Tag: letters

Letter: People Matter

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 

Letter: Time expired

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 

 

Letters: A not so cunning plan

Baldrick

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

 

Letters: Capitalism or Socialism?

letter4

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

Letters: Living

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:

  1. To create a Garden Festival in and around the historic walled garden in the heart of North Edinburgh for both citizens of Edinburgh and international visitors to enjoy.

  2. 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.

  3. 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 

Letters: Lessons from the fracking USA

runningrtapwater

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

 

 

Letter: Capitalism – making millions miserable

capitalist-democracy

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 

Letter: Disruptive Neighbours

letter1

Dear NEN

Disruptive Neighbours

For a year now the tenants upstairs have been making excessive noise, from three to ten hours daily. Having spoken with the mother, she assured me the kids went to bed 6 and 7pm – sadly she is not telling the truth.

We have spoken a few times, nothing has changed and they have refused mediation three times which I thought might be helpful. This has been, and is, affecting my health very badly (many visits to GP) and four times in the last few weeks I have eaten a meal in a bedroom to get away from it.

They have put rubbish in my assisted uplift wheelie bin so no room for mine and lot of unnecessary communications with the council’s Refuse Department to sort it out. The Council, Scottish Police, their landlord and my MSP are aware of the situation and the Council appear to be able to do little to help. The father has been verbally abusive to me twice. What kind of neighbours are they?

Unfortunately there seems to be little consideration for others living in a block of flats. Their language to their kids is foul and also towards each other. I first heard these words on the football terracing in Glasgow.

Often I can’t hear TV so record programmes (at my expense) and sometimes can’t hear the playback the next day. Of course, kids have to play but it is the excessive noise that is unbearable.

There has been damage to a light fitting which rattles often with the force of the banging. Their behaviour means that I am a victim in my own home and I am sure there are lots of others in the same position.

Hopefully the law can be changed to assist those who have these problems in the future.

Name and address withheld 

Letter: A fair share for wealth creators

letter (2)

Dear Editor

Government money for investment is raised through taxes of all kinds on the people. Private investment comes from the rich and very well-off.

The biggest investment of all is the labour power supplied by working people every day of the working year, transforming money investments into products.

Both government and private investors, after costing materials and labour, keep the surplus – called ‘profit’.

Government profit should be ploughed back into society in the form of public services. Those who give their labour power – without which there would be no profit – do not receive any of those profits; they of course get wages of varying amounts for a year’s work … as opposed to the ‘efforts’ of the rich who in making one investment telephone call!

Private investors, as ever, look to maximise profit, keeping costs as low as possible, particularly wages and working conditions (zero hours contracts are the modern way): this is where trouble starts.

If wages are restricted by private industry or the government, the ability of the working people to buy what they have produced is cut. This eventually leads to private investors withdrawing and closing down companies – reducing further the ability of people to buy goods.

The situation is made worse if the government – like the present Tory/Lib Dem one – is dominated by and operates in favour of private investors, and not those who produce the wealth in the first place.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

 

Letter: No fracking need!

letter (2)

Dear Editor

It would seem the oil extraction companies, finding their vast profits falling, are withdrawing investment. The question now arises: where will they invest their money, and in what?

In America there has been heavy investment in ‘fracking’ to extract gas. This has led to widespread contamination of the water table, with toxic chemicals making it impossible to drink or even use.  The recent television programme on the dangers of ‘fracking’ should be shown over and over again to alert people before extraction companies start investing.

There have been some indications that authorities may oppose fracking; presure must be put on them to do so.

As with wind generators, a danger arises in that private land owners will make deals with fracking companies: this must be prohibited.

Fracking is neither needed nor wanted; it poses a potential disaster by polluting our water – all done in the name of making profits for some.

Fracking as a news topic is disturbing by it’s absence: this can only mean ‘Danger Ahead’.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens