Letters: Council meetings not for personal grievances

Rotorua Lakes Council chambers are for discussions, not personal grievances, a reader says. Photo / File

It may come as surprise to some, but every council meeting is opened with a prayer to God containing the passage: "Send thy blessing upon us your servants this evening as we strive to do all things good for the betterment of the people of the Rotorua district."

Putting aside the debatable practice of starting each council meeting with a prayer to a monotheist God, the key line which seems to have been forgotten by some around the council table is; "strive to do all things good for the betterment of the people of the Rotorua District".

I can certainly understand the motivations of councillor Rob Kent to use the platform of a council meeting (News, May 30) to set the record straight after alleged defamatory statements were published online about himself. However, in my view, this is not the time or place to do so.

When housing developments are on hold due to infrastructure that can't keep up with demand, people face productivity losses due to time spent sitting in traffic and our museum is left uninhabitable, I'd rather personal issues be left for press releases and council meeting time instead spent on doing "all things good for the betterment of the people of Rotorua".

Ryan Gray
Council candidate

On wellbeing

Jacinda, wellbeing is providing welfare, the necessities of life for all, especially those who are unable for various reasons to provide for themselves.

This does not mean taxing the necessities - food, heating and clothing.

Neither does it mean letting the wealthy pay fewer taxes while profiting from the misfortune of others - landlords charging exorbitant rents and using homes as commodities.

If you are seriously intent on creating "wellbeing" for the Kiwi people then address these issues and we may just believe you.

Jim Adams
Rotorua

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