Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir – Re your V&A priority article in Monday’s paper, I wonder sometimes what goes on behind closed doors.
Firstly we are shown how the V&A will look then, based on this design, we are asked to show our preference ie vote and comment on our personal choice. Then, before a brick is down, the ball game changes and the building is brought inland, depriving the design of one of its most interesting features, that of appearing to float on the Tay.
That alone warrants a re-run of the competition. Surely no-one wants a re-run and a massive embarrassment for Dundee reverberating round the world?
Dundee Civic Trust chairman Dr Nutan Subedi says: ”The V&A should be built on time and on budget to avoid becoming an embarrassment to Dundee.”
I agree. Why were we given wrong information before we made our choices? Why are we expected to accept what is now being offered and made to feel it is our responsibility to save Dundee from embarrassment?
Who is responsible for getting this project so badly wrong?
Has nothing been learned from the Holyrood or Edinburgh tram fiascos?
We are now in the process of being convinced that the onshore V&A has many advantages over the ”floating” design that we voted for.
The V&A at Dundee was to put our city on the global map it certainly is going that way but for all the wrong reasons.
Can we expect to see the V&A eventually become the V&A at Camperdown?
To the citizens of Tayside, Perth & Kinross and Fife who participated in the voting and selection of the Kengo Kuma design, I say we have been misled and no amount of whitewashing should cover up the facts that we were misinformed and big mistakes were made by V&A Dundee and others who are not exactly holding their collective hands up.
Arthur Gall.14D Pitalpin Court,Dundee.
Advising family and friends to vote for Union
Sir – So, the deed is done. Signed. The Scottish Government must now give us a reasoned description of an independent Scotland, in a ”White Paper”.
I am advising all my English, Polish and other friends and my teenage Scottish grandchildren (one may be overseas and ineligible to vote) to vote for the Union, (I presume this means a ”no” vote).
Still no information on how the validity of the referendum result will be arrived at and whether additional referenda may be required should the turnout of voters be low and the first outcome confused, or close run.
The matter is vital to the future of our (not just the SNP’s) country. Surely a compulsory vote must be considered by the Electoral Commission and the Scottish Government?
A T Geddie.68 Carleton Avenue,Glenrothes.
“Sic a parcel o’ rogues…”
Sir, – I was entirely unsurprised to learn that Lords Wallace, Steel, Forsyth and McConnell had formed an unholy quartet to sound off on the benefits of the Union. After all, independence for Scotland would put them out of a job.
What did astonish me was McConnell’s description of the Treaty of 1707 as ”the most successful voluntary union the world has known”.
He must know that the treaty was signed in a pokey little basement in Edinburgh and smuggled across the border. When it became public knowledge, there was rioting in Glasgow, Edinburgh and indeed throughout Scotland! Our national bard described those who forced it through as ”sic a parcel o’ rogues in a nation”.
However, as Jimmy Reid put it, when referring to the Establishment: ”If they say it’s good, we know it’s bad, and if they say it’s bad, we know it’s good.”
This may seem an oversimplification but consider, for example, Mr Cameron’s decision to commemorate the start of the 1914-18 War, where the Scots lost thirty two times as many dead as they did at Flodden and twice as many per head as the rest of the UK.
Let us continue to commemorate the end of this most bloody conflict and to consider its outset with nothing but feelings of despair.
Joseph G Miller.44 Gardeners Street,Dunfermline.
No direct correlation
Sir, – In reply to Doctor Moreton (October 16) I would point out that there is no direct correlation between the increase in industrial globalisation over recent decades and the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Indeed the peaks in atmospheric carbon dioxide were most notable in 1973, 1988 and 1998 when they greatly exceeded any emissions by humans at these times.
They did correlate directly, however, to El Nino, La Nina and volcanic eruptions. These peaks are, in other words, driven mainly by fluctuations in oceanic temperature.
As the Asian World is well aware, there has been a marked increase in sub-oceanic geological activity over recent years and its energy has, in part, dissipated as heat and that heat is the problem.
It would be a pity if our economic recovery were hampered by placing a green burden upon its delicate state when this green premise is so fundamentally flawed.
Leslie Milligan.18b Myrtlehall Gardens,Dundee.
No fun or skill
Sir, – Thinking of Scottish football in days gone by one can come up with names such as Law, Bremner, Baxter, Dalglish, McNeill, Greig, the list could go on and on.
The words used to describe them and the way they played were ones like passionate, skilful, fearless, cocky, and brilliant.
How many of the present squad could be described in that way? Not many.
I think the Scottish style of football is coached out of them now. Scotland used to be fun to watch, but not any more.
Ron Marshall.Victoria Street,Carnoustie.
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. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.