Letters to the editor

May I suggest a visit to see the highly organised and complex garbage disposal system used on the large visiting cruise ships, who can carry up to 4000 passengers and crew. It should be noted that the system for garbage control for ships in International Special Areas, of which the Mediterranean is one, is fully legislated and ships found not to comply are detained until compliance by Port State Inspectors. Perhaps then a comparison could be made between the ship and shore, and any short comings commented upon.

Congratulations to Ray Fleming for continually carrying the Iraq torch, I fear he is a voice in the wilderness due to the apathy and “nimby” attitude of so many. And finally, to Laura Stadler, within the last two weeks I have posted from Santanyi to Swindon (UK) two cheques and have been able via internet banking check their arrival in my account within three days. This is not an uncommon occurrence from Santanyi, perhaps you should post your letters here!

Nigel Maude

Santanyi
K Heatwave deaths
Dear Sirs, I read your article on high temperatures in Friday's edition and note that you indicate that there were no deaths attributed 100% due to the heat wave. Correct me if I am wrong but I was on the island during July when you all suffered a power cut for several hours, we were stuck up the mountain on the Soller train for over an hour before we were asked to walk down. On that same day I recollect you reported that four or five locals were up in the mountains with little water and one as a result of the heat etc suffered a heart attack. A local helicopter was also involved. Crrect me if I am wrong....
John C Young
25 Cumbrae Place
PERTH PH1 3AJ
K Where's Tony

Dear Sir
Where's Tony? Our Prime Minister returned last Thursday from a three–week Summer Holiday with Sir Cliff Richard, and we haven't heard a word from him. Nothing about the blowing–up of the UN in Baghdad, whose cause he so ineffectively promoted to his friend George W Bush. Nothing about the ambush and deaths of three British military police, who were only trying to do the job he was so keen to promote; the replacement of a “bloody dictatorship“ in Iraq. And nothing about the demise of the “Road Map” for Palestine that he was so vocal about. Quite a good time for a Prime Minister to go missing. I do have some second–hand hearsay experience; my London flatmate went missing, about 20 years ago, for about five months. He was arrested in Texas – for trying to run small arms to Iraq. (His connection through Jordan, he said, was a certain Ahmed Chalabi). It was not at all a good idea for him to try and upstage, on his own, the Americans, who were planning to do much the same, at that time, on a much larger scale. But he got off, scot–free. He had Whitehall “connections”, so three smooth gentlemen, all called “Sir Crispin” (and one Italian–American from Chicago) coached him relentlessly on what he should say to the local court. He never normally used words of more than three syllables, or sentences longer than five lines, but I read the transcript of his testimony, and it was positively brilliant. But the line he kept repeating - “I wuzn't there” - must have come from the man from Chicago. I imagine one or more of the “Sir Crispins” is still about, and they're coaching Tony on what he should say on his day in the court of the Hutton Enquiry on Thursday. I do hope the man from Chicago is lending him a hand. Otherwise, Tony's probably toast. If Tony quotes something in Italian, note the dialect - if it's Tuscan, it's his last year's holiday. If it's Neapolitan, it's the man from Chicago. If his teeth look like orange peel, then he hasn't seen another movie since Godfather II.
Richard Parker
Puerto Pollensa