Only recently the fence to the gate was cut. Regardless of this the many who abide by the rules are fed up and are asking, "Who gives the trust the authority to keep them out of the harbour, which belongs to everyone?".
They are aware the land between the gate to the boat ramp is private, and now are asking what the Far North District Council is doing about it. As a councillor I have had many disgruntled phone calls. The council does maintain the road to the gate, and recently fixed up the wharf, costing thousands of dollars. So is the council in a position to put up a ramp?
The problem here is commercial fishing will move in, a topic the trust is very hard on.
The Parengarenga Trust Board needs to act quickly on their two problems. Toilets and running water are a must for campers. A phone call to Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis for finance could be a good thing.
And they need to man the gate. There is no alternative.
I applaud the board for the great job they have done managing the harbour, but they need to realise they cannot hold the public to ransom.
And that's how Mat sees it.