Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – It is beyond irony that Tim Hopkins of Equality Network (Letters, July 31) complains about ”special interest groups” taking part in the Scottish Government’s ”consultation” on same-sex marriage.
The Equality Network is a special interest group. Does it campaign for equality for the poor and those excluded from power and wealth? No. The equality network is solely about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. It seems that some people are more equal than others.
The Catholic Church is perfectly entitled to encourage people to write in to the consultation, as indeed the self-styled Equality Network did. The only difference is that whilst the Church pays for itself, the Equality Network is funded by the government in order for it to campaign to ensure that the government will continue to do what the government has already decided to do.
Welcome to the world of modern ”democracy”, where a meaningless ”consultation” is held about something that has already been decided and where government-financed lobby groups ensure that only state policy is permitted! O, Brave New World.
David Robertson. Solas CPC, St Peter’s Free Church, 4 St Peter Street, Dundee.
Who pays for Travellers? We do, of course
Sir, – Robert Lightband asks, I suspect tongue firmly in cheek, who pays for the Travelling community (Letters, July 31).
For the avoidance of doubt, all of the services he mentions are provided and paid for by us as taxpayers and council tax payers.
As for the question: ”What benefits do the majority of Travellers put into the economy?”, I am sure that Courier readers would have fallen about laughing with tears in their eyes at that one.
When did you last hear of a Traveller filling in a self-assessment form?
Travellers receive all the welfare benefits available such as child allowance and pay little or no tax. They are therefore contributing nothing to the economy except for tarmacing numerous drives, which is cash-in-hand.
What is needed on illegal sites is a visit from HM Revenue and Customs and the DVL. ”Excuse me, Sir, could you please fill in this Self-Assessment form.”
”Excuse me, Sir, can I see your MOT and vehicle documents?” The illegal site would be vacated by morning.
Clark Cross.138 Springfield Road,Linlithgow.
One way to solve the problem
Sir, – I completely agree with Shelter Scotland’s campaign to abolish the right to buy from housing associations and councils with discounts. This is the only way that we can attempt to solve the housing needs in Scotland.
Nearly half a million houses have been sold off since the right to buy was introduced by a politically-motivated government in an attempt at social engineering. It has been a disaster.
As Graeme Brown of Shelter Scotland states, the houses sold benefit the few to the detriment of the many who rely on affordable social housing.
In England and Wales the government has augmented tenants’ discounts to 70%, increasing applications for the right to buy by, in some areas of the South East, a staggering 1600%. This can only increase the homelessness situation and we, in Scotland , must cease to sell social housing.
Robert Alexander. Bothy Starforth, Carnoustie.
Keeping town looking good
Sir, – In his rant against Pitlochry (Courier, July 28), Mr Millar refers to Pitlochry’s ”litter-strewn street” which he walked along on a ”wet and windy summer’s evening”.
We can’t do much about the local climate but we, in the Pitlochry Litter Action Group, spend a lot of time ridding the town of its litter.
We meet once a month to pick up litter, we carry out regular clean-ups of the various burns which run through the town and several of us have adopted streets which we keep clean and free of litter on a regular basis, armed with grabbers and black plastic bags supplied by PKC.
If he is so concerned about the cleanliness of Pitlochry, he should come to our next litterpick. We will be meeting at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre car park on Thursday August 30 at 10am, where he will meet other altruistic citizens who care deeply about this town.
If he decides not to take part I think we can dismiss his letter as so much empty, nihilistic and pedantic rhetoric designed merely to score points against some very good and conscientious Pitlochry residents.
Roger West. Croftinloan, Pitlochry.
A shocking figure
Sir, – On a recent visit to the doctor I was dismayed to see a notice indicating 91 patients had failed to keep appointments the previous month.
Surely a quick phone call isn’t asking too much? Perhaps we are blaming the wrong people for the delays in getting an appointment with the doctor or nurse.
John McDonald.14 Rosebery Court,Kirkcaldy.