Sir – With regards to Pravesh Bisram’s comments on street naming.
Firstly, if Mr Bisram has never heard of the names of those he mentioned, I suggest he go to Talana Museum to acquaint himself as to what those named did and achieved for early Dundee. If he wants to start a debate, I will chip in too.
He implies that the ‘old names’ should be scrapped (of course he will say he was merely sparking debate…) in favour, one suspects, of struggle icons. Perhaps he would like a street named after himself too. I see the narrow lane between King Edward and Gladstone Streets, behind ABSA, is still nameless and suggest that this be called Bisram Alley.
If he prefers, what about the street to the now very neglected Glencoe Landfill Site, which is subject of a SIU investigation into widespread corruption in Endumeni?
Looking at how the town has deteriorated markedly over the past say 20 years, I wonder what the new street names would be?
If we choose local Mayors and Councillors, it would be akin to naming streets after those who allowed these streets to slowly crumble into the pot-holed messes that they are today.
Or are we going to name streets after local ‘leaders’ (I use the word politely), most of whom have rather sordid track records: smashing and/or writing off Mayoral cars, taking illegal trips in Mayoral/municipal cars, being implicated in murder or conspiracies to commit murder and/or being implicated in theft from the municipal coffers.
The CVs are pretty lousy and not a single private company would employ these people. Should we name our streets after them? Perhaps Mr Bisram should start another debate: how about taking a leaf out of the books of those leaders he mentioned and from England where Councillors are not paid. They do not earn money from serving the public.
It is understood to be a privilege and not one taken lightly. Here, it is a job because no one else will take them.
After the inevitable fallout with their political peers (usually involving a tender from which trough they are all eager to eat from), they are fired as Councillors but pop back as manager of manager’s offices in the Municipality and continue to eat. A great job if you can get it.
Brian Brain
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