AT the recent State of the City event Councillor Watson said it was important "to listen to you and what you have to say about the future of the city." ('Looking to the Future,' Echo, June 5).

However, since there was little opportunity to pose questions to the panel, they will only have heard what they wanted to hear. The whole thing was choreographed and any enquiries from the floor were carefully selected prior to the event. It was a complete facade.I hadn't attended expecting to obtain any great sense of inspiration or hope, but I didn't think I'd come away quite so disgusted either.

The purpose of this pantomime was clearly to reassure a dejected public of Sunderland's progress. And the eight characters onstage tried hard to convince with the plausible rhetoric that made up their oscar-winning performances.Well-crafted speeches that emphasized the positive and avoided the greater negative, however, will not fool the people of Sunderland.

The panel were mere tools for a centralised Government, relentless in its drive to push through neo-liberal policies that attack the living standards of working-class people. Are we going to allow a pack of charlatans to kowtow to big business at our expense? Will we continue to watch passively as the rich ascend to ever higher levels of affluence while we grow poorer. How much will we take? How long before we react?

It's time for a change. We must begin to build an alternative to this madness.
Gary Duncan,
Respect Left List,
Hylton Castle,
Sunderland

Missing out
I'D just to thank city leaders for warning me that we will not see any real improvements until 2025.

By then I will be near my retirement age and will have moved back to Essex, for a better quality of life in booming south of England.

Sunderland city leaders' long-term dreams and visions may materialize. Who knows, Vaux's site could be developed by 2025.

It is a shame. The folks of Sunderland are friendly, but city leaders are taking Sunderland nowhere – with Tesco a missed opportunity to making any attempts to improve today.

You just have to go to Newcastle or Liverpool to see the economy is well ahead compared to Wearside.

Sunderland not so long ago was the most industrial town in Britain.
City leaders – the truth hurts. Give Tesco planning permission to build on their land at the old brewery site.

We can't afford not to attract investors and visitors to our city centre any longer.
Peter Kerr,
Fulwell,
Sunderland

Rehash and re-spin
WHAT is this forward looking for the future?

Is this the best we hope for? New buildings promised for 2005/06/07, we may now get in 2015 if we are lucky?

Rehash, re-spin and recycle! New pools for Silksworth and Hetton promised three years ago – old news.

Holmeside redevelopment – old news, providing they don't keep changing the plans!

Farringdon Row running three years late! Old news.

Vaux site – for all we may not like Tesco, at least we know it would have been up and running and employing, and on time and on budget.

This new vision for the future is old news, with the fact that we should be seeing and using this vision by now, not waiting till after the London games.

How could I have dared to have hoped to even raise my optimism that somebody would provide my home city with a vision, just to realise that what Sunderland gets is actually what is on the tin.
Shaun Cudworth,
Sunderland

Bottle mystery
I HAVE recently acquired an old bottle with the inscription: "Wm Robson, Middle St, Sunderland"

I have searched on Google, but can find no reference to the company. Was it a brewery or a bottle makers? Any information would be very welcome.

Contact Colin Dunn 01438 221519 or email silverfox.safc@ntlworld.com
Colin Dunn,
Stevenage

Help for addicts
WE are a drop-in centre based in Seaham for drug addicts and their families and are trying to do a memorial site for people who have died through the misuse of drugs.

We are looking for names and photos of those who would like to be remembered and donations to help towards this would be much appreciated.
Free The Way,
21 Church street,
Seaham

Medical care?
I HAVE recently heard that the Government want to introduce Darzi GPs and Darzi health centres to the area, putting doctors' practices under threat.

You will no longer have your own doctor and may see a different doctor or nurse every time you visit.

People feel safe knowing that there is someone you can go to with your medical problems and that they know your full medical history.
Going to see different doctors means you don't get the same quality of health care.

Is this privatisation by the back door?
Trish Gibson,
Roker,
Sunderland