SOLOMON SHOULD GO TO THE PEOPLE

I think that this comment deserves its own post. It puts into perspective the feelings and dismay of many Ngai Tahu who think that Solomon has lost touch with the Ngai Tahu Whanui.

It was good to see you address the Kaiwhakahaere's latest piece of arrogance. His assumption that we are all able to be in Christchurch at 2pm on a working day is impertinent in the extreme.

For anyone south of the Waitaki, this time would mean either driving all night or going up the night before. Is the Kaiwhakahaere going to pay for travel and accommodation for all those who accept his invitation? I doubt it.

This decision, along with his support for the House of Tahu and his role in the removal of Wally Stone from NTHC are very clear indicators of how removed he is from the lives of the majority of those at the flaxroots. We don't have travel and accommodation paid for by the iwi. It isn't our job to attend meetings all day and get paid handsomely. We have to go to work at our minimum wage jobs to keep our children fed and clothed. We work for our marae and rūnanga at our own expense and when we travel, it is usually by car or van, no flights and rental cars, Koru Club and hotels for us.

It is time the Kaiwhakahaere and some of his supporters remember for whom they are working: Mo tātou, a, mo kā uri i muri ake nei; they work for the generations who went before, those who are alive now and those still to come, NOT for themselves alone.