Thursday, September 13, 2012 • Mayor Meng Foon
YING and I wish to thank the organisers of a number of first-class events we have attended recently.
The Wespac business awards, supported by local sponsors, saw Tairawhiti celebrate innovation, customer service and business acumen at their best. It is great to celebrate success as if we don’t tell our success stories, who else will? Congratulations to all those who entered and the winners — actually, you were all winners.
I encourage more business owners to enter next year. You may learn a thing or two about your business.
A presentation here from the Ballance farm environment team will hopefully gain more entries into this prestigious regional and national award.
Gisborne District Council leads in environmental stewardship with a number of policies and incentives to help our region be more sustainable. Previous entries were an inspiration to us all, so get your entries in — you will learn about yourself and your business.
I was proud to march with the Stroke Foundation on Gladstone Road. Stroke affects 21 people every day in New Zealand. We can curb this problem with exercise and diet, and seeing the doctor.
An inspirational team of stroke people are still collecting, so give generously.
The Youth Concert was an absolute delight, great entertainment and showed the talent we have here in Tairawhiti.
We were wowed with opera, song, ballet and the two young girls tap dancing, you took our breath away.
Thanks to the War Memorial Theatre Trust for putting on such a show; big thanks to Gavin Maclean and his team for the idea and the great work.
And We Wrestle at the Showgrounds Event Centre — what a show, 1800 young children with mums and dads seeing great talent, with all the wrestlers coming from Gisborne, trained in Gisborne with such professionalism. You wowed the audience with taunts and banter. House of Breakthrough, you are breaking through to help our community.
On Sunday I went to the Mormon Church Stake Conference and was overwhelmed by the testimonies the young people gave, from what they were to a transformed person they are today. Young and old shared a message for betterment of the family, as the family is the centre of all their work; 80-year-old people dedicated to going to homes to help with budgeting, family issues, advice. Thank you to you all as we all have a part to play in a better Tairawhiti.
On Monday I went to Radio Ngati Porou to give them a certificate to acknowledge their 25-year anniversary, I remember the station in a little shed on the river side; then Cyclone Bola came and the Niue community gave $50,000 towards the current premises.
Radio Ngati is the radio station for the Ngati Porou iwi, locally, national and worldwide. We appreciate their stewardship; Gisborne District Council relies on the station to announce our meetings, local issues and more importantly storm events, flooding and road closure or major works. Thanks to Radio Ngati Porou ka mau te wehi mo o koutou mahi huhua, he nui nga mahi kua tutuki.