Pictured above during the Deputy First Minister’s visit to Merkinch Enterprise are, from left: Stuart Black, Chief Executive of Inverness and Nairn Enterprise, Merkinch Enterprise Chief Executive Colin Downie and Jim Wallace.

JIM Wallace, the Liberal Democrat MSP for Orkney and Shetland and Deputy First Minister at the Scottish Parliament was on a whistle-stop tour of the Highlands and Western Isles the week before the Parliament reconvened after the summer break.

Arriving on a breezy morning from dates on Uist and Harris, he paid a return visit to Merkinch Enterprise and was given a tour round its various facilities - the main office with its new cheap internet access; the two training premises for commercial and free-to-the-unemployed courses, Fliperz nursery and day care centre. He also heard how, with a 3-year kick start from Lottery funding the charity is not funded by any statutory body, though it does receive grant aid from the European Community. He also heard of other projects, meeting the recently appointed Community Development Officer Brian Macleod and other staff. “There’s a lot there!” he commented, impressed at the length of the list of projects that ME carries out.