Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, NHS Tayside are now considering asking nursing staff to take their uniforms home to wash them.
Would the management there like to take home some dirty uniforms to wash? Have they forgotten about infection control? Have they forgotten this is the 21st century?
I am sure the public wouldn’t like to share their washing machines with laundry that really should be done at the hospital.
I am also sure the public would not like the risk, however small, of infection to their family.
The nursing staff do a great job. Please let them have a bit of dignity.
James Strachan.35 Hill Street,Montrose.
Complexities of fee system
Sir, A sure way to pollute the atmosphere of politics is for members of one party to hurl the term ‘racism’ at another. Jim McGovern MP has not only done that (Courier, November 7), he has shown a profound ignorance of the new fees system for Scottish universities.
The Holyrood government has made provision to allow higher education bodies to charge up to £9,000 for students who are currently resident in other parts of the UK. That includes Wales and Northern Ireland too.
If they could raise money to keep themselves competitive and vibrant through other means (like more private finance) then I’m sure they would do so, but it is not racist to charge students the fees because they live outside Scotland.
People from all over the world (of various ethnic backgrounds) are already charged very high fees. They are prepared to pay because of the quality of education here.
The system is further complicated by the charges for students from the European Union they are charged a different fee. But because a student from Perth (Australia), a student from Paris, a student from Penrith, and a student from Polmont can all be charged a different rate for the same course at Dundee University does not make the system ‘racist’.
It shows the complexities of world politics and education finance and Mr McGovern should be mature enough to recognise that.
Bob Taylor.24 Shiel Court,Glenrothes.
There is no £42m mystery
Sir, Following Mr Gallagher’s letter of November 2 on the finances of DERL’s energy-from-waste operation, I repeat the statement in my letter to The Courier (Letters, October 22), that our debt to Dundee City Council (as per DERL’s publicly available 2010 audited accounts) is £3.3m, on which we pay interest.
We have contacted Audit Scotland, whose reply confirms that the different figure the regulator gave Mr Gallagher in response to his Freedom of Information request was not, as he claims, ‘debt’.
In a courteous private letter to Mr Gallagher on October 28, I tried to explain to him that DERL’s substantial debts were converted to shares (i.e. not ‘debts’) in 2004 as part of a financial restructure following earlier technical difficulties with the plant.
There is no £42m ‘mystery,’ as he suggests, but a misreading on his part.
I. E. Kelly.Chairman, DERL.
Not surprised by pile of litter
Sir, I am not at all surprised at the amount of litter collected by Fife Council as shown in the Courier. What is amazing is that most of the general public think it is someone else’s job to clean up after them.
In the last week I have attended a wonderful performance at the Byre Theatre in St Andrews and an excellent film at the Odeon multiscreen complex in Dundee.
What did these two experiences have in common? Both audiences thought it was acceptable to leave all the debris of their consumption of food and drinks on the floor for someone else to clear up. When will they realise that litter costs money?
If we could only educate people to take their litter home or to place it the many bins available we could all benefit from the savings local authorities could make.
J. Gillespie.The Old School,Denhead, St Andrews.
He should think again
Sir, A few weeks ago, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond launched a consultation with a view to increasing the motorway speed limit to 80mph, as the current limit was out of date and an increase would bring economic benefits.
Following the recent tragedy on the M5, perhaps it is time for him to ”think again” and remember that delay is better than disaster.
John McDonald.14 Rosebery Court,Kirkcaldy.
Quick off the mark
Sir, When cycling along the Seagate on Monday morning, I almost came off my bicycle due to oil or diesel on the road surface. The contamination which was quite invisible when riding along had made parts of the road extremely slippery.
Full marks to Dundee Council (whom I telephoned to advise of the danger): the helpline assistant told me that the problem had already been reported and that a clean-up team was on its way.
(Dr) Kevin Smith.63 Wemyss Crescent, Monifieth.
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.