Green freeport boss hails ‘historic’ day for people and prospects of the Highlands as Douglas Alexander and Kate Forbes sign deal for UK and Scottish governments
The “unified goal” of the Inverness and Cromarty Firth green freeport is devoted to the people, power (generation) and prospects of the Highlands, according to CEO Calum Macpherson.
He was speaking at the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the UK and Scottish governments and Highland Council which will ensure proper governance of public money.
The moment was a significant achievement for Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes who personally advocated for the green freeport concept and helped deliver it for Scotland.
She was joined by the newly appointed Secretary of State Douglas Alexander and council leader Raymond Bremner who has backed the freeport creation from the beginning.
Mr Macpherson described why he believes in the success of the freeport, saying: “Our unified goal, the reasons why people like myself, my team and everyone gathered here today believes so passionately that this is a good thing for our area is the ‘Three P’s’.
“First of it is – People. There are young guys and girls across the Highlands who now have opportunities that they would not have had were it not for the Green Freeport. This is real and it is happening right now.
“The second is Power, in terms of the energy transition. This facility in Inverness is an example of how we are looking to grasp the opportunity going forward in the same way 50 years ago this place was booming through oil and gas. But this time it won’t be a boom, it will be a consistent success for generations.
“And finally, it is Prospects. Although we live in a naturally beautiful part of the world, the reality is we still have levels of unemployment or low pay and so the area really does need long-term, sustainable, well-paid jobs.
“So for our people, for our contribution to the power efforts and for our long-term prospects this is a really historic day.”
Ms Forbes supported that view, saying: “This feels a particularly momentous day for those of us who have in some way been involved in the freeport so that now it becomes operational with the signing of the memorandum of understanding.
“Over the last five years today has never been inevitable, today has been hard fought for by people across the Highlands who recognised the opportunity for jobs, the opportunity for the Highlands to play its part in the energy transition.
“And the opportunity to deliver social benefit in the form of reversing depopulation, in the form of seducing funding for infrastructure, in the form of revitalising our communities by attracting this level of investment.
She added: “As a local that gives me a particular pleasure but as someone who cares passionately about Scotland being economically prosperous and being socially prosperous.”
While Mr Alexander said the importance of the freeport to the UK government is not just in renewable energy but also in economic development terms.
“Why does this project matter so much to us? It is no secret that the defining mission of our government after 20 years of weak or faltering economic growth is to return the UK to a sustainable and sustained level of growth,” he said.
“Today’s signing unlocks £25 million of seed funding and the range of incentives that are the hallmark of the green freeport. Freeports genuinely, I believe, have the power to transform local economies.”