Last week we noted the oddness of the Scottish Government demanding investment in a "shovel-ready" project in Dunoon that one of its own senior members, Mike Russell, was actively opposing.

The same day, a revised list of shovel-ready projects came out that omitted any mention of Dunoon, but proposed £5.7 million of "ferry port infrastructure" (also including Tarbet Loch Fyne, Kerrera and Tobermory).

The Scottish Government has since confirmed that it remains committed to the £2m Dunoon pier pontoons, "however, this particular project would only go ahead following the conclusion of the vehicle ferry study (due in April) and with ministerial agreement".

Conversations with Russell's constituents suggest that he would be electoral toast if he gave that agreement, as they don't want money spent on anything other than the resumption of a reliable car ferry service from Dunoon.

One local, Professor Neil Kay, commented: "The ferries are as important to the Clyde Estuary as the Forth Bridges are on the other coast. The volume of traffic is of course lower, but the road detour (84 miles) is longer."

EASTERN VIEWS

They have already made already made a huge impact on modern Scotland, but there is still much more to learn from the Japanese.

Tomorrow, Vaughan Turner, managing director of Terasaki Electric Europe, based in Clydebank, will talk on "Japan's Risk, Quality and Trust Trait" as part of the Europe-Japan Dialogue public lectures at University of Glasgow Adam Smith Business School Lecture Theatre.

Organised by Japan Desk Scotland for the Business School, the event is free and open to the public (5pm for 5.30pm).

Terasaki has been based in Clydebank since the 1970s, which makes it the longest-standing Japanese firm in Scotland and one of the oldest in the UK. Uniquely among UK-based Japanese companies, it doesn't have Japanese employees among its senior management.