50 Letters


THE HERALD FRIDAY JANUARY 6 2017


SOLIDARITY


DEAR SIR, We all know that ISIS terrorists


have been planting bombs in Muslim mosques and in the markets of Middle East countries for several years, indiscriminately killing large numbers of innocent Muslim children and citizens, murderously against the will of Allah. Muslims have been targeted by these evil criminals, compared to non- Muslims, at a ratio of 20 to one. It would be insane for


westerners to blame Muslims for these atrocities, when they have largely been the victims. We, the people of principle, must unite against the corrosive hatred of the demented mind, all over the globe. C. N. Westerman, Brynna, Mid Glam


A NEW JERUSALEM


DEAR SIR, The


right-wing Israeli


Government seems blinkered to any viewpoint different from its own concerning human rights, and so fails to perceive that its own policies, once enforced upon people outside its care, become the creative force of all the opposition against the future and the success of Israel. All intelligent adults should


learn this, that when you choose to make people hate you, you are endangering the lives of your own grandchildren. When you make your plans for the future, they should be clever enough to include other people, if you are smart. Israel has been an innocent victim of evil terrorism: all the more reason to employ an inspiringly superior response. The Israeli Government points


out that Jehovah wishes them to occupy Jerusalem, but they must not invoke Jehovah while rejecting His justice. Jehovah urges Jews to share the


fruits of His world, rather than deny Jerusalem to others. The Government of Israel has


the opportunity, and the duty, to teach cohabitation of the races, to all nations.


Anonymous HOPE OF PRINCIPLES


DEAR SIR, Because the minds of all


British children are bombarded with corrosive visual advertising material since birth, one cannot expect that the adults they have become could find a clear grasp of the virtues, ideals or principles discovered by earlier generations. When Clem Attlee advanced


the Collective Ethics of Universal Health Care in 1948, that ‘all shall care for each’ in the NHS, his dream was that eventually all citizens would take a fierce pride in paying taxes to ensure the health of persons unknown to them, and that society would be bound together by a deep sense of gratitude from those who had received the benefits towards those perfectly healthy people who had found a worthwhile purpose in their own lives by giving to the care of the sick in the form of shared taxes. Citizens who do not experience the reciprocal emotions of pride and of gratitude are not fully alive. That


is how thoughtful


people can distinguish an ethical principle - totally different from the many pragmatic, political and opinionated schemes which others devise. Principles have the power to inspire a higher level of thinking in millions of unprejudiced people towards a wiser view of human life, and to change the standards by which civilisations are judged. Only if you can identify principles can you detect their influence in history. It must be obvious to everybody,


although we have the valuable institution of the NHS to cure the sick, that Attlee’s dream of uplifting the moral values of British people is even further from reality than in 1948, because the worship of money, forced upon them by a materialistic media culture, has occupied and dominated the minds and the politics of the population. C. N. Westerman, Brynna, Mid Glam


LOCAL NOSTALGIA


DEAR SIR, Once again, I have visited


my dear friend, 92-year-old Joyce Baxter. She told me that schoolchildren had visited her and asked questions about her early childhood memories. She told me that her father,


Sidney Norman Owen Carrington, along with his sister, stowed away on a ship in Australia. The ship’s captain found them but they


pleaded with him to allow them both a safe passage to England as they were afraid of their father. The captain relented and when they both arrived on British shores, they were kindly looked after by The Salvation Army until they were of age.


Sidney later enlisted into the


Royal Navy and served in both wars. His sister was sadly killed in the London Blitz in a hospital where she worked as a nurse. Sidney married Winifred in


the early 1920s. Joyce was born in 1924, one of nine children. They lived at one time in the old ‘Police Lockup House’, which was based under Mrs Segadeli’s cafe in Charles Street. Joyce worked for Mrs Segadeli as a nine-year-old girl, helping with the washing of the cafe’s cups and plates, standing on a box to reach the large sink. Her dad, Sidney, was a Chief Engineer on the fishing fleet. Every three or four trips, they would receive extra payments so he would bring back from Ireland a present for one child each time. In turn, Joyce was given a doll which she loved. She showed me the doll, still intact on her bed. As for Charles Street, she recalls five grocers - Mr Reynolds on the corner, where the Red Cross shop was, then there was Mr Edmunds, Peglars, Co-op and Star Stores. She remembers on Priory


