| Letters - 27 February 2006 |
| Wha’d be like us? |
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| ONE RECENT Press report described Dundee as Helltown, and one of the least healthy parts of the UK to live in. And the Hilltown area was named as the unhealthiest in Britain. |
| The story went on to say Scots are fatter, more likely to suffer long-term illness, play less sport, and spend more on cigarettes and alcohol than people elsewhere in Britain.
I was back in Dundee last summer for a short visit and was shocked to see the number of people of all ages roaming around town at night, drunk, many lining up to buy greasy, artery-clogging food.
Many Dundonians have the gall to wear sports gear and show off their chubby bellies, while others wear mass-produced, totally-out-of-fashion baseball caps.
“Wha’s like us?” the Scots proudly boast. Maybe it should be changed to, “Wha wants to be like us?” — Ex-Dundonian & Glad. |
| What is “serious”? |
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| WHAT OPTIONS are available to the council to recover unpaid parking fines now that parking enforcement law in Dundee has been decriminalised?
Are these recovery costs recoverable at all from those who choose not to pay?
Would the council advise what constitutes a serious case of fine avoidance in light of recent reports that we have one person with 164 unpaid tickets and a bar owner in the city centre with 94?
If one of the options open to the council is impoundment of vehicles, can I ask why they are still running around clocking up this number of unpaid tickets?
The council must start enforcing these unpaid fined. — Ian Fraser. |
| Fit and responsible? |
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| WITH REGARDS to the publican who has no intention of paying parking fines, let’s see if our Dundee Council Licensing Committee find him a fit and responsible person to hold a licence. — West End Resident. |
| Impound his car |
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| HOW CAN a Dundee publican refuse to pay his fines? An unpaid £10,000 is ridiculous.
Surely the sheriff officers could impound his car or other assets to recover this money. Is nothing being done to recover what’s owed?
Another motorist is due £13,710 in fines. Considering that makes £23,710 in revenue, which, according to the local authority, could be used to enforce procedures, it would seem that an awful lot of procedures are certainly not being implemented.
Roll on next elections, so we can vote in some people who will hopefully make inroads into this ridiculous situation. — B. C. |
| Broke the back |
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| TRUE SCOT is correct to say more Gaelic should be taught in schools.
Before the 1745 rising, half Scotland’s population lived beyond the Highland Line and was Gaelic-speaking. In Perthshire, native Gaelic speakers were known well into the 20th century.
However, famine, clearance and a denial of education to Gaels in their mother tongue broke the back of the language. — The Watchman. |
| Only in Scotland |
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| True Scot wishes that he had been taught Gaelic at school. I see that a German has been employed to sing German songs in our schools as an introduction to the language.
In the past I have tried to get Dundee schools to learn Gaelic songs. Result — a crashing silence. Poor old Scotland.
A Gaelic conversation club formed in Dundee two years ago turned away a large number of people wishing to learn the language. It could only happen in Scotland. — Gerry McGuigan. |
| Buzz Lightyear |
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| I FOUND a Buzz Lightyear doll in Dundee High Street. If some child is the owner, please phone me on 01382 642897 and I will be glad to see it back with whoever lost it. — Caring Gran. |
| Too many councils |
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| IN VIEW of the annual review of Council Tax, I suggest we could avoid this pantomime every year.
Firstly, there are too many councils.
Scotland is a small country, so why can’t we just have, Highland, Central, Lowland and Border regions? This would save millions every week, never mind every year.
Have only two MPs in every city, the same for MSPs. Abolish List MSPs.
Tax every dog owner £200 per year (this should bring about a massive reduction in Dundee’s Council Tax).
The four regions would have the same Council Tax, avoiding the infantile “they use our services excuse” and “but we spend more money in Dundee” retorts. — Fairtax. |
| Wrong way down one-way street |
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| Cloan Road, in Dundee’s Downfield area, has been a one-way street for the past three weeks, but cars, taxis and even public service vehicles still come down onto Strathmartine Road. This is despite signs advising the street is strictly one-way up to Frederick Street.
This has been reported to Tayside Police by many residents, but they say the problem lies with Dundee City Council roads department. — Concerned Resident.
[A Dundee City Council spokesman said, “We are meeting with Tayside Police to discuss the issue.”] |
| Council housing |
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| SO Dundee City Council is to build a housing office in Lochee, costing £2.4 million, along with the one to be built at the east end of the city costing £2.7 million.
We are told there will be a core of about 13,000 council houses, which could fall to even less.
Maybe I lack the vision of whoever is dreaming up this expenditure, but what about a bit of creative accountancy to cancel this waste of money?
If we can juggle things about to reduce the Council Tax, here is another chance to do the same and save us money. — Law Hill. |
| Smart look |
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| I HEARTILY agree with Snappy Chappie’s comments on the benefits of females wearing skirts to the workplace, but would also add that this smart look is always better supplemented with a pair of high-heeled shoes.
Of late there seems to be number of young ladies adopting flat shoes almost like slippers, especially among the hairdresser fraternity. Come on ladies, what price a bit of discomfort with sore feet compared to the admiring looks of the gentlemen? — The Fashionista.
P.S. — Please withhold name for fear of lynching. |
| Traffic flow |
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| IN THESE days of sophisticated electronics and computers, surely it is not beyond the expertise of those in charge of our traffic lights to stop the pedestrian crossing on the Nethergate at the Old Steeple showing red while the westbound lights at Marketgait are showing green?
This would greatly increase traffic flow in a congested Nethergate. — Bus User. |
| Must do more |
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| NARROWING SUPERMARKET doors is not nearly enough dissuasion for the lardies. Stop their Giros, family allowance or Income Support, then, and only then, will they get motivated to work, visit the supermarket fruit and veg section, stay clear of the off-licence and save the NHS millions in lost causes. — Skinny. |
| Some bad parts |
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| IN REPLY to the West Ferry reader who thinks Charleston has many drug addicts or criminals, I have lived here for over seven years, have a mortgage, my husband and I both work, and our children are never off school.
Charleston is a big place and, of course, there are some parts that are “bad” just the same as other places in Dundee. — Angry. |
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