The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Below you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
THIS WEEKEND'S LETTERS
No charity for rugby
I consider myself a true rugby fan but when we (as ratepayers) are told that we have to help fund it, I am not happy.
Rugby has been professional for a long time now and they have plenty of money. They (RWC) will be making millions out of this year's cup. The NZRFU will also be making plenty as well.
The board members (RWC and NZRFU) are all underworked and overpaid. Maybe they could donate some of their annual gratuity to fund it. It will be good for some people in the city, like hospitality, accommodation and retailers, but for ordinary ratepayers we get no benefit whatsoever.
My point is that we as ratepayers should not be told that we have to fund it, we should have a choice.
Garry Holloway, Matapihi
Forget clash
Re Event clash angers moteliers: (News, April 12). It won't matter if it's next year or 2020, there will always be a clash as the Half Ironman and the Colgate Games are on the same weekend every year wherever the North Island Colgate Games are.
Now that Tauranga has an all-weather track, the athletic clubs of this area are able to host such an event. Good on them. If we don't host it then it'll end up in Hamilton or somewhere else. So what if it clashes?
Many people will be here for both events, anyway. These events will boost the economy which is flagging at the moment and after seeing this article, I could be interested in renting out of my Tauranga home during that period of time.
That won't please Mr Stone as the money won't go to him. At least he will be ensured that his motel is full during that period. Is it truly that he will be embarrassed for Tauranga or is it the fact he's wants two bites of the cherry?
Forget the moaning and let's just get on and do it.
(Abridged)
Terry Furmage, Bethlehem Heights
Bad attitude
I cannot believe the attitude of Tony Burrell in his letter criticising council staff for accepting a booking for Tauranga Domain for the 2012 Colgate Games.
His attitude seems to be: "I'm not going to make money from this event, so it should go elsewhere."
Tauranga shopkeepers will still benefit from the 6000 visitors, even if some of them don't sleep in Tauranga motels.
What about the local athletes and their families? They will not have to fork out big money to travel to Wellington, Whangarei or wherever, now that Tauranga has secured these games.
These young athletes will be proud to compete on their own world-class track against the rest of the North Island's best.
Billeting and staying at marae are traditional at Colgate Games, as is staying outside the host city.
These Games will be a success, despite the negativity of doubters such as Mr Burrell.
The organisers and the Council have bent over backwards to have the date changed but it was not possible.
Other large athletics events will be held here in future and Mr Burrell will benefit from those events.
Ray Young, Papamoa
Ignore moaners
Re Rates "won't fund" statues: (News, April 19). Excellent, the negativity has been addressed so let's move on to the positives and stay firmly planted there.
This wonderful project will celebrate Dame Lynley Dodd and her significant contribution to our city. This is destined to be one of Tauranga's greatest assets, with the important task of making our kids laugh and our own hearts sing. It's exciting, progressing well, and in good hands with Creative Tauranga involved and some guidance from Marcus Wilkins, good people working to enhance our community. Importantly let's accept no negativity around this, there simply shouldn't be any.
My message is one of total support for those working hard to make this happen, alongside a request for our city's "few" serial moaners to just leave this one alone. Don't moan about it, don't write about it, put your calculator away. Instead we should encourage our councillors to show a little more courage and participate in making this happen. It's a unique opportunity for Tauranga, one where our city can measure success not by how much money we save but on how we invested to applaud a great citizen, and to help our kids smile.
Shane Kennedy, Tauranga
Quaint protest
I read with amazement an article from England (News, April 20). It was so very British and so very quaint. I also found it very puzzling.
It was about a group of British radical Islamists who wish to stage a protest outside Westminster Abbey during the royal wedding ceremony. Their protest is because Wills and Kate, and presumably the rest of British society, are "enemies to Allah and his messenger".
The quaint part is that they have requested they be allowed to stage their protest. This has been turned down but there are "ongoing discussions" as to whether they will be allowed to hold it nearby. It also shows just how democratic Britain is to consider their protest at all. If this was a Christian group who wished to stage a protest in an Islamic country, let alone during any celebration, they could be risking their lives to do so.
The puzzling part to me is the demographics of the situation and why those few with their agenda continue to live in a Western country under the Union Jack which is the polar opposite to everything they so fervently believe in but perhaps they enjoy the democracy and lifestyle they would be denied in the country of their forefathers.
Robin Bishop, Pyes Pa
Parking squeeze
Re Cheaper parking (News, April 14):
This is good news however I would like to know the rationale behind putting the cost up in Elizabeth St.
Why has this been singled out? Is it because people tie up the parks outside the cinema? If so, just put the fee up there.
For the rest of us between Grey St and Elizabeth St with businesses, we will be suffering in an already grim economic climate.
I do not know what this council is trying to do to the businesses downtown. Many are still closing and the number of vacant parks during the working day is incredible.
Several Saturdays ago I was downtown in the morning and saw three parking wardens, in a 30-minute time frame, between the bottom of Willow St and Elizabeth St.
I know these guys have to get their quotas, however, it is killing local business owners.
It will soon be a ghost town, last one to leave, please turn out the lights.
Gail McKenzie, Job Finders
Flight a non-issue
It is patently absurd for the Green Party to criticise the Prime Minister for using an air force helicopter to keep an appointment to attend a function which he was committed to attending but would otherwise have been unable to reach in time.
Anyone who is even remotely aware of how the air force operates understands that pilots have to be at all times in a "state of readiness" and this entails routine flights and sometimes not-so-routine flights to be prepared for any situation which may occur.
This flight will go down in the pilot's log book as a diversionary exercise instead of what may well have been another routine but rather boring exercise but the cost to the taxpayer is simply zero.
Roly Hammond, Matua
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