THE DIRECTOR of Hounslow Racial Equality Council (HREC), Satvinder Buttar, in his latest letter regarding the possible expansion of Heathrow Airport has still not explained why his organisation is only interested in the ethnic community who live nearby.
It is very laudable of him to assure us that everyone will benefit from his actions.
The grants that HREC receives are paid by all sections of the community and he should always remember that.
Object (2) of the HREC's constitutions states 'to promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups'. Your actions belie the statement.
When the HREC was reconstituted after the disastrous demise of its predecessor, the Hounslow Community Relations Council, I was invited to attend the inaugural meeting.
I took along a friend of mine, for balance, a local doctor (V Patel).
Some time later we both attended the first official meeting.
We both left that meeting and decided that there was no point in participating because equality was the last thing being considered and the emphasis was only to apply to the ethnic community.
I phoned David Mayer, the secretary, to advise him of my decision and he asked if I would reconsider - I said I wouldn't.
He rang me a few days later but I had to give him the same answer and that was 'I didn't want to waste my time'.
Looking through the list of members, I did not wish to be associated with some of them who had made clear on their CV what political party they belonged to.
Perhaps Mr Buttar and his committee would consider handing back this year's grant of £16,000 because the money is not being used as intended.
RAY FERGUSON Staines Road, Bedfont.
