Letter of the Week

Have strong opinions, write in an engaging way? You could win our Letter of the Week, and with it a book from our friends and sponsors, the publishers HarperCollins. This month’s book prize is Those Other Women by Nicola Moriarty. Rivalries and resentments between mums and child-free women spiral wildly out of control in this compelling new book by the bestselling author of The Fifth Letter.

I SYMPATHISE with those frustrated with their travel experiences to and from the opening ceremony.

I thought I might avoid these living just behind the stadium which is a five-minute walk if I go “cross country” and approximately 20 minutes by road and path.

Shortly before the Games were due to start, however, one of the paths that led directly to the stadium from the Lakeview Drive junction was closed.

No-one who guarded the intersection knew why but “security” was offered as a possible explanation.

Because of the closure, all pedestrians coming from Nerang had to cross the Nerang-Broadbeach Road at this point, join an inferior path and then cross again later on to enter the stadium.

After the event when huge numbers left at the same time, walkers got caught up with bus users and those heading for Nerang had to start the walk heading away from Nerang.

Because of the slow access to buses and buses turning into the area from the opposite side of the road, people on foot were often at a standstill.

If the path had been opened on the other side it would have helped things tremendously.

There were so many security guards on duty it should have been possible to do this.

Instead it was a frustrating nightmare and our short walk took well over an hour and a half. If this isn’t more evidence of poor planning, I don’t know what is. Meanwhile, the path in question is still closed. YVETTE DEMPSEY, CARRARA

THE behaviour of two of our leaders on the Gold Coast never ceases to amaze me. First of all there is Tom Tate, our illustrious Mayor.

He has been telling the multitudes that there is going to be a huge influx of people coming to the Coast for the Games.

Restaurants and other eating places of course went out and stocked up on extra stock and extra staff.

And what has happened? Absolutely nothing. It’s dead. The Gold Coast is like a ghost town, in fact I would like to see it stay like it is now.

All the standover tactics, telling people what they can and can’t do, where they can and can’t go – talk about a police state – road closures so bad that some people can’t even go to work, businesses having to close for the duration of the Games.

How do you think the ordinary person in the suburbs is going to handle two weeks with no pay.

But what topped it off for me was Tom Tate on the news when asked why were restaurants so quiet and why were there no people, all he could say was to look at their product. How arrogant. And then we have Peter Beattie. Why would he go on national TV and tell everyone to book accommodation with Airbnb when there are fully licensed, legal accommodation places screaming out for patrons all over the Coast?

All he can say is that their prices must be too high (what a joke).

And why does he say that they have all of a sudden found all these extra seats to certain events, what a farce – why can’t he just admit that they haven’t sold?

Also because of the ridiculous prices to the opening ceremony there where plenty of vacant seats (not sold).

Why couldn’t they have given them to the pensioners or to people who could not afford them? L BUCKLEY

ON about 7.20am on Friday I caught the tram from the Northcliffe stop going to my gym class at the Oasis Centre at Broadbeach.

I was amazed when I arrived at the station at Northcliffe to hear the announcement that due to the unexpected large number of passengers using the service there will be delays. Hello, unexpected?

They have had four years to plan for this and the concentrated advertising campaign told everyone to use public transport as much as possible.

No wonder there have been transport problems with the Commonwealth Games. TONY LUDINGTON, BENOWA WATCHING the Commonwealth Games on television they look to be a great success with athletes from many different countries giving their best.

But it’s a shame the rest of the show was not better organised. With years to prepare one wonders how they could get it so wrong. Overkill never works and it’s a pity that those that have had to pay the cost will take a year or longer to catch up and those responsible will move on to do it again elsewhere. ROD WATSON, SURFERS PARADISE

I WOULD just like to say I thought the opening ceremony of the Games was brilliant and I can’t wait to see the closing ceremony.

I feel so lucky to have seen the torch and now the batton go through Nerang. Thanks Gold Coast. DEB HUNT, NERANG

I AM not a surfing fan but I do watch the sports news.

Mick Fanning would appear to have had more farewell events than John Farnham FRANK TEWKESBURY, SOUTHPORT