The start of September was extremely busy but very productive. Having attended the Offshore Europe Oil and Gas Exhibition in Aberdeen in support of the companies in and around Great Yarmouth  who were showcasing their products at this prestigious event, and after talking to some of the exhibitors and visitors to the event it was apparent that this industry is currently very buoyant which is of course always a good sign for the economy both locally and nationally. Having attended many of these exhibitions in the past, I have to say that the presentation of the Great Yarmouth stand was excellent.

Following directly from that, I attended the Outer Harbour presentation on the site for the new harbour and was impressed by the size of the development as well as the speed at which it is progressing. Having been involved in the project for twenty years, it was a long time coming. However, had we had the support of the County Council at the beginning, when we requested they act as guarantors for funding, then we would have had the port years ago, despite the many who said to me it wouldn’t happen, it has and I am pleased to have played my part in obtaining Government support both practically and financially for the project and the many meetings and questions raised over the years by all involved have proved to be worth it.

It was a pleasure to have been involved in the annual beach clean up organised by the Marine Conservation Agency and the Sea Life Centres. It highlighted the amount of rubbish discarded into our seas and the need for us to be aware of the problems we cause by not being aware of the damage we do. It was also a pleasure that a number of youngsters came along from Caister High School to help on the Sunday afternoon, well done to everyone involved and let us hope we see a Marine Act coming forward.

Still on the issue of the coastline, the council’s decision to sign up to the Shoreline Management Plan which is the environmental plan to protect as much of the coastline as possible, has been controversial over the past few years and whilst the plan needs to be agreed to before funding can be released, we must ensure that every part of our coast, from Winterton to Hopton has the resources to protect it from the rising sea and changing climate. The necessity for the Borough Council to agree to hold the line policy and to put together a scheme to extend the Scratby rock berm is vital.

Having attended the Great Yarmouth Guild of Artists’ annual meeting and exhibition it came as a pleasant surprise to learn that the Guild has been in existence for 80 years. The quality of work is truly exceptional and it is a pleasure to see it on display. It is such a pity that we haven’t had a permanent place for display, however it was reported that the James Paget Hospital are considering to exhibit much of their work so that it can be on view to the many hundreds of people who visit the hospital every week as well as those that work there. If they are unable to then we need to look at other options.

On the international scene, the last few weeks have seen the rise of political unrest in Burma, with the protests of the Buddhist monks and fellow citizens being broadcast across the world. The shooting of peaceful protesters highlights just how unscrupulous this military dictatorship is, and the lengths it will go to hang on to power, and it is about time the United Nations takes a lead on this and brings pressure to bear. While many voters in the UK may be apathetic about casting their votes in elections, it is the presence of a choice of parties that makes democracy so desirable, and I for one think it is about time the UN leads the way in bringing such a choice to the people of Burma.