THERE was understandable and justified concern among CalMac staff and their families and friends about what the future held prior to the awarding of the new contract to the company that will allow it to continue to provide services on the Clyde and to the Hebridean islands.
People feared with good reason for their jobs should the Scottish Government grant the lucrative work to Serco, so we applaud the decision to keep CalMac as the provider of what are termed, quite rightly, lifeline connections for some of Scotland’s remotest communities.
The widespread expressions of delight, tinged with no small measure of relief, at the eight-year contract has been heartfelt and with good cause.