Tag: letters

Letters: The dangers of misplaced nationalism

Dear Editor

Where one is born usually decides their nationality, how one feels about the nation can depend on many circumstances, but usually deep down there is a feeling of belonging. Sometimes it can develop into a nationalism of my nation above everything: we witnessed this during the last century with Germany, Italy, Japan and others. It led to World War II, causing tremendous destruction and the death of sixty million people worldwide.

This century, hopes of national and international co-operation in solving world problems have been aided by the ability of people to travel, visit and settle in different parts of the world – and realising that agreement between nations is to the benefit of all.

Now, because of an economic crisis of capitalism there are very loud vocal calls from many countries, including the UK, to go back to nationalism as a way of solving problems, the number of which are growing worldwide: food and water shortages, energy supplies, climate change, destruction of the world’s forests, the changing nature of diseases, air pollution, all these and more need co-operation and understanding to solve them for the benefit of all.

The historic system of nationalism as expressed by ‘me first’, loudly sought after in many places, is so wrong and dangerous to world peace. Pride in one’s country is a totally different story.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

 

 

Letters: It’s time to neuter the fat cats

Dear Editor

The massive salaries, bonuses, expenses and other payments to ‘top people’ running into billions of pounds is seen by the majority of working people as totally obscene. How on Earth can it be justified, let alone accepted by them with a clear conscience, when the people who actually produce the wealth are struggling to survive, or ‘just managing’?

Even the government says things should change, but saying ‘should change’ does not mean ‘will change’.

Those who receive such payments cannot possibily spend it all, raising the temptation of investing it in tax free accounts. This also affects the majority of the working population by depriving the country of tax payments that could help pay for services like the NHS.

There must be a maximum limit set on the total amount any individual can get and there must also be a total ban on tax havens , all income being subjected to the Pay as You Earn tax.

This is the minimum start required to bring about the changes needed in the distribution of the wealth produced by working people.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

 

Letters: Freedom And Justice?

Dear Editor

We have always been and continue to be told we owe our livelihoods to those that have the money to invest, without their efforts we would be in dire straits.

Of course their motive is to get back more than they invest; if not, they will not hesitate to withdraw their investment and in the process if you lose your job, hard luck.

Their commitment in time and effort is minimal when compared with a wage earning employee who spends certainly not less than 50 years of their lifetime working, to this must be added unpaid time in support by family members.

Without people working producing goods of all sorts, money itself is useless – yet those who hold it exercise great power over our lives.

Who, then, by their efforts should get the benefits of the value of goods produced? The producers’ lifetime of work – or a wealthy gambler on the stock market who also has  power on whether you have a job or not?

As the title suggests, it is their freedom and their interpretation of justice.

A Delahoy,

Silverknowes Gardens

Letters: truly the nasty party

Dear Editor

The Conservative government always resorts to playing off one section of the population against another. They tried it against people who have to claim different benefits, calling them scroungers, they tried it against people who have disabilities affecting work possibilities, calling them work shy. This tactic carried on over years did create some division, which fortunately is now being overcome.

Now they are at it again, this time trying to create division between pensioners and young people, saying pensioners are now very financially comfortable at young peoples’ expense!

Always the objective of divide and rule is to impose what they wish on both sections. Watch for the stepping up of this particular effort.

They truly are the ‘nasty party’.

Thank You,

Tony (Delahoy, by email)

 

Letters: Essentially yours

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Dear Editor

Rightly so, the NHS is looked upon as a public service, an absolute essential for the vast majority of people living in the UK. It took many decades of struggle and activity against conservative opposition to get this principle established and brought into being by the Labour Party supported by the Trade Unions and the unity of the people.

As a public service the NHS is literally a lifeline: how on earth would people cope with the financial cost of private treatment? They just could not.

There are other essential services needed by everyone every day to be able to function.

First, every home need power: electricity or gas for heating and cooking. Many households cannot do both properly as it is too expensive, yet millions of pounds aer made by investors in these private companies. They should be publicly owned and the millions made used for the benefit of consumers.

The same applies to the essential industries of passenger transport;, rail, bus and tram. Millions are made by investors out of people having to use them just to get to and from work. As essential servces they too should be publicly owned.

All these issues are common to all and as necessary as the NHS. To achieve these ojectives, pressure and demand must be developed showing how the greed of the few wealthy investors affects us all.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

 

Letter: the cold hard truth

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Dear Editor

With winter approaching millions of people will be faced with the increasing cost of their fuel bills. For too many households it will be a question of heating the house properly or eating enough, both cannot be done.

Yet the industries that supply the means to do so make millions of pounds for investors in these privately owned compamies. It cannot be right that such essential services to sustain life should be run for private profit whilst every year there are thousands of cold related illnesses and deaths These services should and must be publicly owned using the profits made, for the benefit all.

This situation equally applies to the transport industry of Rail,Bus and Tram services that are needed to get to and from work. This is a big expense for most people, yet again millions are made for investors in these private companies: again this cannot be right. As people have to travel to their places of work these essential services should be publicly owned and operated for the benefit of all.

