Readers’ lettersOur editorial staff receives several readers’ letters every week. Below is a selection of reader letters submitted in the past week. Would you also like to respond? As a reader you can send a letter of maximum 200 words to [email protected].
Weapons production
The fact that the Netherlands is number twelve as an arms producer worldwide sounds more impressive than it actually is (BN DeStem, April 30). No guns, cannons, bullets, grenades or missiles are made in the Netherlands, but only parts for vehicles, ships and aircraft equipped with them. Defense industry is a better name for this than arms industry, of which there are few companies in Europe anyway. That is why our arms deliveries to the Ukrainians are so disappointing and why they mainly have to rely on the US. The European defense industry is highly fragmented and prefers to compete among itself for lucrative projects, which last for years with enormous cost overruns, rather than focusing on weapons and ammunition for traditional warfare, which until recently yielded significantly less profit. The billion-dollar order to equip the Dutch navy with new submarines is just one example of such long-term projects. Institutional investors, as some recently suggested in this newspaper, will do little to change this, because they too will prefer to invest in expensive high-tech weapon systems rather than in factories that make grenades, as was done during both World Wars.
Public space
A major article about the maintenance of public space in Breda (BN DeStem, April 25). What is striking is that the piece only mentions odd jobs in Breda. Are the villages no longer part of it? We have been part of this community for 27 years. But in all these years, hardly anything has been done regarding street maintenance in my own village of Teteringen. Yes, repair some subsidence and holes, but nothing more. To convince yourself, drive through streets such as Steenbergen, Groenstraat and Willebrordstraat, main streets in our village. With a uneven pavement full of potholes and bumps. Breda, also think about your villages!
Piet van Gurp,
Teteringen
Clothing stores
Clothing stores are disappearing at a rapid pace. Many clothing stores have been around for several generations. They have always worked hard for their company with a lot of love. Have these companies also received billions in support from Europe for years? Is there a large amount waiting for them if they stop their business? Probably not!
Events
If during events only the drums can be heard for miles around, it has nothing to do with music, but everything to do with noise. These types of events (BN DeStem, April 27), often accompanied by fireworks, belong in stadiums. Not on the edge of a village where the peace, including in the surrounding nature, and traffic are disrupted in an unacceptable way. I also don’t understand why municipalities give permission for this.
Toine Rommers,
Boschenhoofd
Readers can send their submitted letter to [email protected]. Contributions may be a maximum of 200 words. All contributions must include name and place of residence. The editors have the right to shorten submissions.
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