Your Views

I normally welcome letters to you written by David Lee, especially his trenchant views on the israeli/Palestinian conflict. But I think his views on the cost of Royalty, are sadly lacking in truth and logic.

He begins by talking of “Impoverished Britain”, a gross over statement, that bears no relation to reality.
When one surveys the British economy and the population's pursuits, we see over 30 million cars clogging up the highways, we see that benefits for the unemployed and other unfortunates, have been CUT to a maximum of the average wage, of 599 pounds a week! There can be little real poverty ensuing.

When many stories emanate, complaining of the obesity that prevails, of the amount of alcohol-fuelled accidents that are filling the A&E departments in hospitals to overflowing, one should not talk of a relatively mild recession that looks as though it is ending, as an impoverished Britain.

Mr Lee, produced some gigantic numbers. He talks of a trillion, of billions, and thousands of millions of pounds, though what they have to do with 36 million pound upkeep of the Royal family, I am unable to fathom. After all, in relation to the numbers quoted by Mr Lee, they could pay her out of the petty cash box! Mr Lee, has also not mentioned the ten or twelve billions that Britain is GIVING AWAY to so-called poor countries. Not bad for an impoverished Britain. But of course he left out the biggest reason to maintain the ‘Pomp and Circumstance', and that is the millions of tourists who flock to Britain, because of the long history and pageantry that no other country in the world can emulate. Their attendance, plus the large amount spent by them, I believe pays for the whole splendid Royal Family, over and over again. Nothing is better value to Britain.

Yours sincerely

Phil Green

El Toro

Dear Sir,

I am pleased to see the strong appreciation expressed in the MDB for all the Spanish fire, guardia, military services involved in fighting the Andraitx fires. To add to the letter (31/07) from Simon Tow in praise of the Canadair fire fighting operations - almost continuously last Saturday from early morning to after 8pm I observed up to five Canadair aircraft flying in line astern formation completing incredible six minute rotations - dropping water on the fires near Andraitx, scooping up water off Costa de la Calma and then gaining height through Santa Ponsa Bay before circling back to Andraitx. Such skills and dedication rightly deserve praise. Few pilots will ever log as many touch and go landings in a lifetime that these guys logged in a single day.

Geoff Williamson
Santa Ponsa