66 Letters
THE HERALD FRIDAY FEBRUARY 3 2017
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A CHOICE
DEAR SIR, The future of all nations depends
upon two conflicting ideas. The EU is founded upon the concept of different nations cooperating more and more closely in high ethical principles of shared standards of law, trade, security, social justice and mutual respect, supported by 27 countries. Brexit preaches sovereignty as it
retreats into isolationism, but even the Prime Minister believes and has stated that the primary motivation of most of Brexit supporters, which she is eager to gratify, while talking quite misleadingly about far-fetched trade possibilities, is the mean- spirited resentment against all foreigners, unless they are rich. These are two completely
opposed attitudes to the other inhabitants of our planet. If you have a serious concern for the life chances of your grandchildren, where would you pin your hopes? The desperation of the fearful refugee is pitiful. But the uncaring indifference of prejudiced and xenophobic Trump/Brexit citizens is an even more deplorable, pathetic mental state, and a threat to world peace.
C. N. Westerman Brynna Mid Glam
ISOLATION AND OLDER PEOPLE
DEAR SIR, Age Cymru is Wales’ largest
and leading charity for older people and our vision is an age friendly Wales where all older people can enjoy later life. We are working on a project
about older people and isolation and we’d like to speak to your older readers about their experiences of isolation. There are many reasons people
can become isolated, including bereavement, illness, changes to local public transport services or a lack of facilities and places to meet up in their communities. If any of your older readers have
experienced isolation, we want to hear from them. Please call Age Cymru’s
External Relations Manager, Iwan Rhys Roberts, on 029 2043 1562 for a chat during office hours,
Aberystywth Castle: Pic by J Morris
before Friday, February 17, or email
policy@agecymru.org.uk. Age Cymru works nationally
and locally through its network of independent local Age Cymru partners.
Ian Thomas Chief Executive, Age Cymru
DIFFERENT WORLDS
DEAR SIR, We all recognise that ‘Alice in
Wonderland’ is a children’s fantasy, and one wonders if Carmarthenshire Council planners are living in a fantasy world of their own when forcing business man Bobby Bazalgette, of Brechfa, to take down solar panels fitted on his barn in the vicinity of his listed building. I am aware of the merits of solar panels, having had a 4kW PV solar system fitted to our property, but whether or not Mr Bazalgette is being treated in a fair and just way regarding listed buildings overlooks (no pun intended) a very significant and enigmatic decision: that of Carmarthenshire Council giving their blessings for two separate industrial sized wind farms in the… wait for it… Brechfa Forest area of Wales - with wind generators 34 metres taller than St Paul’s Cathedral (111metres). There is to be a 28 wind generator farm in Brechfa Forest West at Afon Pib, with each generator 145 metres in height,
and a 12 generator wind farm near Abergorlech, Brechfa Forest East (Carmarthenshire County Council Planning Committee approved the planning application for Brechfa Forest East at theirDecember 17, 2013 meeting). How do the council justify these
questionable decisions which will blight acres and acres of beautiful Welsh countryside - a treasure, without question, to both locals and tourists alike. What will folk the other side of Offa’s Dyke make of it all? Are the council blind to this despoliation of their very own enchanting countryside? Then what of deforestation and local democracy with the council apparently ignoring local opposition groups? Additionally, knowledgeable and intelligent people are fully aware of the engineering deficiencies of wind-driven generators when it comes to delivering a secure electrical energy supply. I wonder if the council planners realise the terrible toll wind farms take on wild birds and bats. Putting this detail into the search engine of a computer reveals a cruel and uncivilised world – truly unforgivable and ‘Save the Eagles International’, for example, is a very informative site and should be visited by everyone. Indeed, it needs emphasising that bats are protected in law, so will the wind farm owners be prosecuted when the aerial carnage commences at Brechfa? Perhaps bird and bat societies will care to comment, object and possibly take action – it would also be interesting to hear
what the RSPB has to say on the subject as their silence is deafening. Dave Haskell Cardigan Ceredigion
RE: MR WESTERMAN
DEAR SIR, Another Friday and another
edition of The Herald and, lo and behold, another letter written by your correspondent Mr Westerman, of Brynna. But this week you spoil us with not one but two of his rants. Why not go the whole hog and give him his own column as he does have some very provocative views? In his first letter, he shows his
true colours, despising anyone or anything that may have a different opinion to himself. With regards to his second letter,
he is living in cloud cuckoo land if he thinks a vote of no confidence will be called this year and his call for a one issue general election. Perhaps the gentleman was too busy writing letters last year to notice that we have had a one issue referendum in which the majority who voted decided to leave. I know he does not like this decision but that is the decision that has been made and must now be respected by all sides. The election of 2020 will probably be fought on what kind of deal we end up with. Has he seen the latest opinion polls? There is no way there will be
parity in seats between the parties and am sure with Labour in disarray they will not want to fight any election until it is time to do so. Finally, as someone with his
so-called finger on the pulse of everyday life, has he not noticed that mid-Glamorgan has ceased to exist since 1996?
M. Evans Lampeter Ceredigion
RE: MATTHEW PAUL’S VIEWPOINT
DEAR SIR, I have recently read the
viewpoint section in issue 43 of your newspaper. I was disappointed to read Mr Paul regurgitate the myth that (former) President Obama was reluctant to intervene in Syria. Although Obama did, in fact, withdraw troops from Iraq and Afghanistan - regions that have been completely destabilised by US intervention - he expanded the US’s air force operations in both those aforementioned countries, as well as overseeing the continued bombing of Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan. On Syria, Obama did reverse his decision to deploy troops in Syria. However, the US did support the so-called moderate rebels fighting Assad, despite accusations of war crimes and human rights abuses directed at the rebel groups.
Nathan Mathias
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