I trust none of the panel that were charged with selecting the numerous award winners for the Waitematā Local Board's Good Citizens' Awards were nominated themselves, because looking at the results of this year’s selections, they should all, if they have a conscience, decline the nomination and/or any award. What a simply ridiculous process.
I now understand that the ‘panel' did not make the decision, but rather the WLB – Chaired by Genevieve Sage (City Vision), forced a vote from the entire WLB.
This was NOT how the process is supposed to work and again this seems to be yet another failure by the Chair of WLB. (The list seems to be getting longer by the day!)
How can so many nominees be selected, when one critical individual was deliberately snubbed?
I understand that there were multiple nominations for Gael Baldock, and I for one would happily support that nomination as all caring and thinking locals should.
When there are so many nominations for that one individual and it results in no award, there can only really be one conclusion.
It appears this nominee has been voted down by the very members of the WLB she has the courage to hold to higher standards. I suggest this is why the obvious nomination for Ms Baldock was so spitefully ‘declined' by the panel?
I am keen to understand the processes and the rationale for the full WLB and Chair's decision to take the vote away from the panel?
Perhaps we could source the details on the members of the panel – in particular, those who voted in the final process for this year’s selection. It would be interesting to know which way they each voted and just who was involved in the final selection of the ‘winners'.
Have our local politicians descended so far, that they cannot put their personal vitriol and bias aside and recognise those in our community who do put in such a special effort – even if the recipient’s politics are different from their own (and often mine)?
This level of nastiness reflects the sort of negative politics and inability to see reason that has been the hallmark of the recently rejected Labour Government. It must stop immediately, for the good of our community!
Having witnessed the antics of this latest board, I am pretty sure that I could name the three (or possibly four) board members and/or panel members who would likely react so poorly by rejecting the one non-selection. They should all be ashamed of themselves.
If you sit on a selection panel, there is no place for personal spite, and even less place for 'sitting on a fence' and abstaining. Panel members are selected and delegated the responsibility to make a decision and that is what they must do.
To not act in the best interests of the Waitematā Local Board is a personal failing and personal animosity has no place in modern local politics, nor in the 'Good Citizens' Awards'.
I think time has well and truly run out on those of the WLB who did not support all the good people who do so much for our area. I look forward to any response with the detail I have requested – it should be available from the minutes, I am hoping.
Roger Hawkins, Herne Bay
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Published: March 2024