IT IS very disappointing to see that criminals have been involved in projects such as clearing up litter from local parks and removing rubbish from schools and allotments etc ('Payback scheme boosts projects', Press, November 19) and it is even more disappointing to see that some may even be gaining a vocational qualification by taking part. 

Why is it then that men such as myself who used to be paid to do this type of job are now being paid off?

I used to work for Fife Council parks and have tried on a number of occasions to get back into the service, without success.

It would appear to me that the criminal justice scheme is being used as a cheap form of labour instead of paying a man a proper day's wage to do a proper day's work. This is completely wrong and out of order. 

This scheme also makes a mockery out of my own qualifications which I worked hard to gain and had to finance myself.

Should I now turn to crime, where it looks like I would be given a lot of help and support through the criminal justice scheme and perhaps end up with a new qualification and job?

Alastair Macintyre,
18 Webster Place, 
Rosyth