I suspect I am not the only


naive student of high interna- tional finance and politics struggling to come to terms with the horror stories of the Eurozone. I feel now rather nearer the core. Yes, I am very worried – and


Get ready for the battle of Europe MailMarks


angry too. I have sensed this disaster over the last few years, not appreciating the real seri- ousness for our nation, town and people until recent months. I enjoy holidays around Eu-


rope and have been amazed how the infra-structures of countries like Spain, Portugal, France and (especially) Eire have been transformed. I was pleased for them – but joked it was unaffordable and who foots the bills. Now it seems everyone has


been living in a fools’ paradise. How could European parlia- ment/leaders so mismanage fi- nances and leave us in such jeopardy? Stories emerging about finan-


cial governance of the likes of Greece, Italy and Spain are as- tounding. No one now seems prepared to bail them out. China be-


DENNIS FOWLE - President Kent Campaigning Journalist of the Year 2001 email: dfowle2011@aol.com


lieves the over-generous wel- fare systems are crazy and en- courage indolence, not economic growth. Germany, a Eurozone partner preserving economic strength, tries to pro- tect itself. Political leaders across much


of Europe saw the Eurozone as a gravy train for their own na- tion. They successfully abused it. Now we all pay a desperate price. It was a disease caught by for-


mer Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Labour govern- ment. Had they not so disas- trously spent Britain in to poverty what a powerful posi- tion we could be in. Insteadwe suffer increasingly


and, as always, it is the weakest in society hit the hardest. The cuts become obvious in so many directions. At a local level, Kent County Council and


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Insist on local A&E Dear Sir-Ishare your concerns about ambu- lances not taking Maidstone patients to A&E at Maidstone Hospital. I was a paramedic and operational shift manager with London Ambulance Service. In a 999 emergency you had to take the patient to the nearest A&E hospital. Whomakes these "clinical" decisions to take patients to other hospitals, how do the ambu- lance crews know exactly what services are running and what particular specialist serv- ices are on offer? If an ambulance crew took patients to a further hospital and they died on route as a result, heads would roll. If I had to call for an ambulance in an emer-


gency Iwould demand it takesme to the near- estA&Eand there is nothing they cando about it.


Chris Hebditch, by email South East Coast Ambulance Service says


that while in most cases patients are taken to the nearestA&E, the clinical need is most im- portant and the patient may be required to travel further to a centre of excellence.


My Pembury experience Dear Sir - I read with interest your article with regard to patients being sent to Pembury A&E rather than Maidstone and thought I would sharemy recent experience in this regard. Last Tuesday (November 15), I received a


phone call at 11.50am from Aylesford School Sports College informing me that my 14-year- old daughter, Freya, had had some sort of fit and had fallen unconscious at her desk. I was told that an ambulance was taking her


to Maidstone Hospital. I was working at my local pre-school in Eccles at this time butwas due to finish at noon. Having no car of my own available to me, my colleague offered to take me to Maidstone Hospital. At around 12.10pm we were driving throughAylesford High StreetwhenAylesford School rang me again to say that the teacher


Maidstone Council are being starved of funds and forbidden to increase local taxes. That im- pacts on so many, especially those most needing help. We must not expect so much from our local NHS, police, ambu- lance and welfare services. Charities would like to help – but too are starved of cash. It is impossible just now to


see where all this is going – there seems to be few silver lin- ings. We could well be in very significant times with the world order changing. Bank- rupts are invariably massively weakened – but many come bouncing back with the right wisdom, energy, enthusiasm and skills. I sense a new Battle of Britain


ahead – and probably a Battle of Europe too. This will bring changes – and kill many dam- aging practices.





I wonder if British trade unions will be up for this? All I see now are crazy leaders pos- ing like King Canute – thinking they can halt the raging tide of economic necessities engulfing us all. We must earn our way in the


world again – and that will all be down to success of our busi- ness expertise and energy. Government minds at last seem truly concentrated.


Proper policing IN 60 years of journalism I al-


ways had difficulty in judging the quality of local policing. There are toomany variables. That’s why I find heartening


the opinions of many local civic leaders. They are opti- mistic about latest plans for neighbourhood policing. The structure of Kent Police


is much changed – with not so many chiefs. Views coming to me are the Chief Constable has got it right where it matters most.





Uncertain future How do I see 2012? I wish I


knew! I do not like the signs – but I like the opportunities.


You can write to us at: Downs Mail, 2 Forge House, Bearsted Green Business Park, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME14 4DT or e-mail: info@downsmail.co.uk


accompanyingmydaughter in the ambulance was told that theywerenowgoing to Pembury Hospital. Mycolleague and I did not knowhowto get


to Pembury and as time was of the essence felt it necessary to drive to my father’s house in Loose as I knew he would know the way and had a car. We eventually got to Pembury at around 1.15pm. Once we arrived the directions for parking were atrocious and we were directed to the staff underground car park. Therewere no clear directions to the main reception as obviously we were in a staff car park. Luckily, a member of staff was able to direct


us but thismeant having to walk through the hospital to find ourway. When I did meet up with my daughter, her teacher said she had been seen by a triage nurse and was told to wait to be seen by a doctor. In the meantime the teacher had to phone


the school to be collected by another member of staff. My daughter was eventually dis- charged around 4.30pm. Obviously ifmy daughter had been seen at Maidstone Hospital then the time taken forme to get there and to enable the teacher,who ac- companied my daughter, would have been a lot less - asMaidstone Hospital is only a 5-10 mins drive away. Luckily,mydaughter is fine but we have no


way of knowing whether this could happen to her again.


KarenHumphries, by email


An excellent publication Dear Sir – Iwrite to congratulate you ona most comprehensive and interesting publication. As a disabled 83-year-old who lives with a


wife who suffers from dementia and is also disabled, I always look out for your coverage on issues such as cuts for disabled charities A number of charities are really beginning


to struggle, yet so many of them do a fantastic job. Two carers visit my home three times a day, seven days aweek, andwe really rely on


them. Your articles and reports also highlight


othermatters of interest and provide informa- tion on both past and future activities that would otherwise probably pass unnoticed. It may also interest you to know that all other people with whom I discuss the magazine also express a similar view. I consider this to be the best local publication I can remember inmylifetime.


Ron Edwards, Ditton


Cricket is well established Dear Sir -With regard to the continuing saga of cricket on Bearsted Green, I remain incred- ulous that people choose to buy properties around The Green knowing that cricket is played there andhas been for generations, and then proceed to complain about it. I assume that the cricket club has insurance


to cover damage to residents' vehicles and property - if not, it should - so if somebodydid not want the risk of a cricket ball hitting car orwindow,perhaps they shouldhave thought about it and bought a property somewhere 'safer'. Given the price ofproperty around The Green I'm sure they'd have had a number of options. It's rather like people buying a house sur- rounded by tall trees and then setting out to have them removed on the failsafe basis of 'health and safety'. Nick Singer, BirlingAvenue, Bearsted


December Hi Kent clinics HI Kent, the county’s charity for deaf and hard of hearing people,will be running free hearing aid clinics in theVolunteer Shop at 314 DukesWalk, The Mall, Maidstone (the corner shop next to the ice cream stall) until Christmas. Clinics are on Mondays (10am to 12 noon)


and Thursdays (2pm to 4pm). Information will be available on voluntary opportuni- ties.


38 Town Support YOUR local paper — and we can support YOU - advertise on 01622 630330


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40