The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Here you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
TODAY'S LETTERS
Shame on council over lack of sirens
It is with shock that I realised there are no sirens to warn us of a tsunami or any other need to evacuate.
I've been reassuring my children that we'd have this warning. How the heck are we to know of any impending crisis?
Shame on this council.
Katrina Lodge, Mount Maunganui
We need sirens
I was at a course recently in the CBD with 20 other people; we have a policy that all cellphones must be off. As the meeting was after hours there were no other staff in the building.
It occurred to me that if there was a tsunami warning, with little time to evacuate, none of us would have been alerted.
Our families would have been beside themselves trying in vain to contact us. Natural disasters will not occur at a time convenient to us.
Chances are we won't be sitting at home with our families - waiting for an email to pop up, with one hand on our survival kits - when there is an emergency situation.
We need sirens. As well as other forms of public warning systems, we need sirens.
Leona Smith, Mount Maunganui
New Zealand Day
I watched the many in Christchurch praying and remembering those lost in the earthquake.
How many said prayers etc in different languages? How many nationalities were present, and that was just in the town of Christchurch? Now, as never before, is it apparent that we have a New Zealand Day and not our Waitangi Day for a few, we have such a multiculture in New Zealand, lets now embrace one and all now.Joan Hayes-AshfordKatikati
Going for price
Re: Guinness Appliances shuts its doors (News, March 18).
Most of the big box stores simply outmatch the smaller stores in price by a lot of money. Wages are low and prices are high, how are we as consumers expected to support more costly family owned businesses when the dollar is the bottom line?
I would love to shop more family owned stores but always go for the price no matter what. If they were more competitive, I'd consider taking my business there.
Julie Allen, Papamoa
Slowing progress
It is now official - Tauranga City Council (TCC) has publicly admitted that some of their bylaws impede developments.
I refer specifically to the bylaws regarding the maximum permitted height of structures; screening between commercial and recreation zones; waste minimisation requirements; maximum seven day period per activity, access and signage requirements for temporary events; car parking associated with a public open space.
TCC has applied for exemption from TCC for these TCC rules so TCC can proceed with the waterfront development.
Obviously, if these were good practical bylaws, there would be no need for exemptions and accompanying convoluted bureaucratic process.
The responsibility and liability for creating bylaws that they themselves cannot operate under must rest with TCC.
Allan Gifford, Tauranga
Text alerts good
Re: Tsunami warning poll (Bay of Plenty Times Weekend, March 19). Not being funny but half of the 200 poll must be dopey.
What happens when we are asleep? We won't hear the sirens. We never heard any sirens the last time they tried them out.
A text message via mobile is the only way in my opinion. You would hear it better by the bedside.
Or even better, why not have sirens and text messaging running side by side. After all we are talking about life and death here.
Robert Clark, Papamoa
No freak accident
The so-called freak accident that took four days to get a media report on is unacceptable and to say Speedway didn't know about it till Sunday defies belief, particularly as officials were right on the spot and saw the victim within a couple of minutes although racing continued, which hampered medical help coming.
It's not rare and it's not a freak accident - it was a very large chunk of metal which was probably tossed over the safety fence. That piece of metal was taken away by a Speedway official.
Relatives who were sitting 10m away saw it all so that's an eyewitness account. The woman was in severe pain and it took about 10 minutes for St John to arrive.
It's not only a Speedway NZ issue, it's a TCVL issue as the owner of the stadium which has the operating agreement with Speedway. It is also probably an OSH issue. The result of the investigation report must be made available to the public as it is very fortunate someone wasn't killed. Probably the fact there was the usual paltry crowd of only 1500 people helped. Incidentally, it appears no warning signs are posted in the stands area.
Speedway seems to have a very laid back and laissez-faire attitude to the whole incident and if that's the best they can do, Speedway shouldn't be racing at Baypark. Pack them off to TECT Park.
S Paterson, Arataki
Broken promise
Simon Bridges (Bay of Plenty Times, News March 18) invites people to have their say about a proposed review of parts of the bail system. He says the Government wants public help, which will be used to develop policy.
The Government asked for public input to the Foreshore and Seabed Act and said that if there was significant opposition the bill would be withdrawn. Another National broken promise.
When will MP's take personal responsibility for the statements and promises they make even though they may be party policy? If individual responsibility is too much to handle then they should do what Simon Power did.
Stuart Keene, Otumoetai
Text Views
* All for flyover 2lane alls thats needed and a straight one it will be cheaper
* There r 2 many people n public positions that hav no people skills. Thy giv me tape if i ned it.
c* Tcc destroy an icon for a wellness centre. No more camping for the school groups and other groups. All 4 sum tourists that mostly wont use it.
* Sirens everywhere and a certain tone we cld recognise as a tsunami warning.
* Re. Ring predictns. We o vis guy an apology an so calld xperts som very hard questns. Persnaly find ring a flake but his record stands firm
* I agree wth Stephen Thorpe (bop times 21/03/2011). Cyclists should pay sum kind of fee 4 usage on th roads! If its good enuf 4 them to hav cycle lanes, then its good enuf 4 them 2 pay a fee!
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