Press Release
Fluoride Action Network NZ
www.fannz.org.nz
$460K Vandal “OK” by Health Board

Criminal vandalism gets “unanimous support” from the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board as long as you are “passionate about health”. Or do you have to be on a $460K a year salary first? That is how much Chief Executive Kevin Snee was being paid by the taxpayer while he vandalised fluoride-free signs on public property in Havelock North.

Deputy Chair Ngahiwi Tomoana said it was fair and reasonable to expect signs from other organisations to be removed from district health board organised meetings when asked, and if that didn't happen there was justification for removing them.

The signs were not at the meeting. They were outside on public property.

"Snce when does “removing” signs include trying to rip them in half and jumping up and down on them? Using that logic it would mean fluoride-free advocates have the DHB’s consent to spray paint the mobile dental unit when it is parked outside a fluoride-free meeting with pro-fluoride signage on it." says Mary Byrne, National Coordinator, Fluoride Action Network NZ.

"This sanctioning of criminal behaviour by the DHB is absolutely astounding. These people seem to have no sense of decency or civil responsibility, let alone democracy. Regardless of one’s views on fluoridation, every New Zealander should be outraged at this refusal by the DHB to take responsibility for the criminal behaviour of its employee. The entire Board should be dismissed.

These people claim to care about the rights of poor children, in promoting adding toxic fluoride chemicals to the public water supply. They obviously don’t care about the rights of adults, let alone their obligation to obey the law. The complaint of wilful damage has been accepted by the Police." says Ms Bynre

While paying Dr Snee $460K a year, they have the hypocrisy to say they could not afford $70-100K to hire two staff to treat children’s teeth (if fluoridation were to stop). The fact is there would be no change in tooth decay.

Unfluoridated Napier had the same or less decay as Hastings for 50 years. An unexplained ‘overnight’ increase occurred in Napier in 2006, which cannot have had anything to do with fluoridation, as Napier has never been fluoridated. As decay rates steadily return to normal, the DHB continues to mislead the public by claiming the current minimal difference is due to lack of fluoride.

ENDS

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