Deposit scheme will address littering

I have been very interested to read recent letters about the problem of litter in our beautiful area, and delighted to see the coverage of clean-ups featured in The Oban Times. It is wonderful to see concerned people fighting back at the scourge of litter, and I hope some may have the time and inclination to carry on picking it up throughout the year.

It would be wonderful if the community councils, or concerned locals, living along the A82 could consider ‘adopting a lay-by to keep it free of litter, as some of them, in some of the most scenic areas, are in a dreadful state. (This is not meant as criticism of those residents, but it definitely is of the people who drop the litter.)

Last Hogmanay, one of these lay-bys was full of litter, just as all the tour buses and tourists were flooding in for the celebrations. What sort of impression does this give to visitors?

I have taken to travelling with a roll of bin bags and a litter-picker, but don’t travel the A82 frequently enough to make a real difference.

It is good news that a deposit (or, in my opinion, a pre-loaded fine for littering) is being introduced elsewhere, on the bottles and cans that are cast on every road in the country.

I hope the scheme is introduced in Scotland soon and, while my experience in other countries that have this scheme showed that it didn’t cure littering, it certainly makes it doubly worthwhile for those who pick it up. Name and address supplied. Ailean Caimbeul chomas, neo fiù ‘s deònach, na h-aon ìrean taice a chumail ris-san?

Le dealbh car mì-shoilleir agus beagan dubhach a’ tighinn thugam mu Bhrexit nach math gum bheil naidheachdan eile ann a tha toirt togail dhomh. Sgoil Ghàidhlig ùr Phort Rìgh deiseil mu dheireadh thall agus gu bhith a’ fosgladh an dèidh na Càisge.

Gach soirbheachadh leatha agus mo bheannachd aig an fheadhainn a rinn strì cho treun ga buinnig. Agus le Plana Nàiseanta Gàidhlig ùr ga fhoillseachadh feumaidh sinn a bhith misneachail air adhartas leasachaidh dhan chànan thar na còig bliadhna romhainn.

BRITAIN will officially leave the EU on my birthday in 2019, and I’m not sure that it will be a present that I welcome.

I do warmly welcome news that Portree’s new Gaelic-medium school will open after the Easter break, and best wishes to staff and pupils. Best wishes also for the realisation of the aspirations of the 2018-23 National Gaelic Language Plan published last week. Ailean Caimbeul (Allan Campbell) ailean@obantimes.co.uk.