| Letters - 30 August 2006 |
| No excuses for being out of work |
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| I READ letters from people complaining about a lack of jobs or someone from another country taking them. I find this strange because there are hundreds advertised.
If you want to work you will. It’s as simple as that.
Since leaving school 17 years ago, I’ve been unemployed for only three weeks, and that was 14 years ago.
Concerned Parent complains her son may only be offered £15 a week benefit. Get your son out to work.
The only reason for anybody out of work is laziness. — J. C.
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| Do not want to work |
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| IN AGREEING with the letter by Jim Burns that we need measures to curb immigration, we must not forget that a fairly large majority of our own people do not want to work.
If we open our floodgates to the Bulgarians and Romanians, we won’t know what has hit us, as we will be dealing with a different kettle of fish compared to the hard-working Europeans we have now. — J. Y., Perth.
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| Lower standards |
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| I DON’T think the people of Scotland should let the powers-that-be allow foreign workers to steal our jobs and lower our standards of living.
Our wages are paltry enough without working for less to compete with foreigners, many of whom are not skilled.
The money they earn does not stay here as it is sent to their families in Poland.
It’s time this carry-on was stopped. — Blair Out.
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| Lack of housing |
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| I SUPPORT citizens from EU member states travelling to other countries such as the UK for employment. However, a Polish citizen complained about a lack of housing.
I say, welcome to Dundee.
I am a resident in one of the Dundee multis set for demolition and I am expecting a baby.
When I informed the council and housing associations, they said there was no appropriate housing available and there was nothing they could do until the baby was born.
There are many Dundee residents waiting to be re-housed from the multis, along with homeless people.
I feel there would be a lot of angry residents if immigrants started getting housing before the Dundee citizens in need. — Worried Expectant Mum.
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| Soldiers suffer thefts |
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| I AM the mother of two soldiers serving in The Black Watch. When they joined up they were not warned about the amount of stealing going on. When it is reported nothing is done.
Every time one of my sons phones home something else has gone missing.
I spoke to another mother who has the same experience. — Angry Mother.
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| Poor pensioners |
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| I AGREE with Jack Stewart. We certainly do have some of the lowest pensions and benefits in Europe.
It’s true that some pensioners do have two or more jobs, some have occupational pensions but still work, and some are pensioned off on health grounds, then work.
However, the vast majority of OAPs have jobs only to supplement their poor pensions.
Given a decent pension, we would not need to work and could maybe enjoy our retirement. — W. McCormack, Symers Street, Dundee.
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| No handouts |
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| SOME PEOPLE begrudge pensioners working. Most of these pensioners have worked all their lives and now feel they do not wish to receive “hand-outs”.
The moaners should find out what hourly rate these older people receive and the unsociable hours they work.
Younger people would not put in the hours to receive such a pittance. — Live And Let Live.
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| Charity at a price |
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June Reynolds and Graham Foley hand over the cheque to Dr Colin Henderson, before being ticketed for parking at Ninewells.
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| MAYBE YOU saw the photograph in the Tele on August 23, showing Graham Foley and me handing over a cheque for £2760 to Dr Colin Henderson, of Cancer Research at Ninewells Hospital.
We were made very welcome and shown around the labs.
But on leaving we faced a penalty notice on my car.
Both of us were unaware you now have to pay and display.
It’s a funny world.
You hand over a cheque for £2760 and get a parking ticket for £20, or £10 if you pay within 24 hours.
Graham, Gary and I thank everyone who sponsored our Bridge to Bridge swim. — June Reynolds.
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| Perks for homeless |
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| HAVING FOLLOWED carefully the letters about homelessness in Dundee, I visited the Scottish Executive website and saw exactly how much money is spent on trying to help people who blatantly do not want help.
They choose to live this lifestyle because they get more perks.
I think this money could be spent on better projects for the homelessness, such as drink and drugs rehab then work placements.
Before I’m bombarded by letter writers telling me there’s a lot more to it than that, I was homeless with a new baby and am proof that people can change if they are willing. — T. E.
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| Urgent need |
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| I REFER to the Tele’s article on Dundee’s urgent need for housing. Perhaps we should turn all the unused shops into flats.
It would solve the problem and tidy up the city at the same time.
And what a waste of public money those large stone pillars in the Hilltown are. It does nothing for the area. — P. G.
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| On the move |
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| I WAS very surprised to read that former SNP councillor Allan Petrie had been accepted by the Lib/Dems as a new member.
It is my understanding that when local SNP members deselected Mr Petrie as a council candidate, he left the party and continued in the council as an independent.
He then went on to stand as an Independent against the SNP and was rejected by the voters.
After this failure he then attempted to start his own political party.
Come the General Election he openly supported Labour’s Iain Luke’s attempt to take the Dundee East Westminster seat.
I can only wonder what has happened to make him turn to the Lib/Dems? — The Seer.
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| Jumped ship |
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| ONE-TIME SNP councillor, who turned independent, only to emerge as part of the Labour Party campaign team last year, Allan Petrie has jumped ship once again.
The latest membership card to grace his wallet is issued by one of the few political parties with which he’s not yet been associated, the Liberal Democrats.
This man once claimed to be the independent voice of the electorate, whose voice was silenced when he realised he couldn’t muster enough support. Cast adrift once more, he’s found another berth. — Confuse the Cat.
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| Wasted spending |
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| THE LATEST irresponsible spending by Dundee City Council is at the newly-installed bus shelter outside 205 Perth Road.
The pavement was dug up and replaced with monoblocks.
I hope this doesn’t mean all of the new shelters and surrounding areas are to be treated in the same fashion.
If money is available for pavement improvement, then I suggest the council take a long, hard look at pavements outwith the shelters and reinstate these. — EM/CEE, West End. |
| Pub names |
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| THERE have been a few mentions for the former County Bar at the corner of Hunter Street and Hawkhill in Dundee.
It was indeed run by local singer Joe Roberts, who sang in The Craigtay Hotel around the same time.
Joe later became a private detective and was dubbed Shoestring. Later, he and his wife had The Royal Oak, which became Shoestrings for a while.
His song was always, I Left My Heart In San Francisco. — Ken MacDougall, Dundee.
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| Summer holiday request |
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| SIR CLIFF Richard stated he offered Tony Blair his holiday house in the Caribbean because the Prime Minister looked tired.
I look tired and suffer from health problems. If I send a photograph to Cliff, will he lend me his house? — B. C., Monifieth. |
| Helping traffic |
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| I AGREE with Parking Law Supporter about parking attendants.
They are keeping the roads and streets flowing and preventing accidents because some people cannot be bothered walking from a legal parking spot to the shop. — For Parking Attendants.
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| THE ADDRESS for readers’ letters is - Readers’ Page, Evening Telegraph, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. They can also be placed in our post box at our offices in Albert Square, Dundee, emailed to us on letters@eveningtelegraph.co.uk or faxed on 01382 454590. We ask correspondents using a nom-de-plume or sending by e-mail to provide a name and address for reference purposes. The editor reserves the right to reject or edit any letter. Please keep letters as short as possible.* |
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