The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Below you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
TODAY'S LETTERS
Christchurch needs a clear strategy
I was born in Christchurch so feel qualified to make this observation.
The city is now entering recovery mode and it is imperative residents be given a clear strategic picture of the city's regrowth path.
Two early decisions Minister Gerry Brownlee must announce are:
1. Define those areas that will never be rebuilt due to liquefaction - areas like New Brighton, Bromley, Woolston, Parklands etc, so those residents know the worst and can plan accordingly.
2. Implement a crash retraining programme for the displaced unemployed of Christchurch.
The city needs builders, plumbers, blocklayers, electricians (in fact all the building trades) by their hundreds and the best resource are the displaced retail, accounting and service industry people who can easily be retrained.
These trade skills can be learned "on the job", with supporting classes.
These able-bodied (unemployed) citizens will be paid for both learning new (bankable) skills and making a tangible contribution to rebuilding their city.
In a crisis people need direction, and quickly.
At the very least the minister should make these two strategic decisions so the people know whether to stay and help rebuild Christchurch or go.
They deserve no less.
Max Lewis, Mount Maunganui
Sober thoughts
I heard with interest a recent snippet of life in New Zealand 100 years ago.
In 1911, a pension was granted to "widows of sober habits".
What a difference 100 years makes!
Those "sober widows" would have gnashed their teeth to see that 100 years later that there are career beneficiaries who regularly produce baby after baby, safe in the knowledge that they will be paid to do so by the State, which is funded by the rest of us who work to provide their lifestyle.
We have come a long way in 100 years - or have we?
Robin Bishop, Pyes Pa
Coastal area bill
In reply to Mary Brooks' comments (Your View, April 1) suggesting there is nothing to worry about in the passing of the Marine and Coastal Area Bill.
On the contrary this bill, for one thing, gives ministers the power to transfer vast mineral reserves now belonging to the Crown into the hands of a tribal elite. Not beyond Prime Minister Key to do this in his effort to befriend the Maori Party to keep National in power. How can such an intrinsic part of the common heritage of all New Zealanders be brought into question and allocated on race?
This is just the beginning, already the entire Exclusive Economic Zone, the 200-mile limit, is in their sights. Like others this is a floodgate heaving to break. Crown Minerals have estimated the iron sands alone to be worth $1trillion, headed for private Maori tribal corporations.
Treaty experts have said it is a "monstrous crime", a "horrific sacrifice of public property and public prosperity", and a "theft of our common heritage" is pushing New Zealand closer to an "apartheid state".
Not surprisingly readers have been concerned. Every New Zealander should be concerned, but I suppose like many government ministers reading the small print is not worth the hassle; just vote for it and you'll have your salary and pension guaranteed - choose what.
Roy E Smith, Tauranga
World conflict
And now it is the Ivory Coast - surely it is not just a coincidence, this wave of insurrection across the globe. And, in the middle of it all, fighters still knocking off to face Mecca five times a day. Where is the money coming from to finance all the rebels armaments? Where is the direction coming from that sparks off bloody conflicts among brothers?
We in the West should be asking these questions and looking for answers, before the God of War descends on to our doorstep. It is significant that a demonstration was held in Wellington NZ some weeks ago over the conflict in Egypt.
Wake up, New Zealand. We, through this fact, must know that we are part of this world unrest, and look for strength within our borders.
A "she's right" attitude is suicide, and a secular state is moral ineptitude. The God of Elijah is the God of today, and the world's state is no more than we deserve.
B Guernier,Tauranga
Drive by
Re Drive-in movies at Baypark (News, March 29).
This is Planet Bongo stuff.
Once upon a time in the 1960s and 70s Australia had plenty of drive-ins but now very few if any exist. NZ virtually had none and I would be surprised if any still existed. The problem is the cost of operating drive-ins plus daylight saving means in summer it is not dark until 9pm and in winter, it is often cold, wet and miserable.
Also during the speedway or rugby seasons, Baypark couldn't accommodate weekend movies very often. Any normal use of the sports and exhibition centre would also be a hindrance. Obviously the same "brain" that floated the speedway bikes has come up with this.
In short, this scheme is the usual no-brainer one would expect from TCVL, TCC and Baypark.
I sincerely hope TCVL or Tauranga City Council were not seeking to take a financial interest in this thing. If they are, it is one more money loser they can add to their list of misadventures and as a ratepayer, I object to funding this madness and the salaries of those who foster it.
I invite Baypark to privatise itself completely, take over all the outstanding debts and see how long it will survive without the massive TCC ratepayer funding.