A. Delahoy (by email)  

Letters: taking our time

capitalism

Dear Editor,

Industry and agriculture across the world are already capable of providing for the needs of people everywhere, if this is the case why is it not being done? Millions are living in poverty and millions are living on the edge of starvation What are the causes of this terrible situation, and is it beyond our thinking to devise a system that doesn’t have slumps, unemployment and hardship imposed on people?

The present system of capitalism where financial institutions and individuals command great wealth and power that goes with it moving money around the world seeking maximum profit as their main and only consideration.

The question must arise, how did they manage to acquire this great wealth and power to control peoples lives? Historically, through stealing and fighting to obtain land then being in a position to control the lives of people who lived on the land ,this being done through systems of work, Slavery, Serfdom, Feudalism.

Rapid technology from the 17th century on brought in the present system of Capitalism, maintaining their control of the most valuable asset, peoples labour time New technologies increase the inability of the Capitalist system to organise and solve problems here and worldwide because it is based on private wealth and interests.

The value of articles is based on costs of materials, power, transport, etc.  and the amount of wages paid to produce it. If this process takes a percentage of a working day, say 4 hours out of 8 hours, everything produced in the second 4 hours is free of labour costs: this is the source of their profits. The flaw in the system is that more is being produced than can be bought by the people that produced them, This is why the capitalist system goes from boom to slump repeatedly, devastating peoples lives.

This surplus of goods is partially covered by exporting and/or trade wars with other countries, but the problem cannot be solved that way particularly as ever new technology is develops. Capitalism is no longer able to solve its problems; it twists and turns but will not give up its control over peoples time. Extending zero hours contracts and the junior doctors working hours are modern variations of slavery in which the employers control not only working time but all time.

This kind of freedom for the wealthy few denies freedom for millions and, as we see every day, sometimes their lives.

Tony Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Letter: Cycle Friendly? No appetite to tackle transport issues

 

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Dear Editor

As both a driver and cyclist within the city I share many of the concerns regarding the poor state of road surfaces. I want to focus this letter on Ferry Road which is a major transport artery. It is full or ruts and is generally poorly maintained and where there have been attempts at ad hoc repairs they are of a very poor quality.  There is indeed an irony that on the one hand the council tries to encourage people to walk and cycle – yet the road network is not friendly towards cycle users – or cars, for that matter!

Now I hear some voices saying: use the cycle way – of course that is a good option, however there are occasions when that is not viable due to the destination.

Let me focus on a particular issue that highlights an apparent contradiction in policy towards cycling.  There is a lined cycle way  that runs from Crewe Toll to Granton Road – both sides.  However that does not stop cars parking on the pavement and across the ‘dedicated’ cycle route beside Stewarts Melville rugby when there are matches on. It appears that there is no appetite to do anything about this. That gets at the heart of my cynicism. This double standard where there is a policy of promotion of cycling on the one hand whilst not dealing with an issue that is in direct conflict with the same policy.

I attended the recent Forth Neighbourhood Partnership meeting. The issue of transport was raised at the meeting in light of the growth of the Granton Harbour developments going forward.  The issue of increased traffic growth and in particular concerns that residents on Lower Granton Road have had for years is still outstanding and won’t go away.  Local Community Councils and community groups have been calling for a review of the transport plan for this area for at least two years – again there appears no appetite for this to happen.

Yours faithfully

Dave Macnab

West Ferryfield, Edinburgh

 

 

 

Letter: Political Assassination

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Dear Editor
The anti-Jeremy Corby campaign is relentless. It is to the shame of those labour members of parliament who have not only joined in but have and are actively taking part.
Jeremy Corbyn was elected as the leader of the labour party on policies supported and expounded by him.So what has happened ?, Jeremy Corbyn still supports and campaigns for those policies he was elected on, it is his opponents who have changed their minds and claiming that he, Corbyn, is splitting the party
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This allegation is denying reality in that far from splitting the labour party it has grown to over 500,000 since he was elected the leader, This number being larger than all other party memberships put together!
The conclusion must be it is the policies the anti-Corbyn campaigners disagree with but have not the honesty to say so,Further,, their course of action should have been to debate policies in the democratic structures of the party instead of choosing to act as they have.
A. Delahoy (by email)

Letters: No time to lose

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Dear Editor

For decades Unions and Associations of working people have struggled to reduce working hours: the employers have always resisted.

It has taken many generations to get the working week reduced from seven days to five days and from having to work unlimited hours reduced to a forty hours week.

As time went on, new technology produced a greater output: this, coupled with worker pressure, helped to gain justice. Again, it was not a change of heart by the employer.

Today’s technology has vastly raised output needing a highly regulated distribution service. Also, employers in increasing numbers are operating different forms of employment: zero hours contracts, split duties spread over seven days and sometimes ‘flexible’ hours – all these schemes are designed to have a workforce available to suit the employer. It costs them less, saving on pension schemes, sick pay benefit and no security of employment.

Unions and Workers Associations have to urgently rethink their ideas on working hours and conditions. As new technology is and will be developed, we must ensure the value created by them is used to benefit all people in whatever way they want it, not simply tomake the very wealthy even more so.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens