At Random
Fingers crossed for Billy’s release soon
YVONNE MacHugh has expressed genuine hope that her fiance Billy Irving could soon be released from the hell of the Indian prison where he is being held.
Billy is the former paratrooper from Connel who was detained by Indian authorities while protecting shipping from Somali pirates.
Billy and five other former British servicemen were sentenced to five years of hard labour and are incarcerated in Chennai.
Their plight has been highlighted in The Oban Times on numerous occasions – as well as on other media – but their desperate situation has dragged on for far too long.
Britain’s useless Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson swore to ‘leave no stone unturned’ in his efforts to have the Chennai Six, as they are known, released.
He has actually done precisely nothing to protect the interests of these British citizens, all of whom bravely served this country in our armed forces.
I hope so much that Yvonne’s optimism is not misplaced now that the Indian justiciary has said the men’s latest appeal will be ruled on within a week.
It would be absolutely amazing if Billy and the others were freed and could make it home in time for Christmas.
I have no doubt Mr Johnson, being the full-of-bluster typical politician that he is, will try to claim the credit when the men are eventually released.
He should not, though, as he has been notable only for his complete lack of action.
Great credit to the MacKechnie family
THE PAST few weeks have been exceedingly difficult for one Oban family.
As we have reported extensively, Agnes MacKechnie was seriously injured in a hit-and-run road accident at Hallowe’en while on holiday visiting her brother in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Agnes remains in St Luke’s Hospital but, according to her daughter Karen and sister Sharon Bratton, is making a remarkable recovery after a series of surgical procedures.
Karen and Sharon have been so accommodating in responding to my requests for information about Agnes’ condition.
Without their assistance, we would not have been able to keep Agnes’ many friends updated through the pages of The Oban Times and on social media.
I hope sincerely that Agnes continues to make progress, although it will be a long haul for her and there is no indication yet as to when she will be able to come home.
I thank the family for all their help.
Festival is a real treat for town
I TIP my tile to the tireless organisers of the annual Oban Winter Festival.
Just as the dark, cold nights of winter clutch us in their miserable embrace, up pops the yearly feast of fun.
One of the highlights each year is the opening ceremony and Santa’s reindeer parade, culminating in the Christmas lights switch-on in Station Square.
All this week there have been great events taking place in numerous venues across the town and they have attracted substantial interest among local residents.
As ever, these kind of civic celebrations would not be able to go ahead without the significant effort of a number of people. The winter festival organising committee works all year round to set up the fantastic events that have so well entertained so many people.
And there is much more still to come, with a host of events over the next few days, culminating in the pyrotechnic explosion of the fireworks on Sunday. Don’t miss it.
What do you think?
WRITE to me at mlaing@obantimes.co.uk or The Oban Times, Crannog Lane, Oban, PA34 4 HB.