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:
We need to know the true leaky homes cost
Re Leaky Homes Package morals.
I was pleased that the councillors voted, even if only by a narrow margin, to support the Government's leaky homes package.
Whilst certainly not wanting to incur ratepayers with additional costs, as we are already facing an 11 per cent-plus rate rise, I believe that it should be accepted that the council was one of the parties involved, and therefore partially responsible, for the leaky homes debacle.
This issue has affected a large number of our residents and it is therefore only fair and reasonable that we provide them with a level of support.
However, disappointing to me was the fact that it only passed by six votes to five and that one councillor actually said that she feared that the package would open a Pandora's box and reveal the true extent of costs.
This statement almost defies logic as obviously we need to know the extent of the problem so that it can be resolved once and for all, of course, learning from the experience so that it does not occur again.
Mike Baker, Bethlehem
Workplace deaths
I was shocked to read on your front page, about the death of Brian Shannon, a stevedore at the Port of Tauranga.
The Department of Labour should publish periodically the summary details of those killed and seriously injured at work and newspapers like yours should publicise these alongside commentary by safety and health specialists.
As a country we have an epidemic of work deaths and injuries, one of the worst among developed countries.
The deaths of the 29 miners at Pike River was surely a wake-up call for the nation, with the immeasurable grief of the families seen daily in the media.
Because governments in the 1990s abolished the professional mines inspectorate the present government had to bring in Australian mines inspectors and safety experts to help and a police superintendent was left to run the disaster response, not the chief inspector of mines.
Nothing has yet been done to correct this situation seven months on, except to appoint a Royal Commission which will not report until March 2012.
Yet another Royal Commission has been appointed after the second Christchurch earthquake killed so many people, including many foreign guests in the CTV and Pyne Gould Guinness buildings.
This will examine, among other things, why there was no public inspection of these buildings after the first quake and why people were allowed back into those buildings, despite them falling far below the modern earthquake standard.
As bad as all this is, the government is abolishing the two chief safety and health advisers to the Department of Labour and replacing them with an info phone line - to "save money".
We are failing, desperately, to preserve the fundamental right not to be killed or maimed at work.
(Abridged)
Dave Feickert, Mine safety adviser, Whanganui
Later for seniors
Discussing a proposal to make Tauranga City a user friendly place for our elderly citizens, Cr Rick Curach stated: "If there was a competitive advantage to Tauranga of having an age-friendly accreditation then it could be achieved at a later date." I wonder what point he was trying to make?
Roly Hammond, Matua
Pool priority
I was shocked and surprised after reading your article about the repair work at Mount Hot Pools.
The time frame given in article is around 18 weeks, which will be until the end of Rugby World Cup.
Do our councillors understand the implication of that?
When every region is trying their best to showcase their prime tourist spots to World Cup visitors, we have to display the sign on our main tourist attraction as "closed for repair".
Also as I understand we are at least going to host one World Cup team and the pools are the best option to relax for players after a tough training session, so what is going to happen then?
I think council should take all these factors in consideration and speed up the work to finish of before the start of the World Cup.
Alay Mehta, Mount Maunganui
Top local talent
Congratulations to the Oriana Singers on their first concert of the season to a capacity and enthusiastic audience at St Andrews Church Mt Maunganui.
Their programme featuring 13 items from Handel's Hallelujah to Richard Rodger's It's A Grand Night For Singing was punctuated in the first half by junior and senior chamber music trios from Bethlehem College.
These delightful entertainers are competing in school music competitions.
The tempo changed in the second half when Colin Allison, to use his own words, "fiddled" on his self-made violin.
Musical director Richard Carey, conducting, and accompanist Leon Gray-Lochart each added their special spark to the afternoon's entertainment.
Do support the Oriana Singers at their next concert. This is local talent at its best.
Betty Cole, Mount Maunganui
UN reality
Wayne Jessop in his letter 'Why Did It Happen' (June 10) says "The United Nation's so-called Peacekeeping force is a total farce".
I take it he would have been referring to the UN force in Bosnia, but if he's referring to peacekeepers wherever they are stationed, I take strong exception to his remark.
I had the privilege of serving with the UN peacekeeping force with the first NZ Police contingent in Cyprus in 1964.
Each and every member of any such UN peacekeeping force is under pressure to conform with both the UN demands and also the host country's requirements in trying to maintain some form of mutual peace between conflicting forces.
Also Mr Jessop, there is danger to the units themselves. I know, I've been there and being shot at or targeted isn't my idea of fun.
David Wall, Matua
Text views
* We are sadly in a society that only thinks of themselves. Hello-the hot pools are leaking and have 2b fixed. Not something u can leave. Local businesses ur facing what a lot of others hav dealt with due 2 roading upgrade. Get a life
* All Black selectors should follow the Hurricanes lead and dump Ma.a Nonu. He could easily cost us the world cup.
* I am appalled at what this teenage boy has been subjected too. My son tells me that this teenager is subjected to mockery and verbal ridicule on a daily basis. There has to be a way to stop this type of abuse circulating around. Shame on all those that put misery on others.
* Legacy. Do the neighbours think there will be more demand for cremations if theres two? This one is more modern and cleaner burning. There will be no more demand than before and people can now opt for a more eco friendly cremation. Surely a positive for the current neighbours who are more detrimentally affected by the status quo!
* Some people are unbelievable. What is more logical than 2 build another crematorium in close proximaty 2 the existing one & adjacent 2 the cemetery. Get real
* Who's guilty? While I've great sympathy for the Shannon tragedy, how is it someone other than Mr Shannon himself was expected to think for him? Are we not responsible for our own movements. Can't blame some other party! Same as bike rider - thought the law calls the person behind responsible if a collision occurs when 1 behind another. BUT! We should all look. Lyn
* Kid bullied on facebook, start liftn weights. B treated with respect
* My opinon put thea namez n and thea faces n tha paper n imbares them i dnt think they would lyk it .n i thnk it would b gd 2 mke fun of them 4 1nce n c if they lyk being abused i hate
* Computers make easy access,easy 4 targeting but same result at z end of z day
* Cbd parking. What a joke still wont be parking in cbd when i can park at bay fair or papamoa all day.
* Wots wrong with corrections. Cud hav saved money if roof prisoners given paint an brush while sitting up there. Make lazy buggers work
* I 2 was caught n th confusion re freeparkin along with th retailr i checkd with on Sat! Com'on Council give us & retailrs a break, it might help keep some stores frm havin 2 close their doors!
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