June 3: Failure of crew was an unforgiveable lapse

Today's letter writers discuss their opinions on ambulance crew breaks, volunteering, Nepali immigration, testimonial differences, and bird poisonings.

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Failure of crew was an unforgiveable lapse

Sir, — I agree with William Halley (May 31) in relation to the tragic death of a Crieff child and the failure of an ambulance crew to turn out because they were "on their break".

I have many friends who were members of the emergency services and they would never have allowed such a situation to arise.

An emergency call was always given immediate response and breaks were often delayed or indeed cancelled due to exigencies of duty.

Members of the emergency services have to possess dedication, compassion, loyalty, reliability and commonsense, otherwise they are like the square peg in the round hole and can so easily lose the respect which they so richly deserve.

John McDonald.
14 Rosebery Court,
Kirkcaldy.

Vital works of volunteers

Sir, — This week marks National Volunteering Week (1 to 7 June) - a time for our unsung Scottish heroes to be recognised for their efforts.

Like many who give up their spare time to engage in charitable acts, they do not go out seeking reward; instead they go quietly about their business, continuously performing an invaluable service to the local community.

Not only does volunteering play a great role in developing people's skills, it can also make a huge difference to an organisation in terms of survival.

In these tough times, one in 10 donors are cutting back on their charitable spending.

When this is coupled with the soaring day-to-day running costs, charities now more than ever are relying on volunteers to provide their services and support for free.

From our experience, volunteers contribute in different ways and we couldn't continue caring for our equines if we didn't have their services.

Volunteering can be incredibly rewarding and inspiring to others.

It can also be a stepping stone for a career change. But above all, volunteers are the lifeblood of many charitable organisations; and through the donation of time, skills and creativity can make a wonderful difference.

Pam Taylor.
General manager,
Mountains Sanctuary,
Milton of Ogil,
Angus.

Gurkhas have significant claim

Sir, — Why are the media taking such a sympathetic view of the attempts by Kishor Dangol to stay in the UK?

Kishor Dangol was an illegal immigrant who only decided to apply for asylum in the UK when he was caught and threatened with deportation.

His application for asylum was thrown out in 2002, and, since then, he has been using every trick in the book to remain here.

An illegal immigrant is a criminal freeloader on this country's hospitality, and does not become "legal" just by claiming asylum when he is caught.

We set a dangerous precedent if we allow this man to stay in the UK on this basis.

I am in complete agreement with A. T. Geddes (May 31) that it is astonishing we are even considering the possibility of keeping this illegal immigrant in the UK while denying Nepalese Gurkhas, who have put their lives on the line in the service of this country, the right to live here.

The treatment of Nepalese Gurkhas is a national disgrace made even more profound by the attempts to keep Kishor Dangol here.

(Captain) Ian F. McRae.
17 Broomwell Gardens,
Monikie.

Judgments old and new

Sir, — It is very rarely that I take up matters theological but I do feel that the contribution from the Rev. David McLeod, whose views I normally admire, needs some comment.

The two testaments, old and new, have contrasting moral judgments.

The Old Testament is largely concerned with the Judaic views of eye for an eye and a general ethos of unforgiving harshness. By contrast, the teachings of Christ and his followers in the New Testament are very much concerned, not with condoning, but with forgiving and love. In both testaments there is little teaching of sexuality but I do find it difficult to accept that a minister of any church can have so little tolerance and understanding of his fellow human beings.

Robert Lightband.
Clepington Court,
Dundee.

Benefits for the countryside

Sir, — On behalf of our many gamekeeper members, BASC Scotland (The British Association for Shooting and Conservation) is calling for some proportionality to the publicity surrounding bird of prey poisonings.

The high profile given to the small number of cases of poisonings carried out by an even smaller number of people is disproportionate and not a true reflection of those who work in the country sports industry, which contributes £240 million to the Scottish rural economy each year.

In addition, gamekeepers and land managers carry out a great deal of good work in the countryside that benefits wildlife, biodiversity and the local economy through tourism.

BASC Scotland condemns those who continue to flout the law with respect to wildlife.

New measures such as vicarious liability (which makes employers liable for the activities of their employees) have been introduced to tackle this very issue through the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011.

We hope that this will go some way to stopping persecution. Prosecution of offenders should be the main focus of our attention, not unhelpful propaganda that only serves to undermine the good work carried out every day in the countryside by gamekeepers and land managers and creates a rift between two sides that should be working together.

Nicolle Hamilton.
BASC Scotland,
Trochry,
Dunkeld.

► Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.

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