My forebears had owned sizeable tracts of farming land
that had been hacked out of the bush and scrub under the Ruahine Ranges.
I am very proud to be a descendant of such pioneering
folk who understood what it means to build a business from nothing and see it
grow into something that makes a reasonable contribution to the local economy.
They also built the first trading general store in CHB. The building still
stands.
It is perhaps ironic that much of the farm land in
question was in the near vicinity of the catchment area for the now defunct
Ruataniwha Fresh Water Dam proposal.
It breaks my heart that this magnificent concept,
although poorly promoted, was destroyed by small minded people who selfishly looked
to transfer the money needed for such a worthy project to another part of the region
that would better serve their own business interests.
Tragically, this form of treachery is about to be
repeated in our own Tairawhiti region and others around the country facing the same
difficulties providing adequate reliable fresh water supplies to meet the
future requirements of both their rural and urban sectors.
The only bright spot on this otherwise bleak horizon is
the Government's support for the Waimea Dam proposal that has meant the
difference in guaranteeing that proposal's survival.
In the meantime those of us trying to convince our
leaders that a similar project is needed here, have become the subject of ridicule
or even contempt when trying to engage with those who have the ability to make
it happen.
They simply don't want to know and the time is fast
approaching when even belated support for our proposal will be too little, too
late!
How could those whose number one responsibility is to
keep us safe be so irresponsible.
When looking for answers to that question, we need go no
further than lay the blame firmly at the feet of the new "intellectual elite"
who have infiltrated both Local and Central Government to an extent that they
now dominate and dictate what happens at every level of human endeavour.
It doesn't seem to matter what issue these self appointed
authorities on every topic that affects our existence are talking about - race
relations, heritage, future economic development, the environment, climate
change, gender balance, poverty, housing, foreign relations, education, the law
or health services - the message we get is virtually the same - "Don't
ring us - we'll ring you".
Actually, it is worse than that. Our left wing media are
aiding and abetting the distortion of both the national and international news
to such an extent that the public believe everything that needs to be done is
in good hands. Really?
Surely, we aren't that gullible to believe such nonsense.
When most of the critical decisions are being made by
those who will not entertain an alternative idea simply because it doesn't come
from the right source, we are in deep trouble.
It wouldn't be so bad if those intellectual snobs were
prepared to allow their arguments to be challenged in the court of public opinion
where all contributors of thought and reason have equal opportunity to present
their point of view.
Unfortunately, that is simply not the case. Not here, not
anywhere!
This new breed of elitists include those who have
cornered the market on issues as important as climate change and race relations
and they operate unchallenged spewing their message of hate.
We are being force fed information that is dressed up as authentic
at local, national and international level when in fact, most of it is being
challenged by some of the world's most eminent scholars.
Even some of our own leading scientists - those that are
brave enough to put their jobs at risk- are quickly muzzled or vilified if they
offer an alternative view to the accepted narrative. Didn't Orwell write about
this?
It is no longer a situation that we, as a nation, can
afford to tolerate.
Clive Bibby is a commentator, consultant, farmer and
community leader, who lives in Tolaga Bay.
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