Sir, – Roderick Stewart’s obvious reverence for Prince Charles (Doing their duty on our behalf, Courier, April 1) seems to have blinded him from seeing the absurdity of the government’s testing priorities.
The prince left his official residence, Clarence House in London and moved to one of his private residences, Birkhall on Deeside, where he was tested by NHS Scotland.
There was perfectly understandable outrage that privilege ruled.
Even the most ardent royalist could not claim that the prince can play a significant role in the fight against Covoid-19.
That fight is led by the NHS workers, whether they be surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, radiologists, porters or cleaners as well as ambulance crews, police and volunteers.
So far only around 2,000 of these key people have been tested and, thanks to UK policy, these tests have to be referred to a lab.
Only today it was confirmed that equipment capable of instant testing has been bought from China, before the monitoring body has cleared it for use, a case of making policy on the hoof.
All this in spite of the World Health Organization’s urgings from the start that testing was the main priority in the fight.
Many NHS staff have publicly voiced their fears for their own safety and some, tragically, have already died.
To point out the absurdity of the situation is not demonstrating pettiness but rather a grasp on reality.
We should be supporting our front line workers, not pampering princes.
Ken Guild.
76 Brown Street,
Broughty Ferry.
An invaluable service to us all
Sir, – Could I add shop assistants and especially cornershop owners and staff to the list of heroes suggested by the Rev Catherine Collins.
They put themselves more at risk than most of us, the latter especially. It may be in their interests to stay open but, as Adam Smith of Courier Country told us 250 years ago, that doesn’t detract from their providing an invaluable service.
After all, most of us are healthy without medical treatment, but without food none of us would be even alive.
And we’d better hope they find someone to harvest the fruit and veg this year or we will all be in trouble.
Antony Black.
79 Blackness Avenue,
Dundee.
Show support for care workers
Sir, My daughter and her family live in the small town of Gava, which is on the outskirts of Barcelona close to the airport.
In the last few days lockdown has tightened.
Only key workers are allowed out,people are stopped and told to use the nearest supermarket, children are not allowed out and dog walkers are watched to see how far they are walking their dogs.
In Gava every night at 8pm everyone comes out on to their balconies on both sides of the street and claps while police cars tour the streets with their sirens blaring.
Back here in the UK, I want to see as many people as possible come out to clap our fantastic health and care workers and everyone else who is helping in anyway at this dreadful time.
According to my friends, some streets are very enthusiastic making lots of noise while others are very quiet .
So come on everyone, let’s hear it for our wonderful health workers and all those who have volunteered to help in our hour of need.
Alison Kinnear.
18 Bughties Road,
Broughty Ferry.
Questions for banking sector
Sir, – Banks are refusing to advance government money allocated for business rescue, unless their customers have exhausted all other conventional means of borrowing, such as the pledging of property as security.
This defeats the entire purpose of the government’s rescue scheme.
As with the £375 billion of Quantitative Easing issued by government via the banks in previous years – equal to £6,000 per head of the UK population – this latest government aid also looks set to quietly vanish.
The Bank of England has asked banks to suspend payment of dividends, which they will no doubt be glad to do, and to cease the payment of bonuses, which they will probably not do if past experience is anything to go by.
The role of a private banking system, that milks society when tasked with helping it, must surely be called into question when this virus crisis is over.
Malcolm Parkin.
Gamekeepers Road,
Kinnesswood.
Top footballers should take cut
Sir, – I was absolutely gobsmacked to learn some big football clubs are furloughing employees working in the background, but their ‘stars’ are being paid in full – £70,000 or more per week.
The players will get their full payments, but employees in the background, who have a normal salary, are cut to 80%, sending them into trouble.I have never heard more disgusting nonsense.
It shows how club owners value the hardworking employees who make clubs run like clockwork. The government should put a stop on this, as a gross abuse of taxpayers’ money.
Surely the owners and players should simply refuse their salary, or take a big cut, to support staff in the background.
Maaike Cook.
Cash Feus,
Strathmiglo.
