The article ''Mexico's mayhem'' (Times 2, May 25, pp4-5) vividly displays the horror that is brought about by drug trafficking.
The United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs has in 10 years achieved absolutely nothing to combat the world's largest and most harmful industry. There seems to be a failure to recognise that the harm wrought by drugs is in two parts.
The first is the damage to users, but the second and far worse is the all pervading collateral damage inflicted on society at large. Increasing corruption, revenge and outright war is brought about by the insatiable financial greed and power of the suppliers.
It is this second, and worse, damage that is preventable by government action. This form of action occurred in 1933 as with the repeal of the Volstead Act of 1919, the prohibition of alcohol sale was ended, with an end to a vast criminal organisation in the United States. To be sure, alcoholism is a problem today, but who doubts that prohibition would increase it?
For the safety of our society, the future and the protection of our children, it is time for our Government to take a brave stand in the realistic regulation, rather than prohibition, of all narcotic drugs.
Jack Palmer, Watson
Ottawa's way
Paul Blair (Letters, May 20) takes us in the right direction, but not quite far enough.
Rather than Portland, Oregon, the appropriate exemplar for the governance of Canberra is Ottawa, Canada. Like Canberra, Ottawa is the seat of a federal government (Canada) but, unlike Canberra, it is not a separate territory or federal district. Rather, it is a city located entirely within, and an integral part of, the province of Ontario. With a population of 895,000 and an area of about 2760sqkm, the city of Ottawa is governed by 23 councillors (each representing a ward), of whom one is elected mayor.
These councillors are responsible for all municipal functions, including some which we would consider state responsibilities (education, police).
The ''stewardship of federal lands and buildings'' within Ottawa is the responsibility of the National Capital Commission, a federal agency.
So, with the dissolution of the artifice which is the ACT (long past its use-by date), and the reversion of the territory to NSW, Canberra could be governed by a representative city council and mayor, with the National Capital Authority having ''stewardship of federal lands and buildings''! (Is that not really the NCA role at present?) The arrangement works in Ottawa why cannot it work in Canberra?
Paul E. Bowler, Holder
Fear of billions
The words ''billions'' and ''millions'' are being bandied about in daily conversation as though they were peanuts by Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swan.
Rudd now maintains the gross debt in 2022 will be ''$300billion'' (''Emboldened boss throws about the billions'', May 26, p1).
How many Australians, off the top of their head, could quickly give the correct answer to the number of zeros in ''$300billion''? The answer of 11, when written numerically, becomes $300,000,000,000.
This debt still growing and created largely by the totally reckless and irresponsible spending of the Rudd Government, has to be paid back by every single man, woman and child in Australia.
Faced with real figures as opposed to rubbery words, $300,000,000,000 is a frightening sight to be confronted with.
What other countries may or may not owe is irrelevant $300,000,000,000 is Australia's very real horrendous debt problem.
Margaret Rowe, Hackett
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