Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – With reference to your headline ”Bully probe at home for heroes” (Courier, September 5) I feel that this could be misconstrued as being associated with our organisation, Homes for Heroes – Scotland.
We are based in Auchtermuchty but with a project planned on the outskirts of Arbroath, to build 100 affordable homes for ex-servicemen.
Whilst offering every sympathy for those concerned with the unfortunate death of Mark Forrest, we are not connected with the SVR home in any way.
This would appear to be yet another tragic loss of life of an ex-serviceman who had difficulties coming to terms with the transition of returning to civilian life.
I am finding it increasingly difficult to persuade local council planning and housing departments that many ex-servicemen have unique needs.
Homes for Heroes – Scotland have the answers but are not listened to.
We do not ask for anything from councils except their goodwill and approval of our aims, which costs them nothing.
Donald Barker.CEO, Homes forHeroes – Scotland.
The Scots are 100% behind independence
Sir, – I am surprised at your editorial, September 6, in which you allege that support for independence ”remains stuck at between 30 and 40% in most polls”.
You aren’t the only ones to express that view but it simply isn’t true. The fact is that 100% of Scots fully support independence and will be voting for it at the referendum in 2014.
The remainder of the votes cast will be by North Britons.
Ronald Henderson.15 Durley Dene Crescent,Bridge of Earn.
He knows it won’t happen
Sir, – If it wasn’t for the forthcoming referendum on independence, some letter writers would become redundant, saving wads of newsprint.
Alex Salmond, an intelligent and able politician, glibly keeps the kettle boiling with his assertion that independence is more than a possibility, when in his heart of hearts he knows it isn’t going to happen.
Scots, by nature, are canny and unlikely to be influenced in the direction of separation from the rest of the UK.
G E Muir.70 Abbey Road,Scone.
Details need to be made clear
Sir, – I read with astonishment that six fire appliances were despatched to Glenrothes Airfield to deal with a buckled wheel and a bent propeller.
Surely there was a big communication problem between the caller and whoever took the call at emergency services.
What that must have cost the tax payer … but let’s be grateful there wasn’t a real full-scale emergency in Fife.
There has to be a better system put in place where emergency service personnel and vehicles are despatched to incidents appropriately.
Information from callers has to be more detailed, and at the other end has to be dealt with appropriately.
Also, a question I would like an answer to: if this was a full-scale emergency and six fire appliances rushed to the scene, why was only one ambulance sent?
Thomas Bryce.126 Kirke Park,Methilhill,Leven.
Cameron’s epiphany
Sir, – David Cameron made an unmistakable statement of intent by naming a windfarm sceptic as energy minister and an advocate of shale-gas fracking as environment minister.
After a delusional pledge to run the ”greenest ever government” he has had an epiphany that cost and reliability should be the paramount features of any future energy supply.
Owen Paterson, the new environment secretary has long hailed the potential of the UK’s vast and strategically-placed shale reserves to reduce our endemic fuel poverty.
He also noted shale gas has ended US dependence on unstable foreign regimes, shrunk the price of its gas to a quarter of UK levels and regenerated economic activity.
Meanwhile, the new energy minister, John Hayes, ridicules our hugely expensive windfarms which destroy the environment and need to be backed up by other power plants.
Dr John Cameron.10 Howard Place,St Andrews.
Proves point
Sir, – Recent figures released by Tayside and Northern police forces in relation to speeding, the use of mobile phones and other traffic-related offences committed by drivers on the A9 sadly proves the point that it is really the drivers, rather than the road, which is to blame for the tragedies over the years.
The police should keep up this campaign and indeed extend it.
John McDonald.Kirkcaldy.