Dh’fhaodar poileataigs ann an Alba a dhèanamh ann an dòigh nas rianaile - Murray MacLeòid

Dh’fhaodar poileataigs a dhèanamh ann an dòigh nas rianail, le Murray MacLeòid

Dòmhnall Francis MacNèill, an iasgair à Bhatarsaigh a sheinn “Na Fuadaichean A-rithist”

‘S dòcha ann an 2024 gum faic sinn dùsgadh as ùr bho ar luchd-riaghlaidh ann an Dùn Èideann. ‘S cinnteach gu bheil iad a’ tuigsinn nach eil e ro chiallach nàimhdean a dhèanamh de phàirtean mòra de choimhearsnachd na h-Alba.

Iasgach, tuathanaich, luchd-lagha, gnìomhachasan beaga… aig àm a choireigin thairis air a’ bhliadhna ud, tha adhbhar air a bhith aca uile an fhearg a ghabhail bho mar a tha na stiùirichean-poileataigeach ann an Dùn Èideann air a bhith a’ dèiligeadh riutha.

Fiù ‘s a’ gabhail ris gur e saoghal caochlaideach is faoin a tha ann am poileataigs, agus gu bheil iad air a bhith a’ riaghladh son ùine fhada a-nis, tha e na iongnadh cho mòr ‘s tha am pàrtaidh air tuiteam air ais ann an sùilean nan daoine.

Cuimhnich gur e seo an dearbh phàrtaidh a bh’aig liùt agus tuigse air càite an robh beachd muinntir na h-Alba cho fada agus a bhuannaich taghadh an dèidh taghadh mar thoradh air an sin.

‘S dòcha gu bheil e ro fhada airson a’ chuibhle a thionnadh gu tur a thaobh na h-ath taghaidh, ach chan e droch thoiseach-tòiseachaidh dhen bhliadhna a bhiodh ann nan tigeadh dèiligeadh ri cùisean is poileasaidhean ann an dòigh nas rianail na tha air a bhith a' tachairt bho chionn ghoirid – ged nach biodh ann ach smaoineachadh gu bheil an dùthaich fhathast sgaraichte às dèidh an reifreinn a chaidh a chumail bho chionn deich bliadhna.

B’ e na molaidhean mu thimcheall Sgìrean Mara Fìor-Ghlèidhteachais fear dhe na rudan as connspaidiche a nochd ceann air a’ bhliadhna.

A-measg iasgairean, bha fearg uabhasach agus ‘s beag an t-iongnadh. Chaidh cur às dhe na molaidhean às dèidh òran bhon chòmhlan Skipinnish: “Na Fuadaichean A-rithist”, air a sheinn le Dòmhnall Francis MacNèill à Bhatarsaigh, ged a tha eagal ann fhathast gun tig bacaidhean ùra air a’ ghnìomhachas “tron doras-chùil”.

Ann an teachdairean aig deireadh na bliadhna, thuirt Elspeth Dhòmhnallach, àrd-oifigear Caidreachas Iasgairean na h-Alba, gum feum ministearan “an dòigh-smaoineachaidh aca atharrachadh” agus obair leis a’ ghnìomhachas.

Bha i ag aithneachadh gu bheil dùbhlain chruaidh mu choinneamh luchd-poileataigs: ciamar a ghabhas an àrainneachd a dhion agus biadh a chumail ris an dùthaich.

Ach, thuirt i gu bheil iadsan deònach am pàirt aca fhèin a dhèanamh, cho fad ’s a thèid a dhèanamh ann an dòigh chiallach.

“Ann an 2024 feumaidh Riaghaltas na h-Alba obrachadh còmhla rinn air molaidhean ciallach a tha stèidhichte air fianais cheart, an àite an rud a rinn iad le droch mholaidhean stèidhichte air a' bhunait cheàrr, a bha ann an cunnart milleadh mòr a dhèanamh air coimhearsnachdan iasgaich is eileanach,” thuirt i.

Agus tha fhios gun aontaicheadh iomadach roinn eile ris a sin.

Ann am faclan Ceit Fhoirbheis, feumaidh Humza sealltainn gur e “a’ Chiad Mhinistear dha Alba air fad” agus nach e buidheann bheag de libearalaich a th’ ann nach tug ceum a-mach às a' bhaile mhòr.

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Perhaps 2024 will be the year that the Scottish Government and the SNP cotton onto the fact that it’s not a terribly bright idea to alienate major sections of the Scottish community.

Fishing, farming, women’s rights, the legal profession, small businesses… they have all had good reason over recent months to feel rather irked at the policy direction and the diktats coming from Central Office, Edinburgh.

Even given the fickle nature of politics and a long time in office, it’s quite a fall from grace from a party that once prided itself on being in tune with the public mood, enabling them to become the dominant force in Scottish politics on the back of it, winning election after election.

It may be too late for them to avoid the electoral reckoning that’s coming in the General Election, probably later in the year, but for the sake of Scottish society at large - a still divided one 10 years after the referendum - a new ethos of conciliation and understanding would be a healthy resolution with which to start the year.

One of the biggest PR disasters of the past 12 months was the controversy over the Highly Protected Marine Areas, which sparked widespread anger in coastal communities and a highly effective protest song by Skipinnish, “Here Come the Clearances Again”, sung by Vatersay fishermen DF Macneil. It eventually led to the proposal being shelved, although fishermen are still concerned that its spirit will be introduced “through the back door” in the shape of new restrictions.

In an end of year message, Elspeth Macdonald, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, called on ministers to “change their mindset” and rather than rule from on high to work with the industry to find proper solutions to the complex problem of protecting the environment while feeding the nation..

“In 2024 the Scottish Government needs to work with us on sensible evidence based measures instead of what it did this year when it came forward witty a set of poorly founded proposals based on unwarranted and unjustified supposition that could have had profoundly severe consequences for coastal and island communities,” she said.

And, doubtless, many other sectors of society would concur.

In fairness to Humza Yousaf, he has been left with a rather challenging legacy, following the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon in a political scandal to rival that which threatened to end the career of Alex Salmond, though clearly he has visions of once again returning to the frontline.

In the words of Kate Forbes, Humza Yousaf needs to show “he is a First Minister for all of Scotland” - and not just a small liberal urban elite.