Sir, – I read with interest former Dundee City Council development director Mike Galloway’s defence of “Site Six”, which is otherwise known as that monstrosity being built across from the V&A (“Mastermind defends controversial site six”, Courier, November 21).
Mr Galloway claims that by constructing this hotchpotch of hotel rooms, retail units and office floors, the city centre and waterfront areas won’t be in isolation of each other.
Whilst it is considerate of Mr Galloway to worry about the city centre and waterfront feeling lonely without each other for company, may I suggest that it is Mr Galloway who is in isolation here – languishing out on a limb from the overriding consensus of opinion that this monstrosity should be stopped in its tracks.
Of course, it would be wrong to castigate Mr Galloway without giving him some credit for the good work he has done.
His behind-the-scenes negotiating stipulated that the big companies moving to the area agreed to give preference to the local workforce, and he also ensured that these multi-nationals paid the living wage to employees and not just the miserly minimum wage.
However, after getting so much right, he has spectacularly got it wrong if he thinks that Dundonians want this carbuncle of a building.
I understood that the whole concept of a regenerated waterfront was to give the people of Dundee what they wanted – and that certainly doesn’t include this building which obscures the grand facade of the V&A.
All of this calls to mind a dark time in the past when cathedrals were built to please the priests and not the parishioners and I do suspect that “Site Six” is to feed the ego and vanity of the city architects at the expense of local opinion and wishes.
Jamie Buchan,
Grove Road,
Dundee.
A somewhat sad state of affairs
Sir, – I was interested by the comments of your correspondent Frances Menter (Letters, November 22) who criticised the Angus councillor for referring to some women as “lovely ladies”and “dear”.
She said this was unacceptable behaviour and then proceeded to castigate a young post office worker for daring to address her as “love”.
Surely men and women have been referring to each other as “love” every day for decades?
Yet this seems to hold no sway for your letter writer.
I wonder what your correspondent thinks when she sees Ben Shepherd on Tipping point or Bradley Walsh on The Chase daring to hug contestants or shake their hands and touch their arms when they win or lose.
Does she regard them as some kind of twisted perverts?
It really is way over the top for anyone to go through life like that.
Ian Allan.
5 Marchside Court,
Sauchie.
Debate is rather irrelevant
Sir, – I was struggling to understand Frances Menter’s upset over being called “love”; thankfully Lindsay Cook’s following letter helped my education.
It must be my age, but the stooshie seems socially rather sad, and pretty irrelevant.
Hector Maclean.
Spott,
Kirriemuir.
Reflecting on good and bad
Sir, – One of the pleasures in reading The Courier involves the contributions made by correspondents both regular and those whose articles appear periodically.
A particular word of praise must be accorded to Steve Scott.
As a dyed-in-the-wool follower of the oval ball and having been involved at all levels of the game, I find his articles to be informative, well researched and always most interesting.
Sadly the same cannot be said of Jenny Hjul.
Her somewhat narrow approach to matters politic are invariably tainted with an inborn hatred of nationalism and “Remainers” and this week, the first minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Ms Hjul suggested she is losing the initiative and has lost the plot over Brexit.
She obviously did not see or did not read an interesting comment from Malcolm Chisholm, for long the most effective Labour man in Scotland, who – despite being a Labour supporter and Jeremy Corbyn fan – watched Ms Sturgeon operate and confirmed what I have felt for some time, namely that in terms of all round political skills the most effective politician in UK by far is Nicola Sturgeon.
It is perhaps time Ms Hjul hangs up her pen or broadens her narrowing attitude to discuss poverty and the serious problems created by the incumbent government at Westminster.
Colin Mayall.
1 Almond Place,
Comrie.
Position being misrepresented
Sir, – Mr Lucas is making false claims, or perhaps worrying over nothing, when he says that Education Scotland’s new draft learning material will teach young children that “your gender is what you decide” (Courier Letters, November 22).
This quote appears to be taken from a previous article written by a journalist who provides no source for the quote.
The draft learning material from Education Scotland is available online at
rshp.scot/early-years/
for all to see, and if one was to actually review the material they can clearly read that the only decision even alluding to “deciding” gender is in section 1.4.3 and explains that a doctor decides the sex of a child at birth based on the genitals of the newborn.
This is the only decision referenced in the learning materials, and relates to sex rather than gender.
I suggest that Mr Lucas stay up to date on the facts before he over-reacts further.
In addition, Mr Lucas also wrongly refers to a condition he calls “gender identity disorder”, a term which has not been used by any respectable doctor since 2013.
Trans people, such as myself, suffer from gender dysphoria.
If Mr Lucas could take a look outside of his narrow world view he could learn a few things and not make such a fool of himself next time he is printed in The Courier.
Eddie Bundy.
28 Springhill,
Dundee.
No plain sailing in dispute
Sir, – I cannot be the only reader who rubbed their eyes in disbelief at St Andrews University Boat Club’s use of the water at Lochore Meadows (“University apologises after outcry over its rowing club project”, Courier, November 19).
The club pays Fife Council £500 a year to use the Meedies for rowing.
Yet it proposed charging non-university individuals what was termed a “community benefit” rate of £350 for annual non-voting membership of the club – and this only in return for being allowed to build its own permanent boathouse beside the water.
This doesn’t just raise a question about the attitude of a rich, elite institution toward a facility in an area of multiple deprivation which is much loved and much used by the communities who live there.
More fundamentally, why on earth is Fife Council giving the university such a whopping discount?
James Glen.
Dreel House,
Pittenweem.
An altogether unedifying sight
Sir, – Having watched PM’s question time at Westminster, I can only conclude it is not a pleasant spectator sport.
Indeed, I have concerns about the standard of education and manners of Tory MPs who bray like mules, shout down questioners and act like spoiled public schoolboys.
I would not be disappointed if Scottish MPs left that snake pit and never went back.
Bryan Auchterlonie.
Bluebell Cottage,
Perth.
Expenditure hard to justify
Sir, – I have long worried about the expenditure incurred in inviting celebrities to perform the Christmas lights switch-on in Perth.
In The Courier on November 22 there was a lovely picture of a brave little girl switching on the lights in Lochgelly.
Surely in Perth there is someone in the city who could be asked to perform the task here.
We have brave people, many who work hard for good causes, along with a range of outstanding sportspersons – no shortage of candidates.
Kathleen Henderson,
34 Soutar Crescent,
Perth.
