Dear Editor
Local authorities are elected to operate a wide variety of services in their areas, services that keep the community functioning. The trend now is to cut back on what is thought not to be necessary, to offload some to private contractors or to get the community itself to be the provider. Continue reading Letters: Saving our public services
Dear Editor
There are many schemes, plans and ideas on how, why and what development should take place in Edinburgh, particularly North Edinburgh; some are official, others from private investors.
Although these us some attempt at public consultation it is mostly: ‘do you wish to suggest amendments to the plan?’ There is little intention to start, as it should, to find out the needs and concerns of the people first.
Official boards are on display in many places advertising areas of land set aside for business or other ‘strategic’ development. One does not see official boards setting aside areas of land for the community to use for leisure and pleasure!
If the rate of development continues as outlined in official plans and schemes there will be little open space left in which to relax and take pleasure in visiting. New plan will follow new plan; a developers’ paradise – Edinburgh must not become a city of buildings and traffic congestion.
A. Delahoy
Dear Editor
We work through a Parliament or a Council to change things, so it is crucial to know whom the Members represent and why.
Throughout history there have been many changes in how society works – but not without struggle. Those resisting change stood to benefit from the old system: it is the same today.
The system of Capitalism under which we live is not a stable one; it exists in crisis, followed by a mini-boom, followed by another crisis. The result is unemployment, restricted wages for most people and cuts in public services of all kinds.
The system cannot be stable if the main aim of the owners of industries is private profit making; Capitalism as a system can no longer cope and poses a danger to all. It is time to be replaced by a Socialist sytem, where increasingly industry will operate for the benefit of all, not the few.
This means a struggle, as in the past, with those resisting change. The areas of struggle must be decided by the needs of the people. This will arouse the wrath of the resisters, taking many forms: diverting attention in various ways, pitting one section of people against another to disrupt unity of purpose nationally and internationally.
Throughout history there have been many changes in how society operates: the present society of Capitalism will change but must be replaced by a fairer system called Socialism – that operates for the benefit of ALL.
A.Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
Dear Editor
Information available through newspapers, television and radio have contributed to the disillusion beu#ing felt about politics. I believe it is confusion caused by the similarity of party programmes, in effect making people pay for the debts caused by banks and investors, also having many public services cut and cut again.
Without making changes in the system there is no guarantee this will not happen again. Confusion will lessen and a high level of unity could be had around an initial programme of taking back services from private investors: services that are absolutely essential to be run for the benefit of everyone.
The obvious ones on which we all depend include electricity, gas, water and sewerage and the rail network.
Real hope would be established that, at last, PEOPLE MATTER!
A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens
Dear Editor
The system of capitalism under which we live – where resources are mined, extracted, made or grown – are mainly owned by private investors; they even claim ownership of the land itself.
To realise profit on these materials they need the labour of the wage-earning population to turn these resources into items to sell or use. The cheaper this can be done – by keeping wages and conditions of work as low as possible – the more profits are made.
The lives and poverty of the wage-earning population throughout history, including today, shows capitalism is a failed system for the majority, by it’s nature of seeking maximum profit for the few – even to the extent of closing industries if profit is considered not enough, regardless of the devastating effect on workers and their families.
This is why generations of people – men and women – have struggled in their various ways to change the system to one where the wealth of resources and labour power is used for the benefit of all. These generations called the new system Socialism.
The system was, and is, heavily weighed against them in many way. Communication is the only way to start to convince people of the necessity for change, but how to do this when most channels of communication are owned by private companies or individuals? The sheer volume of their support for capitalism blurs the truth and can shape people’s minds. The working population, by contrast, has limited access to alternative socialist communications, they have limited means to promote it – and have limited time to do so.
The working population can make lives better if they seek maximum unity to right glaring wrongs, such as privately-owned essentials for everyday living. These should be publicly owned – electricity, gas, water and sewerage. Rail and bus transport to get to work and/or leisure. These are essential to all, as is the National Health Service.
A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens
Dear Editor
The worldwide financial crisis started in the USA, creating huge debts everywhere. These were not caused by working people.
The Conservative Party’s leading spokesperson Chancellor Osborne repeatedly told us over the last five years he ‘had a plan.’ If you were not sure about the objective of the plan then, you cannot now be unaware.
