Letters 9 April 2010
Rototai rubbish dump site
The Rototai landfill operated for approximately 40 years, serving Takaka and Golden Bay until closing in 1994, then the Resource Recovery Centre (transfer station) opened at Scotts Road. The Rototai Road site has been inspected on a regular basis, and inspections have indicated a need for additional capping material over the northern section of the site.
An opportunity to complete the capping was identified last year, with the tendering of a roading contract (Totaranui /Te Waikoropupu Springs slip repairs). Excess slip material from the two slip sites is being used as additional cover for the landfill. The additional cost of carting the slip material to the site (where this is required) is being covered by scheduled capital budgets for closed landfill improvements. The total cost of the works is expected to be $52,000.
In the short term, the area will be returned to grass and pasture, which is likely to be leased for grazing. It is unlikely that large trees will be planted on the site in the longer term, as these are likely to damage the new cap and allow water into the old landfill.
Mayor Richard Kempthorne
TDC hosts climate change lecture
TDC is to be congratulated for hosting the lecture on climate change, organised by the Nelson Environment Centre and given by Dr David Lowe, lead author of the IPCC 2007 report on climate change.
His message was grim, but credit is due to the leadership shown by TDC in giving us the opportunity to face up to the possible consequences of our dependence on fossil fuels which release CO2 into the atmosphere.
Moira Tilling
Ed. An article on Dr Lowe’s talk is in this issue.
Holistic science
Yes, Peter, you are right (GBW Letters 1/4). The hospital will test your PSA and recommend antibiotics to reduce the bacteria-induced swelling/inflammation in the prostate. Sadly though, they will not address the causes of the bacteria and inflammation which are: large amounts of long-term faecal plaque sitting in the bowel year after year; a burdened liver unable to detoxify the poisons; and an immune system unable kill the bacteria.
Heart disease. It’s true, the doctors can accurately measure blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They will recommend warfarin to thin your blood, and Lipitor to stop your liver producing cholesterol. They will not, however, do anything to remove the arterial plaque which is the main cause of heart disease. Will Lipitor address the artery damage that the “liver-produced cholesterol” is trying to patch up? No. Will the warfarin remove arterial plaque (the main cause of heart disease)? No.
More helpful if hospitals introduced natural remedies like nattokinase to dissolve the arterial plaque, thus negating the need for blood thinners and reducing heart disease itself. More helpful if the hospitals introduce cleansing programs to reduce the toxicity that causes inflammation and bacteria.
All therapies, conventional and alternative, must join in a real integrated health system. Anything less will fail. My (scientific) health book Full Regeneration is available if googled.
Brian Dodds, health practitioner
Farm dog restraints
We would like to congratulate DISH and the DISH spokesperson S Myling Atywe for the new dog safety regulations brought in on April 1. We have been wanting something done for a long time but we think that DISH has not gone far enough with only seat belts.
We would like to see car seats made available for all farm dogs to be strapped into while going to and from work and a sign on the back of the vehicle saying “Dogs on Board”. We realise this will mean the purchase of a people mover to accommodate 6 dogs on seats on this farm, but it is a small expense in the cause of safety, not to mention our comfort.
With the pigs being chucked out into the paddocks and the cows being moved into their herd homes, dogs in car seats is the future for us.
Woof woof
Reek, Meg, Mate, Fi, Jess and Buccleuch Petterson
Gratitude to the community
I would like to thank everyone who has expressed their support and confidence in me over the past few months. I also wish to express my gratitude to my staff and associates. I look forward to continuing to provide medical care to you all and to those visiting Golden Bay.
Vic Eastman MD
Integrated health facility
Who in their wildest dreams would have believed that a group of people such as the IMG could be such dictators to the community of Golden Bay with virtually no consultation, expose no figures on cost or financial structure, what level of debt the community can be expected to finance, and ignore the Mitchell survey that told the IMG committee what the community wanted in the future, in particular the siting of the medical centre.
To remove the medical centre from the present site, or the preferred site by many in the community in Rototai Road, to the announced site is scandalous. The effect on our older citizens who can walk or have a mobility scooter to suddenly find that that independence is taken away, even worse the thought that there are probably a number of school pupils who may want to visit the centre privately and will no longer be able to do this.
If you have a concern as to what is being thrust upon you as a resident make sure you attend the meeting to be held on 20 April in the GB High School hall. If you wait till the IMG meeting you may be too late to make a change.
Barry Cashman
I have spent time in four New Zealand hospitals, and found Golden Bay Community Hospital to be the best in every way; pleasant, homey atmosphere, much faster response to the buzzer, staff who were able to help with indivdual needs, much better food and meticulous medical care.
We are about to face a huge influx of elderly as the baby boomers start to reach their senior years. It does not seem like a wise idea to demolish our rest home when more beds could make it viable. Isn’t it a better idea to invest in expansion of Joan Whiting? There is a waiting list now for people wanting to use this very well run resthome. The building is in good order and the Joan Whiting Resthome has an excellent reputation. Let’s get behind a smaller debt for a bigger reward.
John Davis
Visitor numbers to Golden Bay i-SITE
1994 1999 2004 2009 2010
March 2385 3033 4845 4894 4985
