Letters for Tuesday November 9, 2021

Dear Editor,

Should have worked out the “rules” before advertising the repatriation flights (Returnees to pay for MIQ, Cook Islands News, Monday, November 8). Because Cook Island government has just moved the goal post further away.

What about those who went over to New Zealand to work at freezing works? They don’t qualify to come back unless they pay for MIQ (Managed Isolation Quarantine)? So instead of saving money for their families you hold them to ransom and say in order for you to qualify for a repatriation flight you need to pay for your MIQ? Or you can stay in NZ where “we” don’t care that’s your problem? Even though there was an expectation that they would be home for Xmas as works close etc.

I think this is wrong and we are trying to encourage our workers to return but in reality, you don’t really care?! It’s just an Act! Go back to your work flow/processes and see what other options or others who can be exempt.

John Snowball

(Facebook)

Safety is the highest priority for our nation, so MIQ is very important for incoming passengers and because Edgewater Resort is already set up for such situation, it’s best to isolate everyone at one place keeping the area small if the virus is found on any passengers.

Government is doing the best they can, and they can only do so much. Kia aka manako tatou, ite akapapaanga i teia nga flight e rua kare ite angaanga mama. We need to understand a lot of work have been done in order to organise these two flights, it wasn’t easy.

January is the quarantine free flights, please akakoromaki mai l ta tatou akaapaanga kia maru to tatou aereanga kite openga o Teia mataiti, the last thing we want is for Government to say ‘sorry too much complain, will cancel these two flights’ and let everyone come in January instead because it will be quarantine free travel (from January 13).

Pa Matapo

(Facebook)

Editor’s note: People can expect to pay $2142 per individual for up to 10 days MIQ plus related costs, Cook Islands Government said in a statement. Only returning secondary and tertiary students, medical referral patients and their immediate caregiver, normally resident in the Cook Islands, are exempt from MIQ costs.

Online comments

MIQ costs

What makes you think people have money to pay for MIQ when we have been stuck with nothing, me for two years now. Do you realise it’s not just NZ and Australia, I’m in America. – Alice Faaumu

Cook Islands residents wanting to return home for Christmas should at least get a discount on their accommodation. – Junior Marsters.

Job opportunities

Fantastic Nia (Petero), now can you please find us some workers that may want to come and work here in the Cook Islands before the border opens on the 13^th. – Jocelyn Ballantyne

Congratulations and blessings to you and keep safe and you are doing very good job in keeping our people employed in helping their families back home and abroad. – Joseph Tererui.