s condition rather than go to Charles. This is, of course, undermining Charles in an already difficult situation. I may try and mediate shortly but although I fervently hope that the animal survives I fear that opinions will become all the more entrenched if it does.”

“Then, there is the on-going problem of the slaughtering — Kate continued — Charles insisted quite rightly that an official qualified slaughter man should carry this out. The farmers engaged the services of the itinerant slaughter man who visits all the islands in this area on request. The farmers are content with the arrangement but Charles continues to be like a ‘dog with a bone’, he just will not let the subject drop and keeps giving snide remarks around the island with an “I told you so” attitude. Unfortunately Charles does complain rather a lot generally and his criticisms are often personally orientated which naturally do not go down very well. In simple terms he is not liked.”

“He seems to relate more easily to the women” — Miranda added. “I have often seen him in conversation with them but he is not liked by most of the men.”

“He was very rude to Lynda on one occasion — Denise mentioned — and she vowed never to speak to him again.”

“Lets see how this develops, I think it is better left in the farmers hands to reach the best arrangements for their animals. Gerry are you sure you don’t want to say anything.”

“I’ll not comment on those problems at the moment if you don’t mind.”

“That’s fine. Denise, your turn.”

“Jim, I think the time has come to put to you more forcibly than I have in the past, my view on the matter of these voluntary contributions paid to you from some islanders and not others, and your general support of us all during the past and present. I think we should signal more clearly that your period of generosity during this first year would terminate at the end of the year. I think I have the support of Philip, our treasurer, when I say that we will be desperate in our need of income during the following year and beyond. Our present minimal income is derived from few sources. I know that the farms and tourism are set to start earning during the coming year but we do not know the extent or value of these ventures. My view is that it is essential for you to dispense with this idea you have given them of a money-free island. I would like to add to my previous comments about the need for islanders to contribute. I believe that it is essential for you to enter into binding contracts with each individual or family now, or at least set a fair rent for their accommodation. This will not only provide a regular and dependable income it will cover the rather unsatisfactory matter of voluntary payments to you which do not show clearly in our profit and loss accounts. It would also be somewhat strange if we could not allow the introduction of a shop.”

“Philip.”

“Yes we certainly do need the income”— agreed Philip. “Other sources will be slow to make an impact upon our viability as a business venture. I see nothing wrong with the principal but there may be difficulties in the method. A common rate for all properties would be the most simple but it would not take into account peoples ability to pay.”

“What do you think, John?”

“I noticed that you frowned at Philip’s mention of a business venture, but I am sure he is right, we have to take heed of this. We are in fact operating a business concern here. If that aspect does not succeed your island will not succeed, that is, unless you can plan on winning the lottery again Jim.”

“I’m not a business type as you know”— declared Gerry. “But the question is a simple one. If you look at what comes in and what goes out, if the former does not equal or exceed the later, you have to do something about it.”

“You’re certainly a hard hitting lot, but that is why you are here and I appreciate your views. I can see that we will have to have a different policy after this first year and that I will have to scrap my idea of doing without money. But I’m worried about how to enforce this rental payment; I keep getting visions of how unpopular Maggie Thatcher’s Poll Tax was. I would like to avoid anything that was unfair. Miranda, how do you think most would react to an enforced charge upon them?”

“I think a lot would depend upon how you first introduced the scheme to each person at their interview and on their invitation to the island, whether you prepared them in any way for this eventuality. I can only remind you what happened in my case. I was only too pleased to come to the island and give of my best. At the interview we did not talk of any payment. As I understood it, your advertisement stated clearly that the salary was nil and you did not mention that I should make any payment to you. I only have a small amount saved in the bank, which I would need if I had to go back. I could only afford to pay a rent if I was earning but not otherwise. I’m sure several are in a similar position to me.”

“Philip, do you want another word?”

