Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Your correspondent Roy Russell rightly nails a very obvious shortcoming at Dundee Airport that of competitive fares, or perhaps the ongoing lack of such an option for potential travellers. One does wonder, however, if the air fares are actually ”priced to fail”.
Without doubt an airport which is so convenient and centrally located should be an absolute winner for local travellers and visitors alike, especially with the fabulous prospect of the V&A coming to fruition in the near future. But there are very serious constraints at Riverside which perhaps Highlands and Islands Airports are well aware of, hence their failure or, perhaps, unwillingness to seriously promote Dundee as a viable airport.
There are 10 airports within the HIAL umbrella and Dundee has by far the shortest runway of merely 1400 metres, and even by the criteria of what would be classed as a regional airport today there absolutely must be an international dimension.
This in essence means having the capability of landing the industry standard workhorse of a 737 or the like a task which Riverside can never accommodate at its present site.
It seems paradoxical that the largest city in the HIAL grouping has the least potential to grow and, given the absurdly constrictive location, passenger figures over its operating history are, and will continue to be, truly risible.
Potential air travellers will for obvious reasons haemorrhage to Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
G Romanowski.25 Blake Street,Broughty Ferry.
Sir, – Andrew Lloyd Webber would have been thrilled to bits if he had been in Dundee to attend the production of ”Cats” performed by Dundee schools. The show was outstanding and the cast members all gave an electric, energetic performance.
I couldn’t believe how talented they all were. The singing and dancing was as good as anything I have seen on the amateur stage. Also, the set was very clever, using the rooftops instead of a backyard.
Well done, everyone.
Earl Scott.38 Blackness Avenue,Dundee.
Sir, – Once again greedy energy companies that already make huge eye-watering profits are increasing the price of energy to consumers. And guess what the government has done? Nothing.
Scottish & Southern Energy are increasing their energy prices by 9% from October 15. This is disgraceful and totally disproportionate to the cost of living. Wages and benefits have not increased by 9% so how can they justify this?
In May this company announced a profit of £1.33 billion, hardly a company that is struggling and needing to increase costs to survive.
The government needs to do something about excessive rises otherwise elderly people and benefit claimants may be forced to choose between eating and keeping warm this winter.
Gordon Kennedy.117 Simpson Square,Perth.
Sir, – To simply deny any extreme group the right to free speech allows them to claim that their detractors have no argument against them. Also, we get into dangerous territory if you disagree with someone and merely shout them down. The mob wins and democracy dies.
A number of years ago I approached a group of students outside Glasgow University who were holding a political demonstration. I tried to have a coherent discussion with one of them and the heavy team descended and shouted me down. I left knowing I had won the argument as they were unable to counteract what I was saying.
To deny the Scottish Defence League and their cohorts a platform to speak merely leaves many wondering what they are about. The SDL can then say what they want because no one has challenged them to debate.
I certainly do not support any extreme groups be they right or left wing. However, to deny free speech is fascist.
John Montgomery.24 March Crescent,Cellardyke.
Sir, – I have followed with interest the issue about nuisance travellers and Dundee City Council’s hands being tied when trying to deal with them. The latest statement from Councillor Willie Sawers states the legal system is failing to protect the people of Dundee.
I do not agree. I believe it is this administration and the council’s legal advisers who are failing the people by not using the appropriate legislation to deal with the problem.
The legislation that should be used is the Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) ACT 2004. This covers a multitude of things from music to littering and bad parenting. It is, in fact, very similar to a breach of the peace used so often by the police when they cannot arrest a person for any other crime.
I would urge the authorities to use laws that are in place before they try to legislate for more powers. If you do not use the powers you have what is the point in having them?
Allan Petrie.109 Blacklock Crescent,Dundee.
Sir, – I would like to thank everyone who helped us to look for our dog when she was lost in Monikie Country Park.
A big thank you to the gentleman who walked round the park in the pouring rain to look for her and used his own car to check on the roads. My thanks, too, to the very helpful lady warden and to all who took part.
Thankfully, we found her.
Dave and Nessie Walker.25 Buddon Drive,Monifieth.
Sir, – As a Courier reader of some 50 years’ standing and someone who has recently retired from a fairly hectic career, I was naturally interested in your recent eight-page supplement entitled ”Into Retirement”.
The front page showed a fairly unbelievable looking smiling couple digitally advanced, I would say, to look 65 or thereabouts. Inside I immediately encountered articles on dental care, hearing aids and the almost obligatory cruise.
Just as the lottery winner rushes to the Porsche franchise, so must the retiree run to the travel agent. A fleeting pretence at sophistication and wealth, courtesy of the tax-free lump sum plundered legally from the pension fund!
Invalid scooters and care homes follow rapidly on, exciting gardening projects, geriatric bus trips, housing for the elderly only the perfect way to cut yourself off from society at large presumably.
Worse was to come.
A feature on osteoarthritis promised much pain and misery for the future and led on to a small article on financial planning. Small, presumably, because planning for retirement is taxing for even the most adventurous financial consultants.
Always a good idea to leave the best till last and sure enough there it was on the last page an invitation to make a will!
Some of your younger readers may be relieved to hear that people age one day at a time and not instantly upon retiring.
I have the same energy and drive now, albeit with a different focus, as I had when I worked. Health permitting, I hope to continue to function for a long time to come in the mainstream part of society.
Edwin High.49 Princes Street,Monifieth.
Sir, – Like many of your readers. I thought the photograph of the USS Constitution in Tuesday’s edition was excellent.
I have closely followed the recent correspondence regarding HMS Unicorn languishing in the docks at Dundee and have to agree with Jim Crumley’s earlier article that she looks like ”a hulk in a shed”.
With her full rigging and no ”shed”, the Unicorn would look magnificent. Alongside Discovery she would look even more magnificent.
The historical purist would point out that the Unicorn was never made ready for sea. But neither was the USS Constitution. Using historically accurate materials and skills, this unique vessel could be brought back to life.
Artifacts illustrating typical onboard living conditions and armaments could easily be borrowed and circulated from other national maritime museums. These could be displayed to great effect.
Why can’t the city council use some imagination and tap into the various sources of funding frequently available for this sort of regeneration project?
Employing young apprentices to learn traditional skills is surely of benefit to everyone.
Come on Dundee, you can do it.
J. Young.Coldstream Crescent,Leven.
Sir, – It is so sad to see grass verges containing thistles, poppies and purple vetches being unnecessarily destroyed by our city’s parks department.
These are increasingly rare wildlife corridors for butterflies and bees, especially at this time of year.
Bees, our most beneficial pollinators and the most sensitive creatures, are being driven off this planet by high-frequency radiation emitted from mobile phone masts.
Please, all gardeners and park keepers, give them a chance by protecting their preferred food plants and habitat.
Stella Small.The Cottage,Lochside Road,St Cyrus.
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.