ABERDEEN, September 12, (RIA Novosti), Mark Hirst – The UK Government has "failed to invest the harvest" from North Sea oil, the oil wealth should be used to benefit Scots, one of Scotland's leading oil experts, Alex Russell, told RIA Novosti Friday, announcing his support for Scottish independence.
"There is no question that had Scotland been an independent country in 1975, that Scotland would be extremely wealthy now and there would be no national debt. The weight of evidence is that the UK government has failed to invest the harvest from the North Sea oil for future generations," said Russell, who is Professor of Petroleum Accounting at Robert Gordon University and also Chairman of the Oil Industry Finance Association.
A growing number of oil experts have publicly backed a Yes vote in the Scottish independence referendum campaign including the former Chair of Scottish Enterprise, Professor Sir Donald MacKay, Professor John Howell as well as oil industry leaders including Ian Godden, Chairman of Glenmore Energy PLC, Doug Duguid, Chief Executive of Enermech and Hugh Fraser of Andrews Kurth a legal firm that represents international oil clients.
On September 18, Scotland is scheduled to hold a referendum on independence from the United Kingdom. The voters will be asked one question, "Should Scotland be an independent country?"
