Alan Reid, Liberal Democrat MP for Argyll & Bute has called on Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) to add ‘Isle of Islay’ to the list of options on the ballot for the name of the new Islay ferry. He has written to Guy Platten, CMAL’s Managing Director, pointing out that it is clear that many islanders prefer this name to any of the four names put forward by CMAL.

Mr Reid said,

“I welcome CMAL’s decision to hold a ballot on the name of the new ferry. However, of the four alternatives, only ‘Finlaggan’ has any connection with Islay. Given the widespread support on Islay for naming the ferry ‘Isle of Islay’ with its Gaelic equivalent ‘An t-Eilean Ile’ I hope that CMAL will agree to add this to the list of alternatives and extend the time for the ballot.”

NOTE: The four names put forward by CMAL are Finlaggan, Glendale, Locheil and Pioneer. The new Islay ferry is due to come into service in 2011. The ballot closes at midday on 16 November. CMAL is wholly owned by the Scottish Government and owns the ferries which are leased to CalMac to operate the Clyde & Hebrides contract.