THE Mossmorran Action Group, and numerous residents are pleading with the First Minister for help with what they feel are reluctant panellists at the public meeting on Mossmorran which is due to be held on Friday in Lochgelly.

Exxon/Mobil are unable to send anyone to the meeting at 7pm at Lochgelly Town Hall due to prior commitments.

James Glen, chair of MAG said: “ExxonMobil and Shell are still trying to avoid coming to the public meeting. The meeting is a community response to levels of concern about the impacts of the plant and fears about its safety which are unprecedented.

"Two years ago the operators promised to improve their communications and community relations, yet now straight after having put communities through an extreme bout of emergency flaring, they don’t want to hear from local people in person or explain, face-to-face, what is going on.

"This is no way to treat your neighbours, and we want the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, to remind the operators of their corporate responsibility".

He added: "SEPA will be there on Friday, Lesley Laird and Professor Sibbett of the Mossmorran Working Group will be there - why not Shell and ExxonMobil who own and operate Mossmorran?

"We are also very disappointed that both Cabinet Secretaries we invited (Health and Environment) have declined our invitations, and we are asking the First Minister to ensure someone from the Scottish Government can come along on Friday to engage directly with those affected by Mossmorran.

"The Scottish Government is an absolutely key player, as Fife Council recognised recently when they called on it to commission an independent expert review of the environmental, social and health impacts on communities of Mossmorran’s operations.

"MAG was delighted by the Mossmorran debate at Fife Council because for the first time there was an overwhelming recognition by a majority of elected representatives that the impacts of flaring are unacceptable, and that action needs to be taken, including compensation and discussions on decommissioning.

"It’s now time for the Scottish Government to step up to the plate, and do more than hide behind SEPA.

"Mossmorran’s massive flare on Easter Monday and the 900+ complaints to SEPA are surefire signals to Holyrood that the climate emergency on their doorstep needs action now.”