Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Am I the only Courier reader who was appalled by your front page story of October 3, concerning the ”very high risk” sex offender who was ”hidden” in the Lochee area of Dundee without the knowledge of the unsuspecting local populace?
What right have those ”do-gooders” to foist a ”sexually perverted predator” into the midst of an unsuspecting public without warning them first?
Had a warning been given then the young lady who was assaulted would never have gone into his flat.
It is no defence to say that he was under surveillance, because that clearly didn’t work. It is like a zookeeper putting a lion into a pen of sheep and hoping the lion will turn vegetarian … which is utter nonsense.
In the words of Mr Spock, ”the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one”.
Innocent members of the public should have the right to know if paedophiles and sex offenders are being introduced to their local area.
How many more times are we going to hear that previous offenders against society have been allowed back out, only to reoffend with more serious consequences.
What if the young lady in this case had been murdered? Who would have accepted responsibility? Those who put the criminal in the position to commit the crime? I don’t think so!
Mike Gardner.13 Manor Street,Forfar.
Time to clamp down hard on drugs problem
Sir, – Peter Murray Spencer proposes making all psychotic drugs legal and cites a list of advantages (Letters, October 4).
He should tell that to the many bereaved and suffering families throughout the country who have lost family members to drugs.
Many argue that, because alcohol is sold legally, so too should drugs. But there is a vast difference. Alcohol can certainly ruin lives and can kill, but in most cases alcoholics take years to descend to the same level as heroin and other hard drug addicts.
People can die after taking a hard drug only once. Many more become hopelessly addicted in a very short time.
Drugs such as heroin and cocaine are a dangerous menace and other so-called recreational drugs such as cannabis often provide an easy and tempting introduction to the drugs scene.
All such drugs should remain banned. All that is wrong with our expanding drugs scene is that, because our authorities are divided on the issue with some holding similar opinions to Mr Spencer, we have failed utterly to clamp down hard on the problem and make access to all illegal drugs almost impossible to all but the country’s criminal classes.
George K McMillan.5 Mount Tabor Avenue,Perth.
Amusement, bemusement
Sir, – I confess I had a grin at the feature in Thursday’s Courier relating to a relocated road sign to ”Wormit”. Amusement quickly turned to bemusement at the response of Fife Council’s senior manager.
Firstly, that an insignificant issue should warrant input at such a senior level. Has Mr Crowe not heard of delegation? Secondly, that the response should be a declaration that a new sign is required.
At what cost? I calculate the remedy is four strokes of black paint and if Fife Council does not have the resources to achieve this I believe I have a small tin of black paint and a paint brush in my garden shed which would be just the ”dab”.
Sandy Green.The Old Rectory,Cupar.
Waste of time and resources
Sir, – In the course of ordering a piece of photographic equipment over the phone I was shocked to discover I now live in ”The Highlands and Islands” and, as a result, in addition to the normal £2.95 postal charge I had to pay a £9.95 supplement.
This, I was told by the young lady in a London office, was because of the distance involved in making the delivery.
My postcode, she insisted, was not in the area they designated as UK mainland, but as Highlands and Islands which came as quite a shock to a resident of Perth.
R K Bell.Burghmuir Road,Perth.
Opportunity to remedy this
Sir, – It’s interesting that Mr Parker’s letter (October 4), re the so-called money wasting at Holyrood, was published at the moment the West Coast Line bidding debacle has been exposed.
The taxpayer will have to stump up £40 million to reimburse bidders because of the crass mismanagement of the whole process.
Yes, for sheer incompetence Westminster wins hands down every time. Fortunately for Scotland there will be an opportunity to remedy this in 2014.
I look forward to that.
Iain Haxton.Macbeth Cottage,Birnam,Dunkeld.