Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, In 1993-94, the black teenager Stephen Lawrence and white teenager Richard Everitt were murdered by young ‘racist gangs’ in London but there the resemblance ends.
Vast media publicity followed Stephen’s case, the Home Secretary visited, a monument was erected and a judicial inquiry denounced the police as ”institutionally racist”.
Two men have now been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment while the judge demands the other attackers be punished because they engaged in a ”joint exercise”.
Eleven Bengali youths one aged 20 were arrested over Richard’s killing but only two came to trial with no calls for the rest to be prosecuted on a ”joint enterprise” basis.
One was found guilty of violent disorder and served 18 months while the other served 11 years for what the trial judge described it as a ”wholly unprovoked racist murder”.
There was no visit by the Home Secretary, no monument, no judicial inquiry, no interest shown by his local MP and a code of omerta from the metropolitan leftist media.
(Dr) John Cameron.10 Howard Place,St Andrews.
It really pays to shop around
Sir, I recently received the annual travel insurance renewal notification for my wife and myself from a company we have been with for some years.
I was incensed to be told that the renewal cost this year would be around £328 compared with only around £135 last year for exactly the same cover and with no change in personal circumstances.
This is a 250% increase. When I challenged the increase, a rather feeble attempt was made to justify it on the basis that, in the past, my travel insurance had been cheaper than it should have been and that this issue was now being addressed.
Needless to say, I declined to renew with the company and successfully shopped around for a more realistic deal.
It might be interesting to note that we have never made a claim on this or any other travel insurance policy in over 40 years of marriage.
I felt the need to alert others of the need to shop around for insurance and to emphasise that customer loyalty seems to bring little benefits nowadays.
It is no wonder that senior executive salaries have risen by around 50% in the financial sector when a serious greed culture still appears to prevail.
David J. Gardner.7 Croft Road,Auchterarder.
Why were they not all sacked?
Sir, I find it quite alarming that we have more than 900 serving police officers in England and Wales who have criminal records (January 3), including burglary, robbery, forgery, supplying drugs and perverting the course of justice. As the officers were convicted, why were they not instantly sacked?
Is this just another example of the politically correct powers that be taking a pussy-footing diversionary route rather than dealing effectively with the problem?
With so much unemployment, recruitment should not be a problem.
John McDonald.14 Rosebery Court,Kirkcaldy.
Political will and finance needed
Sir, In the run-up to local elections in May, Councillor Andrew Arbuckle makes some wise comments about the future of Madras College in St Andrews (January 6).
The point he makes is simple if stark. One council administration cannot bind another to any commitment. There may be very strong feelings in the town about the need for a replacement facility but it will only come to fruition if there is the political will and the necessary finance after May to bring it about.
Sometimes, of course, it is very difficult for any administration to renege on plans which are already well developed. Sometimes there is a legal obligation on the authority to take a programme forward.
This was the case in the 1990s, for example, over the traffic calming scheme which runs through the centre of Glenrothes along South Parks Road.
The scheme was basically a planning condition relating to the completion of the Western Distributor Road over the town’s Riverside Park and on to the south of the town. Capital resources were very limited but the new Fife Council had to go ahead with the scheme albeit with some reluctance.
By contrast the Madras College proposal is fraught with political and financial uncertainty. All the more reason, I suppose, why the townsfolk should take the coming local authority election seriously and make sure they vote.
Councillor Arbuckle has done us all a favour by alerting us to the pitfalls that exist.
It is a point that should be remembered during the controversy of the consultation period.
Bob Taylor.24 Shiel Court,Glenrothes.
Needs sense of proportion
Sir, On page four of Wednesday’s paper you report a Fife councillor complaining that ScottishPower has not repaired a few street lights in Dunfermline.
On page eight there is a report to the effect that 15,000 people in Fife have no electricity supply at all.
I think Councillor Rosiejak should develop a sense of proportion.
Robert Cairns.Eastergate Cottage,Harrietfield,Perthshire.
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.