Sir, – Many older folks are distressed and saddened to hear that so many of our young people have been diagnosed as suffering from depression.
We are aware that the challenges of life for young people are very different from those in our day.
For example, we had no mobile phones, so escaped the hurtful messages that distress some of our young ones today.
We certainly had to cope with spoken challenges but somehow we could cope with these better in the company of our friends.
A hurtful message received on a mobile in isolation must cut much more deeply.
Many modern pop songs seem to be mostly telling of sadness and lost loves.
What could be wrong with singing about a warm, stable love affair?
How can we persuade people to drag their faces out of their mobiles for a moment, long enough to see what actually goes on around them?
I recall clearly an incident when I was about 11 years old, and complained about some problem to my big brother (who was only two years my senior).
His wise reply was: ‘You think too much about yourself. Try looking out and think more about other people.’
I tried to carry out that good advice and with the help of Sunday School and what it led to, I followed a route that has allowed me to go confidently through life with all its challenges.
I wish somehow these sad young ones could learn that there is a way.
Dr Norma Smith.
7 Adelaide Terrace,
Dundee.
Windfarm woes for Scotland
Sir, – Bad news for all who love Scotland.
Keith Anderson, boss of Spanish-owned Scottish Power wants a further huge increase in the number of onshore windfarms.
As I write there is no wind.
Windfarms are only generating a tiny proportion of Britain’s electricity .
So where does the power come from in weather like this?
Windfarms are a money spinner for Scottish Power – but are an environmental blight on Scotland.
It is shameful that the Scottish Government, in thrall to the green loons, has permitted the scarring of our hillsides with these monstrosities.
The inescapable fact is that the SNP support multinationals and land owners rather than conserve and protect Scotland’s magical hills.
William Loneskie.
9 Justice Park,
Oxton.
Spin by green activists
Sir, – Spin put by green activists on the Government’s recently announced strike prices to three large offshore windfarms has misled many into thinking offshore wind costs are falling.
Strike prices are a poor guide to expenditure and capital costs for offshore wind will remain high while moving into deeper water will offset any cost reduction due to technical progress.
The sites are uneconomic at the recently announced prices and developers are betting on fossil fuel prices rising (unlikely) or a higher carbon price (a vanishingly remote prospect post-Brexit).
Rev Dr John Cameron.
10 Howard Place,
St Andrews.
Time to lead by example
Sir, – Last year Scotland exceeded its target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 42%, six years early.
However, the Scottish Government’s new targets to cut total emissions by 66% within 15 years are not good enough for the usual suspects.
Christian Aid, Oxfam Scotland, WWF, the independent committee on climate change and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland are all demanding zero emissions by 2050.
Those who demand these targets must lead by example not rhetoric.
Their homes must not use gas for cooking or heating.
They must install, at their own expense, solar panels, wind turbines or heat pumps and never use ‘dirty’ electricity from the Grid which uses gas, coal, nuclear and even diesel.
They cannot use plastic bottles or containers which are derived from fossil fuels.
Shoes contain fossil fuel sourced plastic so leather sandals are obligatory.
Their petrol and diesel cars must be traded in for electric vehicles or bicycles.
Long distance travel must be by electric train not air.
When the wind does not blow or the sun does not shine on a cold winter’s day they can keep warm with the glow of self-righteousness.
Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.
Bid to avert strike action
Sir, – Your readers may have read about a potential strike at Royal Mail by the Communications Workers Union (CWU).
Our postmen and women have the best pay – and the best terms and conditions – in our industry.
Average pay is 45-50% above the National Living Wage.
None of that is changing.
There are just no grounds for strike action.
Previous strikes at Royal Mail meant we let our customers down.
Some of our major rivals today were actually established because of those strikes.
There really is no point shooting ourselves in the foot.
So, what’s at issue?
Well, not the great terms and conditions postmen and women have, as I said before.
On pay, we have made a very good offer.
That follows a 10.8% pay rise in the four years since privatisation.
That compares favourably with the 6.4% UK national average earnings increase over the same period.
On pensions, we are well aware how important pension benefits are to our colleagues.
Our proposal would be by far the best pension scheme in the industry – and one that benchmarks well to other large employers.
Many of our postmen and women are in a Defined Benefit scheme – 63%, in fact, compared to just six per cent of workers across the UK private sector.
We do need to change to a different type of Defined Benefit arrangement.
That’s because – every year – it would cost us at least three times more than the cash we generate just to keep the existing pension open.
No business could do that.
There is no need to strike.
We want to work with our postmen and women, our great ambassadors, to keep being the best delivery company in the UK.
Rob Jenson.
Royal Mail Scotland Operations Director,
Edinburgh.
Star will be sadly missed
Sir, – I am very sad to hear about the death of Liz Dawn.
She was a wonderful actress and a real professional, who brought joy to many people over the years in Coronation Street.
Doing tremendous work for charity, her role as charity ambassador for the British Lung Foundation helped raise awareness of COPD that she herself suffered from for many years.
She was friendly and gracious to her many fans and having met her once in Manchester I remember her as charming, and of course her colleagues are deeply saddened.
Kevin Kennedy who played Curly Watts said that when he thinks of her she makes him smile.
That in itself is a brilliant legacy.
Gordon Kennedy.
117 Simpson Square,
Perth.
Image a sign of things to come
Sir, – Last Saturday The Courier carried a photograph of yellow rubber ducks sitting upon cladding on the V&A museum.
It serves to confirm everyone’s fears about bird pollution on the building.
I know we have been told there are precautions being taken but how long will it be before seagulls, pigeons or starlings discover this is a brilliant place to roost and probably nest?
Then who is going to foot the bill for keeping it clean?
Duncan Stewart.
Burnside house,
Burnside of Duntrune.
Labour’s lack of social justice
Sir, – On the Labour party website at the top of the list of Labour values is ‘social justice’.
I wonder how they reconcile this with the fact that, in a country in which only 4.3% of children attend private schools, both of their candidates to lead the Scottish Labour party have had the benefit of this clear social advantage.
Les Mackay.
5 Carmichael Gardens,
Dundee.
