Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is demanding immediate reform of the Board appointment process for Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) and Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), in response to the recent appointment of two more mainland-based Board members with no island ties.
For years, the Comhairle has urged the Scottish Government to rethink how Board Members are chosen for these organisations, which are tasked exclusively with serving Scotland’s island communities through ferry services and essential maritime infrastructure.
However, despite their responsibility to island residents, both CMAL and CalMac consistently fail to include island-based directors who could offer valuable insight from within these unique communities.
This latest decision to appoint more mainland residents to CMAL’s Board, with no apparent connection to the islands they’re meant to serve, has intensified frustration among islanders, who have watched a series of appointments that lack any local representation.
The reappointment of two Board Members and a Chair for CalMac adds further insult, especially as the Chair, Mr Erik Oostergaard, lives in Denmark—a decision that many islanders find baffling given his limited proximity to the communities the company serves.
Cllr Uisdean Robertson, Chair of Transport and Infrastructure for Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, has voiced these concerns alongside the Chair of the Ferries Community Board in a letter to Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, questioning the Scottish Government’s commitment to genuine island representation.
Ms Hyslop acknowledged the issue, admitting that further work is needed to ensure Boards like CMAL reflect not only an island background but also other underrepresented characteristics, including gender diversity.
Despite these words, the decision to overlook highly qualified islanders in favour of mainland and international appointees has left many feeling disregarded, particularly given the recent political rhetoric around appointing residents with relevant expertise.
Cllr Robertson notes the frustration that, while there is a push to appoint local leadership in other sectors, islanders are continually bypassed for positions within CMAL and CalMac, organisations that exist to serve them.
He stresses that many capable island-based candidates applied but were dismissed, calling the selection process “unacceptable” and urging the Government to consider an overhaul of the process in partnership with island councils.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar proposes a complete restructuring of the CMAL and CalMac Board appointments, suggesting a guarantee of island-based representation on each Board, with local input into interview questions and selection panels.
For many islanders, it’s long past time for the Government to keep its promises and ensure their voices are present in the very organisations built to support them.
