Sir, – I read Mr Crumley’s half yearly rant on wildlife persecution, as always one-sided, inaccurate and plain wrong in some instances.
I would respond to all the statements but that would require a full page as you afford him.
I will, however, respond to a couple.
He states a young golden eagle was shot in the Lothians and dumped 10 miles off the cost at Arbroath.
The bird has never been recovered so how does he know it was shot?
Every boat leaving Arbroath Harbour is logged, the bird had GPS, why do they not put the tracker information together and see what boat ‘dumped’ the eagle?
He states golden eagles and sea eagles do little harm to livestock (lambs in particular).
There is sound evidence to show over 10% of lambs are killed by raptors and foxes in the uplands of Scotland.
There was a TV programme three months ago showing five sheep farmers losing more than 10% of their lambs to raven predation.
Have you ever seen a lamb with its eyes picked out and still alive or its tongue removed?
Not a pretty sight but it happens frequently.
He wants to reintroduce lynx and wolves. Why?
Just because it seems like a good idea, just about the most insane idea he has ever come up with.
Mr Crumley needs to go write a book or something and leave others to maintain the countryside for everybody’s ongoing use.
George Sangster.Woodlands,Logie,Montrose.
Christian Aid ‘dismayed’
Sir, – The Rev Dr John Cameron (February 27) suggests Christian Aid is among the organisations whose staff allegedly exchanged aid for sex.
This is entirely false.
We have been as shocked and dismayed as anyone else by recent reports of sexual misconduct by people working in our sector.
While Christian Aid has rigorous policies and procedures to prevent such abuse, we are reviewing them to ensure they are as effective as they possibly could be.
Mr Cameron also suggests that instead of working on issues such as fair trade and climate change, we should focus on poverty.
However, Christian Aid works on such issues precisely because they are so important to people living in poverty.
Informed by our 70 years’ work in around 40 countries, we remain resolute in the belief that, in addition to our practical support for poor families, tackling the root causes of poverty is vital.
Sally Foster-Fulton.
Head of Christian Aid Scotland,
41 George IV Bridge,
Edinburgh.
What is this white stuff?
Sir, – In March 2000 The Independent newspaper reported that “snowfalls are just a thing of the past”.
It quoted Dr David Viner of the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia, who also said that within a few years snowfall will become “a very rare and exciting event”.
David Parker at the UK’s Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research made similar statements and blamed global warming.
So what is this stuff lying 12 inches deep on my front doorstep?
Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.
PM’s ‘robust’ EU response
Sir, – I am pleasantly surprised by Theresa May and her robust response in Prime Minister’s Questions that the EU Draft Withdrawal Treaty was exceptionally unfair to Britain.
Perhaps as a committed remainer she is beginning to see the EU for what it is: an archaic, dictatorial organisation that is determined to punish Britain and British people for voting Leave.
There is no need for a hard border between Ireland and Britain.
The Common Travel Area of 1923 clearly states that this is an issue between Britain and Ireland and this is yet another example of EU meddling.
Since she came to power this is the toughest stance I have seen her take.
However she now needs to have some backbone and put her tough words into action and leave the EU in full with a no deal.
And she will be backed by 17.4 million people.
Gordon Kennedy.
117 Simpson Square,
Perth.
SNP demands are ‘wrong’
Sir, – Once more we listen to our SNP leaders demanding conditions, acceptable to them, before they agree to any Brexit deal.
Do they not understand that the current arrangements are that a contract exists between the UK and the EU? It does not require, or indeed permit, any involvement of the Scottish Parliament.
It would be more constructive to have agreed policy which has the support of all political parties, both at Holyrood and Westminster.
AA Bullions.
6 Glencairn Crescent,
Leven.
Stop ‘whining’ over tax rise
Sir, – With our elderly people being neglected, our child protection systems in crisis, foodbanks rationing tins of food for the destitute and our NHS in chronic crisis – and all as a result of the most savage Tory cuts – it was rather mean spirited of Mr Redfern, from his leafy Edinburgh suburb (February 24) to whine like a bairn in case he is paying a few quid extra income tax.
Rather sad, I thought.
J Heath.Cortachy, Kirriemuir.
Summing it up by moonlight?
Sir, – North Lanarkshire Council is providing free lunches for 16,000 pupils for an extra 175 days a year.
That’s 2.8 million lunches.
The estimated cost is £500,000 so that’s 18p per meal.
That can’t be right.
A packet of Walker’s crisps costs 55p.
Is Derek Mackay moonlighting in the council finance department?
Allan Sutherand.
1 Willow Row,
Stonehaven.
A fitting punishment
Sir, – At questions to the First Minister last week, Ruth Davidson went on prisons and prisoner release on home visits.
The Conservatives are still fixated with this Victorian idea that prison should be about hard labour, so hard that no one in their right mind having served their sentence would ever commit another crime ever again, for the consequences of doing so would be so dire.
Sorry Ruth, but people are sent to prison as punishment – not to be punished.
There is no easy answer to prison reform, and unfortunately, in Scotland, it is embroiled in politics.
I suspect many in society don’t give much thought to the justice system, prison sentencing and less to prison reform unless, of course, it comes knocking on their door.
Too many people today are in prison simply because judges have no other option.
Our prisons are full of people that simply should not be there in the first place.
If someone steals to feed an addiction, for instance, then clearly the problem is his/her addiction – not the crime of stealing.
Prisons are not equipped to treat people with complex problems such as addiction and/or mental illness, and if you are not going to end up with prisons simply being warehouses with a revolving door, then you have to treat the symptoms to get the desired cure.
The Scottish Government has thankfully learned that lesson.
The government has closed down its large woman’s prison in favour of small units for women prisoners situated across the country, so women with complicated backgrounds – possibly having been in an abusive partnership, with drug or alcohol addiction, mental illness or with a record of re-offending – can now get help turning their lives around.
Being sent to an area close to their family is an essential part of the rehabilitation programme.
It allows them to stay in touch with immediate family.
All who have been through such programmes have said it is no cop-out.
Here they will have to take on the responsibility for their own lives.
Walter Hamilton.
Flat 3 City Park,
City Road.
St Andrews.
