Up for discussion today: football and finance, Courier columnist John J. Marshall, biomass, and pensions.
Money’s talking far too loud in sporting arenas Sir, – The financial difficulties faced by Dundee FC and other clubs such as Liverpool are just the beginning.
Over the past decades football and other sports have paid players and managers as if there were no tomorrow.
Huge expensive stadia have been built, as in ancient Rome, for the enjoyment of the masses, who are less and less inclined to frequent them, while the sportsmen themselves are in some cases anything but role models for young people, as they over-indulge and display gross appetites.
Only very rich individuals can afford to own football clubs, much as in the later days of the Roman Empire chariot teams representing different coloured factions (the most prominent being green and blue) were financed by plutocrats and supported by emperors.
The Commonwealth Games in Delhi will as a spectacle probably be successful, but at a huge cost to those displaced to accommodate the stadia. The same sort of thing happened in Berlin 1936, where the Nazis removed ‘undesirables’ and in Mexico 1968 and South Africa 2010 where security forces were employed to shoot at rioters.
In the modern as in the ancient world sport has increasingly had a political side. In 1908 the USA accused the host nation in London of bias, and in the Cold War period sport was used as a political weapon.
It still is, and always will be as long as success at the World Cup or Olympic Games is viewed as a triumph of government policy. We are losing the idea that the primary motive for doing sport at a high level should be pleasure and self-fulfilment, with financial reward as very much a secondary reason.
If that is borne in mind there is no problem with athletes being paid members of an orchestra are paid but no one suggest that British prestige is damaged if we don’t have the top three orchestras in the world.
The problems start when sport is viewed as an arm of state policy, though of course there is a balance to be struck. Governments should be investing much more in facilities for ‘grass-roots’ sport as part of education and enforce cutbacks on the excesses exemplified by European level soccer or enormous Games.
Donald Macgregor.15 Kinkell Terrace,St Andrews.
Don’t change teams, John J!
Sir, – I wholeheartedly agree with all Morna Cunningham (October 8) had to say about the proposed incinerator at the Dundee waterfront. It is indeed a lunatic plan. Her comment about politicians also rings true, as does her remark that in John J. Marshall we have a “treasure”. A treasure indeed.
As for her asking: “Can’t someone persuade HIM to run for election?” Well, given the SNP are in urgent need of all the help they can get at the moment if they are to have any chance of surviving at the next Holyrood election, never mind staying in power, maybe Alex Salmond can be persuaded to get in touch with John J. Marshall with maybe the offer of a safe seat, if that is, given their increasingly tarnished reputation, the SNP still have such a thing left in Scotland.
That said, knowing how temptation can lead us all astray, I hope Mr Marshall, even given the unlikelihood of it ever being made, would resist any such offer.
For in regularly pricking the wearisome and ever increasing bubble of wind and bluster of the First Minister and his cohorts, to include those in Dundee he would already seem to be doing a very fine job indeed, and without the need of getting into bed with the devils themselves.
Neil McKinnon.Tulchan Garden, Glenalmond.
A much darker shade of green
Sir, – My understanding is that the biomass is to come from countries far away. How many tonnes in one year?
It will come in ships. How many ships required? How much port dues revenue to Forth Ports is that?
Ships engines consume fuel oil. How much fuel will be consumed in a year by the ships’ engines making the round trip bringing the biomass to Dundee?
Fuel oil has a higher calorific value than wood, (about 15 against 45). How much electricity could be generated by the amount of fuel oil the ships will burn?
In any case, to those who claim the biomass will burn clean, so oh how wonderful, note well the ships will still burn the fuel oil to get the clean-burning biomass to Dundee and ships do not burn particularly clean so the planet will still take the hit.
Capt. Ross Watson.7 Chapman Drive,Carnoustie.
Dispelling a pensions ‘myth’
Sir, – In his letter of October 11, Iain McLaren perpetuates a myth about public sector pensions that needs to be dispelled if any informed progress is to be made.
Mr McLaren claims public sector employees alone have the right to retire at age 60 while everyone else must work until 65. This is untrue. Nobody is required to work until 65 and everyone has the right to retire when they want, regardless of age, if their finances and pension schemes allow it.
Many private sector employees retire long before 65 while many (if not most) public sector employees have to work until that age as their “gold-plated” pensions are nowhere near as generous as some people would have us believe.
The only relevance age 65 has to the debate on pensions is that no-one can receive their state pension until then no matter what sector they work in.
As to the sustainability of public sector pension schemes, many are still in very rude health. The NHS scheme, for example, currently contributes around £2bn to the Exchequer after all those entitled to it receive their monies.
The attack on public sector pension schemes appears to me to be distraction from the real problem which is the poor provision within the private sector. That is where attention should be concentrated.
Stuart Allan.8 Nelson Street,Dundee.
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.