NHS finances in abysmal mess

I FULLY concur with the observations by JB Evans regarding the replacement of our beloved Cardigan Hospital and the lack of meaningful statements regarding progress on the Integrated Health Centre, as a replacement.

To make matters even worse, it now transpires that Hywel Dda are now running with a deficit of close to £50million for the period 2016/2017, well in the lead of several Welsh Health Trusts who are in the red.

If this was a commercial organisation, it would have already have gone through the insolvency procedures.

This is an abysmal return on the taxes we have paid in over many, many years, and we are kept in the dark in respect of plans — and progress — or lack of same. Also, if Sainsbury’s, as previously stated are not to go ahead with their “superstore” (as signposted), then why should they carry out any remedial works?

Then that folly of the road from Bathhouse to the Gwbert Road could be considered to be premature—a white elephant paid for out of our council taxes, by a county council who, like many others, is short of cash.

At my very advanced age, I have given up all hope of ever seeing this scheme completed and in use.

John B Armstrong,

Mirianog

Llechryd

Dream of a performance

OVER the last weekend there were three stagings from the Dream Dance School at Theatre Mwldan. How all of that was organised will forever remain a mystery to me. It was a stunning performance, with a diversity of dance styles.

Many congratulations on controlling so many toddlers and presenting dancers of all ages. It is a credit to the organisers and dancers that such a small town can produce so much talent.

Dafydd Ladd

Plas-y-Coed

Beulah

Your bet may end race dead

The Grand National course still presents the kind of perversely hazardous challenge to which no horse should be subjected. Despite Aintree’s most recent highly publicised safety improvements, six horses were killed during the 2016 three-day Aintree meeting.

The Grand National race itself features a dangerously overcrowded field of 40 horses, who are forced to confront 30 jumps, many of which are extraordinarily demanding and treacherous, over a gruelling distance of nearly four-and-a-half miles. Fewer than half complete the course.

For anyone who does not want to finance a ‘sport’ in which animals routinely lose their lives, there is an alternative: Sanctuary Not Cruelty. Rather than having a ‘flutter’ on the notorious Aintree race, you can donate the money to a specialist horse sanctuary and make a real difference to horse welfare.

The time has now come where the horse racing industry really needs to improve its horse welfare standards we need to stop the death of horses on our race courses.

Mark Franchi

By email

Grooming law enacted at last

IT’S TAKEN two years, but from April 3, the UK Ggovernment is finally enacting a much-needed law that will make it illegal for adults to send sexual messages to children.

Amazingly, before this law was put into place, police couldn’t arrest adults who groomed young people in England and Wales in this way and could only take action if they met a child.

Our NSPCC ‘Flaw in the Law’ campaign demanding this change gained widespread support when it was launched, with more than 50,000 people calling for action.

The Ggovernment passed the anti-grooming law in 2015, but it inexplicably sat on the statute books for two years without being enacted.

But after continuous campaigning from all our supporters, the secretary of state for justice, Elizabeth Truss, has finally taken action and the flawed law is set to be fixed.

From now on, April 3 any adult caught breaking the law will face up to two years in prison and be automatically placed on the sex offenders register. The law will cover will cover both online and offline communication, including social media, e-mail, and letters.

I’d like to take this opportunity to offer a massive thank you to everyone who supported our Flaw in the Law campaign over the last few years.

Your commitment and dedication has closed a legal loophole and helped protect a future generation of children from harm.

We know that the fight for safer childhoods is not over, but measures like these make a huge difference in our bid to protect children from all forms of abuse.

Des Mannion

Head of NSPCC Cymru / Wales

Let us unite for fairer Britain

NOW that the historic Article 50 has been triggered by our prime minister Theresa May, the time has now come for both sides of the Brexit argument to come together in a spirit of reconciliation for the sake of our country’s overall well-being.

I’m sure that if the mutual goodwill exists from former Remainers and also Brexiteers like me, we can all unite behind some common aspirations.

These include:

l Creating a global Britain that is outward-looking.

l A stronger economy, where everyone plays by the same rules.

l A fairer society, where success is based on merit, not privilege.

l A more-united nation that our children and grandchildren are proud to call home.

We should therefore support Theresa May’s efforts to deliver a country that is stronger, fairer, more united and more outward-looking than ever before. It’s an aspiration to get the right deal for the UK abroad and a better deal for ordinary working people at home.

Let’s have a fresh start for the UK in general and for Wales in particular.

Dr Felix Aubel

Trelech

Never in Iwrop, ... na thu allan

DROS yr wythnosau a’r misoedd diweddaf yr ydym wedi gweld y cyfryngau yn rhoi llawer o amser a gofod i Brexit a refferenda – Ewropeaidd ac yn Yr Alban … ac mae’n debyg o barhau am nifer o flynyddoedd i ddod.

Does neb yn gwybod beth fydd diwedd y daith. Ces syndod yn ddiweddar i glywed un o’r Tor?aid yn datgan ei fod o’r farn y bydd Yr Alban yn ennill ei rhyddid yn y pump i ddeg mlynedd nesaf yma.

Yn ystod y refferendwm Ewropeaidd fe welom y dair brif blaid Seisnig – y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol; Y Tor?aid a Llafur yn uno fel tripledi i wrthwynebu rhoi ei hannibyniaeth i’r Alban gyda’r rhyfelgri “Better Together”/ “Gwell gyda’n gilydd”. Rwy’n amau mai fel hyn y bydd hi tro nesaf hefyd.

Y cwestiwn hoffwn i roi gerbron eich darllenwyr yw: “Os ydyn ni wedi bod mor llwyddiannus dros y canrifoedd diwethaf yma – gyda’n gilydd – sut ar wyneb daear yr ydym ni mewn £1.7 triliwn o ddyled – a hwnnw’n codi gyda phob trawiad o’r cloc?”

Better Together? Yng ngeiriau Ifans Y Tryc - “Scarcely believe! Never in Iwrop, gwd boi!”

Yn gywir,

Cyng T Melfydd George

(Cynghorydd Plaid Cymru) Cyngor Tref Aberteifi

Student’s story was impactful

I WOULD like to express my appreciation for Charlotte Brookes’ article in the Tivyside Advertiser (‘These were people not prisoners,’ March 21): it is impactful and well written.

I wish Charlotte all the best in whatever career she chooses, but she obviously has great potential as a journalist.

Simon Ford

Tre Haidd

Cwmpengraig

Llandysul

Get in it to win it

THE National Lottery Awards 2017 are open for entries, giving Lottery-funded projects a chance to shine in the national limelight.

The Awards recognise the amazing work done by organisations using National Lottery funding to transform communities and change lives. They celebrate the unsung heroes behind the success of local arts, sports, heritage, and community projects.

Every week National Lottery players raise £30 million for good causes and, since 1994, over 500,000 Lottery grants have been awarded.

Seven projects will be recognised at a star-studded awards ceremony broadcast on BBC One later this year, and each will win a £3,000 cash prize.

Readers can visit nationallotteryawards.org.uk/awards to nominate projects. All entries must be in by midnight on April 7.

John Barrowman

National Lottery Awards Ambassador