And while undoubtedly the whole shameful saga needed to be exposed, it had the effect of masking other critical issues — one of these being the continuing economic challenges being faced by Highland businesses.

At the start of this year, Inverness Chamber of Commerce polled more than 300 of its members to find out how they were coping with this recession, who was performing well and what lessons we might draw from this.

The mood then was remarkably upbeat with the majority reporting healthy sales and plans for growth.

Six months later and the situation is rather different with the effects of this downturn really beginning to bite.

On the whole, Highland businesses are finding trading conditions noticeably tougher with more than half of respondents saying things are more difficult than they were earlier in 2009 with housing, construction, haulage and some retail sections being particularly badly hit.

Many felt that it was too early to talk about any "green shoots" of recovery and that we have yet to see the bottom of this recession.

Cash flow is a critical issue with many finding customers and clients demanding longer terms of payment and there are also real fears about rising unemployment.

But amidst the harshness of our current reality there are real reasons for hope.

Three sectors that continue to hold up well are renewable energy, IT and tourism.

This region is fast gaining a reputation for its green-energy know-how, thanks to its engineering skills, considerable natural resource and strong supply chain.

The North of Scotland in particular is becoming a recognised hub for the global marine energy industry.

In a survey of the renewables industry in March this year the majority of respondents said the industry needed more investment — whether from Westminster, Holyrood or the private sector — but more than 75 per cent believed that renewables could lift Scotland out of the economic downturn.

The strong performers in the IT sector say it is because companies are investing much more in their web presence as they seek for creative and cost-effective marketing solutions.

Tourism has always played a central role in the economy of the Highlands and Islands. Anecdotal evidence from VisitScotland shows that we may be in for a good tourism year — UK visitors are up and Europeans are here in good numbers.

So where does this leave us? The challenges undoubtedly remain very real and we're not through this tough season yet.

But what is also clear is that the commercial landscape is changing with emerging business sectors starting to play a more important role.

This recession is providing opportunities to think and do things differently.

The ability to adapt and think innovatively has always been a hallmark of Highland Scots. These times are, once again, giving us the chance to do exactly that and ride the wave of uncertainty with confidence and hope.

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