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    Paul Johnston, a leading Aberdeenshire Councillor has welcomed the link between the Pakistan floods to climate change and the need for the UK to tackle it in a more co-ordinated manner. “In much of the coverage of the tragedy that is Pakistan at the moment it is hard to make the connection to the UK.  Its […]

Energy

 ------News-------

A tribute to Dr Bill Rattray

Councillor Paul Johnston, who has represented the Tarves area for over 10 years paid a tribute on behalf of the Community and also personally to Dr Bill Rattray.

“Our community, here in Tarves is very saddened at the death of Bill Rattray on December 12th in the Cayman Islands. Many were upset as many had known Bill, Margaret, Lewis and Kirsty over the years. I would be among those shocked at the news and deeply feel for the family after this tragedy.

“A memorial service in the village church, here today was packed with those locally who had huge respect for Bill. He was liked by his community and his work colleagues both at Peterhead and Aberdeen. He was a stimulating conversationalist, entertaining and engaging. A bon viveur, a thinker, a doer as well as a family man. He will be missed.

“From all accounts, he had developed huge respect and many friends in the Cayman Islands. That would be par for the course with Bill. He left this paradise for the one over in the Caribbean with huge respect and so many good wishes. It is difficult for those in the community that will not now meet him on his return.

“I extend my sincere condolences to the family and can honestly say all our memories of Bill will be good ones.”

Dr Bill Rattray

An obituary was published in the Cayman Islands. To view please link here

December 29th, 2009 | Category: News

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Paul's Blog

  • Exams and Scottish Higher Education
    August 5, 2010 | 7:21 pm

    On the day that Scottish Exam results drop through the letterboxes of expecting students, there remains the unresolved debate about the future of higher education that underlies all the comments that will flow forth from the great and good.

    My concerns that commentators will rubbish the results again, as they do when any increase in pass rates are announced.  The requirements of any qualification change with time.  It does not mean it gets easier – it can, but there is no evidence that it actually has.  But there is evidence it has changed in another way.

    Change in the the topics covered by exams have always happened.  How many doing Maths now would be able to handle a slide rule?  In my day, it was part of the exam.  Now students would no know what a slide rule was.

    For all those who are tempted to suggest the utter nonsense of advising students not to go to further Education but study things that industry bosses want now, could I enter the thought that we are really teaching people for occupations in technologies and systems that have not even been invented yet.  Such is the challenge of the future.

    Congratulations to all students in your results.  I just hope that the generation currently making decisions about your futures, your higher education places and the very sustainability of the Country, will not indulge in the short term thinking of ‘government spending’.  I hope they will have the courage for the investment in peoples’ futures and not our selfish present.

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