Trygve Hegnar is both the editor of the newspaper, and at the same time he is co-owner and chairman of Hurtigruten. – I cannot sit still in the boat on the world’s most beautiful sea voyage. Nature is our culture, and I cannot let Hegnar wreak havoc with our people, says Ellinor Guttorm Utsi to news. Together with her family, she runs a Sami adventure center just outside Kjøllefjord on the Nordkinn Peninsula. For many years, passengers from Hurtigruten have visited the Sami camp, and this has become a very good store for the company. But now it may be coming to an end. The reason is that the editor of Finansavisen, Trygve Hegnar, wrote an editorial on 3 March with the headline “Greedy Sami”. “We can’t let the Sami wreak havoc with us.” “It’s time to put the Sami in their place.” The background to the manager’s comment was the actions in Oslo last week. Hegnar is also chairman of the board and one of the owners of Hurtigruten AS. For many years, the company has sold Sami culture and reindeer husbandry to its passengers along the Norwegian coast. And now his comment is also making waves in parts of the tourism industry. Owners of Hurtigruten Hurtigruten is owned by the London-based buyout fund TDR Capital, Petter Stordalen’s Strawberry Equities and Trygve Hegnar’s Perioscopus. TDR Capital holds 80.82 per cent of the shares, while Stordalen and Hegnar have respectively 11.55 and 4.89 per cent of the shares in the company. Source: NTB/E24 On Hurtigruten’s website, a “hospitable and welcoming Sami family that runs reindeer herding” is presented. – Built on the “culture of greed”? Managing director and owner of the family business Davvi Siida AS in Lebesby, Ellinor Guttorm Utsi, now says that she will not allow herself to be ravaged by the chairman of Hurtigruten. – Hegnar can remove us from the Hurtigrute concept, but he can never remove me from the reindeer herding. It is very regrettable to have to read this, she says. REINDEER DRIVING: Ellinor Guttorm Utsi bases her tourism business on reindeer herding. Photo: Eilif Aslaksen / news Guttorm Utsi makes no secret of the fact that Hegnar’s statement provokes her because he is the chairman of Hurtigruten. – We are a supplier of a product that is precisely built on the “culture of greed” he believes we have, namely Sami culture and reindeer husbandry. And then a very serious question arises from my side; is that what Hurtigruten means? Is this the board’s starting point, and of course we have to get that clarification, she says to news. In 2018, the offer was named the year’s best excursion by Hurtigruten. – Be proud The tourism company in Lebesby is willing to cut the income from Hurtigruten. – Because it affects our own integrity. When we say on the one hand that we must protect the basis of reindeer husbandry, the economic basis and stand against industrialization and encroachment on nature, then we cannot cooperate with someone who has that view, says Guttorm Utsi. She says that they have been proud to be a supplier to Hurtigruten. – But if it turns out that Hegnar’s statement is a view that Hurtigruten itself also holds through the management and the rest of the board, then we have problems being a supplier, she says. CULTURE-BASED: Ellinor Guttorm Utsi and Ailu Utsi convey Sami culture to their guests. Photo: EILIF ASLAKSEN / news Is it right to call the Sami greedy? In an e-mail to news, editor of Finansavisen and chairman of Hurtigruten Trygve Hegnar replies that he does not represent Hurtigruten when he writes for the newspaper. – I have no opinion on what HR wants or wants to do. I write and participate in the debate as an independent editor. It is pointless to connect the editor’s role with HR’s activities, writes Hegnar to news. Trygve Hegnar is an editor at Finansavisen. He is also chairman of Hurtigruten. The picture was taken on another occasion. Photo: Torstein Bøe/NTB scanpix – The title of the article is “Greedy Sami”. Several have pointed out that if you replace “Sami” with another minority, for example Jews, this is way over the line. Has Hegnar reflected on the title? – It is an absurd and tendentious comparison, says Hegnar. – Is it okay for an editor of a major newspaper to call the Sami greedy? – Yes of course. In the same way as other greedy. This case concerns the requirements in the Fosen case. It is the editor’s free discretion and choice, he concludes. Do not represent Hurtigruten’s opinions Hurtigruten also responds to news by e-mail. They emphasize that Hegnar’s role as editor does not express Hurtigruten’s opinions. – Editorials in Finansavisen are an expression of the newspaper’s opinions, and not Hurtigruten’s. The editorial on Sami and indigenous rights does not reflect Hurtigruten Group’s views and values. That’s what press officer Anne Solsvik at the Hurtigruten Group says. The Sami excursion offered by Hurtigruten is only a small part of their offer to customers. Photo: Adrian Nyhammer Olsen – We are keen to build respect for Sami cultural heritage and attach great importance to promoting equal and respectful treatment of all groups in society, writes Hurtigruten to news. – Mixing roles Pål Rasmus Silseth is a professor at BI, and has previously written about Hurtigruten’s reputation. He does not think Hurtigruten will necessarily benefit from the chairman writing statements such as “Greedy Sami”. Professor at BI, Pål Rasmus Silseth does not think editor Trygve Hegnar has thought through his roles in the case. Photo: Torbjørn Brovold / BI School of Economics – It’s a bit special. I don’t think he has thought too carefully about his role as chairman of Hurtigruten. The editor should have a somewhat free role, but here there will be a mixture of roles, says Silseth. Silseth does not think Hurtigruten will necessarily come out of the case well. – I don’t think many people thought about the connection with Hurtigruten. But if it becomes a big deal, I don’t think it will have a positive effect in any case, he says.
ttn-69
Chairman wrote “Greedy Sami” – Now Hurtigruten cooperation is at stake – news Sápmi
