Challenge to "Focus on the future"

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 443, 14 July 1992, Page 2

Challenge to "Focus on the future"

Mayor's Column

BY RUAPEHU MAYOR GARRICK WORKMAN A public ajtion called 'Coast to Coast' has been circulated in our area recently, and the Volume One, Number Two issue focuses in particular on health and some of the specific changes that are being made in the different areas within the Manawatu Wanganui Area Health Board Region. The article, entitled 'Focus on the Future' is a summary of an operational strategy developed by the Board and distributed, apparently widely, throughout the Region. At first glance, I was intensely annoyed when I noted that the Waimarino/W aiouru District, which is in the Board's region, was not mentioned. Nor was there any indication we existed on the regional map included as part of the article. I phoned the Board's

office in Palmerston North and spoke to Mrs Janice Wenn who is a member of the Editorial Committee. Mrs Wenn advised me the reason our area was not included in this particular issue was simply because there were no specific changes being made to the services provided in the

Waimarino /Waiouru area. I made the point however, that those people reading the publication might well wonder if any service was going to be delivered at all, when no reference to our area was included in any part of the article. Mrs Wenn assured me her Editorial Team would focus their

attention on the Waimarino and Waiouru area in the next edition of the 'Coast to Coast' publication. This highlights in my mind the need to be as pro-active as we possible can when it comes to providing news materials for pubjications of this type. For that reason I have asked our Marketing Manager, Bruce Rollinson, to prepare a report on the Waimarino Rescue Helicopter and

the service it is providing for the Waimarino and Wanganui Districts to be included in the next edition of 'Coast to Coast'. I was not entirely impressed with what appeared to be Manawatu orientated material that featured in this particular issue. Hopefully, in the next edition this area of the Board's region will feature far more prominently than was the case on this occasion.