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:
Support for campers
I'm writing in response to a paragraph in an article from your paper on the May 6. I have read some quite narrow-minded and draconian views in your newspaper regarding freedom campers.
It seems to me that we already have legislation in place to deal with the small nuisance that a minority cause.
Bringing in more legislation will make no difference unless it is enforced. Why not just enforce the laws already in place. New Zealand does need more knee-jerk, bureaucratic, costly and restrictive legislation.
I have read some of your readers appearing to judge people by the campervan they drive. What do they expect the budget youth traveller of today to be driving ... some flash new campervan? I take some pleasure at looking at the creativity of these people and envy their youth an determination.
In London there is a road, where, on a weekend travellers park their campervans that they want to sell. They are just as creative as the ones that we see here and guess who the majority of owners are ... Kiwis. Let's not stifle youth and enterprise, embrace it instead but remind of their responsibilities.
Adam Hughes, Matua
Dealing with dogs
I notice that freedom campers are to be fined, with staff needing real teeth to deal with offenders as requested by Mr John Payne of the council. All I ask is in respect to dogs who travel all over our streets and regularly litter dog excrement everywhere, who will fine these dogs the $200 which is proposed? The human/dog excrement is surely of equal filth and equal efforts should apply to cleanliness in the Bay of Plenty.
Frank Just, Katikati
Education needed
It is with some surprise that there has not been at least some comment in the interim from the teaching fraternity at least in reply to your guest editorial by Avon Carpenter (Opinion, May 11).
Mr Carpenter suggests that the responsibility lies with all schools from primary right through to universities. I am inclined to agree with the writer of that article, but only in the absence of an age-old teaching that should have been and in my view still is the prerogative of Christian churches worldwide.
I don't think that there is sufficient understanding of why there are so many current failed attempts at correcting unacceptable behaviour at all levels, because of the deeper underlying reasons that change the human psyche away from normal harmonious interactions.
When stress strikes it disturbs one's natural balance of mind and reasoning is often obliterated. It is a function of mind chemical balance. Economic stress is a self-inflicted stress on society through lack of education.
We need the marketplace to affect our material exchanges and when that gets screwed up all hell can break out as it is in many places worldwide right now. This is the area for new education.
DL Reid, Tauranga
Info available
I'm appalled that this person Denise Whitehead has said there was no centralised database and there are difficulties accessing information for the elderly (News, May 6). Obviously Ms Whitehead has never used the internet to search for services for the elderly, if she had she would have found plenty of great websites packed full of info.
When my parents started to need these sorts of services I just did a Google search and up they all popped.
There is eldernet.co.nz which is okay, but I much prefer to use athomecare.co.nz. It's got a comprehensive database of information, organisations, resources for the older person covering the whole of Tauranga and Mount Maunganui plus other towns. It's also a great resource for families looking for information for parents and for those older people who don't use the internet are able to phone in for information.
Athomecare.co.nz is also much easier to find things on, so a good pick.
I'd really appreciate it if you could let your readers know there is definitely a great resource for the elderly online.
Sandra Tanner, Tauranga
Drug debate
I agree that any debate regarding drug reform should stick to the facts. The facts are that Methcon Group is indeed interested in decreasing drug use amongst teenagers. This is why this self-funded company put its money where its mouth is.
Stephen McIntyre (Letters, May 16) represents Norml, whose agenda is pro cannabis. Perhaps this point should be made clear in any public correspondence on the topic for the sake of transparency.
The report that Mr McIntyre refers to regarding Portugal is written by the CATO Institute, a libertarian's think tank which has openly pushed for decriminalising of drugs since the late 1970s.
Another fact. Overall cannabis use in Portugal has in fact increased since 2001. While there has been reduction in use amongst younger teenagers, it should be noted that as part of the 2001 reforms increasing drug education in schools was a key point. This is what we as a company are trying to promote because we believe that young people, when presented with unbiased and accurate facts, are more likely to make wise decisions.
Any legislative changes regarding drugs will not change the chemical structure and therefore harm caused by the drugs. It's called "dope" for a reason. I'm yet to hear it called "bright".
Dale Kirk, Mount Maunganui
Slip hazards
The council needs to do something about the transfers sections on the Chapel St/Sulphur Point overpass.
When these strips are wet they are Teflon-like slip hazards. Anyone who rides a motorbike must know about them. Why were they put there in the first place?Richard SaundersMount MaunganuiPlan questionedRe: Vibrant new plan unveiled for downtown (May 17).
What a brilliant plan Priority One has put forward for the waterfront.
Another Priority One pie-in-the-sky grandiose scheme. Have they once thought about how this is to be financed. If they expect the private sector to be able to run commercial activities on the waterfront then Priority One should canvas the private sector to finance the scheme.
Don't expect Tauranga ratepayers to come up with the finance for such a wacky scheme.
Currently commercial activities are moving away from the city centre, so why is it considered that the same on the waterfront will be successful. Commercialising the waterfront would completely ruin what could be a beautiful and attractive area. I back TCC "passive" vision for this area.
Priority One go back to the drawing board and think again, or first find the financial backing from the private sector before trying to bulldoze this plan through.
Roger Bailey, Papamoa Beach
Waterfront idea
Yet another "brilliant" idea for the redevelopment of the downtown waterfront. How many is that now? I too have a brilliant idea, one which has as its main point of difference the fact that it doesn't involve building anything new, yet one which will result in a huge improvement in public amenity. And what is it that promises to deliver so much for so little do you think?
Well, I'll tell you: Get rid of that floating eyesore, that scab on the face of the waterfront that used to be part of an ill-fated and inappropriate restaurant. Turn it into specimen jars.
Reclaim the waterfront for the people; after all, they paid for the elaborate seating and shade structure which was once well used but has been so effectively rendered unattractive by this memorial to commercial narcissism.
Let's hope (yeah, right) that the city fathers and mothers don't allow the "Corrugation Pier" development to similarly blight the landscape.
Bruce Little, Te Puna
Move the train
I cannot believe that constant debate about the waterfront area never mentions the obvious fact there is a train running right through the middle of it.
Definitely before anything else happens the railway line must be relocated underground in a trench.
The precedent is already set; check out the recently opened New Lynn Rail Trench.
It is just a matter of time before some child goes under the wheels of a train with the proposed increased pedestrian use and the current set-up.
Imagine the possibilities for downtown development with unimpeded pedestrian access from the strand right across to the harbour.
That should be the waterfront vision.
Paul Gurran, Bethlehem
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