Letters: In praise of Hugo Chavez

Phil Gunson paints a bleak picture of the situation in Venezuela under the Hugo Chavez government ("Tough-talking Chavez faces rising dissent", 20 November). Yet, if this is accurate, why are President Chavez's approval ratings at 58 per cent, as he reports?

No mention is made of how the Chavez government has delivered free healthcare to millions of people for the first time, eradicated illiteracy and used the country's best economic performance for decades to halve poverty levels.

Suggestions of "violent reaction" to the poll results from Chavez also turn reality on its head. It was the Chavez government itself that was briefly the victim of an opposition-led military coup in 2002. In contrast, the Chavez government has showed a consistent commitment to democracy; Sunday's vote will be the 13th national electoral contest held since Chavez became President. Moreover, last week the respected Latinbarametro survey showed that Venezuela is now the country with the greatest support for democracy in Latin America and the region's second-most satisfied with the functioning of its democracy. Venezuela's combination of democracy and social progress under the Chavez government has inspired widespread support. Others can learn from this process, but only if it is portrayed accurately.

Colin Burgon MP

Chair, Labour Friends of Venezuela group of MPs, House of Commons

Phil Gunson's assertion that Chavez "is threatening to jail a popular opposition leader" cannot go unchallenged, because it suggests serious failings in Vene-zuela's democracy.

He quotes Chavez as saying, "That criminal must go to prison", but this is something altogether different, especially when one considers that the said opposition leader, Manuel Rosales, is under investigation on corruption charges and has been summoned to court to make depositions. But Rosales is totally free and is campaigning vigorously to win his election for Mayor. Electoral rhetoric apart, the President of Venezuela does not have the legal or constitutional authority to arrest anybody.

As Chavez has already demonstrated in the 2007 constitutional referendum which rejected his government's proposals, the democratic wishes of Venezuelans will be duly recognised. It has been solidly established that Venezuela's electoral processes are probably the cleanest in the world; they are certainly the most observed.

Dr Francisco Dominguez

Head of Latin American Studies, Middlesex University, London N14

Single parents can cope well

Janet Street-Porter's experience of "single mums" seems to have been limited to two weeks she spent "working" in a hospital for a TV programme, and what she has read in the press, about those severely dysfunctional women who have been found guilty of cruelty to their children ("Who can say now that mother always knows best?", 19 November). I wonder how she can have reached middle age without meeting any other kind of "single mum".

I have to declare an interest here, being a single parent , one who works and has a son now at university, and whose many single-parent acquaintances are in a similar position. I even know one who would horrify Ms Street-Porter because she has children by two different fathers.

No doubt Ms Street-Porter would expect her to be living on benefits "with no furniture other than a telly, a computer, a bed and a sofa"; she has a modest, comfortable home with a mortgage and is a lecturer, and both children are flourishing, employed, drug- and crime-free individuals.

There are the good the bad and the ugly among parents who still live in couples and among those who don't. Think what it does to the children of single parents to be regularly singled out as potentially dysfunctional citizens, all tarred with the same populist brush.

Zayda Kebede

London NW1

Janet Street-Porter makes powerful points but to lay the blame solely on social workers is unfair. There were many other professionals involved in the case of Baby P. And if reports are to be believed, at least one social worker did try to get something done but was overruled by her manager. The Crown Prosecution Service reportedly decided not to bring charges against the mother, in spite of warnings by three doctors.

Sadly, social work, like most things, is subject to fashionable approaches, from tending to lean towards taking children from their parents, to leaving them with suspect parents to "keep the family together". Neither approach is always right. Each case needs to be decided on its merits. And I agree with Janet that we should feel able to say some people are unfit. I also agree with her that irresponsible young women who have babies, without the inclination, knowledge or ability to look after them, should not automatically be given homes. The supervised hostel is a good idea.

Many public services are run by senior managers who often have no hands-on experience and are in thrall to theoretical fads and fashionable ideologies. But let's not scapegoat the easy targets. There are undoubtedly bad social workers, but there are many good ones too, who are often prevented from doing their jobs properly by the system.

Jill Rooney

Ashtead, Surrey

As the parent of an adopted child and knowing his life story and those of many other adopted children, I must challenge the mantra, much quoted in the reporting on Baby P, that it is always best to leave a child with the birth family. Of course a loving, caring home with the birth family is best. But when that love and care is not provided and yet we leave a child in that place we are guilty of neglect.

Mrs J E Salter

Ware, Hertfordshire

There's no market for GM crops

The lack of GM test sites in the UK can be traced to the market rejection of GM crops in the late 1990s ("Government to defy critics with secret GM crop trial", 17 November). Monsanto's withdrawal from GM wheat research in 2004 amid global concerns from consumers and wheat farmers has also contributed. Why test crops for which there is no market?

Another significant reason has been the failure of GM herbicide-tolerant crops to gain commercial approval. The Government rejected GM oilseed rape and beet in 2004 because its own farm-scale evaluations found they caused long-term harm to farmland wildlife. GM herbicide-tolerant fodder maize was withdrawn by Bayer CropScience even after Margaret Beckett said it could be grown commercially.

