September , Byron Shire EchoLettersThe drums, the drums are calling S Kilgour of Newrybar Letters, September is complaining about the drumming circles at the markets and applauding the restrictions placed on them at Bangalow and Mullumbimby Markets. She appears to say that they detract from the ambience. But doh the drumming circles are themselves a major part of the ambience She also says that the people they attract have no intention of buying anything from any of the stalls. Well, frankly, this is rather ridiculous. The drumming circles really get going in the afternoon, by which time the conventional stall holder traders have either made their money or they havent. When I was living in the area, I went to the markets and looked around and patronised many stalls specically to enjoy the drumming that was to come later. I know that this is the case for many others. The markets tend to dwindle in the afternoon, but the fact that the drumming circles get going keeps people around. They add to the trade for the refreshment stalls and many many others such as crystals Hi, Liz and Bill, alternative clothing and materials and alternative therapies. These stalls are the lifeblood of the markets in Byron Shire Without them, the markets might just as well be in Parramatta. It cant have escaped S Kilgours attention that Byron Shire is very alternative. Well, drumming circles are alternative too.They are a living part, an essential part of Byron. Come on, get over it Let yourself go Have a dance You might even enjoy itTim Summerslove me back, the meaning of the word is so ambiguous. And yes again, the show is not the market. Its not for sale, its free and therefore priceless to me. You suggest an alternative site for our activities, so let me suggest an alternative view for your mind. Look for pleasure more often. And thank you, by the way, for calling me a baby and your re. Keep fumingEdgar OdenRosebankMarazion, Cornwall S Kilgours letter raised, once you peeled back the vit To S Kilgour You see the riol, an interesting phenomgathering as a blot upon the enon that I believe started landscape. To me it feels back in the s. like a beating heart. You say In those days, Byron was a that restrictions should be heady mix of locals, ferals, increased, and I feel like surfers and newbies who breaking the chains. You were attracted to the area may choose to not support seeking a fast buck among this free life force but it the throngs of tourists. never stops supporting you. These newbies didnt like Your vision creates nause- the look and behaviour of the ating, repetitive and intrusive ferals, especially their drumracket and people leaving. ming, re twirling and dancVery strange, we must be ing in the CBD. They put dreaming differently, as for pressure on council and me it is a very refreshing police to remove them. This strategy worked like a space in which freedom dances and seduces the charm. For a few years touronlookers. True, I dont have ists still came to Byron on its an intention to patronise reputation as an alternative the stalls, I love them, they destination.continued from page Oh dear Guess what The goose that laid the golden egg now lay headless as not so silly tourists realised

byron bay

had become the suburb they were trying to holiday away from. They wanted to see and behave like alternative people, well, just for a while, and quite simply enjoy themselves without directly spending for every experience. The comments S Kilgour made were inferring that most stall holders hate the drummers. My experience is that some do, some dont. Those against should be very careful not to attempt to destroy the long tradition of these markets as not only just money earners but meeting places for local musicians and characters. Hundreds of smiling tourists who sometimes shyly join the dancing and mayhem love to see the colour and circus of it all as a nale to a day of spending in your stalls. Drive away this part of the community locals and watch your market turn into Byron Bay, a shadow of its former self, not only in variety of people but earning power.Andy McTavishGoonengerry toral consensus as impossible in the real world, our surveys prove otherwise. You, the unusually aware residents of Byron Bay, will have the opportunity of judging for yourselves early next week. In the meantime, celebrate the advantage you have over the rest of us a dedicated advocate within the community The Echo.Tony Ryan Letters also received from Dean Jefferys, Mullumbimby, Robin Harrison, Coorabell, Bryony Pearson, Suffolk Park, Max Henry, Ocean Grove, Hannah Grace, Mullumbimby, Tom Koo, Alstonville, Peggy Balfour, Mullumbimby, David Andy Maclean Brauchli, Brunswick Heads, Adrian Gattenhof, Huonbrook Mullumbimby, Gareth W R Smith, Byron Bay, P Olson, Goonengerry, N Anderson, no address, Susan Aspinall, no Consensus address, Susie Forster, no address, J Gluyas, no address, Paul I imagine most of us could Loewenthal, no address. relate to the comments of Charlie Donaldson Letters, September as he reected wistfully on the perennial failure of elected representatives to even remotely represent their electorates. In our earlier and now current Australian Independents Alliance surveys we have found that almost all government policies, whether federal, state of local government are opposed, at the very least, by an absolute majority of constituents more often in the and percents. In such a deplorable situation, what self-deluding sociopathy enables politicians to even dare use the word Democracy. The good news is that,appears to be happening in Main Arm from a

community development perspective

is a superimposed corporate view of community being forced upon a local community without appropriate consultation or agreement. In terms of sustainability from a community development perspective therefore, imposing a model from above goes against all the good principles of grass roots development. All the best to Main Arm residents in the process of having your views heard and incorporated.before the federal elections, through your own homegrown democracy movement, every Byron Bay resident will have the opportunity to identify their very own endorsed independent candidate. This will be a candidate who will be contracted to convey only the documented consensus of his or her respective electorate to Parliament. Although elitists are fond of dismissing elec-MaroochydoreGOLF CLUB