Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – I read in The Courier that the anonymous complaints and allegations by ”the loyal staff of Tayside Police” were, after examination by the area’s Joint Police Board, deemed to have no foundation.
This was the predictable response from a group of councillors who, by this whitewash alone, are not fit for purpose. Justice is not being served in Tayside.
Even if the accusations were unfounded, they should have been discussed in an open forum rather than behind closed doors by those with a vested interest. Alternatively they should be investigated by an independent agency.
This board sat only 12 days after the dossier was reported in a Courier article. Some might say that these accusations were dismissed in indecent haste in order to ”move on”.
Amongst the allegations, it was said by Mr Black, board convener, was one that had been investigated earlier and discovered to be without foundation.
Now there’s a clue the anonymous complainants were actually making, amongst others, a complaint that previously the clerk to the board had investigated and found to have no foundation.
Obviously the anonymous complainants were unhappy with this finding and had no confidence in the impartiality of the board.
Surely this is the reason that they sent their dossier to The Courier.
Robert Alexander.Bothy Starforth,Panmure,Carnoustie.
Brigadoon-like time warp not the answer
Sir, – It is interesting to note that in the same week that Valerie Smith and John Burnside welcome the reintroduction of white-tailed sea eagles to North Fife (Courier, August 28), coupled to a sideswipe at the supposed dangers of wind turbines, a continuing reduction in the area of Arctic sea ice is reported, further threatening the existence of the polar bear in that area.
Scotland’s contribution to the slowing of global warming via wind and wave power generation may be small, but it is an example of what can be done if the determination is there.
Terry Bennett’s letter (Courier, August 29) supporting a proposed windfarm in the Glen Lethnot area would seem to indicate that windfarms are acceptable providing the site is chosen carefully.
Trying to keep Scotland’s land and seascape in some pre-industrial, Brigadoon-like time warp is not the way forward.
John Crichton.Northampton Place,Forfar.
Hope they see the light
Sir, – There has been a lot of talk recently about subsidies for windfarms. There has not been much said about what exactly the subsidies are.
I have heard it might be between £250,000 and £350,000 a year for each turbine, guaranteed for 20 years.
If that is the case, it is no wonder there is a stampede of applications to cover the Scottish scenery with these inefficient eyesores before there is a cut in the amount they receive.
Meanwhile, we all get 10% added to our power bills to pay for this.
I only hope our Government see the the light, and build some proper power stations … before we run out of light.
Ian Deas.Struthers Barns,Cupar.
Will we never learn?
Sir, – Reading Jim Crumley’s article about the problems in the Middle East (Courier, August 28), reminds me of Rudyard Kipling’s admonition of over 100 years ago.
When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains,And the women come out to cut up what remains,Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brainsAn’ go to your Gawd like a soldier.
Nothing much changes.
Will we never learn that East of Suez they just don’t want western democracy?
W. Graham Watson.20 Spoutwells Drive,Scone.
This has dark undertones
Sir, – Last week Alex Salmond announced that an independent SNP Scotland would break up the Scottish BBC and replace it with its own national broadcasting service, taking over the assets of BBC Scotland.
This may be yet another SNP pipe-dream but it has dark undertones of wholesale nationalisation of UK-owned property and services in the old and now discredited left-wing tradition.
Many people of my age remember the effective control of the media in Nazi Germany. Are we soon to have Thought for Today with President Alex on Radio Scotland? Or how to bake Scottish shortbread by Wee Eck on TV?
Are these just fanciful thoughts or do others share my fear of a state-owned political propaganda machine overshadowing the independence and vision of the BBC and Scotland’s media?
Angus Brown.The Orchard,Station Road,Longforgan.
It’s really not so complicated
Sir, – As reported (August 23), an independent group of ”experts” was asked to produce a question to be put to the Scottish people regarding independence.
However, they appear in their expertise to have only come up with a statement Scotland should become an independent state which is just as loaded as Alex Salmond’s ‘Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?’
