Goodwin's appointment leaves a sour taste

WHAT a huge relief to learn that Sir Fred Goodwin has found a way to supplement his miserable Royal Bank of Scotland pension by joining the ranks of RMJM's advisers (your report, 16 January).

As a pensioner who relied upon my former dividends from RBS to supplement the abysmal state pension, I am now facing penury. However, one must try to be philosophical and accept that the moral scruples, so assiduously demonstrated by some bankers, differ substantially from my own.

Having bought ABN Amro – and its toxic debts – at the top of the market despite Barclays' John Varley having withdrawn, why is Sir Fred regarded as possessing "advisory" qualities?

Can it be that RMJM – part of the team involved in the construction of Scotland's parliament building, which cost greatly in excess of the original budget and carries continuing excessive maintenance costs – believes that Sir Fred can "advise" it on how to do even better?

HELEN SIMS

Belmont Gardens

Edinburgh

It should be noted that although RMJM was not involved in the construction of RBS Gogarburn, Colin A Bone, RMJM's business development director, emerging markets, Middle East, worked on the RBS headquarters when he was chairman of the British Constructional Steelwork Association. He joined RMJM in 2007. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that they had met – what a coincidence.

PATRICIA LYNCH

Dewsbury Road, London NW10

How any commercial enterprise can think it is beneficial to link their name with Sir Fred Goodwin and the recent financial events are quite beyond me and it surely calls their judgment into question?

The awarding of public sector contracts to RMJM for Sir Fred to benefit from cannot be credible. He will always be associated with the financial collapse and will never regain the respect he had before that episode. He will never be able to move on and neither should he be allowed to.

JOE NEILSON

Buckstone Terrace

Edinburgh