Sir, – Will the two meetings of the owners of private businesses in Perth produce any positive results?
Probably not. All that has happened is that the council will create more ‘pay to park’ spaces in the centre of town. Anyone hoping for free parking will have to wait until after 2pm in November!
The council seem to be ‘hell-bent’ on spending ratepayers’ money on grandiose schemes to create a cultural city.
Have they not noticed that the public in America no longer trust the politicians in Washington. A large proportion of the public here feel exactly the same way about the political parties in London, Edinburgh, and especially in their local councils.
Perth could become innovative and appoint a successful local business person as a part-time Business Ombudsman.
Let’s have a successful business person scrutinise the spending decisions of the council before they are approved. Let’s have someone who is not afraid to speak out and say they agree with the proposal; or tell them that they are wasting ratepayers’ money.
The massive investment in Perth Theatre would have been better spent in creating Perth as a conference centre. Perth Concert Hall will never be a successful venue for major conferences as it cannot provide catering under the same roof. Catering could be provided in the city hall and the two venues could be marketed as Scotland’s centre for conferences.
Cities in America have been rejuvenated by conferences with hotels and other business attracted to these cities.
Robin Valentine.
3 Burnbank,
Bridge of Earn.
What is the referendum?
Sir, – The EU referendum ding-dong is nothing but a spurious, superficial, establishment-controlled “debate”, centred on Tory party infighting and trivia about foreign travel, holidays and visas, with no examination of the real rationale for the existence of the EU, nor any revelation of the conditions and powers contained in its various treaties, nor its effects on working class interests.
French workers are taking a hammering just now as a result of the EU’s fiscal compact which orders member countries to balance their revenue budgets by 2018 and this is the reason Chancellor Osborne wants a UK budget surplus by 2019.
The EU influence is anything but pro-worker rights as workers in France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus will tell you and the EU is the main driver of austerity in Europe.
In or out of the euro-zone, this is not a constitutional, but a political issue which is central to a capitalist construct which insists that new member countries must now include the operation of a capitalist economy in their national constitutions and national leaders take the decisions they do because they either support or are fearful of the power of the EU Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
The Labour Party really needs to improve its analytical performance and understanding of the EU or its next government will crumble on the EU rock just as the governments of Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Cyprus and now Belgium and France have succumbed, leaving the working class of each of these nations to the ravages of an uncontrolled free-market ideology resulting in horrendous levels of unemployment, poverty and destitution even greater than those in the UK.
There is only one rational decision – Leave!
Raymond Mennie.
49 Ashbank Road,
Dundee.
In a Scotland without gas
Sir, – Over the weekend Ineos, operators of the Grangemouth petrochemical complex and one of the key potential exploiters of Scottish shale and unconventional gas, announced they are moving their fracking operation to England, where no “moratorium” exists and the Government supports it.
I assume the SNP summer campaign to convince “no” voters to change to “yes” will cover how an independent Scotland, with no gas, coal and nuclear power generation, will achieve energy security, and compete with an English industry which has a much lower cost base due to shale.
It would also be good to hear how they can prevent Ineos closing Grangemouth and moving its production to England too.
It’s not just fracking that the SNP, Labour, the Green and Lib Dems are kicking into the long grass, it’s Scotland.
Allan Sutherland.
1 Willow Row,
Stonehaven.
An error of judgment
Sir, – Jim Robertson whilst attacking Jenny Hjul also attacks “the living fossils of Muirfield Golf Club”, May 28.
I do think it was an error of judgment from the First Minister and Ruth Davidson to become so stridently involved in this matter.
There are numerous men-only and women-only organisations throughout Britain and indeed the world.
Their advisers should have told them that the Augusta National Golf Club in America went through a similar challenge and now has three lady members so can be classed as a mixed golf club.
Three ladies out of 300 members.
Wow.
Condoleeza Rice was one who was able to pay the $25,000 to $50,000 fees.
The Open will never again be held at Muirfield resulting in a £100 million hole in the Scottish economy.
Is that an acceptable price to pay for a flawed principle?
The annual fees at Muirfield are more than £2,400 so how many ladies would join just to make a political statement?
And by the way there is a seven-year waiting list.
Will politicians now challenge Mosques where men and women are strictly segregated?
Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.
A fantastic asset to Fife
Sir, – I live in north-east Fife but was brought up in Lochgelly. I am a frequent visitor to Lochore Meadows.
I often sit on a bench during my walks and wonder what the old miners would make of the scene now, including the wind turbines near Lumphinnans generating electricity.
The irony that the very fresh air they craved was passively producing the energy they “wrought” hard for would not escape them.
I see regular walkers and cyclists, many of whom are recovering from health problems like strokes or heart attacks, enjoying the ideal conditions namely, not too far nor steep with great views, friendly passers-by and a nice cup of coffee or bowl of soup at the end.
This should be prescribed by any GP in the area. I also see young, fit men and women using the park to train in a pleasant environment. The undulating 3.5-mile circuit is ideal for them.
I see groups of anglers, many of whom are pensioners, who are “gettin’ oot the hoose” each day to get a bit of excitement and meet their ‘neebs’, laughing and joking, sharing tips , competing and catching healthy fish for their, or a lucky friend’s, tea. I am glad to hear that the stocking problems are over and this scenario can resume.
The Meadies are a great asset to Fife and should be supported as a kingdom treasure.
I’m sure local GPs would support this from an anecdotal viewpoint and could provide health statistics which would confirm this.
I only wish that the generations of miners, including my Dad who used to work below The Meadies, could say “Surgo in Lucem” – “I rise into the light”, Beath High’s motto – and wonder at the scene.
Robert Ferguson.
19 New Gilston,
Fife.
Recognising the contribution
Sir, – With the centenary commemorations of the Battle of Jutland taking place it is appropriate that the significance of the contribution of Rosyth, and its ships, is being recognised.
In May 1916, Rosyth was the base of the Battlecruiser Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Sir David Beatty. On the evening of May 30, Beatty led his ships out for battle.
Under his command in his battlecruiser flagship HMS Lion, he had six battlecruisers, four fast battleships, 14 light cruisers, 27 destroyers and a first in naval history, a seaplane carrier.
On May 31, Beatty’s ships bore the brunt of the early fighting at Jutland, losing two of his battlecruisers, Indefatigable and Queen Mary, which blew up with appalling loss of life, as well as three of his destroyers.
In addition to those lost, 14 of his other ships were damaged.
Saddest of all, of course, was the human cost to the Rosyth-based ships. 2,685 men were killed or died of wounds; 443 wounded and 169 taken prisoner of war.
Thirty-eight of those who died of wounds are buried in Queensferry Cemetery.
Possibly the greatest tragedy of Jutland however, was that the Royal Navy, like most navies of that time, actively recruited boy seamen.
These trainees served from 15 to 18 years old. As they had to go where their ships went, they would see combat.
Nearly 120 of these young servicemen who sailed from Rosyth for that fateful battle, never returned.
Graham McLeod.
64 High Street,
Leslie.