Bureaucratic plot: Letters, 2 March 2012

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Here you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.

Blacklist of foods leaves a slightly sour taste

I have been reading, with interest, the comments and articles regarding the so-called "blacklist" of foods.

I agree with a lot of the comments that have been made about the food list.

I, firstly, believe that children should be drinking full-fat milk, unless overweight.

Children need the calories from fat for their growth and development.

I'd much rather my child get their fat from a natural food source over a chocolate bar.

Don't get me wrong, I know this list wasn't created for people whom are at a healthy weight, but you don't need to be a rocket scientist to know skim milk has less fat, therefore, calories.

Secondly, honey, what?

I totally agree with what Peter Blakeway said about it being "one of nature's gift to our health and wellbeing" (BOP Times Feb 25).

Yes it is a form of sugar, but again I would much rather eat honey than artificial sweeteners.

I do see the point in publishing the so-called "list", but come on, we know that too much cake and Coke is bad. Moderation and exercise is the key.

I really hope that the people who created the list didn't get paid.

I would have created a more user-friendly and educated list for half the price.

Emma Phelps, Ohauiti

Slipway issues

With regards to Councillor Catherine Stewarts comment on the viability of a slipway "if private enterprise could not do it, why should council?" What she fails to say is that private enterprise won't do it if they have to "lease" the said land off the council. Hello? Council should stick to its core function, and that is serving its ratepayers and not being in business competition against them. It is well documented: Council does not know how to run a business.

Ship building and maintenance is a huge industry in New Zealand. The council should have thought of this before the new bridge was built, but oh no. Now it has missed the "boat" and Tauranga has lost an industry that would have kept, and created jobs, bringing in much needed revenue to the area.

What a bunch of wallies.

M K Higson, Katikati

Bureaucratic plot

Many years ago it seems now, we fought tooth and nail to try to stop the transport people from changing the right-hand rule. Now they are going to change it back.

One of the benefits is that it will save an estimated four to five lives a year.

Are we to assume, therefore, that the change has been killing over the same number each year? Is it true, then, had they not changed it in the first, about 100 Kiwis would be still alive and a great number would not have suffered grievous injuries? If not, why change then? Well, there are a lot of redundancies coming up in the public service.

What must they do?

Easy, bring in a major change to prove beyond any doubt that they really do need the number they already have, in fact, more.

As well as that a budget of at least a million is needed to publicise the nuances of the old rule. Plenty of free lunches in that.

Charles Purcell, Mount Maunganui

Cricket no-hopers

While we do have some "good-uns", the problems with the NZ lot seem to be the size of their heads, inflated egos, self-promotion and they even believe their own claptrap.

So awful in fact, they were good examples of headless chooks in the last Twenty/20 game, snatching a defeat out of the jaws of victory. They were little better in the 50/50 game on Saturday. It's about time the perennial underperformers were given the "don't come Monday" cards. A paucity of talent, lack of technical skills and the other deficiencies in almost every facet, including "the smarts" department is surely a catalyst for failure.

Most disturbingly however, is the lack of bottle and fight when the going gets tough and after all, it is how you lose that is so important. We hear the usual hype every cricket season and many of us are sick and tired of it. This bunch simply doesn't know how to perform and win when it matters, (unless they get lucky) and are undeserving of public support for the sort of performances produced.

S Paterson, Arataki

Tourist magnets

Roger Bailey's "load of rubbish"( February 27), ignores the attraction and success of Denmark's, Hans Christian Anderson's Little Mermaid sculpture, the Annapolis waterfront statues to commemorate Alex Haley's Roots, the bronze plaques at Circular Quay in Sydney, just to mention a few similar tourist attractions. Most visitors like to see the history, points of cultural interest and differences of where they are visiting. That's why people travel. Why does Tauranga have so many moaners and knockers?

Patricia Brooks, Pyes Pa