Letters / Don’t penalise the vulnerable
WITH reference to Radio Shetland of 15 March concerning cutbacks at COPE, perhaps councillors who penalise the less fortunate by their decisions and use words and cliché’s such as, ‘’we are all in this together’’, and ‘’there will be a lot of pain etc’’, should reconsider.
Pain can be endured by people who understand why. But when a child or adult with certain disabilities does not understand the reason why they have been made to suffer and why they are to be isolated from their friends, then for parents who witness their suffering and have to explain the situation day in day out, that is real pain.
Councillors should go back to the drawing board and consider that it may cost the local authority more than the perceived saving to fulfil their legal obligations to participants of COPE.
Perhaps they should look further up the chain of command to where the real waste in monetary terms has occurred and is still occurring due to poor decision making and sloppy financial planning rather than penalise the less fortunate in our society.
Robert Sandison
Tripwell
Whalsay
Become a supporter of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.
Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.
Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has over 600 supporters who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.
Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -
- Bring you the headlines as they happen;
- Stay editorially independent;
- Give a voice to the community;
- Grow site traffic further;
- Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.
Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.