On the agenda today: the sacking of Jocky Scott, a plea for more police on the beat, aid to Malawi and more on the turbine and biomass plant plans for Dundee.
Dundee FC blundered by sacking Jocky Scott Sir,-Many Dark Blues supporters will agree with the sentiments expressed by Jim Crumley (May 4) regarding the sacking of club legend Jocky Scott.
If it was a business decision, it wasn’t a very good or clever one.
After all, you do not tip the coxswain out of the boat when you are level with the opposition and the finishing line is in sight.
Sadly, we will never know if promotion could have been won if Jocky had remained in charge. He, along with the supporters, was denied that right.
However, supporters of the club are a resilient lot and I wish Gordon Chisholm and Billy Dodds good luck for next season and in restoring Dundee to their rightful position in Scottish football.
R. H. L. Mulheron.28 Cowgate,Tayport.
Put more police on beat
Sir,-Tayside Police are to be congratulated on the latest report stating that Tayside’s crime levels are the lowest for a decade (May 5).
Mr Archie MacLellan, deputy convener of the joint police board, commented, however, that the fear of being a victim of violent crime is “a perception rather than reality and … that the fear of violent crime is perhaps not justified”.
The public perception is entirely understandable and stems from the scarcity of police on our streets.
Minor infringements are committed daily before the eyes of the law-abiding public and they are powerless to do anything because there is never a police officer in sight.
Going up a rung in the anti-social behaviour level, the swearing, littering and aggressive actions of large numbers of youths in city centres are intimidating to many citizens.
Even driving their cars, the law-abiding are frequently confronted with swaggering, confrontational yobs crossing streets without warning, forcing drivers to brake to avoid them.
Any show of annoyance or alarm by drivers is met with more aggressive reactions, sometimes involving banging on car windows or kicking doors.
A return to bobbies on the beat would solve a lot of problems for police, the law-abiding and even the very youngsters thumbing their noses at authority.
As they say, look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves. A stitch in time and all that.
One suggestion — if finance is the problem, why not phase out traffic and litter wardens and use the money to pay for more police officers?
Police on the beat could check on cars and littering when all else is quiet and be available when criminals cut loose and members of the public are seeking help.
George K. McMillan.5 Mount Tabor Avenue,Perth.
Is Malawi aid justified?
Sir,-I was heartened to learn through your columnist J. J. Marshall that the Scottish Government is looking after the needs of one pensioner.
They made sure that the president of Malawi’s wedding was up to standard, his flights catered for and that the happy couple have adequate transport on coming back down to earth — a choice of 22 Mercedes-Benz cars.
May I ask, then, when are our MSPs coming back down to earth or indeed reality, or are they too busy trying to be world leaders at our expense?
I have no doubt poverty in Malawi is bad but a recent survey stated that too many Scottish children live under the poverty line.
That doesn’t mean they only have one Mercedes per family.
It seems that after all the furore about expenses and poor handling of finances by Westminster, it has not been taken on board in Holyrood.
Let’s not be seen to finance another Idi Amin or a Mugabe. Westminster did a good job with those two.
Bill Duthie.25 St Fillans Road,Dundee.
Importing emissions
Sir,-I assume that all MSPs and the Scottish Government will be arguing against the proposed biomass plant at Stannergate, Dundee, since it is in total conflict with their recently enacted and “world-leading” legislation to reduce carbon emissions.
Wood, like coal and oil, is a carbon-based fuel and its combustion results in significant carbon dioxide emissions.
Since the wood fuel is to be imported, this project is unlike other existing biomass plants in Scotland which use locally produced wood.
Hence the Forth Ports biomass project will essentially be importing carbon emissions rather than reducing them and, thus, directly counter the desired effect of this legislation.
George Lindsay.Whinfield Gardens,Kinross.
Generating hard cash
Sir,-Margaret Ross finds wind turbines quite “graceful and sculptural” (May 5).
Wind turbines are only being put up by developers because of the large subsidies available from the reluctant taxpayer — a sum of £250,000 per turbine every year.
The consumer has increased costs on his electricity bill because the suppliers also receive price guarantees.
The wind does not always blow, as in the recent cold spell, so constant conventional backup is required.
Holland, with all its wind turbines, has not closed one power station and its CO2 emissions have risen.
Those living near wind farms have experienced noise and blade flicker which has affected their health.
House prices have dropped and many have to leave their homes at night and sleep elsewhere.
This is bad enough but the growth of these monstrosities was based on global warming worries, although temperatures have not risen for over 50 years.
This climate change scam has been exposed by reputable scientists.
The latest is a former NASA scientist Dr Roy Spencer, who says “global warming is a load of hot air”.
Clark Cross.138 Springfield Road,Linlithgow.