A different era (From Penarth Times)

A different era

HAVING read the article concerning the comments of Diane Gregory about the ongoing Sully Hospital debate, I feel some response is necessary.

Whereas inevitably there will be a certain element of prejudice in the reactions of some locals in the proposal, the main reason for the objection is the obvious unsuitability of the building and location for the intended purpose.

The building would cost millions to bring up to an acceptable standard and even then it would not support 750 residents - as a hospital it never held more than 400.

To locate so many people with nothing to do and nowhere to go immediately adjacent to Ty Hafan would cause severe disruption to the poor sick children who need peace and comfort in their final weeks.

I am afraid Miss Gregory is much deluded if she considers the current situation comparable to the 1890s when her grandfather sought asylum here. The reality today is many of the asylum seekers have quite different standards.

According to reports in the Daily Mail, the Mayor of Sangatte, a small village half a mile from the refuge camp close to the Tunnel, (as Sully is from the hospital) had demanded the camp be closed on the grounds that local women are regularly abused, the beach is littered with bottles, used syringes and condoms, homes are vandalised, and there is pilfering from shops and cafes - as a result, business has been badly hit and houses prices have been affected. The culmination came on February 20, with a pitched battle between 500 Kurds and Afghans, using stolen garden tools. This was quelled by large numbers of French riot police, (Sully has one village constable who has duties elsewhere!)

Is it surprising then that we Sully residents do not want the problems of Sangatte to be replicated here?

I am afraid that not many of the asylum seekers would match the calibre of Miss Gregory's grandfather.

Olga Jones Highbridge Close Sully