CARMARTHENSHIRE Residents Action Group (CRAiG Sir Gâr) has challenged Carmarthenshire County Council leader Cllr Darren Price to stop funding Bute Energy through the council’s pension fund investment at today’s Cabinet meeting at County Hall. 

Green Gen / Bute Energy is proposing to run at least two pylon chains through Carmarthenshire’s countryside’s decimating the historic landscape of the Tywi Valley and villages and along the A485.  Councillors including Plaid Cymru Council Leader Darren Price have voiced their opposition.  Yet Carmarthenshire is one of seven Welsh local authorities to invest its pension fund in Bute Energy.  In contrast, neighbouring Powys County Council has declined to invest in the controversial firm.

Havard Hughes, local resident and spokesperson for the Carmarthenshire Residents’ Action Group commented: “We’ve challenged the County Council on their funding of Bute Energy because both Cllr Darren Price and Cllr Ann Davies have been vocal in their words about the firm’s pylon schemes.  However it is utterly ludicrous that the Council they run as the Cabinet has not just been slow to act but is actively funding Bute Energy.

“Carmarthenshire County Council holds the key to killing off Bute Energy’s schemes as they are the consenting authority for the sub-stations which will connect them to the national grid.  This is why residents are so concerned about a conflict of interest.  Moreover, we believe that the withdrawal of Carmarthenshire’s investment would have a domino effect on Bute Energy’s funding. 

“Cllr Price and Cllr Davies have the opportunity to demonstrate leadership on this issue by pulling Carmarthenshire’s funds out of Bute Energy.  Instead we have the town hall farce whereby they claim, on the one hand there is nothing they can do; but state that their representative on the pension board, which Carmarthenshire itself runs, will have some “stern words”.  If Carmarthenshire is serious about making Bute Energy listen to residents then they should immediately follow Powys’s lead and disinvest. 

“The elephant in the room is that Powys County Council, which is also affected by Bute Energy, have managed exclude their pension fund investment.  Darren Price and Ann Davies cannot claim ignorance as Carmarthenshire has one of the largest Wind-industrial zones designated in the whole of Wales in the Welsh Government’s Future Wales 2040 plan.  If it was obvious to Powys this would be a problem then why not to Carmarthenshire’s representatives on the fund?

“This investment generates a direct conflict of interest between the interests of the Council in maximising its return and that of residents in minimising harm.  Bute Energy is already arguing that burying cables will be more expensive.  Lower profits might mean happier residents; but it will also mean lower investment returns to Dyfed Pension funds members many of whom are elected to or are employed by Carmarthenshire County Council. 

It is time for Cllr Price and Cllr Ann Davies to end the excuses and take action that Bute Energy will understand.  So far the most decisive action we’ve seen from Plaid Cymru on Bute has been to give Bute Energy’s Public Affairs Adviser a well-paid job for life in the House of Lords.  Residents deserve deeds not empty words form our Plaid Cymru politicians in County Hall.”

VOLUNTEERS from St Davids RNLI were tasked to assist a 4m yacht that had run out of fuel six nautical miles southwest of St Justinians on Sunday (May 12).

The lifeboat launched in calm conditions at 11.08am. The yacht, with one person on board and sailing from New Haven to Swansea, did not have enough wind to sail to safety.

Without fuel or wind to sail, the yacht was unable to return to shore unaided, so the RNLI Coxswain took the decision to tow the stricken vessel back to the mooring at the lifeboat station.

This rescue was the first for Reuben Palin in his role as volunteer mechanic.

TODAY is the inaugural National Fishing Remembrance Day, buy many residents of Milford Haven may not know about the tragic events of 1915, when piracy on the high seas by ‘the enemy’ led to the loss of local fishermen and several trawlers.

In 1915, amidst the backdrop of World War I, Milford Haven’s fishing fleet became the target of ruthless ‘pirate attacks’ as they were reported, which claimed the lives of 47 men and saw the sinking of several trawlers.

These were not isolated incidents but part of a terrifying pattern that emerged during this tumultuous period, carried out by German boats, and submarines, against all British shipping.

The first incident was a brutal attack on the Hirseo.

As the ‘pirates’ opened fire, chaos ensued onboard. The trawler, filled with fishermen, was ill-equipped to handle such an assault. Many crew members were killed instantly, while others, injured and desperate, struggled to survive as the vessel began to sink. The nearby Victoria, in a bid to assist, maneuvered closer but was quickly overwhelmed by gunfire and met the same fate as the Hirseo.

Among those who lost their lives was the chief engineer of the Victoria, Albert Cole, whose earlier premonitions of doom became a grim reality as the ship went down. His final acts, attempting to keep the engine room operational even as the vessel succumbed to the sea, highlighted the bravery and professionalism that defined these men.

Simultaneously, the Belgian trawler Delta B also came under attack. The Delta B, which was fishing in proximity to the British trawlers, was besieged by the same group of pirates. It suffered extensive damage and eventually sank, adding to the day’s toll of devastation. The crew, mostly Belgian nationals, faced a fierce battle for survival as they encountered relentless gunfire and the perilous waters of the Irish Sea.

Survivors from these attacks were few and faced grim odds. Those who were rescued recounted their experiences with palpable grief and trauma. They described scenes of fellow crewmen being struck by bullets, the cold embrace of the sea as they leapt overboard, and the slim hopes of rescue amidst the vast, unforgiving waters.

The response from Milford Haven to these tragic events was swift and heartfelt. The community rallied to support the grieving families, providing financial aid and organising memorial services. The impact of the losses was felt deeply throughout the community, uniting them in their sorrow and their resolve to prevent future tragedies.

The incidents involving other trawlers, like the Ebor, further underscored the widespread nature of the piracy threat at the time. The Ebor, targeted shortly after the initial attacks, managed to survive the encounter but not without enduring its own harrowing tale of gunfire and evasion.

In the aftermath, additional stories emerged of other nationalities involved, such as Russians, Spaniards, and Norwegians, each sharing their own harrowing escape stories. One poignant testimony came from a Spanish survivor, who detailed his traumatic ordeal in broken English, reflecting not only his personal suffering but also the shared human experience of facing death at sea.

Today, as we reflect on these tragic events, our community not only commemorates those who were lost but also looks to learn from the past. The horrors of the 1915 pirate attacks have instilled a collective resolve to enhance safety and security for all maritime workers, ensuring that such a tragedy is never repeated.

This National Fishing Remembrance Day, let us remember the bravery and sacrifice of those who went before us, and let their legacy guide our efforts towards a safer and more secure future for the fishing community of Milford Haven and beyond.