As herbicide tolerance was the main GM trait being developed for the UK, it is hardly surprising that the need for test sites has largely disappeared.

Given that the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge Science and Technology for Development highlighted the urgent need to prioritise agro-ecological approaches to agriculture, why do ministers persist in pushing unpopular and outdated GM technology?

Pete Riley

Campaign Director, GM Freeze, Barnsley, South Yorkshire

Diplomas are good for some students

The item "Exams chief casts doubt on diplomas" (18 November) distorts what I said in my speech at the AQA annual seminar and A level awards in London. Far from saying diplomas were not the kind of qualifications which "youngsters actually want", I strongly supported them, because they offer a valuable alternative for students motivated and engaged by a more applied approach to learning.

I did indicate that I remained to be convinced of the need for just two of the presently planned 17 different diploma subjects. But the emphasis in my speech was that offering the new diplomas alongside GCSEs and A-levels will provide a choice which will enable all young people, whatever style of learning they favour, to follow courses which lead to valued qualifications.

All new qualifications take time to establish themselves and it is important to give the new diplomas that time.

Mike Cresswell

Director General, Assesment and Qualifications alliance, Guildford, Surrey

Who protects the doctors?

Robert Fisk's despatch from Kandahar (20 November) was a timely reminder of the dreadful plight of women in the region and the terrifying atrocities perpetrated by the Taliban. He concludes his article by suggesting to Barack Obama that he sends 7,000 extra doctors to the region, instead of 7,000 extra troops.

This will have struck a chord with Sheila Robin (letters, 20 November) who urged the British government to "pull out the troops" and "develop a plan for real reconstruction of this war-ravaged country". But in the absence of western forces, what is not explained is how medics and civilian contractors might operate in a region ruled by well-armed fanatics who don't want redevelopment, and who don't want schoolgirls they've maimed with acid to be treated.

Even worse is the suggestion that we leave fellow members of the human race to such an appalling fate, when it is within our powers to try to help them. This time, I believe Mr Fisk and Ms Robin are wrong, and the President-elect is right on the money.

Phil Edwards

Godalming, Surrey

Unfair comment on charitable Prince

Johann Hari counts a 2.2 Cambridge degree as a failure ("Charles as President? Not in my name", 20 November). Prince Charles achieved this despite taking a term off to study Welsh at Aberystwyth. Then he graduated from the RAF College at Cranwell and the RN College at Dartmouth and, after serving five years, used his Navy severance pay to set up his Prince's Trust.

He is now the largest charity entrepreneur in Britain, having helped millions of disadvantaged young, and most of his income (after tax) is spent on charity and public work. He heads 400 charities and national causes including scientific ones. He fulfills 500 engagements a year and his extensive overseas tours are at the request of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Such width of experience does not merit Mr Hari's sneering comments.

Jennifer Miller

London SW15

Although I have always been absorbed by the monarchy, and reluctant to see its demise, I empathise with almost everything written by Johann Hari. But his critique of Charles Windsor's academic record suggests that to be head of state it is necessary to be bright. Given that the Americans have elected George Bush twice (OK, once, but he served two terms), I suggest this is not a job requirement.

Graham James

Thorpe Astley, Leicester

Carry on, Sergeant

After John Sergeant had the popular vote then withdrew because he was reluctant to exploit an unfair advantage, one has to be impressed by how far he has progressed from the world of politics.

Steve Mainwaring

Bath

What John Sergeant was promoting was stupid voting. He can't dance, so what does it say about people that on a programme to select the person developing into the best dancer they choose the worst? When people are voting for political leaders, don't we wish them to try to select the best candidate? Isn't that what JS as a political pundit would want? Perhaps what we learn from this trivial situation is the lack of wisdom in trusting voters to do the sensible thing.

Patricia Graham

Tonbridge, Kent

Slow is safer

While I agree with the thrust of your leading article, (21 November) that education can make roads safer, by contrasting the UK's road fatalities with those of Italy and France (which are even higher) you are in danger of normalising what is a horrendous toll (2,946 deaths and 30,000 serious injuries). Outside of war, what other situations would tacitly accept such an annual slaughter and maiming of the population? How many lives of innocent people would be saved if the speed limit was cut to 20mph in all towns and cities?

Mark Budd

Bromley, Kent

Convinced by Vince

The results of a poll of business (report, 21 Noember) focused entirely on the merits of Brown/Darling and Cameron/Osborne. Given that commentators from all areas have been lauding Vincent Cable and the Liberal Democrats as being "ahead of the game" in terms of this crisis and solutions for it, I am surprised that your poll totally ignored this. From my experience of talking to business people, Cable is more highly rated than either Darling or Osborne.

David A Loader

Esher, Surrey

Fare's fair

Please give us a break. I doubt that On the Buses actually "made some women's lives worse", as alleged by Tom Sutcliffe (18 November). As for it being "ugly and bullying", I did not see Tom piping up after you printed Adrian Edmondson's article on the Ross/Brand affair, accusing his character Vivian from The Young Ones of being a psychopath. On the Buses was what it was, a very good 1970s comedy.

Eugene McCarthy

Romford, Essex