Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – All over this land, ex-hippies, Beatlemaniacs, groupies and such like are leaving the suburbs and satellite villages, flashing their bus passes at an otherwise under-employed driver and flooding into towns and cities.
The influx of this superannuated squad is keeping the businesses in town centres going.
Cafes, teashops, pubs, bookies, bookshops etc are catering for pensioners and relying on their ”grey pound”.
Much is made of these ”baby boomers” being from a golden age of privilege, with ”gold-plated” pensions and ”reservoirs” of cash in bank accounts and ISAs.
Should they just watch daytime telly and leave all these assets unspent for their now disadvantaged offspring, or should they ”inject” this money into our flagging economy and with the help of the much-vaunted ”multiplier” help ”kick-start” it?
Active, spending pensioners can boost our economy (and be less of a burden on the NHS).
To withdraw the bus passes for over-60s would actually cost the state in many ways.
It would also be political suicide for those who decided to do away with it. So, beware!
We’ve got a ”ticket to ride”, so hands off.
Robert Ferguson.19 New Gilston,Fife.
A shameful decision
Sir, – In trying to defend the actions of the SNP administration of Dundee City Council relative to the closure of the Kemback Street Day Care Centre, Cllr Craig Melville makes the erroneous claim that opposition parties ”either did not read or understand” the report that came to committee in March 2012.
I cannot speak for other opposition parties, but had Councillor Melville listened to what I said at the recent debate in the City Chambers, he would know that I made clear that I was not unsupportive of the recommendations agreed to in March.
However, all elected members had the reasonable expectation that a final decision on the future of the provision at Kemback Street would be made only after the assessment process had been completed for all service users, after each and every service user and their families had been advised of their future provision and crucially that such future provision was acceptable to the people relying on it.
I said at the recent committee meeting that the fact that the SNP administration has taken the final step of closing the Kemback Street facility in advance of the assessment and consultation process being concluded is a shameful decision. It makes a nonsense of ”consultation” with service users and their families.
Cllr Fraser Macpherson.Liberal DemocratCouncillor, West End,Dundee City Council.
Amplified, not caused by it
Sir, – Malcolm Parkin (November 3) clearly did not read what I said in my letter of November 1.
At no point did I ”blame” climate change for causing Hurricane Sandy. What I actually said was that due to anthropogenic global warming that world wide sea temperatures had increased and this had in turn amplified the ferocity of hurricanes.
This intensification had long been predicted by climatologists. Other things that have been predicted by climatologists as a result of global warming are coming to pass including more severe droughts, melting Arctic ice, wetter summers and colder winters.
Global warming has made freak weather more likely to occur.
Alan Hinnrichs.2 Gillespie Terrace,Dundee.
Fish farms not the problem
Sir, – I was very disappointed to read your article on sea lice as the implication by the authors of the report that the primary origin of sea lice on wild fish comes from fish farms simply does not stand up. Sea lice are a naturally occurring parasite endemic in the marine environment.
However, there is consensus amongst the scientific community that the overwhelming majority of wild salmon, 95% of total populations according to this paper and higher according to others, die at sea this has nothing to do with salmon farming. This is where further research should be undertaken.
Scott Landsburgh.Chief Executive,Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation.
Thanks to all
Sir, – I was a day patient on Ward 23a (Neurology) at Ninewells Hospital recently. There has been a lot of NHS bashing lately, but from the moment I was admitted at 8.30am to leaving at 7.15pm I was treated with the utmost professionalism, courtesy and efficiency at all times.
The ward and the facilities were clean and welcoming and the food that I was given was good, wholesome and plentiful.
The staff, although rushed off their feet, were calm and patient all day long and are a credit to Ninewells Hospital and their profession.
So, a huge thank you to Dr Gillian Stewart and the team at neurology well done and thank you.
Maggie Taylor.7 Mathieson Court,Auchtermuchty.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.