Sir, – I was surprised to learn that the management of the Crofting Commission have opted to let the ratifying of the voting for a new crofting committee go to a private body based in England, the Electoral Reform Commission, rather than use a government structure like the last time, the Western Isles Council.

There must be a reason for such a move? Are they cheaper?

It is my opinion, having dealt with similar private organisations, that it can be controlled by whoever is running the show!

To gain a vote in the crofting election one must be a working tenant crofter, or a wholly owner-occupier crofter – in the latter, if the site of the croft house is owned by another, you are not a fully owner occupier, then you cannot vote!

This vetting must be carried out by the Crofting Commission and it must be transparent – no excuses – not like the last time when absent tenants were allowed to vote.

In my own area, there are very few crofters left, many who are tenants but prefer to live elsewhere (some 16 miles away from their crofts), and there are crofters who would rather sell their grazings to the owners of horses, yet get paid subsidies.

Is it the case in the Crofting Commission using 'rules made by the wise for the obeyance of fools'? If this is the case, what on earth is the Scottish Government doing by allowing such a display of poor management by their selected administrators?

For this election to be fair and transparent, the voter roll will have to be seen by crofters on the ground before voting takes place, not selected by shady officials that are never accounted for their mistakes – and like the Metropolitan Police in London, it needs a clearout!

Now we know the reason for the QR codes.

Angus A Macdonald, Balivanich, Benbecula.