Sir, I have read the recent articles concerning the police and the accident involving Mr Greig Yorke, whereby he lost part of his leg in an early morning incident. Any accident that involves injury, severe or minor, is always a tragedy, and it is to be hoped that these incidents could be avoided.
Although the police investigation concludes that a different approach may have resulted in a different outcome in this instance, it also lays blame at the police’s failure, due to them not arresting a person involved in an earlier incident and which ultimately led to the accident. Are they to blame?
Mr Yorke accepts no responsibility for his own safety and health. Was it not he who was involved in some form of incident? Was he not the one who had been drinking? Did he not make the decision to walk along a dual carriageway at 3am? Is he no longer responsible for his own decisions?
The police do have a duty of care to themselves and the public and, I would say, carry these duties and responsibilities out with extreme diligence 95% of the time.
They are not there to provide a taxi service, there are companies who provide that service. Why did Mr Yorke not use them and ensure he arrived home safe and well?
It is a sad fact these days that people no longer accept responsibility for their own safety and well-being but always look for someone else to blame for any accident or injury received.
No right-minded person would wish illness or injury on another person and I am not being unsympathetic towards Mr Yorke and the fact he has suffered a life-changing injury, but he must accept a high degree of responsibility for his own actions.
We all have a duty of care towards ensuring our own safety and responsibility for any actions we take that result in any form of illness or injury, except where there is clear negligence by others or some sort of failure.
Alastair Mclean. Fletcher Place, Crieff.
A dangerous eyesore
Sir, With regard to Perth and Kinross Council’s future vision for Perth, I would urge them to consider demolishing St Paul’s Kirk as a matter of urgency. It is a most dangerous eyesore and recent recorded events highlight this fact. The building itself is not salvageable despite the owners’ weak assurance that they have it under control. What rubbish!
If the council forgot about the pound signs for a moment, I feel sure they should be telling the owners to “get their finger out” within , say , three months, or the building will be demolished.
Our leaders are all too keen to jump on the health and safety bandwagon in other areas. This is ,arguably, one of the biggest health and safety issues in Perth today. How can the council even consider pulling down the City Hall when this ramshackle is still standing? More insanity for which they are already, sadly, famous.
Douglas Ridley. 13E Charterhouse Lane, Perth.
The V&A and a comics museum
Sir, In order to derive maximum benefit, in an economic sense, from the arrival of the V&A in 2016, Dundee needs to create a critical mass of attractions, sufficient to make it a must visit destination, like Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness or Skye.
Hopefully, with the V&A, Discovery, The McManus, DCA, Verdant Works etc, this will be achieved, but another high-quality destination would perhaps seal the deal. I have a suggestion which I haven’t heard mentioned before, though it seems too obvious not to have been thought about.
Dundee is well known as the home of the Dandy and the Beano, Dennis the Menace and Minnie the Minx etc and DC Thomson is the foremost producer of comics in the UK.
Desperate Dan bestrides our city centre and Dundee University offers the only degree course in comic studies, probably in the world.
So, what about a comics museum?
Dundee would be the obvious place for it, based on DC Thomson’s archive, which must be enormous, linking with the degree course at Dundee University, the computer games courses at Abertay and the wider gaming industry in the city.
And the ideal venue for this museum . . . the Courier building in Meadowside, now being refurbished, the heart of it all, right in the city centre, just across the road from the McManus.
This could be the Thomson family’s enduring legacy to the city, like Baxter Park, Caird Hall and Cox’s Stack.
Les Mackay. 5 Carmichael Gardens, Dundee.
A fund to help with treatment
Sir, I read your recent article about the urgent need for enough money to save the life of beautiful nine-year-old Mackenzie Furniss. I think it is absolutely shocking that her life hangs in the balance because our NHS will not pay for her treatment.
I know it is very, very expensive to develop new lifesaving treatments having been on several trials for the treatment of prostate cancer over the last five years.
I think the time is long overdue for a scheme to be developed that would raise funds of several million pounds so that people in Mackenzie’s situation could be allowed to take advantage of life-saving treatment anywhere in the world.
I hope there is going to be enough publicity about Mackenzie to ensure her target will be reached in time.
Jim McCullough. Dunfermline.