The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for us all.
For me, I have two new exciting roles – I have the opportunity to work with local authorities, empowering communities across Scotland through public finance reform, in my ministerial role, whilst also having the opportunity to improve the lives of those living in our beloved Shetland, through my role as your local MSP.
Protocol demands that these roles be approached and managed distinctly, and I will be applying all of the strict conventions that such roles in public office demand, as you would expect me to.
However, I do not see my two roles as mutually exclusive. To be only the second Scottish government minister to see the world through Shetland eyes, from a Shetland perspective will undoubtedly be a benefit to these wonderful islands we all call home. Whilst carrying out a Scotland-wide role with a Shetland mindset and applying the Shetland values of pragmatism, equity and resilience to my work, I believe, can only but be of benefit to those I serve outwith Shetland too.
Although my time will be split, my focus is clear, my ultimate priority is to stand up for Shetland and its people, to the very best of my abilities, and the work needed to do this is already underway.
To make manifesto pledges a reality and to make sure that the resulting improvements are robust and sustainable will take hard work and persistence, and I intend to carry out these tasks with care, integrity and dedication.
This is an exciting time for Shetland. My role in government affords me the potential to shape policy that impacts these islands in a way that was not possible for my hard-working predecessors; allowing Shetland’s voice to be heard clearly in the heart of government. I believe that this will reap rewards for our island community, which deserves no less.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve Shetland in our national parliament. I am clear on the magnitude of responsibility that this entails and I look forward to taking on any challenge or barrier that stands in our way. We live in a very special place, but life is not easy for all who live here.
My aim is to try and address the issues that make this the case, and the work starts here.