Street Bert Edwards the printers, and at the back of the Ivan Reynolds shop was the printers for local news. There were steps leading up to the stationary shop in Charles Street, where messengers used to run down to the docks with deliveries. Two well-known sisters, May and Lillian Philpen, ran the ladies’ outfitters, opposite Whichers and Jaminsons, the most fashionable shop in Charles Street with a massive warehouse at the back which ran all the way up to the corner of Robert Street. She told me where Woolworths was later built was Bean the Butchers, then the Milford Haven Council Hall, which had a large bell on the building, and next to that was a wool shop. There was a very fine house at the top of Pier Road. It was called ‘Marine Villas’. Below the wall of Hamilton Terrace were gardens growing fruit and veg. Joyce would walk for miles


to pick blackberries - way past Neyland, in fact! Every Christmas was a delight


then with all the shops lit up and the excitement of waiting for the


toys was always a bit special. I would like to give thanks


to Joyce, of Robert Street, for speaking about her memories. Richard Simon Barnes Milford Haven


DAZED AND CONFUSED


DEAR SIR, I guess in this ‘post-truth’ world, anything goes. With regards to ‘Badger sends for the doctor’, in the December 2 issue of The Pembrokeshire Herald, your readers may contemplate whether such a misleading article is contributing to the historical low score of 24% that journalists achieved in the Ipsos Mori 2016 Veracity Index. In the interest of balanced reporting, readers may like to know that: • The CPGS regeneration programme was externally audited (no issues identified) and


the independent


consultants’ evaluation report - which members of the council and stakeholders contributed to - concluded ‘the programme has performed well against its regeneration objectives’.


• The funding arrangements for the Townscape Heritage Initiative (which subsequently involved £170k clawback) were in place well before I joined the council.


• The Foley House project predates my employment with the County Council.


• The sale price of Narberth School was based on figures provided by the Valuation Office Agency and the offer of a loan (at a commercial rate) was approved by Cabinet.


• The acquisition of the offices at Cherry Grove and the closure of Haverfordwest Library were decisions made by the former Chief Executive; I had no involvement in either of these.


• The preparation and adoption of a Masterplan and recent support of


regeneration


projects in Haverfordwest Town Centre are an attempt to address its decline, the seeds of which were sewn in the 1980s and 1990s.


• There is a statutory process for closing schools and I have no role in these decisions.


• The decision to recommend Egnedol followed a decision to


appoint by Welsh Government and due diligence undertaken by consultants engaged by Welsh Government.


I probably wouldn’t expect Badger to say anything about the £25 million of external funding that has been secured in the last eight years , but never let the facts get in the way of a good story.


Dr SP Owens


Director of Development Pembrokeshire County Council


YOUR DIABETES HEROES


DEAR SIR, We are asking for your readers’


help to find unsung heroes across West Wales who go above and beyond what is expected of them to support people with diabetes. More of us than ever before are


now living with diabetes, which is why hundreds of people volunteer their time to Diabetes UK Cymru, to help improve the lives of people affected by the condition. To put it simply, without their support and dedication, our work just wouldn’t be possible. This is why we want to take the chance to celebrate the people in your community who are doing extraordinary things to support people with diabetes or those at risk of developing the condition. Our Diabetes UK Cymru


Inspire Awards are a chance to thank our amazing supporters for their contributions and highlight how their work has had a positive impact on the lives of others across Wales. We want to pay tribute to


our incredible volunteers for the extraordinary support they give and their sheer hard work. From running marathons


and raising awareness of Type 1 diabetes in schools, to helping people find out how to reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, there are lots of ways volunteers help support people with diabetes. We hope that your readers will


take this opportunity to nominate someone who has made a difference to people living with diabetes by completing a nomination form on our website, www.diabetes.org. uk, by January 25. All nominees and winners will be invited to our special awards ceremony, which will be held in March.


Dai Williams Director – Diabetes UK Cymru


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