Priest frustrated after OAPs lose out on internet help

The organisation set up to oversee the roll out of £5million worth of internet connections, training and associated laptops and tablets to people classed as clinical vulnerable, low income and digitally excluded during the coronavirus pandemic, has been forced to deny that a group of Arisaig and Morar Roman Catholic residents were turned down on religious grounds.

The Connecting Scotland project is being delivered to those left isolated by the coronavirus pandemic by the Scottish Government, in partnership with local authorities, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and various digital and IT sectors.

Thinking this scheme would be a great opportunity to help some of his more isolated parishioners, Father Stan Pamula, parish priest for St Mary’s RC Church in Arisaig, as well as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and St Cumin Church in Morar, made an application last month to Connecting Scotland on behalf of 10 local people.

But he says he has been left bitterly disappointed after being forced to inform the 10 people, several of who are in their 90s, that they will not be getting help to get online from the scheme.

‘I can’t understand how my parishioners did not meet the criteria. Now I am faced with telling them they might have stood a better chance of being successful if I had not applied on their behalf through the church parishes,’ Father Stan told the Lochaber Times.

‘After I submitted our application in June, well before the deadline, I got another email saying there had not been enough applications and there were still more devices to hand out. So I am totally confused as to why we were not successful.

‘Some of these people are in their 90s and stuck at home shielding - they will be very disappointed.’

Asked to clarify why the bid on behalf of Father Stan’s parishioners was unsuccessful, Aaron Slater, Digital Participation Project Manager for the SCVO, said Connecting Scotland had received a very high level of interest from a range of voluntary sector organisations and public sector services across Scotland.

‘As a result we haven’t been able to make an award to everyone who has applied, which we understand can be very disappointing for those who have not been successful,’ he told us.

‘While we’re unable to comment on specific applications, we can confirm that there is absolutely no prohibition on applications which are submitted by religious groups.

‘To determine successful applications in each local

‘I can’t understand how my parishioners did not meet the criteria.’

Continued from page one. is convened, including a representative from SCVO and a least one representative from that local authority.

‘The assessment panel then considers the eligibility of the identified end beneficiaries, as well as the other criteria detailed in the application guidance, before making a decision.’

But Father Stan says he is mystified as to how North West Lochaber Church of Scotland was awarded 10 iPads and MiFi units under the scheme, despite, according to him, submitting an application some time after his own.

‘I am really disappointed that now I have to inform my parishioners, who were not able to apply themselves, that they should have asked another, non-religious body to get a chance. It is a sad, sad world we live in indeed.’

But Mr Slater also contacted Father Stan again on Friday to reassure him religious groups were not barred from applying.

‘I would like to reassure you that your application was not deemed to be unsuccessful on religious grounds. Your application was not as strong as other applications on your ability to provide ongoing digital inclusion support,’ Mr Slater told Father Stan.

‘We recognise that for many applicants the outcome will be one of disappointment. However, we may be able to reconsider eligible applications that were unsuccessful should there be a further round of the programme.’

Asked for his views, local Caol and Mallaig councillor, Allan Henderson, told us: ‘Many of these very helpful schemes seem to have twists and turns that leave some very deserving cases scratching their heads in disbelief.

‘I would prefer to see an element of common sense discretion, rather than the rigid conditions. They are after all set out as guidelines.’