Your VIEW
Let’s all nurture this new sense of caring
£25 STAR LETTER
The coronavirus is sadly causing all sorts of difficulties. Although it is sad, there are some silver linings. Folk are being encouraged to watch out for elderly and vulnerable neighbours. People are checking how they are helping them with messages and showing their care.
Meanwhile, a lot of older people who have lived through threatening times in the past are reassuring the younger generation.
The coronavirus will pass at some point. But let’s try to keep this rediscovered sense of community care and looking out for others.
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Once this is all over, I hope people will continue to wash their hands correctly.
Christopher Ruane, Lanark
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Clean break
B Powell, Stockport
Miles better
It is becoming obvious that the UK Government cares little for the health and welfare of its older citizens and visitors from the USA.
Its advice on safe distances from others during the current Covid-19 epidemic is quoted only in metric units. At first reading, 2m to me is 2 miles and, even when I get past that initial misunderstanding, I find it difficult to conceptualise what two metres actually means.
This follows on from this winter’s abandonment of imperial measures by BBC meteorologists. I wonder how many deaths could be avoided if both systems of measurement were shown due respect?
Overheard in supermarket. Two ladies speaking about the virus. One said her GP practice was only dealing with telephone confrontations. I hope they don’t get too many of those.
The first thing they should do with
Coatbridge and Airdrie’s share of the £3.5 billion redevelopment money is to employ a couple of workers to clean up the tons of rubbish strewn all over the beautiful network of paths that covers the Monklands area. And also repair all paths on a regular basis.
What an out-of-date letter (M Redfern, Edinburgh, March 15) on the subject of public-sector pensions. There was a formal review (the Hutton Commission) at the start of the Coalition Government.
For several years now, public sector pensions have been career average schemes rather than final-salary.
In addition (with the exception of the civil service), contributions are made up to 12%, even 15%.
As the Hutton report said, there should not be a race to the bottom. Instead, we need to focus on improving other pensions. These need to be paid for.
The public sector pensions, post changes, should be the model for other schemes. Employees need to pay in higher amounts in contributions.
Public-sector employees have had a sub-inflation salary increase for eight or nine years.
So try to keep up, Mr Redfern.
James Bergin, Airdrie
Pension plan John Eoin Douglas, Edinburgh
Battle cry M Campbell, Bathgate
Sweep stake Val Wilkinson (retired finance director), Dingwall