The Government says it has no money and needs to make cutbacks.

I think they should look into different companies and find out how the money is spent.

Here is a good example.

I was walking my dog along the canal and got talking to one of the British Waterways workers.

I asked where the other guys were as there was normally a crowd of them working, but he told me that they only had seasonal workers from March to October.

He was really annoyed with his boss as instead of using the seasonal workers to cut the grass, his boss is hiring another company to do all the grass cutting, which is costing more money - where's the logic in that?

I asked him who is meant to repair the towpath as in some bits it is a disgrace.

He told me that his boss pays other companies to do the repairs on the towpath.

He informed me that last year one of the seasonal workers could operate an excavator and instead of using his skills, his boss got another company in.

Where's the sense in that?

I call this a waste of money.

Name and address supplied Killing the economy PERHAPS one of the most important things West Dunbartonshire Council elected representatives and officers continue to fail to recognise is the economic and social value of our salmon and freshwater fisheries and sea angling.

Collectively, game, course and sea angling are worth at least £250m to the Scottish economy each year - dated and somewhat conservative Scottish Government figures.

The economic benefits of angling have not been lost and allowed to go unnoticed elsewhere in Scotland, as they have in West Dunbartonshire.

It is also true, but no surprise, that the local business community has not been able to make the connection between thriving river systems, thriving fisheries and their own commercial interests that has them rolling in the aisles on the Tweed, Tay, Dee and Spey, ad infinitam.

All of this would be hilarious if it wasn't so self destructive.

We have a local authority and a local business community telling a £20bn European fishing tackle market, don't come here to fish we don't want your custom.

Anglers come from all over the world to fish in Scotland.

Plenty fish Loch Lomond.

Of those who fish the River Leven every season they leave with the words, "I won't be back." This antipathy towards rivers, angling and anglers' is killing the economy and its unheard of outside of West Dunbartonshire.

Those asset stripping absentee landlords, Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association, are not here to support the River Leven.

For over a century they have milked it and sucked it dry.

High Street traders should support my campaign to get this sorted and put the River Leven back on the angling map.

James Graham The Clyde District Anglers' Rights Campaign Brave men wanted As you may know, last week was the first anniversary of the massive earthquake in Haiti.

It has been out of the media recently but over the last few days it has been news again which is good from my point of view.

I started my men's leg wax event in January 2010 to raise money for Mary's Meals, which has been based in Haiti since 2006.

So far the event has raised £5,000, which has been given to a charity that will allow Marys Meals to provide 500 school children with a meal every school day for a full year, my target is £10,000 and to feed 1,000 children for a year.

At the moment I have nine brave men recruited from Kilmalid (Allied Distillers) in Dumbarton, Paul Lynch and David Muir from David Muir Estate Agents in Dumbarton, Jonathon Hoyland and the headmaster from Our Lady and St Patrick's Secondary School in Dumbarton, a teacher from Ladyton Primary School, Mr Mowatt and the janitor from Dalreoch Primary School, Mr Cowan, who are all out there raising sponsorship money for the mens leg wax along with a few more individuals.

Hopefully they will help raise the total to about £8,000.

I also know that Andrew Gibson from the Reporter and another member of staff wants to take part and a few guys from YOUR Radio.

I am now looking to recruit another load of brave men from Dumbarton to rise to the challenge, raise at least £110 and help the needy children of Haiti.

You can contact me for registration forms and sponsor forms at this email address mycharitypage@googlemail.com or my work email William.Crowe@strathclyde.pnn.police.uk, on my mobile at 07830457335 or home on 01389 733966.

Many thanks for your support.

Willie Crowe