Highlands & Islands Regional MSP Rhoda Grant, who last week contacted the Chief Executive of HIE, Charlotte Wright, with regard to the sudden announcement of the closure of the Talk Talk facility in Stornoway with the loss of 59 jobs, has received reassurance from HIE that they are doing all they can to mitigate the job losses’
“ It transpires that this sudden announcement came out of the blue to not only the workforce at Talk Talk in Stornoway, but also to HIE and other partners” said Rhoda Grant.
“HIE representatives contacted the company and held talks, as did I, but the sad fact is that this closure decision was taken centrally and there is not any likelihood of the company changing their minds.
“HIE have held a Partnership Action For Continuing Employment (PACE) meeting and are doing all they can to secure future employment for the staff concerned.
“I have tabled Parliamentary Questions on this issue and asked what support the Government can and are offering.
“I have also written again to HIE to ask them if they could help this skilled workforce pull together what in effect would be a company of their own, show casing their skills to other organisations in the hope that they could secure contracts themselves.
Rhoda Grant concluded “ It’s important that we try as best we can to keep these jobs on the island for a myriad of reasons not just to help the local economy and the employment status of locals, but for the longer term good and economic development of our island community.