Letters - Briewe

Thank You PA Police

This is to express my best and biggest thank you to the SA Police in Prince Albert for their assistance when I was robbed of R500 on Friday, 24 October, from a house in Prince Albert.

Their prompt response resulted in apprehending the thief in just 15 minutes and the full amount was recovered. I appreciate the help of all the competent staff in the police station as well as the men in the police vehicle.

I always look forward to visiting Prince Albert and this experience ensured that I again enjoyed my stay.

In Cape Town I most probably would not even have bothered to inform the police!

Jana Krejci
Cape Town

Tannie Daddi Stuur Groete

Net ‘n kort woordjie van dank aan al my vriende en vriendinne wat my geluk gewens het met my onlangse 84ste verjaarsdag. Dit was vir my ‘n groot verrassing om te sien hoe baie vriende aan my gedink het. Ek het hope kaartjies, briewe en telefoonoproepe gekry. Die telefoon het tot laat aand nog gelui. Dit beteken so baie vir my.

Dit was ‘n heuglike dag en ek sal dit altyd onthou. Dit gaan goed met my, ek is gelukkig en my kinders sorg baie goed vir my. Maar soms trek my hart darem maar ‘n punt na my vriende en my dorp. Daar is maar net een Prince Albert. Ek mis my vriende en die Saterdag se byeenkoms by die Markie. Mag dit altyd goed gaan met julle almal.

Ek dink aan julle almal in my gebede. Ek het die operasie gekanselleer want my ou hart is nie meer so sterk nie. Liefde vir elkeen van julle.

Groete van Daddi

Dankie aan die Vriend

Hartlik dank aan die redaksie van die Vriend vir die moeite wat hulle gedoen het om die foto en berig van my kleinseuns se krieket prestasie in Engeland te plaas.

Ek is verheug dat daar nog mense is wat omgee vir hulle medemens.

Hetta Blomerus

Calling All Animal Lovers

Earlier this year I took over the Prince Albert Animal Care charity organisation from Henriette. I have opened a small animal care clinic where we tend to sick, abused, abandoned or injured animals and provide people with their pets’ basic health requirements. I find that the most common problems are poor nutrition, even starvation and worms which make the animals thin and weak. Often they are riddled with fleas and ticks which cause ugly wounds and many suffer terribly as a result of tick bite fever and distemper.

There are a lot of unsterilised cats and dogs breeding and spreading diseases and this only makes the problems worse. The animals need de-worming, vitamin supplements, tick and flea dip and also need to be sterilised.

There are numerous ways in which you can help make a difference:
If you see an animal that is very thin, injured or distressed please pick it up and bring it to me or inform me of its whereabouts;
If you hear about an animal that needs help, please get as much information about it and let me know;
Please help spread the word that help is available;
Any form of donation, food, supplies (bowls, old baskets, old kennels, vitamins, de-worming, dip, antiseptics etc.) or money is welcome and will be put to good use.
If you have space or you are looking for a pet please let me know; we constantly have animals looking for good homes.
If you want to get involved in any other way please contact me. I can use all the help I can get.

I believe that if we stand together as a community we can make a difference to the lives of the needy animals all around us. From the beginning of December I will have a few collection boxes placed throughout Prince Albert for donations in kind or of money. Your caring and generosity will be greatly appreciated.

Lynette Brand
Prince Albert Animal Care
4 Jordaan Street
078 637 0015

Let’s discuss our architectural heritage

William Penfold's observations on Prince Albert's architecturalin the October Friend are courageous and necessary. Prince Albert enjoys a rapidly growing, very positive reputation as anGreat Karoo jewel of a town. While we may discuss ad lib about what authentic means in 21st century South Africa, the debatearticles provoke is essential to a public discourse on how and where all the town's residents see their sought-after environmentin the coming decades.

Short-sightedness is an easy way out, as is fast food architecturelittle or no urban integration. The 21st century has every right to leave its mark on our historic town, but it must be done in a, intelligent and informed manner. Never before have we had easier access to knowledge and information. There is no excusecreating ticky tacky housing in the name of any expedient - economic, political or otherwise.

For example, social housing incountries by informed architects has shown itself as some ofmost inspiring, aesthetic and historically groundbreaking shelterscreated - far more so than nouveau riche housing developments or pseudo, copy cat styles. Moreover, the opportunity for building sustainablepowered by solar and wind energies has never been more
easily within our reach.