The working population is not only to pay the debt, public services will be cut again and again and there will be further selling of public property to private investors.
The Conservatives now see no need to hold back in carrying out their ‘Plan’ and feel safe in doing so.
The Tories now have the audacity to claim they are now the party for the working person – this they can never be!
The partial support at the general election must be falling away now that they are putting into practice their real intentions: that support must haunt those who voted for them.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
Dear Editor
It would seem that in some quarters there is glee with the situation the Labour Party and Labour movement is in, overlooking the fact it is a setback for most people in their struggle to make society work in their interests.
For many decades the focus of the labour movement was the transforming of the capitalist system into a socialist society: not an easy job to do, but great strides were made after the war from 1945 with the introduction of universal services such as the NHS, nationalisation of the rail system, the electricity and gas suppliers and the coal mines – may other welfare services were also initiated.
A frequent criticism if the labour movement is that it did not go far enough to curb the power of the rich, so for today’s ‘flag carriers’ the following article, written many, many years ago is worthwhile reading and worth pondering on:
Socialism v Capitalism
How long will we continue to tinker and patch at an inherently rotten system; every attempt to remedy it’s defects will shed light on the real way forward.
When socialism becomes better understood, when it’s aims are seen not only to be beneficial but possible of accomplishment it will attract men and women to take the path of reconstruction and regeneration of society.
Cooperative management would become a well-defined system and lead to an organisation of society which would take over the present system of fierce competition and selfish class interest to secure the welfare of all, to realise in time the best of humanity.
Men shall be brothers yet, and a’ that.
Tony Delahoy
Dear Editor
As an individual or a family member, having secure employment paying a decent living wage is a must for the majority of people. This does not mean that work is all that matters: interests, activities, leisure time and facilities add quality to life.
Playing fields, bowling greens, libraries, swimming pools, leisure centres, clubs, parks and gardens, seafront enjoyment or just walking in green spaces give that relaxing, good feeling we all need.
A local organisation, Granton Improvement Society, is engaged in adding to that quality of life in proposing a three-part scheme to reclaim unused land in the waterfront area of North Edinburgh. The land is currently held by the city of Edinburgh.
The scheme:
To create an area facing the sea to further interest in painting, arts and crafts in general. A suitable working and storage complex will be created.
A complex of swimming pool, changing rooms and cafe with easy access to the beach.
Granton Improvement Society will seek funding from the Lottery Fund to realise this important project of regenrating derilict land into a valuable community-owned asset in North Edinburgh.
You can help by joining the Society. Membership forms and further information is available by email: info@grantonimprovementsociety.org
Website: https://grantonimprovementsociety.wordpress.org
Tony Delahoy
Dear Editor
Fracking – Danger Ahead
Fracking in America has made vast profits for investment companies: it has also caused contamination of the water table, with toxic chemicals making the water impossible to drink or use.
In some areas water is having to be transported and stored in containers by the householders. Imagine that happening in areas already earmarked for widespread fracking in our central belt of West, Mid and East Lothian.
The immediate danger arises – as it did with wind turbines – of private landowners making deals with fracking companies: this must be prohibited now.
The Scottish government must, without any ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’, state clearly that fracking will not be allowed in any shape or form. The potential disaster for the people of polluting our water supply in the pusuit of private profit must be stopped.
A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens
Dear Editor
Most people have felt the effects of the latest economic crisis; many people have experienced more than one.
The population needs to work regularly to be able to care for their families; they need good pay, decent conditions of work and security of employment.
We live in a capitalist society where the owners of money wealth control where and when to invest. More important to them is their right, if they find profit too low, to withdraw money from industry and business – even to the extent of closing them down – regardless of the effects on employees. This investment and disinvestment happens every day on a large scale, and the system allows a relatively small number of wealthy people to have power over the lives of many people. This cannot be right and must be changed.
As a first step in changing the sytem, the industries on which all people rely – electricity, gas, water supply and sewerage – should be excluded from private profit making as they are essential to every home. Rail and road passenger transport services are also essential in getting to and from work and for social mobility. Again, these industries are needed by everybody so it is essential they should be operated for the benefit of everyone, not for the private profit of the few.
Other essential universal services could also be ncluded, making furthr changes to the system of capitalism that has caused so much hardship to millions of people: people who are now being forced to pay for the crisis they did not create.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
