Sir, I would say at the outset, that I have little faith in the efficacy of wind turbines, or of those who promote them.
Our seaside cottage, where we live in more or less contented retirement, affords us unrestricted views out to the Bell Rock lighthouse and whilst the proposed turbine installations may not improve our prospect, the aesthetic effect is not, in truth, of undue concern.
What is of concern, however, is that Stevenson’s heroic structure was erected to mark the enduring hazard to navigation that is the Inchcape Reef and it has been a source of mystery to me that, with that being so, the construction of more than 200 turbine columns in the vicinity, is not regarded as constituting such.
When the offshore installation was first mooted, I sought the view of a friend, a ship’s master no less, and his professional, reassuring opinion? “Be alright as long as they put a red light on top of them ”
Whilst ships today are no longer to the same extent, at the mercy of the elements and have pin-point navigational aids, to boot, the thought of a VLCC negotiating its way into Dundee, or towards Aberdeen whilst avoiding these obstacles, is to me at least, mildly intriguing.
Peter Dickinson. 13 South Street, Arbroath.
Behaviour was disgraceful
Sir, I was at Tesco (South Road) on Hogmanay for some last-minute supplies. Passing the butchery department, I noticed a female member of staff “discounting” various unsold cuts of meat.
Two women and a man caught my eye. They were hanging around the shelf where the discounted meats are normally placed. No sooner had that member of staff put a pile of meat packets down than the three were immediately behind her grabbing everything.
They expertly manoeuvred themselves and their trolleys so that no one else could get anywhere near.
The poor member of staff hadn’t finished with the discounts and had to go back to get some more packets and face the three greedy people again.
They grabbed the lot between them and then just walked away as if nothing had happened! I have never witnessed such behaviour before except on a wildlife documentary, where a pack of hyenas grab as much food as possible before the lions get in!
Thank goodness we don’t live in an area of the world where natural disasters occur frequently. Because if we had to rely on food handouts etc, and people like those three were at the front of the queue, the rest of us would starve.
Unfortunately, I think this kind of behaviour is becoming all too common now.
Billy Marr. 72 Frederick Street, Dundee.
Scots farmers missing out
Sir, As a member of a party that has such an abysmal track record in government, Liberal Democrat MEP George Lyon has a cheek to claim that independence will be bad for Scotland’s farmers (January 2).
Through the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Scotland’s farmers currently receive around €600 million a year in direct payments. At €130 per hectare, Scotland’s funding share, at just 48% of the EU average, is the third lowest share in the whole of the EU and is lower than in all the other parts of the UK where the average payment is €229.
Payment rates are due to converge by 2020 to ensure all member states receive at least €196 per hectare. However, because Scotland is not a member state in her own right, our farmers do not qualify and will miss out on additional funding of more than £6,000 for every Scottish farmer every year.
Scotland also receives, at €11 per hectare, the lowest share of rural development funding in the entire 28-member EU. In negotiations for the 2014 – 2020 period of funding, Ireland and Finland managed to negotiate an extra €100 million and €200 million respectively.
Conversely, the UK could not even be bothered to negotiate, meaning Scotland got nothing. Scotland receives just 22.5% of the rural development funding received by Ireland.
By any criterion, Scotland’s farmers are being short-changed. As an independent nation, with our own voice in the world and our own seat at the EU’s top table, we can succeed where Westminster has failed.
Scotland’s farmers deserve a government that understands their industry and its challenges, is determined to make our rural economy a national priority and will stand up for their interests. In other words, an independent Scottish Government.
David Kelly. 17 Highfields, Dunblane.
True spirit of New Year
Sir, No wonder New Year is dying out in Scotland with curmudgeons like TV columnist Paul Whitelaw about. Jim Crumley’s article on the other hand embodied the true spirit of New Year and Scotland! Thanks Jim, looking forward to the new book.
Peter Bell. 11 Muirton Road, Arbroath.