Two great cities – Venice and Cape Town - were shaped by many cultural, hybrid and fertile, from East and West/ North and South. What beauties today! Authenticity would be just as complex to definee.g. the Italian context as it would be in South Africa. Polemicsare not helpful. What is needed are informed people gathering and presentingintelligent information suited to our climate and diverse history when new housing and the renovation of existing housing are up for.
We have the chance of our and our children’s lifetimes to shape the town's heritage in a positive, community-spirited and sustainable. An open informed discussion would begreat way to achieve.

Sally Arnold

Speaker reageer oor ontevredenheid met Munisipale Raad

Mnr. Mckenna se skrywe “We want service delivery-not self service” in die Prince Albert Vriend van Oktober 2008 verwys.

Die Raad het reeds in Oktober 2008 se Algemene Raadsvergadering mnr McKenna se versoek bespreek en goedgekeur wat ‘n afgehandelde saak behoort te wees.

Die Publiek en veral mnr McKenna weet teen dié tyd dat die Raad ‘n “Hung Council” is en nie met elke saak wat voor die Raad dien sal saamstem nie, wat op ‘n ander manier in koukusse bespreek moet word. Die Notule ter sprake in u skrywe word op ‘n hoë vlak ondersoek en raak geen besluitneming.

U sal ook onthou dat in die verlede het die vorige Rade by ‘n Hotel of Restaurant gaan uiteet na ‘n Algemene Raadsvergadering. Daar is ‘n sekere bedrag begroot vir onthaalkoste, soos in enige ander Munisipaliteit se begroting, maar die Raad bemagtig sy mense op alle vlakke deur besighede die geleentheid te gee om verversings vir Raadsvergaderings te verskaf.

Weereens beklemtoon ek as Voorsitter van die Raad dat ek my uiterste bes sal probeer om soveel as moontlik vergaderings te hou want u moet onthou dat as daar nie vergaderings gehou word nie, kan daar ook nie besluite geneem word nie. Ons, die Raad, word betaal om vergaderings te hou om sodoende dienslewering te bespoedig.

Alle Raadsvergaderings word geadverteer met datums en tyd en dit is oop vir die publiek.

Laastens, indien u enige verdere probleme het, staan dit u vry om my te kom spreek voordat u na die media toe gaan.

S Botes
Speaker

Prince Albert is not safe for our animals

I would strongly advise that all residents & guests to the town of Prince Albert do not walk on the Robert Gordon Koppie or the Koppie trail with their animals.

Val van der Riet’s beloved dog, Bubbles, died on Sunday 16th November from poisoning after being on the Koppie. As they live on the Koppie, Bubbles loved to walk there; this is the second animal of ours to die from poisoning. One would think that in a small community where we are relatively free from crime that it would be safe to walk in the veldt.

This is not the case: We have a silent killer - POISON

I think it is a terrible shame that in this day and age a systemic poison is allowed to be sold within a Municipal boundary. We shrug our shoulders and say that it was only a dog. But when does it stop? When a child dies who innocently picks up a feather of the bird that ate the jackal, will we then sit up and be accountable?

As Chief Seattle stated: “What is man without the beasts if all the beasts were gone – Man would die of a great loneliness of Spirit, for what happens to beasts soon happens to Man.”

Lisa Smith
Onse Rus Guesthouse

Reward for arrest and conviction of dog poisoners

Koggelmander Kuns- en Koshuis has always been a child and pet friendly establishment. We may have had problem parents and problem pet owners but have seldom had problem children or pets.

Together with many others we are outraged that someone may have deliberately set poison on the Koppie Trail to kill our dogs. Koggelmander is offering a R1 000.00 reward for information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Kallie Erasmus

No to Pastorie Street Speedsters

This is a plea in support of the one made by Imke Maeyer in the October edition of the Prince Albert Friend.

I am also a resident living on Pastorie Street and am constantly amazed at the insensitivity of motor vehicle drivers using this road. Not only are schoolchildren and the elderly at risk, but those vehicles transporting seasonal farm workers do not slow down in spite of the risk to their human cargo.

Is it too much to expect the local traffic police to take action in order to curb the menace of unscrupulous drivers who care little for others?

Kay Howes

Thanks from the Thursday Group

The Ladies of the Thursday Group would like to thank the people of Prince Albert as well as visitors for their support during the past year. Not only for donating articles to the White Elephant stall at the Saturday market, but also for cash donations.

A special thanks to Gudrun and Bodo Toelstede for the excellent support derived from their many activities and acquaintances.

Ons weet daar is verskeie mense wat feitlik elke Saterdag iets kom koop net om ons te ondersteun.

Once again, a big thank you, baie dankie!

The Thursday Group