IN reply to Mr B Shard’s letter (Gazette Lettesr, September 1, “I fear refugee crisis will turn to a flood”) saying “our town can’t cope”.

We can and should support refugees and be compassionate to those less fortunate than ourselves who have served our military forces in Afghanistan or just want a better, safer place to live, thrive and survive.

We need HGV drivers, NHS workers etc so the vacancies are there since our withdrawal from the EU.

A Phillips

Rochford Way, Walton

- 

We have a duty of care to Afghans

MANY readers of the Gazette will have supported British troops joining the American invasion of Afghanistan after the World Trade Centre atrocity in 2001.

Politicians assured us at the time that it would be a short war and that it would stop terrorist attacks here.

Wrong on both counts.

The retreat of troops from Afghanistan, together with Afghans who helped fight the Taliban and reduce British military casualties, was ineptly handled by bungling Boris.

We owe a duty of care to the interpreters and others who risked everything to help Britain.

The lucky ones who got out recently should receive a heroes’ welcome, just like the troops in Colchester.

Housing homeless people is a legal duty for Tendring Council whoever they are and wherever they came from.

The costs will be born by central government.

Shortage of housing is a scandal, but not the fault of refugees, it is a product of greedy landowners and builders deliberately manipulating the housing supply for profits.

Less then 10 per cent of the UK mainland is built on, so we are not “full up”.

Brexit forced thousands of European nationals to leave Britain and cause a shortage of doctors, nurses, care home staff, hospitality staff, and seasonal agricultural workers.

So there is work for the new arrivals.

Britain has a legal obligation under international law to house refugees fleeing conflict and persecution, although we take the smallest number of refugees among wealthy comparable European countries.

Well done Tendring Council for opening its heart to offer sanctuary to Afghan families and children who’ve endured unimaginable horrors and traumas in recent years.

Those people will repay this kindness many times over as they contribute to our society by studying, working, paying taxes and getting jobs as doctors and nurses so they may in turn look after and care for our older citizens.

Steven Walker

Sunny Point, Walton on-the-Naze