A wake-up call
The loss of 1,200 jobs at NEC is not only a severe blow for the West Lothian economy, it is also underlines the fact that the Scottish economy is too reliant on electronics, oil and whisky for wealth generation that has to pay for core public services.
It is a wake-up call for the Scottish executive and Scottish Enterprise - investment in indigenous businesses is essential, and diversification of the economic base in Scotland is a social must.
One way Scotland must stem the tide of job losses is to get away from the tendency to be a branch economy, with the manufacturing sector of economic components based on it being labour intensive, and the fact that components can now be produced cheaper in areas such as Eastern Europe.
Essentially, the way forward is the development of an European agenda that offers a future based on a strong business-to- business approach.
PAUL WELSH
Nimmo Drive
Glasgow
Email to a friend
Print this page- Family mourn death of Glasgow ‘fight’ schoolboy
- Rangers takeover: Duff & Phelps threaten legal action against BBC
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
- Rangers administration: Fans fear Duff & Phelps claims could scare off Green
- Rangers takeover: triple penalty punishment enough, says Johnston
- Alistair Darling leads ‘No to independence’ fight over tea and biscuits
- Scottish independence: SNP flip-flops over Nato
- Scottish Independence: SNP ‘won’t be Yes campaign’s only voice’
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
- Scottish independence: ‘People here are best qualified to run Scotland’
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Edinburgh
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
