Letters: Scottish politicians need to learn a Chinese lesson

While in the past Scots were seen as canny individuals who would make every penny they possessed last as long as possible, we now seem to have done a complete about turn.

This is now the country which has squandered millions of taxpayers' pounds on poorly executed public projects, to the extent that large civil engineering organisations must be keeping an eye open on what the Scots are willing to throw money at next.

First we had the parliament building. Only 40 million, said the late Donald Dewar, who did not live long enough to see it exceed that estimate by more than ten times.

Then there is the tram project. A proposed line stretching from the airport to Newhaven was supposed to come in at around 550m. Instead? A line that will stop at St Andrew Square (if it is ever assembled) for 200m more than that.

Not that long ago Alex Salmond was looking pleased with himself when it was announced that the new Forth crossing would be delivered for a "mere" 1.7 billion.

That doesn't look quite so clever when compared with the new bridge completed in China. At Qingdao, a 26-mile bridge has just opened. It took four years and 1.43bn to build.

Now I know the average wage in China is lower than what we earn in this country, but the Chinese bridge has been put together at a rate of 55,000 a mile. If the new Forth crossing is around the same length as the existing road bridge, by comparison it will have been completed at a rate of 1.13bn a mile.

Perhaps this is one case in which it would be justifiable to send a party of politicians to China to see what exactly it is they do that we seem so completely unable to equal.

Norman Wilson, Paisley Avenue, Edinburgh

Will the council get round to this?

I HAVE asked Councillor Mackenzie when the council intends starting the repair and re-instatement works from Leith Walk to Picardy Place, now that the trams are, in theory, only going as far as St Andrew Square.

He has stated that the procurement of all road and pavement materials has begun and that the work shall commence in the next two months.

This work includes the traffic islands and roundabout at the top of the Walk, the clock and Conan Doyle's statue. Incredibly, nothing is to be done to the roundabout outside the Omni Centre. Surely even this council is not stupid enough to leave it in its present state?

Only time will tell.

David Black, Kenmure Avenue, Edinburgh

Parties at a loss for candidates

I SEE that four candidates have declared for the Edinburgh City Council by-election, yet neither the Lib Dems nor the SNP have chosen a candidate.

Can it be that they cannot find someone to stand as a guaranteed loser? After all, who is going to vote for a party who considers a 250m overspend as a small glitch?

Stewart Geddes, Silverknowes Crescent, Edinburgh

Paying for a lack of proper scrutiny

THE Greek financial meltdown is a major threat to the future of the EU, which has already seen Ireland given a handout to prevent its economy going down, with possibly Spain, Italy and Portugal next in line.

How many other EU countries will be affected by the inevitable domino effect of this financial plague, created by the greed of international banks buying up everyone's bad debt?

The EU might have created heir own demise by not being more selective as to who joined the European club.

Not enough attention was paid to those European countries (some not long emerged from links with the former USSR and in a poor economic state) who were queuing up to join the EU.

Too much cognisance was paid to these countries conforming to our standards of democracy and human rights (not to say that this was not important) as a criterion for allowing entry and not enough scrutiny paid to their ability to contribute financially.

Frank Ferri, Newhaven Main Street, Edinburgh