Post:
The Editor
Bayof Plenty Times
Private Bag 12002
Tauranga
Where do they stand on library?
In
these crucial local body elections, I urge readers to remember who of the current councillors supported cuts and charges to basic local library services earlier this year.
Our team put huge personal time, money, and effort into challenging this current council's preferred option of charging to borrow library books.
However we, and many Tauranga folk, successfully won.
This was a huge victory for Tauranga as a community and I believe we regained the respect of other NZ towns who were watching to see what would happen here.
Therefore I would like to challenge all candidates to make clear their position on the place of library and arts services in our growing community.
Our rates are rising at a shocking pace and I, for one, still believe that essential services can be provided without huge increases to household spending. Yet how will we cap or reign in rates escalation, while retaining assets such as the four local libraries? What is your pledge?
I challenge every council and mayoral candidate to publicly make their strategy on these points clear. We are watching with avid interest.
(Abridged)
VANESSA BYRNES - Tauriko
Choking tragedy
Re: Boy dies after 'choking' game (News, September 20).
This is a note to the parents of the young man that died.
I am so sorry for your loss, I know how heartbroken you are. We lost our 17-year-old son from this same activity last year and have been trying to spread the word of this to everyone who will listen.
Keep up your efforts, they will not be in vain, someone will hear about this and may stop themselves or someone else from this kind of tragedy. I hope you find some peace.
JOAN JENSEN - United States
Too much snuffling
I well remember the arguments when central government changed the rules and decided that city councillors should be paid and that such payments would be decided by the Higher Salaries Commission. The logic was that if a reasonable salary was paid then more "good" people would be able to stand for council.
It's now eight years later and the only benefit I have seen is the ability for media headlines every time the faceless gnomes give out more money to the winners in the triennial lotto.
I have not seen any improvement in council decisions, in fact the very reverse seems to be the case with this council up to its eyes in debt.
Call me old fashioned but I always thought serving on the council was a community service given by well-meaning citizens. Not a reason to snuffle in the trough of public money.
ROY EDWARDS - Tauranga
Deportation urged
Yet another kiwifruit worker has been convicted of tax evasion.
Last month it was Abdul Zaheed, originally from Fiji. This week (Times, September 18) Mohammed Rashidul Amin was sentenced to three years' jail.
There have been several others earlier and there are still more out there. They came from India, Bangladesh, Fiji and other countries and set up their scams.
They receive legal aid to defend their actions and seek prisoner's aid on release.
In the meantime, they live in prison comfort far superior to their own homes. Immediate deportation is what is needed. Government should cancel any residency entitlements they have given and send them packing.
The prisons would have empty cells, legal aid costs would reduce. South Auckland would be almost crime free and government expenditure greatly reduced.
RAHIM BUKSH - Cherrywood
Racist votes
Isn't it amazing how different people's ideas on the same thing can be so different.
I disagree with Raewyn Bennett (Your View, September 17) who says that, by voting against having separate Maori seats, the Act Party suit the purposes of racist politics.
I think giving anybody preferential treatment over and above somebody else based upon the colour of their skin is a racist act. Raewyn obviously doesn't see it that way.
I would be personally offended if it was made easier for me to gain a seat (or anything for that matter) just because of the colour of my skin.
I would also be offended if I was chosen for something not for my ideas and the quality of my thinking, but because I was a certain colour.
This is New Zealand and we each have an equal opportunity to achieve anything we choose - to give somebody preferential treatment at the expense of somebody else based upon colour is surely not right or fair or equality.
Maori have the same opportunity as everybody else to achieve political power if they wish.
I believe Raewyn's accusations are unfounded.
GRAHAM CLARK - Kaimai
Talking to teachers
I would like to clarify some of the matters raised in your item of September 14 about secondary teacher bargaining.
Secondary schools are funded to provide average student:teacher ratios of 17.2:1. Schools are required to endeavour to have no more than 26 students in a class.
Under our system of self-managing schools, boards decide on things like subjects offered, timetables, and class sizes, in consultation with their communities. The Ministry of Education doesn't want to remove boards' flexibility in this area, so we don't propose putting a formal cap on class sizes.
Teachers' sick leave provisions are well in excess of those provided by the Holidays Act 2003. Teachers are also entitled to paid study leave, sabbatical leave, and paid or unpaid leave for cultural events or family illness.
In addition to the paid parental leave all New Zealanders are entitled to under the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act, female teachers are entitled to six weeks leave on full pay after childbirth. The Ministry of Education is not seeking to remove any of these additional entitlements for teachers, but we are also not offering to increase them. We don't think this would be justified or fair in the current environment.
We have made two offers to the PPTA, both of which have been rejected. We have endeavoured to address their concerns and want to continue to do so, at the bargaining table. Our invitation to the PPTA to return to the table remains open.
FIONA MCTAVISH - Group Manager Education Workforce, Ministry of Education
