Bad memories of waterslides

Dear Editor:

In the name of convenience Selena Robinson is thrown under the bus.

In politics it is not what you know, but what you don’t say. Selena Robinson made the mistake of telling the truth when she said that pre-1948 Palestine was a crappy piece of land that didn’t produce an economy. The Jews took that crappy piece of land and turned it into a productive oasis using innovative techniques.

I met Robinson when she was the Minister in charge of local government. I had initiated a recall for local government several years ago.

The issue was a contract signed by Penticton council to develop Skaha Lake Park centered on a waterslide. With several hundred protesters outside City Hall and against vocal opposition: the mayor signed the contract. After a year or so of uproar, the City reneged on the contract costing Pentictonites a couple of hundred thousand tax dollars. The architect of this plan is now the mayor of Kelowna.

Robinson has held several cabinet posts. When I met Robinson, her government was against recall legislation for local government. Local government has been a good training ground for NDP hopefuls. If they start being recalled it would ruin their chances of a future role in government.

I was able to take the recall forward when Dan Ashton, the MLA for this area, presented the petition in the Legislature. Recall went before the annual UBCM conference where it was passed favourably by a majority and the recommendation was sent to the NDP for further action. It died in the wastelands of unwilling government.

Over the years there has been a steady loss of officials on Penticton council failing to meet their obligations. It was OK as long as it suited their purpose. It was inconsequential to them that they left the taxpayers of Penticton high and dry.

Amelia Boultbee is only one of several over the years that leaped at the opportunity to leave Penticton taxpayers in the dust. Opportunists in a hurry to bail out on ‘we suckers’ who took them at face value. They need to face the consequences of their actions. The cost for Penticton Penticton taxpayers is the threat of deadlocked councils resulting in poor decision-making and wasted tax dollars.

A contract is a contract: This continual drain on Penticton Council of elected officials jumping ship needs to end. Barring ill-health, elected officials need to fulfill the obligation they undertook when they sought office.

Elvena Slump Penticton