I don't normally take the Scotsman -its a bit too, er, Scottish for the sort of news I am looking for-the Berwickshire is the local paper of choicer. But a bloggee has sent me the following article about our local Laird and the ongoing saga of the new (nearly completed at last) Scottish Parliment building.
Fraser Inquiry adding to the costs, says MSP HAMISH MACDONELL SCOTTISH POLITICAL EDITOR
LORD Fraser of Carmyllie yesterday reacted with incredulity when he was told that it was his own inquiry that was causing ongoing problems. John Home Robertson, the head of the Holyrood Progress Group used his appearance at the inquiry to criticise Lord Fraser for adding to the delays and increasing the cost of the project. The Labour MSP was treated with cold disbelief by both Lord Fraser and John Campbell QC, counsel to the inquiry, when he made his claims. Mr Home Robertson submitted a statement which claimed that the timing and conduct of the inquiry was having a "significant impact" on the project at this stage. He said: "Key members of the Holyrood Project Team and of the design, cost and construction teams are being required to devote a great deal of time to the preparation of evidence to the inquiry. This is giving rise to costs and delays." And he added: "The establishment of this inquiry became a major distraction for all concerned, with significant time and cost implications." Mr Home Robertson said he did not want to make "a big deal" out of his allegations but felt it was his duty to raise them, pointing out that Brian Stewart, the lead designer, had spent three months at the inquiry at the end of last year which left the project without one of its key leaders. Lord Fraser replied that Mr Stewart attended the inquiry on his own volition and his presence as a witness had only been required for half a day, the rest of the time he had simply come because he wanted to watch proceedings - something which was hardly Lord Fraser’s fault. Mr Campbell also told Mr Home Robertson that he would be very concerned if the inquiry was having a detrimental effect on the project and asked him to provide him with specific examples if that was the case. Mr Home Robertson did then appear to backtrack slightly on his claims, aware that both Lord Fraser nor Mr Campbell were angry and alarmed by the seriousness of his allegations and wanted him to back it with evidence. This blame game was a hallmark of Mr Home Robertson’s evidence yesterday. He managed to accuse a range of different people and organisations for the problems - except the Holyrood Progress Group which he leads. Mr Home Robertson blamed George Reid, the Presiding Officer, for his "political" move in capping the consultants’ fees which he claimed had affected relationships between the consultants. He also blamed Kirsty Wark’s production company Wark Clements for influencing a crucial meeting by filming it. Mr Home Robertson said: "The presence of that crew had a tendency to inspire grandstanding by some and reticence on the part of professionals." It was a combative performance by Mr Home Robertson but he did appear to antagonise Mr Campbell and Lord Fraser by insisting on several occasions that they were wrong. One of the most important developments in the last few years was the resignation of Alan Ezzi, the project director for just seven months, in 2001. Mr Home Robertson was instrumental in Mr Ezzi’s departure, having effectively made his job untenable by making it clear that the Progress Group had lost its faith in him. But Mr Ezzi was the last construction professional to be involved in a senior position on the project. His departure paved the way for the appointment of Sarah Davidson to become project manager, even though she had no background in construction. Mr Campbell suggested to Mr Home Robertson that his decision to help ease Mr Ezzi out of his job and replace him with somebody who had previously been a committee clerk was wrong, and had contributed to the problems. Mr Campbell said: "Is not the reality this: Alan Ezzi was taken on by the project manager with the job description, among other things, to try to effect some economies. "As soon as he did that, whether on a large scale or a small scale, he ran into architectural determinism - the architects protesting about the economies - which they felt were forced on them. "In the end the Holyrood Progress Group and the project manager took the side of the architects, gave way to the architects and sacked Alan Ezzi?" Mr Home Robertson denied this, claiming that the group did not agree with Mr Ezzi’s suggestions and had lost confidence and faith in him. End of article
A bloggee has commented that some people found the member for East Lothian 'combative'
during the local plan drama last year. Hopefully that is a problem which wil not need to be revisited again. But the auguries are not propitious.
