CALMAC has been accused of providing a catalyst for a new version of the Highland Clearances - with a ferry deployment policy that fails to take account of the economic and cultural impact of Scotland's islands.
Concerns have surfaced over the Scottish Government ferry operator's 'route priorisation approach' which islanders believe does not take into account the economic and cultural effect of cancellations.
It is understood that CalMac is having to rethink the approach in the wake of a Scottish Government request.
It comes as Robbie Drummond, chief executive of CalMac began two days of meetings with island business and community leaders on Monday who are angry at a decision to cancel sailings to the end of June.
The MV Lord of the Isles, which runs between Mallaig and Lochboisdale, has been redeployed to Islay after there were issues with ferry breakdowns to the ageing fleet.
The move to visit South Uist has come after an estimated 500 residents, 200 cars, 40 vans and 20 lorries converged on Lochboisdale - the port which links South Uist to the mainland - to protest about the decision.
READ MORE: Ministers under fire over blaming CalMac for new island ferry chaos
The route scoring matrix has been described as "vague" by some, and refers to the 'availability of alternative transport'.
South Uist has regularly been hit by cancellations when ferries are re-organised due to breakdowns.
Calmac CEO Robbie Drummond confronted by frustrated locals after meeting in Daliburgh, South Uist. Local anger not dissipated, despite assurances of a review into the redeployment matrix that led to the Lochboisdale - Mallaig service taken away til end of June. pic.twitter.com/6UNPUOt5wd
— Darren Laing (@lordofthelaings) June 12, 2023
Users have been told by Mr Drummond that the matrix was a "robust process" and "aims to impact the least number of customers possible".
He told one user: "All the options are poor when we have a major vessel out. We try to impact the least number of booked customers but ensure all islands have access to a lifeline service, albeit this may be an alternative route.
"There are a number of variables but limited by where vessels can operate. [It] includes disrupted customers, projected demand v capacity, availability of other routes off the island, and services to lifeline suppliers."
He added: "Projected demand is derived from a combination of historic travel patterns and external forecasting bodies. It is measured against available capacity for different deployment options to assess disruption. But this is only one of several considerations."
John Daniel Peteranna of the South Uist Business Ferry Impact Group, which organised the demonstration said of the matrix: "It is as vague and woolly as you can get and that is what they use to make decisions. It is hot air. We think it is commercially better for them to do this."
The island, in common with the rest of the Hebrides, is one of the last remaining strongholds of the Gaelic language in Scotland.
Mr Peteranna raised concerns about people deciding to leave the island and said: "The matrix should look at the cultural and economic impact but I cannot make any sense of the rubbish that has been written. We need an explanation of what it means.
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"You cannot have Gaelic culture at the home of Gaelic if there are no people on it. And people cannot be there with no ferry service.
"It is like the Highland Clearances again."
One protest banner that greeted Mr Drummond as he arrived said that the cancellation "activates clearances".
The Highland Clearances was a time in the 18th and 19th centuries when people were forced from their homes and had to find new places to live.
It involved the forced evictions of a significant number of tenants mostly in two phases from 1750 to 1860. The first phase resulted from agricultural improvement, driven by the need for landlords, many of whom had substantial debts, to increase their income. The second phase involved overcrowded crofting communities from the first phase that had lost the means to support themselves.
CalMac has confirmed it is having a rethink on how it organises ferries in the wake of the protests.
The Scottish Government has ordered the review and asked to ensure that its scoring matrix is taking into account the actual economic impact to islands.
It is understood that CalMac decided to cancel South Uist services because it would impact the least number of customers and that customers could use alternative routes to get there.
Users have been told that the internal review of the matrix is expected to start in the next few days and that a response is expected in a week to ten days.
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