Letters 18 June 2010
Line dancing
Yar hoo! Are you interested in a regular line-dancing evening? You don’t need to wear a Stetson or cowboy boots. It’s a great way to keep warm on a winter’s evening. If you’re interested, please phone me on 525 8876.
Dave Myall, GB Recreation co-ordinator
Thanks to Victoria
Golden Bay is a great community made up of many people contributing their skills or services to make this a safe and vibrant place to live. We have many volunteer organisations with members who give their time generously to be on call for emergencies and we often don’t appreciate their dedication until we’re in need ourselves.
When I heard the x-ray unit was out of action, I remembered back 20 years to the days when you took your broken limb along to the vet’s rooms for an x-ray. The medical centre’s unit provided a much-improved service that saved many uncomfortable trips over the Hill to Nelson Hospital. Often we take these facilities for granted until we lose them.
Instead of just worrying about how this shutdown may affect us if we are injured, perhaps it’s timely to thank Victoria Davis for being on call 24/7 (unpaid) for so many years. To provide this service for 20 years, with the last 10 years as the sole radiographer, is an outstanding contribution to her community. Victoria, it’s people like you that make Golden Bay so special.
Joan Butts
Integrated community health centre
The Interim Management Group for Golden Bay’s proposed Integrated Health Centre is now working through a complex web of approvals and fundraising options.
As we indicated, following the public meeting in late April, we believe we have broad support from the people of Golden Bay for the proposals.
With the agreement of the providers, we are proceeding with the integration project, subject to the necessary approvals and to raising the mortgage and funding required. We don’t know how long this process could take, but it could be several months.
Approvals include those from the Minister and other Government agencies, working through resource consents, and developing more detailed building designs, while continuing to involve staff in each of the three sites.
Fundraising is also an involved process as we are exploring a range of options, from financing, and charitable and philanthropic agencies.
Peter Burton, integrated management group (IMG)
Virtually anyone anywhere worldwide can visit Joan Whiting Rest Home. Chris Mitson, chair of JWRH Trust, must be aware of the JWRH promotional website. Surely Chris recognises that the JWRH website is a true, honest representation of the JWRH. The imagined poetic letter from Granny Mae (11 June) was based on the wonderful colour photographs and text from the JWRH website and interviews with individuals knowledgeable about JWRH.
Many GB residents would be shocked that his letter (11 June) excluded fundraising support for JWRH. Along with many GB residents, I have faithfully donated to JWRH over the years at fundraising stalls. Chris needs to apologise to all who have contributed.
Chris misdirected his scathing remarks while not answering the crucial question. Once again you are asked as an IMG member to factually reply: Why does IMG refuse the choice to continue funding JWRH at a much lower cost than the high-risk integrated GBCHC $10,000,000+ price tag? Chris has already admitted that JWRH doesn’t need refurbishing, which supports JWRH as the lower-cost option.
Also please publish a financial statement with itemised details of expenditure/income for JWRH. Then the GB community can make the necessary comparative assessment of the IMG’s GBCHC proposal.
Ro Piekarski for GB MORE,
Money to Revitalise the Economy
Fact: Without a proper needs assessment the proposed $10,000,000+ Golden Bay Community Health Centre (GBCHC) has been prematurely promoted by the Interim Management Group (IMG) as the only GB healthcare option.
Fact: IMG refuses to publish a detailed itemised expenditure/income financial statement of the GBCHC for GB community review.
If IMG is confident its “robust business plan” will pass any scrutiny, why not allow transparent GB community inspection of the full financial plan? It’s a reasonable request because IMG has budgeted patients’ fees for part payment of the $10,000,000+ cost. IMG needs to account to GB residents how much more patients will need to pay over the proposal’s 40-year term.
It’s astonishing that IMG doesn’t know the difference between GB community-owned local non-profit healthcare compared to corporate privatised profitable ownership, likely foreign owned. Health care access and services co-located at one site as proposed by IMG is very attractive for corporate privatising of GB healthcare.
Upon investigation of the GBCHC trust deed, the risk of privatisation becomes even more troubling. Section 22, Winding Up, directs trustees to transfer GBCHC GB ownership to another organisation within NZ. This opens opportunities for corporate ownership of the GBCHC, outside GB community control.
Ro Piekarski for GB MORE,
Money to Revitalise the Economy
Ed. In light of the IMG’s letter above, The GB Weekly is no longer fielding and passing on questions about the merits of integration. The discussion phase appears to be over and the transition phase has begun.
Choir’s double bill
Last weekend, residents of Golden Bay and Motueka were treated to a choral double bill - Mozart’s Requiem and his Mass in C Minor. The works were enthusiastically presented by the 60-voice Combined Community Choir from Nelson, Motueka and Golden Bay.
This outstanding group of soloists complemented the fresh and energetic approach of the choir. The standard of the choir has improved to such a level that they capably presented these challenging and complex works. An appreciative audience gave the choir and soloists a standing ovation at the end of the last performance.
It is wonderful to be able to rehearse and perform such music with a group that provides and encourages community participation and appreciation of such choral works. The Golden Bay Choir’s thanks go out to Carl Browning, cthe onductor and motivating force behind the Combined Choirs, and also, of course to the great audiences of Golden Bay and Motueka.
Leigh Gamby
Charity needed for charity auction
Harcourts Golden Bay is planning another of our charity auctions to be held in December. The last three have generated $30,000 (for Takaka Fire Brigade, St John and the Bradley family) and we hope this one will be as successful.
This time we are asking the public to submit charities or organisations for our consideration. All you have to do is email <enquiries.goldenbay@harcourts.co.nz> or write to us at 65 Commercial Street, Takaka, telling us in less than 300 words how your charity or organisation would use the funds. Please have this in to us no later than 9 July.
We have had some good responses but want to make sure nobody misses out on a chance to have their say. We look forward to hearing from you.
Nikki Ryan on behalf of Harcourts Golden Bay
Property seminar
I was fortunate to move here long enough ago that we could afford to purchase a property on our Golden Bay wages. Nowadays many people face staying in the rent trap if they cannot find a way into the local property market. Shared ownership of land is not uncommon in other parts of the world and I would like to explore the idea further here.
I am holding a seminar on 4 July at the Mussel Inn 1.30pm. Lawyer Steve Webb will speak about “tenants in common” and other ways of sharing ownership of real property. Laurie Davidson of the TDC will talk about how landowners can legally house additional shareholders - their children, friends, family or other like-minded souls on their land. We need to know the processes involved and the costs.
If you have successfully shared ownership of property, and legally housed the shareholders, I would like to hear from you.
With luck, this seminar will unite those hoping to find shareholders for their own land, or those looking to purchase land collectively. Maybe someone will start a blog?
Those wanting to attend or who can’t attend but would like to receive information, can email me <billy.kerrisk@raywhite.com>.
Billie Kerrisk
Smoke Free Rock Quest bus
Golden Bay’s young rock band Holy Finger is playing at the regional finals at the Trafalgar Centre on Saturday 26 June, and we’re taking a bus load of kids over to support them.
As it’s a big trip, we’re leaving CAS at 3.15pm, leaving GBHS at 4.00pm and allowing 45 minutes to eat in Motueka. The event starts at 7pm, so we’re hoping to leave Nelson about 10.30pm and will arrive back at GBHS about 12.15am and CAS 12.45am Sunday.
I know this is a late night and so wish parents to be aware beforehand. There will be two parents travelling with the group and myself driving. If you have any concerns please phone me on 525 8876. Note this is note an official school trip.
Dave Myall, GB Recreation co-ordinator
