I write in some exasperation regarding the Olympia saga.
If this was in Glasgow or Edinburgh, entire careers would have been ended and heads rolled.
As a retired auditor, and as a former MSP on the Public Audit Committee, the whole setup would have made me profoundly nervous.
The new Olympia was opened by SNP MSP Shona Robison in September 2013 but it has been plagued with problems ever since.
John Alexander, leader of the council’s SNP administration, says he “wants answers too”.
But the reasons behind the Olympia’s sudden closure, its protracted hiatus and uncertain future, have been hidden away.
The treatment of would-be scrutineers at the council has been dismissive at best.
The odour of this has damaged the council considerably and that isn’t just the elected members, it’s the civilian framework of officers who generally try their best to keep the circus running.
‘Dundee deserves better’
Dundee is more SNP than anywhere.
The first minister lives there; the deputy first minister is a member there.
There is an SNP council. All MPs and MSPs are SNP.
But it ain’t their fault.
Just like when the community charges go up, or there’s a tax on showers in OAP homes. Or money disappears from some smoke alarm scheme or other.
Dundee deserves better.
It is for this reason I believe the matter should be referred to the Accounts Commission, if not investigated with the Public Audit Committee at Holyrood.
A suitably motivated populace could conceivably get key players to give evidence to the public petitions committee.
Considering the SNP’s inability to build ferries, there may be some small degree of hydrophobia holding them back down the Seagate.
One also wonders when John cuts the ribbon in November (who knows what year), will the first keen visitors find a pool made out of papier mache, the water painted in?
Bill Bowman is a former Scottish Conservative MSP for the North East Scotland region.