Today’s letters to The Courier’s editor discuss the Lockerbie bomber’s fate, the quality of care at Ninewells Hospital, possible action against smokers and inquiries into public sector pensions.
London would have decided Megrahi’s fate Sir,-What would a Labour Scottish justice secretary have done over the the Lockerbie bomber? It is puerile for Iain Gray to call on Kenny MacAskill to apologise if Megrahi lives beyond a year after his release (August 4).
His longevity is not the main issue. It is what he is capable of doing that should concern us. By all accounts, that is not much if reports about his state of health are to be believed.
Iain Gray and Labour should be counting their blessings that the decision on release was not their direct concern. Whatever the merits and demerits of the Scottish justice secretary’s decision, it is indisputable that he took it on his own accord and in line with the principles of Scots law.
Although we have had devolution for over a decade, it remains the case that, on crucial matters, Labour headquarters in London will make up Scottish Labour’s mind for it.
This would have happened had Labour been in power in Holyrood and Westminster at the time.
Labour had already been compromised over the prisoner transfer agreement and the so-called deal in the desert between Tony Blair and Colonel Gaddafi.
Whatever way a Labour justice secretary had decided on Megrahi’s release, he or she would have been pilloried as Kenny MacAskill has been.
The Scottish justice secretary’s judgment may or may not have been wrong. But at least we can be sure that it was his and his alone.
Bob Taylor.24 Shiel Court,Glenrothes.
First-class care at Ninewells
Sir,-I am writing to you for the first time (to any newspaper) with regard to the headline (July 31) that a patient did not feel safe in Ninewells.
This is the most irresponsible headline I have ever read. I am perfectly happy with the content of the article and my heart goes out to the couple and the nurses involved should be severely disciplined. But to infer that patients are not safe is an outrage. Unfortunately I have had six months’ experience of Ninewells and the standard of care was 99% plus. We never see an article about how well things are going. One ward gets shut down but you never mention the other 44 that remain open.
My wife was diagnosed with bowel cancer on January 15. She was operated on on February 22, then spent six weeks in intensive care, was moved to high dependency and then to a ward. The standard of care and nursing was second to none.
She died on July 14 from complications to do with her digestive system and the team at Ninewells did everything they could to save her.
By all means report bad news but you seem to be desperate to bring Ninewells down and I can’t begin to think what some nurses think when they are working flat out to care for patients, giving that bit extra when they are being tarred with a headline like that.
Bob Smyth.Broomend,Meigle.
Turn up heat on smokers
Sir,-I note that it is now acceptable to refer to obese people as fat. In future, doctors and health workers will be able to use the word with impunity.
By confronting this serious health issue head on, it is to be hoped that something will be done about it without all the pussy-footing there has been. Maybe if we tackled smoking, alcoholism and drug abuse with a lot more vigour, we might see some real improvements in our nation’s health too.
For too long, Scotland has had the poorest health record, not only in the UK, but in Europe. For example, banning smoking in public places has done little to reduce tobacco consumption
The sight of groups of people, mainly women, puffing outside offices and shops is all too familiar.
Young children stuck in the back of a car while parents smoke is even more tragic. The stink of cigarettes still pervades our towns and cities.
In City Square, Dundee, at lunchtime, it is almost impossible to find a bench without a smoker on it.
At the entrance to Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, in spite of audible warnings, smokers totally disregard the clear public message – and they are getting away with it. We have traffic wardens so why don’t we have smoking wardens too and give them real clout?
Unless we confront these serious health problems with a lot more vigour, we will not solve these major social issues.
Bob Smart.55 Bellevue Gardens,Arbroath.
Victory against cruel barbarism
Sir,-Successive governments have placed animal rights groups in the same category as terrorists.
It is now heartening to learn that Catalonia is banning this vile spectacle, which is billed as entertainment, when, in reality, it is one of the most blatant examples of mankind’s cruelty to animals.
Those who pay to watch a bullfight are aiding and abetting this suffering by bulls.
I would have thought that all of Europe in the 21st century would have moved on and cast bullfighting into the past.
The only reason that the ban has been announced is that authorities have, at last, been persuaded that this is cruel and no longer an acceptable form of entertainment.
Bob Beveridge.Old Town House,Falkland.
Public sector pensions probed
Sir,-Your article Fife Council denies link between pensions and council tax (July 30) stated that an Audit Scotland report claims that “half of council tax bills were finding their way into pension pots of employees at councils across Scotland.”
I wish to make clear that we have made no such comment.
However, we do recognise the interest in public sector pensions and are currently working on a study on this topic, to be published this winter.
The project brief is available on our website.
John Lincoln.Project manager,Audit Scotland.
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.