Letters to the editor: Combating gangs

Inspector Clifford Paxton speaking at the public meeting held after a spike in gang violence in the Western Bay of Plenty. Photo / George Novak

Leigh Neilson (Letters, February 25) wrote more resources are needed to combat the recent drugs and gangs challenges we're facing, and that it's a simple matter by empowering the police, courts and customs and not by community actions and meetings involving the councils and health board.

I believe this is a complex matter, centuries in the making, and resources are required to develop public understanding of why this has happened, address the causes and help victims.

These challenges all involve people – their values, attitudes and established patterns of behaviour, interactions and environment.

From conception, we all inherit potentials and instincts, both fostered by experiences, responses and environment.

Our potentials as a human, social species, - supplying values and attitudes of caring, sharing, belonging, supporting, being accountable, but, are eroded, when neglected.

By instincts - of valuing self, survival, greed, selfishness, power, control, while still needing to belong.

Lack of understanding of the critical role play by parenting has deprived past generations from establishing and equipping all future parents with the ability to foster the human and social potentials. The resulting deprivation throughout the world is evident by what continues to happen around us unless understanding develops.

Hugh Hughes, Mount Maunganui

Pump water from south

Canada and the US shift millions of gallons of crude oil from the north to the southern states, a distance of more than 8000km over some pretty rough terrain.

The distance from the South Island of New Zealand to the north is just a fraction of that so why is it not possible to pump water from its plentiful supply in the south to the drought-prone lands of the north? Think about it.

Jim Adams, Rotorua

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