On the agenda today: care of the elderly, defending the UK, faith schools, Professor Bernard King, motoring days gone by, and immigration.
Do Fife councillors consider elderly a burden?
Sir,-Many carers and senior citizens in Fife will be very concerned by your reports that the SNP/Liberal Democrat administration of Fife Council intend to offload care homes and that 93 patients died awaiting release from hospitals because there was no accommodation for them.
Can this be a caring society that considers the older generation a burden?
Having, in recent years, been grateful for the respite care (paid for) my late wife received from time to time at North Eden House in Cupar, it alarms and saddens me that this facility, used by many, is to be disposed of for monetary reasons.
The councillors responsible for these changes should be ashamed of themselves and I trust the electorate will remove them from office at the forthcoming elections.
R. H. L. Mulheron.28 Cowgate,Tayport.
Don’t let down UK’s defences
Sir,-The world has changed a lot since I meddled in military affairs in Denmark 50 years ago as a humble wren in navy headquarters but the thought of doing away with RAF Leuchars and Fife Ness Coastguard makes me shudder.
I appreciate that we are no longer worried that “the Russians are coming” but what makes our government so sure that nobody and nothing else will? And can we be certain that there will not be civilian emergencies for these good lookouts to deal with?
I would play safe and keep the facilities rather than risking our security for the sake of money. These sacrifices could backfire in all sorts of ways.
Armed forces and emergency services such as police are expensive luxuries when you don’t need them but when you do, and haven’t got them, you’re in trouble.
Ase Skriver Goldsmith.18 Mid Street,Largoward.
End policy of faith schools
Sir,-If Prime Minister David Cameron is really serious about cohesion in our society, he should take a long hard look at the policy of faith schools.
These contribute to polarisation in society and can be a hotbed of religious bias.
As a taxpayer and an atheist I believe that children should be educated to meet the demands of society and not encouraged to treat other people as different and separate.
Religion should be taught either privately or in church.
Alister Rankin.93 Whyterose Terrace,Methil.
Outstanding leadership
Sir,-I absolutely agree with Professor Sarkar (February 8) that the pioneering role of Professor Bernard King and his very real achievements at the University of Abertay Dundee should not be clouded by this present farrago.
The Education Act of 1992, which gave university status to Abertay, was based on the Tory conviction that competition on price, quality and access was essential in tertiary education.
From the first it was a highly controversial experiment and has been blamed for the recent academic drift in Britain and dismissed as an expensive vanity.
Many believe we should have continued to provide academic education for our intellectual elite while funding good vocational training locally and extending our apprenticeship system.
Where the “new university” model was successful, it was almost entirely due to outstanding leaders such as Bernard King and it would be grossly unfair if his career ended on this note.
(Dr) John Cameron.10 Howard Place,St Andrews.
Drive down memory lane
Sir,-Just to assure your correspondent Malcolm Parkin (February 8) of a few facts.
Had I filled the petrol tank of my present car it would have cost me just short of £75 and, as a pensioner, I certainly do not earn £750 a week, which is £39,000 a year and I would have happily settled for £1500 a year 45 years ago when I made the Manchester to Elgin trip.
Oh, and petrol consumption in the Morris 1000 was on well spaced-out journeys 42mpg to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 43mpg to Glasgow as well as 41mpg when checked by a local garage over a general driving distance of 1060 miles.
‘Were the old days so good?’, your heading asked. Well, they were not at all bad!
Ian Wheeler.Springfield,Cupar.
Language test for immigrants
Sir,-Prime Minister David Cameron made a major, and brave, speech at the international conference on terrorism held in Munich at the weekend.
He said that multi-culturalism was a failed experiment and the reluctance to uphold British values has profoundly damaged our society by promoting homegrown Islamic terrorism.
Many of us have been saying the same thing for years.
Mr Cameron said people coming to the United Kingdom must learn English and adhere to British values so they can integrate.
A first step would be to completely stop all new immigration.
Too many existing immigrants have been content to remain isolated from British society but claim welfare benefits.
We should now tell the existing immigrants that their welfare benefits and housing will stop after a year unless they become fluent in English.
I bet that would focus their attention to integrate and adopt British values.
Now, Prime Minister, all we need is action not just fine words.
Clark Cross.138 Springfield Road,Linlithgow.
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