Sir,

It is a sad fact that most of our brightest and best young people will leave Pembrokeshire to seek their fortunes. A few will return in later life to enjoy our beautiful scenery, low crime rates and relaxed, friendly life style. In the meantime lack of economic opportunity and unemployment will remain endemic problems.

Some see a solution in attracting into Pembrokeshire traditional manufacturing, but with increasingly open global markets low value-added assembly jobs will continue to re-locate to developing countries with low wages; others in the call centre dream, which we have now seen repeatedly turning into a nightmare. Pembrokeshire needs to set its sights higher.

One of many options which should be explored is to build upon the excellent college we already have, its excellent reputation for marine and coastal studies, which is already involved in technology transfer in areas such as aquaculture. Pembrokeshire could build on this by creating an institution dedicated to the applied science underlying the management of fish stocks and aquaculture, boatbuilding, marine pollution control etc, and by attracting a WDA Technium to incubate start up companies.

Carmarthenshire is to have a bio-technology Technium attached to the National Botanical Gardens. Milford Haven would be an ideal spot for a laboratory dedicated to pure scientific research into marine systems, some of which have already demonstrated huge economic potential.

Moreover we have the scientists and the academic contacts to make this happen. The clustering of these scientific endeavours would be mutually reinforcing. They would provide high value added jobs, and encourage more of our home grown talent to stay.

The national economic strategy, A Winning Wales, has set ambitious targets to bring GDP to 90 per cent of the UK average in a decade and up to the average within a generation. To achieve this, numerous partnerships have to be established. Unfortunately, we have a county council that only pays lip service to this.

If the people of Pembrokeshire are to achieve their potential and share in the prosperity that is envisaged, we must leave behind our largely self-imposed isolation. Partly this can be achieved by changing the culture within the county council, and I hope the elections next year will kick start this process.

Partly it should come from electing Assembly Members who understand economic development and are prepared to work on building the bridges that are needed. The best opportunities may already have passed, it is incumbent upon us all to make up for lost time.

Clr. Mary Megarry,

Mill House,

Stepaside.