Sir, In recent years, Carnoustie Golf Links management committee appears to have lost the ideals with which the committee was originally set up.
These were to preserve and encourage golf within the local community, which in turn would protect the golfing rights of the local golfer, which would enhance the local economy.
While I have no objection to major events being held on Carnoustie Links, I feel that the present committee are at a stage now where money is the sole objective, at the cost of local season ticket holders.
What other golf course in Britain would attempt to stage three major golf tournaments in four years, namely, British Amateur 2015, British Seniors Open 2016 and The Open 2018.
All of these have implications on local golfers such as the loss of tee times.
This week, with the Open at St Andrews, we have seen the withdrawal of all local tee times from Monday to Friday on the championship course so visiting golfers can bring even more revenue to the course.
Information published on the members’ webpage is out of date.
The most recent minutes are of the meeting of April 2015.
Members have little or no chance of consulting with their representatives regarding proposals for the links.
I fear local golfers, who many years ago more than helped to pay for a sprinkler system amongst other requirements to enable the course to be considered as an Open venue, will become alienated.
It is a great pity that the late Jock Calder isn’t around, as he always said a season-ticket holder was a shareholder of the course.
One St Andrews is enough. We at Carnoustie are proud of our heritage and don’t need to emulate any other course in the world, as we already have the best course on our doorstep.
It is a municipal course, not a private club, and should be run for the good of the local community.
David Bond, 25 Beech Grove, Arbroath.
Questions that need answered
Sir, Councillor Poole’s letter (July 2) refers to his proposal that a bypass should be required “five years after the completion of the first house by the Cupar North Consortium”.
It was approved by Fife Council’s executive committee on June 23 2015.
Was there prior consultation with a: the consortium and b: community representatives?
The proposal went to the executive committee, where the only Cupar member is Councillor Poole, but not to the north-east planning committee with three Cupar members (including one who has published strong concerns over this development).
Councillor Poole believes this huge bypass, if built, will “protect” Cupar from the impact of 1,400 houses.
For five years houses can be built, until one is completed.
Will commercial development included in the proposal also go ahead?
Following discussions with NHS Fife, there are plans to use land around the Adamson Hospital for expansion, and “maximise and extend” the Cupar Health Centre.
Was the question of NHS provision for the 1,090 houses in St Andrews West also raised?
St Andrews Community Hospital is running at near capacity, and will probably be unable to expand if the new school is built at Pipeland Farm a project being wholeheartedly supported by Councillor Poole.
His lack of concern for NHS provision in St Andrews appears to be somewhat inconsistent
Despite saying he is not in favour of Cupar North and that it will damage Cupar, Councillor Poole appears to be making every effort to ensure that this huge extension goes ahead.
PM Uprichard, Littleridge, Hepburn Gardens, St Andrews.
Greece’s tragedy not Scotland’s
Sir, Comparisons between Scotland and Greece are misleading.
Greece is a much poorer nation wracked by civil strive and bouts of internal warfare for more than a century.
Armies of Italians and Germans captured and suppressed the Greeks.
That repression ignited a partisan opposition and lynching of supposed collaborators.
The Greek civil war ran up to 1949 when communist inspired uprisings were suppressed with the help of UK and US military.
Positioned between the Balkans and Soviet- controlled states, Greek troubles were worsened by being a frontline in the Cold War.
The end of the military junta in 1974 was paralleled by equally momentous transitions to democracy in Spain and Portugal.
The European Union was part of the rescue of the Mediterranean people from those tyrannies, but the Greeks didn’t get the economic help they needed.
Whatever the occasional and extravagant claims made in Scotland, we have never suffered either such persistent oppression, nor have we had any recent need to discover a whole new culture of democracy and the rule of law
For the Greeks, recent history is of violent and authoritarian repressions and famines.
It’s hardly surprising they’ve developed resistance to the most severe austerity in Europe.
