Ignoring the experts

THE questions surrounding the integrity of the new Edinburgh children’s hospital seem to be part of a pattern regarding big governmentfunded projects.

Recent other ones such as the aberdeen bypass, Queensferry Crossing, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow and not yet completed ferries for Caledonian MacBrayne, have all been subject to big announcements on completion by the SNP Government.

In all cases, dates seem to be set by the Government so as they can get credit for delivering such projects when they want it.

Then the truth starts to bite when all have needed further work — some more than others — to really complete them and the contractors are always blamed. Then comes negotiation about more money for the contractors due to extra work.

The point is it seems that while the Scottish Government is placing huge pressure on contractors to give them the completion dates they want, it doesn’t seem to want to listen to what the experts who are building these projects say, as it does not fit in with its agenda.

Seems to be the classic political trick of distracting questions about the problems in such areas as education, the NHS and police budgets.

Members of the SNP Government should start listening to experts and not themselves and their political advisers who probably don’t have the skills or knowledge to understand complex construction projects.

PETER RAMSAY, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire.