| Letters - 23 December 2005 |
| Bringing festive cheer |
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Dundee’s Overgate Santa with 3-year-old Raegan Cook.
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| I THANK the Overgate Centre for its contribution to Christmas. I took my little granddaughter to see Santa and what a lovely Santa he is.
He spent so much time with each child and then to finish off she got a lovely book.
Thanks again Santa for keeping the magic of Christmas. — M. Reid. |
| Talking a good game |
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| THE SPIN that comes out of the Council Chambers these days is laughable.
Leader of the administration Mrs Jill Shimi keeps on telling us that we are “living in exciting times”.
Some I suppose are, and when you are earning vast sums of money for ‘talking a good game’ then I suppose it is exciting for them.
Maybe we could pin down Mrs Shimi to tell us exactly in which year this is all going to take place.
Maybe she can also tell me how many people from the less-well-off backgrounds will be employed in this new digital media park about which we keep hearing so much.
How many people will be employed from the city’s housing schemes in this new exciting venture? — Let’s Debate. |
| G8 bill |
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| SNP JUSTICE spokesman Kenny MacAskill has some nerve demanding the Government meet the bill for the G8 Summit at Gleneagles.
Scotland’s generous block grant includes a provision for holding major events. — Betty. |
| Respect works both ways |
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| Western Isles Council has been attacked for refusing to provide ceremonies to accompany the new gay civil partnerships, despite the fact they are not preventing people legally registering their partnerships. |
| The council is well within its right to do so. It represents a population for whom these civil partnerships are, at the least, morally questionable.
It seems attacking Christian moral values has become the latest trend in a society increasingly obsessed with minority views, regardless of their merit. Respect works both ways. — Respect For All, Carnoustie.
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| People could lose jobs |
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| I WAS watching the TV news on December 19 about smoking in pubs and clubs. In the pubs I frequent, 90% of people smoke, including the bar staff.
I agree they should stop smoking where there is food being made.
If the Government is worried about people’s health, tell them to shut the cigarette factories down.
They won’t do that because they are making too much money from cigarettes.
Pubs may be forced to shut down and people lose jobs because of some bright spark making a rule. — Ian Drummond, Lochee, Dundee. |
| Suspect action unlawful |
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| I POINT out the anti-smoking laws which come into force next year ban smoking in public places. There is no workplace ban. As a person’s home is not a public place, I cannot see how Dundee City Council’s proposals can be justified and carers can insist their clients don’t smoke.
Also the council has a statutory duty to deliver care. It is not a charity but is paid for by the recipients’ and others’ taxes.
I suspect that the action proposed by the council is unlawful, but this would have to be tested by the courts. — Legal Watcher. |
| A small ask |
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| MOST SERVICE users already agree to refrain from smoking in the presence of social work staff.
Dundee City Council has an obligation to its staff to maintain a safe working environment. This includes protecting them from passive smoking. There is already a no-smoking policy on council property to protect both staff and public. If a service user is asked to refrain from smoking it would be for a short time only.
Most people choose a career in social work because they care about ordinary people, so to ask them to refrain from smoking is a small ask. — R. D.
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