Andrew Dundas, 34 Ross Avenue, Perth.
The cost of small economies
Sir, May I be allowed to challenge RF Brown’s riposte (July 10) to my earlier comments concerning the Greek economy?
As an apparent supporter of nationalism, he repeats the typical SNP deliberate error of throwing out a few unsubstantiated comments concerning a few national economies and thinks that this supports his position.
Far from it.
Basic VAT in Norway is 25% and the basic tax rate is 28%, basic VAT in Iceland is 24% and the basic tax rate is 37% Closer to home, the basic VAT rate in Ireland is 23%.
Luxembourg is increasing its historically low VAT rate.
Mr Brown also chooses to leave out any reference to those small economies of Central Europe that elected for independence following the break-up of Yugoslavia and which have been struggling with real not imagined poverty.
We have all seen the debacle between Greece and the EU.
Had the SNP won the referendum and swapped the pound for the euro and the EU for the UK, as was being prophesied by Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, can Mr Brown oblige us by telling us where hethinks we might be today, since, among other things, the value of the euro has fallen against both sterling and the US dollar by more than 12% in the past couple of years.
Derek Farmer, Knightsward Farm, Anstruther.
Internationalist not nationalist
Sir, Derek Farmer (July 10) states that because I am in favour of Scotland running its own affairs I am a nationalist.
I understand why he might assume that, but the fact is the Scottish independence movement is internationalist in outlook.
It is Westminster that is nationalist, wanting to separate itself from Europe and close its borders.
I prefer Holyrood over Westminster simply because it is a better government.
Holyrood is approachable and democratic; Westminster is out of touch, elitist and undemocratic.
If Westminster were prepared to give Scotland proper devolution in a federal UK then I might be persuaded to change my mind, but it is now clear that Westminster have absolutely no intention of honouring the promises made during the referendum.
Meanwhile, Westminster continues to punish the poor and vulnerable for the mistakes of the rich, and is giving tax breaks to the wealthy while the national debt continues to mount up.
Mr Farmer repeats the mantra that Scotland is too wee to go it alone, but Scotland is actually the right size.
Smaller countries are generally better because they are more nimble and because the seat of power is closer to the people.
It is a key Green Party policy that decisions should be made as close as possible to the people who are affected by them. London is remote from Fife, whereas Edinburgh is close by.
Andrew Collins, Ladyburn House, Skinners Steps, Cupar.
Festival failed the community
Sir, Following the weekend’s reports of chaos on the roads in and around Strathallan during T in the Park, including incidents of vehicle and pedestrian collisions and near-misses, I have written to Elizabeth Smith MSP to ask that she takes steps to ensure that Perth and Kinross
Council officials and councillors on the community safety committee, of which my ward, Strathearn, is represented, are made to answer for their failure in ensuring public safety after allowing the festival to go ahead.
It was always my opinion the event should have been postponed until 2016 to allow time for all the relevant safety measures to be given proper implementation, rather than the rush job we ended up with.
This event was billed by Perth and Kinross Council as having great potential benefit to the Strathallan region, but this particular year has brought national headlines of embarrassment and failure, something that surely results in damage to this part of Scotland.
I think the time has come for the chief executive of Perth and Kinross Council to admit that many departments in our council, which she is responsible for, are unwilling to listen to warnings from the public and are failing many people.
Craig Finlay, 5 Aspen Court, Crieff.
Pleasant park visit spoiled
Sir, I spent a very pleasant afternoon at Camperdown House having afternoon tea provided by the students of Dundee and Angus College.
Having spent 22 years of my life working and living at Camperdown it is good to see the house open again and I must congratulate the students on their efficiency.
The one thing that I found disappointing was the state of the flower beds and general appearance of the park.
The beds were full of weeds and the area round the back of the house resembled a jungle.
What a pity to let such a beautiful park deteriorate into such a state.
Shirley Forbes, 15 Powside Place, Inchture.