Today’s letters to The Courier’s editor relate to Scottish expatriates, university tuition fees, the safety of nuclear power, and private finance initiatives.
Sir, I could not agree more with John J. Marshall’s article (April 6) about ex pat celebrities suggesting how we should vote. I have long held the same views.
In fact, I wrote to you a few years ago in response to an article in which Sean Connery was spouting forth along similar lines-again from afar.
Sentimentality for one’s homeland has its place but oh to be endowed with feelings of self importance.
(Mrs) Joan S. Cargill.Stelara,8 Muirnwood Place,Monifieth.In defence of ex pat talentSir, Since returning to my native Dundee I have enjoyed my daily dose of The Courier and look forward each Wednesday to the John J. Marshall column, which can be clever and very witty, though I do not always agree with his views.
April 6 was a good example and I would like to counter his attack on local lad, Alan Cumming.
John Marshall’s main thrust seems to be the fact that because of his work, Alan Cumming has moved to America.
Andrew Carnegie is a good example of a young Scot moving to America and making good.
Another is Sir Jackie Stewart who was forced to move abroad to avoid paying crippling taxes of 98p in the pound.
I left Dundee in 1954 but you never cease being a Scot.
George Gavine.The Veldt,Monikie.No place for tuition feesSir, As a graduate of Dundee University, I was disappointed to note university principal Professor Peter Downes’ comments on tuition fees.
There is no appetite politically or within the public for tuition fees.
More importantly, Professor Downes then states that university education is not a universal benefit unlike school education, the NHS and councils and, on that basis, he supports the principle of user pays. However, he fails to acknowledge that all three examples he quotes require employees to have a university education, be they teachers, doctors, nurses or accountants.
Without these people our society would fail to function, therefore, as a society, we benefit directly from the university education provided, even if we do not see it in our individual pay packets.
Professor Downes is right to raise the issue of funding. Universities need to be properly financed to provide the high standard of teaching and research we require of them.
However, we also need to ensure that students are selected for university on merit and ability and not in any way through an ability to pay.
(Cllr) Keith Legg.50 Chandlers Walk,Dalgety Bay.Prepare for nuclear accidentSir, With ever more countries going nuclear, further accidents like the Japan and Chernobyl ones are virtually inevitable.
No iodine pills were issued in the UK during the Chernobyl crisis despite high levels of radioactive iodine and caesium.
The UK Government of the day caused a near public panic by warning people not to drink water in the west of Scotland.
The helpline was jammed for days until the warning was dropped as being totally impractical because there was no way to avoid the danger.
Apparently some people can remember receiving iodine tablets as children during a massive radiation leak from the UK’s Windscale reactor in 1957.
Contingency planning for nuclear accidents should be given top priority.
Angus Ramsay.34 Kings Road,Rosyth.UK exposed on energy securitySir, It seems the pro-nuclear lobby has forgotten, or is conveniently ignoring, the main reasons energy has become such an all-important issue for the UK.
Firstly is the UK’s increasing dependence on foreign suppliers for the fuel that keeps the lights on. This is considered a security risk as supplies could easily be cut with little recourse available.
However, nuclear energy is as vulnerable to this risk as there are no domestic sources of fuel for it.
Secondly, fossil fuels are diminishing all the time and a replacement is necessary. With only about 40 years worth of accessible uranium left at current levels of use, the nuclear industry again fails to meet requirements.
Renewables are our only hope of a safe and secure energy supply in perpetuity.
Dr Moreton (April 9) may feel 1000 years of dealing with radioactive waste is nothing to fuss about. I beg to differ.
Stuart Allan.8 Nelson Street,Dundee.PFI cannot be stoppedSir, In reference to your report (April 8) on your hustings in Dunfermline and the subject of PFI, there seems to be some misunderstanding with my question and suggestion that the PFI contract for Victoria Hospital should be “scrapped.”
In my question I stated my displeasure with high-cost PFI deals and their possible detrimental effects on NHS future finances, the object being to get the prospective MSPs’ views on the subject of using PFI for major Government projects.
This led to a debate between candidates on the merits or otherwise of such schemes.
While I would freely admit I would like to see a Holyrood Government stop all future PFI deals, as a new board member of NHS Fife I have to accept that the Victoria deal has already been signed, the hospital 80% completed and could not be scrapped.
I hope this will clarify any misunderstanding among the public.
John Winton.104 Castlandhill Road,Rosyth.
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.