Letters







				Thursday 18 July 2002



	This site will be updated on: 25 July 2002 at 17:00


	Letters - Briewe


	School worked hard to obtain this land Ouers nie bekommerd oor dwelmmisbruik Munisipaliteit se wiele besig om af te val Editorial: Going to the dogs?


	School worked hard to obtain this land


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THE vacant property being sold in Pastorielaan referred to in Paarl Post on 12 July belongs to the La Rochelle Trust. Many people put months of effort and planning into obtaining it for the school.

The energy and commitment of both the high and the primary school committees of the mid-90's went into this effort for several reasons:

* The current hockey fields used by both schools are situated on Berg River Boulevard close to Shoprite/Checkers.

* This land was the subject of Land Claims at that time because the "Ou Tuin" community was forcibly removed from the area - the two mosques stand as silent witness to this.

* It was considered both inconvenient and unsafe for the girls to have to leave the school grounds to go and practice hockey. The clubhouse was also constantly vandalised, being so far from the school.

* The two governing bodies of the schools decided that it would be of great benefit to the schools if land adjoining the schools could be acquired and the sports fields consolidated on the existing school properties.

This would be a long-term plan with future properties earmarked for purchase as they came onto the open market.

It could also result in the return of the Ou Tuin land to the community through the Council for future development - for either low-cost housing and/or shopping. Unlike Pastorie Avenue, this site is ideal for development.

* The land in Pastorie Avenue belonged to the Council and was ideally suited to our plans. It took months of negotiation to obtain the land and then only because we undertook never to sell it and to use it for educational purposes only. That is why the price was so low (R30 000).

The current primary school governing body has decided to sell this piece of land for short-term benefit to the school. They are making a huge profit and good luck to them.

However, they should bear in mind that:

* their school will be facing the back of a 4 or 5 storey block of flats with its dustbins, parking lots and other undesirable features;

* should a future governing body want to expand and improve the fragmented school grounds, they won't be able to do so;

* the committee is transitory and fleeting in the life of that historic school and their decisions should be taken with great circumspection and in the best interest of the school.

If the members of the governing body are satisfied that they have taken everything into consideration and still make this decision to sell, then so be it.

They should at least put it to open tender and get the best price.

Cathy Raymond

Nicky Albertyn, chairperson of La Rochelle Primary School, replies: The main driving force behind the decision to sell the land, is the safety of the girls. The other side of the coin is that without the sale of the ground, the school will be financially unable to realise the dream of developing suitable sports facilities within a safe environment.


	Ouers nie bekommerd oor dwelmmisbruik


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EK wil 'n waarskuwing aan alle ouers van tieners rig. Moenie dink jou kind is so onskuldig as wat hy/sy voorgee nie.

As sy gedrag verswak en sy skoolpunte daarmee saam, wees op jou hoede, want dit kan veroorsaak word deur dwelms. Rooi oë en oormatige slaperigheid of apatie kan ook 'n teken wees.

My kind het onlangs teenoor my gebieg dat hy 'n dagga-probleem het. Toe ek hom uitvra oor wie van sy maters ook betrokke is, het hy my gesê.

Ek het die ouers van hierdie kinders gebel, maar gou besef hulle stel nie belang in hul kinders se probleme nie. Hulle wou net weet of ek die skool gaan laat weet.

Hulle was duidelik meer bekommerd oor hul naam, as oor hul kind se welsyn.

Vir dié ouers wat wel omgee, wil ek die volgende raad gee. Dit is hierdie week, wanneer die jongspan tuiskom nadat hulle kaatjie van die baan was tydens die vakansie, die ideale tyd om 'n dwelmtoets te doen.

Die toets (multi-drug urine screening test) kos R129 by die plaaslike apteek.

Verkry 'n urinemonster van jou kind (maak seker dis suiwer en niemand anders s'n nie) en toets hom of haar nou, voordat die spore van "vakansiepret" uit die liggaam verdwyn.

Indien die toets positief is, moet jy streng optree met strafmaatreëls of beperkings om te verseker dat die kind nie weer in die versoeking kom nie.

Die kind moet besef daar sal onaangename gevolge wees as hy oortree. Anders kan daar 'n baie pynlike pad vir julle as gesin voorlê.

Ontstelde Paarliet


	Munisipaliteit se wiele besig om af te val


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DIE Drakenstein Munisipaliteit se wiele is beslis besig om af te val. Hulle pleit dat mense hul rekenings moet betaal, en dan sny hulle dié wat getrou betaal, se krag af!

Hoe is dit moontlik dat 'n mens persoonlik jou rekening in die Vaalgebou gaan betaal op 5 Julie (twee dae voor die afsnytyd) maar op 11 Julie word jou krag afgesny?

Wat 'n geweldige skok om tuis te kom en te vind daar is geen krag nie, jou rekenaar staan stil en jou vrieskas begin ontdooi - en jy het geen skuld aan die probleem nie.

En jy was in jou lewe nog nooit 'n dag agterstallig nie. Daar is 'n briefie in die posbus waarin geëis word dat ek boonop heraansluitingsgeld moet betaal.

En as jy begin rondvra vind jy uit jy is nie die enigste een wat die foutiewe afsluiting ondervind het nie. Een man wat weg was, moes 'n vrieskas vol vleis en vis weggooi.

Is daar geen veilige stelsel om foute uit te skakel nie? Is die rekenaarprogram ellendig, is dit menslike foute of is iemand besig om die geld wat wel inbetaal is te steel? Hierdie swak optrede werp 'n reuseskaduwee oor ons dunk van ons Munisipaliteit.

Ek weet streng optrede teen nie-betalers is nodig, maar moet daar nie 'n kode wees wat die afsnyer eerste stuur na die ou kalante wat al dikwels agter was nie?

Of moet die afsnydatum nie uitgestel word sodat die arme sukkelende mense in die rekenaarafdeling tyd het om die data betyds oor te laai nie?

Dit maak dat 'n mens bang is om met vakansie weg te gaan!

Geskokte belastingbetaler

Die waarnemende munisipale bestuurder, Johan Lambrechts, reageer: Hierdie probleem het enkelinge getref, weens 'n administratiewe fout by die Munisipaliteit.

Ons vra om verskoning daarvoor. Stappe is gedoen om die beheerstelsels op te gradeer en 'n herhaling te voorkom.

	Editorial:
	Going to the dogs?


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GONE are the days that stray and abandoned dogs and cats in Drakenstein have to whine away their days and nights in kennels.

At the moment crime is the number one enemy of every law-abiding citizen and negligence of animals is part of our so-called civilisation.

If you think of a problem as just another challenge that needs a solution, innovative avenues will open for adventurous entrepreneurs.

One such a scheme could have pets panting for joy while pedestrians and owners of parked cars will once again have peace of mind.

Abandoned pets can be trained to assist their human friends in fighting the good fight against all the criminal elements.

Cats will accompany shoppers to supermarkets and make the return journey in one of the shopping bags - preferably not the bag with the mince meat.

These "Attack Cats", and smaller dog breeds, can also easily be accommodated in your handbag - with disastrous and painful results for any would-be bagsnatcher.

Bigger dogs could be especially helpful with the guarding of cars, deterring any unwelcome car thieves from striking.

Dogs with thick coats, like the Siberian Husky and the St Bernard, could be used to take over the nightshift.

We could even adopt a motto like 'Drakenstein for the Dogs', which could warn criminals of the likelihood of dire consequences, should they remain in the area.

* The Society for the Protection of Animals must still consider the proposal.

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Tel: (021) 871-1170 - e-mail: edit@ppost.co.za