Kate Forbes wants to see more bridges or tunnels built between island communities and admits the SNP have “let down” islanders.
The SNP leadership hopeful has positioned herself as a candidate that wants to give power back to the Highland economy – an area she represents.
But her party has been accused of failing to deliver in areas such as the dualling of the A9 and the construction of new ferries for islanders.
Ms Forbes told the BBC Sunday Show the public can trust her party to deliver on major infrastructure projects but said it is “about doing it differently”.
‘More fixed links’
When it comes to the islands, the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, said the government must look at building “more fixed links”.
For years, there have been calls for the creation of bridges or tunnels in areas such as the Shetlands islands to improve communication and support local industries.
Furious islanders also want the Scottish Government to sort out the ferries crisis.
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Forbes said: “We need to look at more fixed links. We talked about ferries, we need to get those ferries finished and built.
“But we need to look again at the whole process of procurement, of financial investment and of how the Scottish Government has nationalised businesses in the past.”
The construction of two new ferries, MV Glen Sannox and Hull 802, is well behind schedule and over budget.
The vessels were originally commissioned in 2015 from struggling shipyard Ferguson Marine but are now years late.
“I recognise where we have let our islanders down, our Highlanders down. I’m speaking as a Highland MSP where we need to do more when it comes to the NHS”, Ms Forbes told the BBC.
She is bidding to take over from Nicola Sturgeon as first minister, alongside Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and former government minister, Ash Regan.
Inverness hustings
On Saturday, the three leadership candidates were challenged on how they would secure investment and jobs for the region at a hustings in Inverness.
Speaking at the event at Eden Court, Ms Forbes promised to place power in the hands of communities by breaking up Highland Council.
The local authority employs more than 7,500 staff and covers more than 15,000 square miles.
She said: “We know the approach to social care, the approach to local government, the approach to filling in the potholes, is going to look different in Portree than it does in Inverness.
“We need to get back to what we were all about as a party, which was empowering communities to make the best decisions for the people living there.”
Mr Yousaf said he would back a rural visa scheme to attract migrant workers and tackle depopulation.
The Scottish Government announced the the proposal last year but it requires to be implemented by the UK Government.
Highland Clearances
In the Sunday Post, economic experts said the Highlands are at risk of modern-day Clearances because the Scottish Government does not understand the region’s needs.
A failure to invest in infrastructure, including transport links, and encourage business is blamed for threatening to drive down the population in Highlands and Islands.
Economist Steve Westbrook, who lives in Nairn, told the newspaper some progress has been made but bold new strategy is needed, along with the funds to make it succeed.
He said money has been lost from the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund (worth £780m between 2014-20).
“That paid for projects like bridges and causeways in the island”, Mr Westbrook added.
“Levelling Up funds aren’t being spent on projects like that. We need some sort of replacement.”