“Yes, I think this has to be tackled on two fronts. First we must look into what grants and payments are available for work done here. For example, Miranda should be paid for her teaching from the local council or government. The building work should attract grants from different sources. Doctors and vets should get payments, and in return, you should pay people for their services on the island and then charge them appropriate rents. The Highlands and Islands Development Board may be a starting place, but there must be many other avenues open for investigation. I know it will strike a strange note with you, but I actually think you, or we, should apply for lottery funding.

“It stands to reason, that in simple terms, people are happy to take advantage of a year of free lodging on a pleasant island with meals and all services paid for and, at the same time, keeping their options open by having savings in the bank or an alternative means of income on the mainland that they could possibly return to. I am sure that most of your choice of people living here now are honourable and many share your view of trust in each other as the way forward, but I see no reason why we should not introduce a system of payment for work done by individuals and a proportion of those earnings being given back to the island for the housing and all other services provided.”

“It is true that I did not address the matter of life beyond the first year at the interview stage. We are now nearly halfway through the first year and the time is perhaps right to inform everyone about the changes that will have to be made at the turn of the New Year. As I see things, based upon Philip’s provisional figures of income we cannot hope to be profitable until late into next year. I think I can sustain the present level of expenditure until the end of next year but I do recognise that there will have to be change.

“How would you react if I announce shortly that from the first of January next, I will be paying the mainland minimum wage, or just above, to everyone who is working on the islands business, which would not include such things as their own improvement work on their existing crofts? I have been jotting down some simple arithmetic and I estimate that this wages bill could cost me about half a million pounds each year.

“If I also asked for a rental charge on each dwelling and make corresponding charges for electricity, gas bottles, telephone calls and other services such as canteen meals, that I now provide, this could return say, about two thirds of my expenditure. The rest would be offset by profits from the farms, tourism and other enterprises as they became established. I could also make an offer for some to buy outright their own or any other available property on the island which will also address a point brought up at a previous meeting. What do you think, Denise?”

“That is exactly what I had in mind. The island must not only be profitable, it must be seen to be profitable. You have made it possible by making the island available to us, you can subsidise things of your choice here and there if the money is available, but you cannot and should not be expected pay everybody’s bills without some financial contribution from them.”

“I foresee a problem with Angus”— Kate commented. “He could quite easily refuse to accept any wage at all that is offered, and there could be some others with similar views.”

“That may be so, I will have a word with Angus sometime before our next meeting, and with anyone else who might feel the same way.”

To conclude, I asked Denise to look into what interest she could find for clubs and classes that could be held, mainly during the evenings. It turned out that she had already done so.

Lynda has already been instrumental in organising five-a-side football and five-a-side handball for the children at the school and considered that if there was sufficient interest this could be extended to include evening sessions. Also, being proficient at karate, she would also be able teach this as an evening class. Several children had shown interest in football and handball as well as the Karate.

Basic computer lessons were already being giving at the school by Robert, and he has also offered more advanced instruction in computer skills at different levels at evening classes.

The most likely person to encourage interest in various creative crafts seemed to be Susan. Five women all admitted to having interests in areas as varied as spinning, weaving, patchwork and tapestry. Additionally other interest groups have been suggested, which included cookery, keep fit, upholstery and basket work.

Theresa has a natural talent for art and was convinced that she could form a class for painters in the medium of watercolour, oil or pastel. Giles, Belinda, Helen, Gwen, Ruth, Bill and Jenny all said they would join if a club were formed.

Musical tuition at the school was enhanced with the help of Belinda and she had agreed that this could also be extended to the evenings provided that we could rustle up enough instruments for a band or small orchestra. There was a lot of interest, even if some were only just starting to learn to play an instrument. Belinda said the several of the children were quite talented and the addition of the adults would give a great boost to their enthusiasm. Gwyneth said that she had done some singing in a choir when she was back in Wales and would be happily join a singing group if they one were formed.

As the foundations for most of these various activities were identified, Denise quickly managed to make further arrangements for them to start.

Following our last committee meeting Philip had negotiated some financial help for Nick and James who were both unemployed before they came to the island. Their good fortune opened the door for me to be able to look further into the idea of creating a shop on the island, now that they were not totally bereft of cash.