What is wrong with the simple question ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’ That doesn’t take much thinking about.
Obviously my answer will be in the negative.
D Green.11 Westfield Park,Forfar.
Why teach them the game then slam the door?
Sir, – Dr John Cameron’s take on the matter of women at the R&A makes interesting reading (Letters, August 28). His message is that the R&A will abandon discrimination only if directly forced to by unequivocal law.
The R&A is an august and uniquely respected world organisation whose rules and etiquette of golf are based on a philosophy of respect and on fairness. Yet it deliberately excludes half the human race from its iconic institution on the grounds of … what, exactly? Nineteenth century chauvinism?
It is paradoxical to promote the teaching of golf to young women to encourage them into this wonderful game and then to slam the door on them when they become accomplished.
Eventually, the R&A will be forced to toe the UK equality line for this matter will not go away. But how much better to be welcomingly and magnanimously abreast of the social development curve (much too late to be ahead!) than to be an obstinate Canutian reactionary?
Bill Dewar.16 Dalrymple Street,Dundee.
Labour had decades to sort out problems
Sir, – It would appear the Labour group on Dundee City Council have finally woken up to the fact that this city has problems.
Kevin Keenan in particular appears regularly in the press, demanding steps be taken by the SNP to alleviate Dundee’s social and economic troubles.
This would be the same Kevin Keenan who appeared just as regularly, when in office, praising Dundee and all of Labour’s works in it. Now though, they have an ”action plan” to cure Dundee’s ills, particularly unemployment. An Action Man would be more use than the Labour group and their much-too-late suggestions.
They needn’t worry about unemployment though. Gordon Brown announced last week that staying in the Union guarantees Scots their unemployment benefit. It is heartening to know that our interests are being looked after by ambitious, imaginative, far-sighted people such as these.
Labour had decades to sort out this country’s problems, but only achieved, as BBC’s Isobel Fraser remarked, ”managed decline”. The sound of Labour’s squealing is reminiscent of pigs fearing their snouts will be hauled out of the trough.
Ken Clark.335 King Street,Broughty Ferry.
Different laws for different people it seems
Sir – In his response to Mr Petrie, (Letters, August 24), Cllr Sawers (August 30) does not say why ASBOs cannot be used against anti-social travellers. Nor does he identify ”all the legal powers” available to councils in dealing with illegal traveller activities. But he recognises the concerns of citizens.
We have traveller issues in Fife as well camping uninvited on private ground, litter, and refusing to pay for clear-up costs, to mention a few and up until now the ineptness of the authorities to deal with them is breathtaking.
There seem to be laws for some, but not for others. A sad reflection on our ”modern” democracy.
A T Geddie.68 Carleton Avenue,Glenrothes.
Taking liberties with rights of millions of others
Sir, – Apologists for the behaviour of the so-called Naked Rambler, Stephen Gough, miss the point about freedom and the democratic society.
Bernard Boase, fellow naturist and supporter, declares his treatment by the authorities as ”beyond ridiculous” and claims he should be tolerated or ignored.
Human rights are now used as an excuse for almost any kind of eccentric and sometimes criminal behaviour.
A democratic society only works if the actions of one person exercising his own freedom and ”human rights” does not infringe on the human rights and freedom of others.
We function as a society in accordance with a contract. Take too many liberties with other people’s space, property and freedom and they quite rightly object. Stephen Gough is doing just that taking one liberty too many.
On this question of public nakedness, he is one of a tiny minority challenging the rights and decisions of millions. If he is so desperate to go naked, why does he not seek the wide open spaces of the Scottish Highlands or the backwoods of Canada or the outback of Australia?
In such empty spaces, there would be few to take offence and he could wander naked to his heart’s content.
But perhaps this would not satisfy him, in which case he is an exhibitionist seeking attention and he is certainly getting it, but the hard way!
George K. McMillan.5 Mount Tabor Avenue,Perth.
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