Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, I was astonished to read your headline on the front page about 1000 out-of-hours visits to an addict (September 24).
I had reason to call NHS 24 on September 17 as I had severe abdominal pain all day.
I was told a doctor would only attend if the case was terminal or life threatening. Otherwise, I would have to attend an out-of- hours clinic at PRI.
I suffered 36 hours of discomfort and the best advice I was given was to take paracetamol and use a heat pad.
Kathleen McKellar.21 Airlie Court,Gleneagles Village,Auchterarder.
Not deserving of freedom
Sir, Reading in The Courier about an escaped convict being sought, I just cannot understand how the powers that be put Samuel Boyle Stewart in the Castle Huntly open prison when he has been described as having a history of violent crime.
Far too many criminals do not complete their sentence. Then they commit crimes again.
Local people must feel prisoners in their homes.
The recent picture of an elderly lady who had been assaulted makes me feel ashamed that we allow those responsible their freedom.
Neil Sinclair.New Fleurs,St Martins,Balbeggie.
Wildlife has its claims too
Sir, Of all the asinine comments made recently by public figures, that of Councillor Mike Scott-Hayward of north-east Fife (September 22) must surely take the biscuit.
To state that preventing a housing scheme going up on the site of a protected species, like red squirrel, would halt ”mankind’s march to progress” demonstrates a lack of ecological sensitivity that is quite unsuitable in a public figure.
All over Scotland, from the Borders to the Highlands, wonderful countryside is being destroyed by the mushrooming of badly planned housing schemes that would look more at home on the English south coast.
It is about time we started a similar organisation to the Campaign to Protect Rural England, which has saved some parts of that overcrowded land from the grosser excesses of development which are now too common here.
Frank D. Bowles.37 Albany Terrace,Dundee.
Abertay fight not worth the candle
Sir, While I applaud The Courier’s campaign to fight the merger of Abertay and Dundee universities, along with all the other campaigns that The Courier has participated in, I believe this is a fight that does not really merit all the effort involved.
I am a graduate of what was once known as Dundee College of Technology, or more affectionately as the Bell Street Tech. I have very fond memories of my five years studying mechanical engineering there.
As an outsider now, I can see that Dundee has changed dramatically in the 23 years since I left the city where I was born and bred.
There would appear to be very little overlap of courses between the respective institutions, and the departments of Abertay that are merged would then become associated with what is considered to be one of the top-ranked universities in the world (140 in the 2011 rankings).
The world changes so quickly and fighting against the tide in this case is really not worth it.
Ashley Watson.2435 Avenue Watt,Quebec.
Limits to free speech
Sir, In reply to Steve Dron’s letter (September 24), I feel Mr Dron should rest assured that since his opinion is different from mine I won’t be calling Tayside Police. I respect the fact that he believes in free speech, as do I.
That said, the public has the right to be protected from those who use the right to freedom of speech to stir up hatred for extremist ends.
To protest in the presence of grieving family members, such as those at the September 11 memorial referred to in my original letter, is immoral.
To attempt to protect the abuse of this right in this instance is not a brave or bold statement, but simply naive and misguided.
We are not talking about voicing an opinion against a new tax increase.
The right to freedom of speech cannot be used as the trump card for extremists to suppress freedoms.
(Dr) David Flynn.5 Hatchback Lane,Kinross.
BSE has power to mutate
Sir, An added complication in deciding whether it is safe to feed pigs and poultry to each other (September 21) is that for many years both types of animals were illegally fed vast amounts of BSE-infected meat during the cattle epidemic which led to a 10-year global ban on UK beef.
Although pigs and poultry appeared to be immune to the disease, the authorities decided this did not mean they were automatically safe for consumers to eat. They banned meat from animal diets.
Pigs and poultry should be safe to eat now unless BSE has been transmitted by vertical transmission from one generation to the next.
Past experience has shown that BSE tends to mutate in a new host.
This is something which may make criss-cross feeding between species risky.
Angus Ramsay.34 Kings Road,Rosyth.
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.