The Sunday Drive Look-after-your-own mentality has to end to save our hospital
Council should keep quiet on nonsense laws over amplifiers
This is the reality the people of Waterford are living with. Even our tourist industry is affected and pensioners who once availed of Golden Oldie packages are now staying away in case they take ill.
The obvious solution is a second cath lab to provide more stenting procedures as well round-the-clock cardiac care. Catherine Drea, a columnist with the Waterford News & Star highlighted her awful experience in A&E
Journalist John O’connor recently. She spent five days on a trolley and in that time, no one came to change the bed, make it or ask if she would like a shower.
Her descriptions of day-to-day life on the corridors of UHW resembled that of a third world country.
The core issue facing our doctors and nurses is under staffing.
And this is again the reason why the new palliative care unit on the grounds of UHW lies vacant today.
It is ready to be used but money is standing in its way and almost €5million is needed to fill it with workers next year. Like a festering sore, resentment in Waterford is growing by the day because people are genuinely upset.
Locals are becoming more cynical, believing if Waterford had a senior Government minister, our healthcare problems would have been sorted out a long time ago.
Cities like Galway and Limerick have always had a continuous run of ministers but Waterford has only ever had a couple – and it shows.
This “look after your own” mentality has to end.
Musicians need to practise
The city and county council have made amendments to its bye-laws in a bid to clampdown on “nuisance” performers.
This means that anyone who doesn’t have prior permission can be fined up to €1,270.
JOHN’S VERDICT:
I’ve been singing and playing in bands since the 60s. Back then I was 15 and you could play anywhere and everywhere.
The amount of talent among young people today is greater than ever because they have more access to music and the quality of instruments are better.
These musicians are going around practising in garages for months on end in the hope of a gig so an awful lot of them are being forced on to the streets to play.
But one gig in front of an audience is worth a hundred gigs practising.
That’s why these new rules are unnecessary. All that’s needed is a little common sense – if someone is playing loudly, just ask them to turn it down.
I’ve never heard anyone in Waterford complain about “nuisance behavior” from buskers and one incident during the summer involving a preacher should not ruin it for everyone.
Our streets are lined with quality singers every day and only last week I sat down and listened to a girl singing all sorts of jazz. She had backing tracks from her phone which was playing through a 12-inch speaker and microphone – she was bothering nobody but entertaining many.
Our buskers add to the character and the charm of the place and John Roberts Square is only enhanced by their presence.
The obvious solution is a second cath lab & 24/7 cardiac care