Sir, Alec Harvey displays a good deal of naivety in his letter concerning global oil prices (December 30).
It is very likely that the US and its Middle-East allies may have conspired to engineer a drop in world oil prices to punish Russia for its military adventures, which just goes to prove the total fallacy of the SNP pre-referendum propaganda that Scotland would be forever rich if only it were independent and in charge of the revenues generated from taxation on North Sea oil producers.
In Scotland’s poorly-diversified and small (by world standards) economy, an independent Scotland with no control or influence over world commodity prices, would be pole-axed economically, by events whereby such a principal source of revenue was halved in a matter of weeks.
And let us not forget that such actions may very well reoccur in future years when such an important world-commodity is used as a bargaining tool for political purposes.
It is also the case that Mr Harvey provides a very one-sided view of economic impact on Russia. I lived and worked in the former Soviet Union for more than 20 years and the Russian approach to geo-political disagreements is to use military muscle and economic threat to achieve its aims.
There are very obvious examples of this in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, among the several countries of the former USSR, in which Russia is conducting a deliberate policy of destabilisation and let’s not forget the earlier threats to turn off the gas supply to Ukraine and the countries of Western Europe supplied through the Ukraine pipeline, in order to “persuade” these countries to accede to various Russian demands.
I think Mr Harvey needs to reflect more upon the realities of world political power-broking before giving the impression he is simply a sucker for SNP and Russian propaganda.
Derek Farmer. Knightsward Farm, Anstruther.
Ebola detection tests unreliable
Sir, Suddenly, the ebola crisis is not in some far-off country but is in Scotland (your report).
There are concerns about members of the public who had close contact with the infected woman but comforting words have been trotted out, such as: “Risk of infection negligible,” and the classic: “The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority.”
So why were her symptoms not detected in either Sierra Leone or in London before she travelled on to Glasgow?
The detection methods must be unreliable. There is no denying the bravery and commitment of those who volunteer to go to countries with ebola but we must not allow an ebola pandemic to crash on our shores.
Those in ebola countries should be put in isolation units for the period of incubation and only then allowed back into Britain/Europe.
Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.
Practise what you preach
Sir, As one of those who heard Nicola Sturgeon’s New Year message to the people of Scotland, I thought what audacity she had when she said: “The independence referendum was recognised around the world as a shining example of democratic engagement.”
Such meaningless rhetoric when she and her predecessor were not able to set a shining example in recognising and accepting the result and the democratic will of the 55.3% majority.
Colin Cookson. Glenrothes.
Politician’s show of immaturity
Sir, I have never found Pete Wishart to be an impressive politician. He appears to be a slavish party loyalist who has so little to say on matters which should be his concern, then interferes in issues that are rightly the responsibility of local government, such as the Perth City Hall saga.
And his use of the term “nawbags” to describe those who voted “no” in the referendum shows an immaturity and lack of taste and a lack of respect for the electorate.
It is devoutly to be hoped that the 60.2% of electors in his area who can be described in such offensive terms show Mr Wishart what they think of him in the forthcoming general election.
Robert Cairns. Eastergate Cottage, Harrietfield, Perth.
WWF in it for themselves
Sir, Ofgem, the electricity regulator, has reported that more than 35,000 Scottish homes and 600 businesses now get most of their electricity from the sun.
This is minuscule.
The main reason for the uptake of solar panels is that people with money take it out of the bank and get a far higher return, tax free, than bank interest and it is guaranteed for 20/25 years.
Their less well-off neighbours pay.
Sunny Spain has abolished solar panel subsidies and companies are bankrupt. If that happens here, where are the householders’ guarantees?
Campaigners, including WWF Scotland, are urging the Scottish Government to do more. What they really mean is they want larger, mouth-watering subsidies.
WWF Scotland has become a propaganda machine for the renewable industry and moved away from its core ethos.
It is now a business which rewards its directors with huge salaries and perks, while wind turbines continue to mince up birds and bats it purports to protect.
Dan Arnott. St Brycedale Court, Kirkcaldy.