Good morning lovely people
Strawberries and cream. Super sweeties covered in a silky blanket. A perfect partnership. Prosciutto e Melone; a little more adventurous perhaps? Who came up with this combo? Sheets of salty umami balanced with fragrant fruitiness. Contrasting flavours making a heavenly match. The majority decided years ago these work.
The majority didn’t decide or vote for The Bute House Agreement. It was like Married at First Sight. Even without experts making the match, what were the chances of a happily ever after?
The Greens claim their numbers have increased since the split. Interesting. The business community is relieved the nonsense is over. How much time, money, debate and smoke screens were spent distracting from the important issues. Why was such a minority influence given the opportunity to have such a majority impact? Of course we all want a fairer, greener country. Deposit Return Scheme, Gender Recognition Reform, etc didn’t deliver on either. Thankfully the jury is out and the verdict is a majority.
On Friday 26th April 2004 we opened our doors at Contini George Street. 20 years ago. Our business partnership, we hoped would match our marriage. (Coincidentally this has lasted the test, so far; we’ll be celebrating 30 years next week. Yes we know, you get less for murder.)
Victor and I have very different skills. We don’t agree on everything. If I had been left to my own devices, without Victor’s emotionally intelligent checks and balances, we wouldn’t have survived six months. He’s the melon to my prosciutto. Shared accountability based on common objectives backed by common values. This is what keeps us together and has helped us weather some very difficult personal and business storms. I’m not saying it’s been easy and neither of us are perfect. Importantly our partnership has been equal. What’s Victor’s is mine and what’s mine is my own. Just teasing. Imagine having a wife or husband, embezzling funds and you didn’t even know about it? Can’t even imagine!
When the public doesn’t elect a majority we’re left with an imbalance. Coalitions on paper should work but only if the agenda matches the majority manifesto. If it’s the footnotes from campaign papers, long binned, we’re heading for problems. Both our Parliaments need great public debate. Our Governments need strong opposition. When we don’t have this, we need partners that challenge the majority, not the minority.
Are we heading for a Scottish and UK General election this year? If they were both based on proportional representation, and jointly timed, we might get closer to a perfect partnership. As long as we’re not left with lumpy porridge and cold beans, it can only be better.
Keep well and thank you from two hearts that are perfectly aligned and full of love and thanks most sincerely for all your support over the last 20 years. Looking forward to the next 20.
Without our team, old and new, we would have achieved nothing.
Friendships, loyalty and encouragement from all fronts is never underestimated.
Grazie molto
Victor & Carina
