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February 2003
Age 57, resides in Evanton, historian, musician, author of land histories
[ my latest book, Plaids and Bandanas - from Highland Drovers to Wild West Luath Press, to
be launched 27 March Inverness], hill walker and traditional music
festival organiser. 1974-95, PT Guidance 1977-95. Joined SNP 1966, FSN President 1970-3. Elected to National Council and Executive thereafter. Member first SNP Shadow Cabinet 1990-97, EVC Policy 1990-94. Helped shape current party policies on land-use, environment, international relations, energy and health. Fought Highland parliamentary and council elections - District Councillor 1988-96. PPC Inverness 1974, Ross, Cromarty & Skye 1987 and 1992 , usually increasing SNP vote. Currently chair Kiltearn [ Evanton] Community Council .
Contact Rob
Gibson tel 01349 830388 |
29 April 03 "Centralisation under the NHS robs the Far North, West and south Highlands of posts. The SNP will bring democratic accountability to the NHS" said SNP Far North candidate Rob Gibson our election message is to build up public service jobs in Tain, Brora and Wick. The NHS announcement is another slap in the face for the North. Inverness could well share counsellors with other areas. Basing these posts elsewhere seems alien to the NHS administrators. This must be changed by political instruction of the incoming government.' 27 April 03 The breakdown in census figures confirms a key drop in the people of NW Sutherland, Easter Ross and East Caithness. This is a damning indictment of Tory, Labour and LibDem government. The Lib/Lab failure to restart work at Nigg fabricators has forced out many workers from Tain and Invergordon. The North of Scotland can support far more people and it is a key pledge of this SNP campaign to aid the repopulation of this area.' said Rob Gibson, SNP candidate for the Far North. He continued, 'Comments from Sutherland councillors last week expressed gloom in the NW and glee at the import of an ageing population to the Dornoch area. With an SNP government we can gain from civil service dispersal, aid North businesses like Dounreay and our distilleries to set up their HQs here; change planning laws and the use of Compulsory Purchase to free up land for affordable housing. Fish stocks can recover outside the Common Fisheries Policy and home grown food can find a market with strong local, organic and Scottish brands. 'Whilst the Unionists offer pain killers, folk know that our services will not improve till our population increases. The SNP offers the key to a bright future powered by hydro, solar wave and tidal energy with the equipment made at Nigg and across the North. Our independence campaign has aimed to get the North taken seriously - on May 1st every SNP vote counts at constituency, list and council seats. 24 April 03
SNP believes it�s time to move on. We think you do too. Many more young people are needed for service jobs, developing wave and tidal power, land, sea and broadband. When you need free personal care who will provide it ? Unless our population grows, services will shrink and job prospects dim. Ireland, Denmark and Norway enjoy healthy economies.
Growth at four times the Scottish average; retaining skilled workers;
increasing population levels; much higher life expectancy; more
businesses. We need more HQs e.g. whisky firms, Dounreay and community
power companies. Let�s release our country�s potential, make much more of
ourselves and start playing our full and rightful part in Europe and the
world. We all can share in Scotland�s success, please use your SNP votes
to move Scotland forward. 5 April 03 31 March 03 23 March 03 'Prising the workforce of Scottish Natural Heritage out of Edinburgh proved difficult. But future departmental and agency dispersal plans have to be more ambitious and spread much-need work well beyond Inverness. 'While welcoming the SNH move to the city Stuart Black, the acting chief executive of Inverness and Nairn Enterprise predicted that Inverness will double in size within 30 years. Since the infrastructure of the city will need huge investment to cope, surely it makes sense to spread the benefits and the jobs across the North? 'HIE must promote the needs of smaller Highland towns with an injection of public sector jobs. They know that European funding packages for regional development insist on quality development for all areas and in order to promote multi-centred regions the Scottish Government must take firmer steps to apply these ideas in practice. From Invergordon to Wick we need dispersed government job now to stem population loss and create quality jobs. 'The SNP is committed to government job dispersal, so every part of the Highlands must demand their fair share.' |