(Abridged)
R Paterson, Matapihi
Pleasurable visit
Praise where praise is due.
Well done Toi Tauranga. This week I had the pleasure of visiting the Tauranga Art Gallery with my daughter's class from Greerton Village School. I was very impressed with the slick presentation, choice of exhibits and enthusiasm the staff generated in our attentive, enthused and maroon-clad children.
Lynley Dodd's exhibition is superb and impressed on us how fortunate we are to have this "taonga" in our midst. If that was not enough you can also view neoclassical works elsewhere in the gallery without having to queue for hours outside the Uffizi.
Congratulations and thank you to all gallery and Greerton Village School staff for organising the trip and inspiring our kids (and us parents).
R Kincaid, Tauranga
Dead centre
Re Residents angry (News, April 5). There is a crematorium only metres up the road already.
If they are scared of death they should not have bought properties where they have.
Adding another one gives the public more options.Ross DickeyMaungatapu
Tsunami warningI absolutely agree with correspondent Chudleigh Haggett (Your View, April 2) that tsunami alerts must be sorted. However, to suggest that local authorities "forget about sirens", suggests, with respect, they haven't really thought it through properly.
What about when you are asleep, or out for a walk, or chatting to the neighbour over the fence - or any other situation where you may not have your cellphone, be watching TV or listening to the radio?
If an emergency situation occurs and we have little time to "get up" a siren would alert us to seek further information. We may only have a matter of minutes to seek safety. Without the sirens we would be unaware (perhaps blissfully) of imminent danger, especially if we are asleep.
There are no guarantees a siren would wake us, but it would give the masses the best chance of survival.
We have to trust that our council will deliver us an emergency warning system with a combination of alerts that will include technology AND sirens.Leona SmithMount MaunganuiEmergency exitsI have just read Glenys Hudson's letter re: Escape route for Papamoa residents (Your View, March 29).
I think it is absolutely shocking that the council has all those people trapped down there with only three main outlets.
That massive drain should have emergency exit bridges in several places allowing access in times of need.
Anne Harcourt, Te Puke
Text views
* Oil drilling- daniel mares said the people of nz dont want drilling. Well he hasn't asked me and i a nz der supports drilling.
* Graham clark letter naive.Easy 2 say drug and alcohol abuse is no one elses business. Sorry yr wrong. Wot bout family left 2 pick up the pieces.
* We r going in the same direction as the States. Sorry but if u don't graduate with a degree from the Right place u end up wrkn in a supermarket.
* 1 rule for musicians and another for lesser people is it? Does that mean that because i have led a faultless life for more my more than 60 years i can now pocess cannabis and get away with it. What a joke some layers are. And the courts. And the law.
* Crime- what nz needs is hard nosed leaders not the'warm fuzzy words' leaders like. John Key and minister of police. Ar.
* What on earth are the clowns doing to welcome bay rd? was never wide enough now we got islands, dead zones, no parking lines and no bloody room to drive around, watch out cyclists!
* Why would tga need another 160-room hotel? There is nothing here to warrent it. More happening in taupo. Taupo can accomadate 33,000 in one hit tauranga cant.
* Doc to expensive in tauranga now.we had to go to doc out of town on a wkend and was only 15 dolars and we werent reg at that doc.far to expensive here
* Doctor fees-dont mind paying a bit more if doctors are really good, however most good doctors have moved o/seas because the govt wont support doctors.
* Re tsunami warning. Mass texting works well - saw system first hand in Qld during Cyclone Yasi. Does NOT overload system! LJS
* Tsunami warning - sirens are best. About time they were scrapped, paper showed a man w/world's loudest siren. Council should get one like that! LJS
* Re: Bethlehem school. 4 goodness sake drivers how low can u go, nearly running down little ones on their school crossng. Reality check!!
* Pedestrian crossing. Its just same old bad attitude that tga suffers from. Every one for them selfish selves.
* Simple solution to bethlehem pedestrian issues- an overbridge for people,cars dont need to stop nd children walk over safely!
* Paul henry offered key 10k for a skyhawk on the breakfast show, key laughed we can get a bit more than 10k, us tax payers could have been 10k better of.
* Re the financial debacle over the surf reef Hopefully councillors learn from the experience!! stick to basics & out of business matters
* Iv bin surfing the mt 4 years&laughed about the reef from the very start!..u cant mess wth mother nature!..total waste of money,im glad i didnt bye a tee shirt!.get rid of it!
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