Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, ““ Alex Salmond says he wants to give the people of Scotland an opportunity to vote in a referendum for independence.
I believe that if a referendum takes place then it should be run by Westminster and voters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland should also be allowed to vote because any decision is going to affect everybody currently living in the UK.
Personally I do not want independence for Scotland. I believe we are stronger together and I would have great concern for children, the elderly, unemployed and disabled because I cannot see an independent Scotland having the necessary funds to sustain pensions or benefits simply because there would be an insufficient number of high-earning taxpayers in Scotland to fund it.
Also, benefits fraudsters would rub their hands in glee at the prospect of claiming from two separate social security systems.
The people who would suffer most if Scotland became independent are children. However, that does not bother Mr Salmond because he is a wealthy man who has no children or grandchildren of his own so he doesn’t have to worry about what the future holds for the next generation.
But what would happen to other people’s children and grandchildren when the Scottish economy goes the same way as Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, etc?
It may take a number of years before the full financial impact (resulting in poverty and hardship for many) is felt in Scotland by which time Alex Salmond could be long gone.
What about pensioners? If Scotland becomes independent how old will I have to be to qualify?
If independence happens I would certainly have no hesitation moving to England where I believe I would be guaranteed a financially safer and better quality of life.
Mr Kenny.42 Greenlee Drive,Dundee.
Bus services leave a lot to be desired
Sir, – May I clarify the story re bus services to Victoria Hospital (Monday, January 30)?
At last week’s operational division meeting I did not state “there were no direct services to West Fife”. I did however state that “the bus services to West Fife left a lot to be desired”.
For some time through travel plan meetings we have asked for good direct services from all of Fife’s hub bus stations to the hospital.
In the case of people from Dunfermline and West Fife we have the following direct services:
Service X 27. Arrival at Victoria 09.30 (ex-early morning worker services) last return 16.30. Journey time 30 minutes.Service 33 via Cowdenbeath/Lochgelly. Arrival at Victoria 10.30 last return 16.10. Journey time 70 minutes.Service 7, half hourly last return 20.10, but this service takes some 90 minutes and is probably only an option for those east of Inverkeithing.
There are no direct services on a Sunday which would mean for many two changes of buses.
For a hospital that serves all of Fife, and has hundreds of staff, this would leave staff finishing evening shift and evening hospital visitors in a difficult situation.
Maybe we should compare the transport links available for those in central Scotland to their new hospital at Larbert. Sort of leaves us in the shade.
John Winton.Elected board memberNHS Fife.Rosyth.
Suggestive remarks
Sir, – Re Ian Wheeler’s doom-laden missive on the independence vote, What if things don’t work out?, what if the opposite scenario occurs? Who can tell what will happen anywhere 10 years down the line?
I suspect his remarks “…the voters of Scotland should concentrate on realism” are another subtle attempt by a unionist sympathiser to suggest Scots should vote ‘no’.
John Campbell.Auchrannie Terrace,Dundee.
Beavers will restore ecology
Sir, – Captain McRae misleads your readers. Tay beavers are a native species that have returned after a period of absence. The beavers in Tierra del Fuego are an alien, imported species. The South American ecosystem did not evolve with beavers, they are a problem there just as grey squirrels and mink are here.
In Scotland the environment has been negatively affected by the absence of beavers for the past 200 years or so. Our ecosystem does not work properly without them. The Tay beavers are bringing back biodiversity and resilience in the face of climate change.
Beavers will in time create corridors rich in wildlife and native species that stretch deep into the countryside along our rivers and watercourses, restoring ecologically valuable wetlands and supporting fish and a myriad of other plant, insect and animal species, consolidating riverbanks with expertly managed woodlands and reducing flash flooding in downstream urban areas.
David Gibbon.15 Jordan Lane,Edinburgh.
Nice try, but…
Sir, – Nice try, Alex, but your proposed referendum question: “Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?” is loaded and hopelessly biased.
It asks people positively to agree rather than choose from neutral options and humans are predisposed to agree because not to do so seems negative and confrontational.
(Dr) John Cameron.10 Howard Place,St Andrews.
Tragic vision
Sir, – I was pleased to read Michael Alexander’s article regarding Miss Penny Uprichard’s determination to continue her fight against Fife’s Structure Plan, despite being responsible for huge legal costs.
However, had the ruling gone against the council, the legal costs would have come out of council funds not out of the pockets of councillors or council officials making it a less daunting task for councils to oppose members of the public who take their objections to court.
Ian Thomson.Moor Road,Ceres.
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.