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Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Letters to the editor: Combating gangs

Bay of Plenty Times
26 Feb, 2020 08:39 PM3 mins to read

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Inspector Clifford Paxton speaking at the public meeting held after a spike in gang violence in the Western Bay of Plenty. Photo / George Novak

Inspector Clifford Paxton speaking at the public meeting held after a spike in gang violence in the Western Bay of Plenty. Photo / George Novak

Leigh Neilson (Letters, February 25) wrote more resources are needed to combat the recent drugs and gangs challenges we're facing, and that it's a simple matter by empowering the police, courts and customs and not by community actions and meetings involving the councils and health board.

I believe this is a complex matter, centuries in the making, and resources are required to develop public understanding of why this has happened, address the causes and help victims.

These challenges all involve people – their values, attitudes and established patterns of behaviour, interactions and environment.

From conception, we all inherit potentials and instincts, both fostered by experiences, responses and environment.

Our potentials as a human, social species, - supplying values and attitudes of caring, sharing, belonging, supporting, being accountable, but, are eroded, when neglected.

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By instincts - of valuing self, survival, greed, selfishness, power, control, while still needing to belong.

Lack of understanding of the critical role play by parenting has deprived past generations from establishing and equipping all future parents with the ability to foster the human and social potentials. The resulting deprivation throughout the world is evident by what continues to happen around us unless understanding develops.

Hugh Hughes, Mount Maunganui

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Pump water from south

Canada and the US shift millions of gallons of crude oil from the north to the southern states, a distance of more than 8000km over some pretty rough terrain.

The distance from the South Island of New Zealand to the north is just a fraction of that so why is it not possible to pump water from its plentiful supply in the south to the drought-prone lands of the north? Think about it.

Discover more

Letters to the editor: Gang problems run deep

18 Feb 08:00 PM

Letters: Tauranga's Northern Link route could have been well on the way by now

19 Feb 10:00 PM

Letters: Time to be proactive against gangs

24 Feb 09:00 PM

Letters: Caning needs to be in the mix to curb 'wild-west behaviour'

25 Feb 01:58 PM

Jim Adams, Rotorua

The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters from readers. Please note the following:

• Letters should not exceed 200 words.

• They should be opinion based on facts or current events.

• If possible, please email.

• No noms-de-plume.

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• Letters will be published with names and suburb/city.

• Please include full name, address and contact details for our records only.

• Local letter writers given preference.

• Rejected letters are not normally acknowledged.

• Letters may be edited, abridged, or rejected at the Editor's discretion.

• The Editor's decision on publication is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

• Letters may be used in other NZME publications.

Email editor@bayofplentytimes.co.nz

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