In his letter to this paper (November 17) Geoff Parker points out some very scary facts of goings-on behind closed doors about New Zealand's future.
Two very good reasons to not want to a presidential type of leadership in New Zealand are:
1) seldom do the bestpeople come forward for candidacy, so we are left with the wannabes, and
2) the humungous costs of regular presidential elections and all the hoopla they will entail, then the necessary elevation and subsequent care of the elected one, would come out streets ahead of what we have now, which is the occasional royal visit.
You may count the overall cost of a royal visit as money wasted, but consider this. A royal banquet equals food bought from local providers, prepared and served by locals who get their wages for that, a few others like local florists or providers of tableware may be used, and a few extra policemen on duty who get their wages anyway.
Some bean counter will come up with some wonderful overall figure and toss that out at us as though that money was pulled out of the economy and then lost. It is money circulating through the economy. And if a couple of buildings are painted and roads repaired, again it is money circulating through business and wages and a nicer environment for all of us.
Let us keep the royals, and, best of all, keep them in England, and let us enjoy their small jaunts to our land. So much cheaper for us. And if we do not particularly like them, just think of how much money we save by having them.
