The silent acceptance of constant abuses of power by those in leadership roles from corruption, theft, fraud, assault on women and drink driving is frankly despicable, writes Ruta Mave.

I heard a story of a teacher who tells the class not to leave their seats or they will get expelled. The teacher then takes a goldfish out of its bowl and puts it on the table then exits the room. The children sit and watch the fish as it gasps for breath, not wanting to get into trouble. Finally, a girl jumps up from her seat and replaces the goldfish in its bowl. She refused to watch the fish die. The teacher returns and tells the class this was a lesson. The fear of getting in trouble should never stop you from doing what is right.

Sometimes you have to oppose authority and groupthink simply because it’s the right thing to do.

Right now, the world is sitting at their desks while South Africa runs up and tries to save the goldfish by calling for charges of genocide with respect to the bombings of the Gaza strip. Meanwhile, the war on the Ukraine and various other nations continues to rage where no one wants to take sides or upset alliances or does take sides and creates worst case scenarios instead of long-term best outcomes for each nation and the world as a whole.

The Cook Islands sits at its desk most of the time and at best cheers on humanitarian acts from the sidelines once they see who is making the move and what they can achieve by becoming brother in arms with the hero of the hour. The problem in the near future will become clear when the leaders of all the countries Prime Minister Mark Brown has ‘pressed the flesh’ – shaken hands with throughout 2023 – start calling in favours at the same time. Especially, when they sit on opposite sides of the negotiation table and ally alliances as China and USA sometimes do. Who will the Cook Islands follow then? How many goldfish are we prepared to watch die so we can maintain our neutral “friends with everyone - saviour to none” stance. In true Pacific diplomacy, we are able to sit with developed nations in judgement and yet still successfully play the victim martyr goldfish suffering from climate change. It takes true skill – one Brown learnt from the former leader Henry Puna.

Doing the right thing is not loud in the Cook Islands. The complacency silence on domestic violence and sexual abuse is deafening and is killing our future through teen suicide. The silent acceptance of constant abuses of power by those in leadership roles from corruption, theft, fraud, assault on women and drink driving is frankly despicable.

Plato said the price good men pay for being complacent on public affairs is to be ruled by evil men. It is our god given right to have a voice and use it for the greater good. The elderly pension got a $50 bonus at Christmas while Members of Parliament get $5000 for clothing alone? Will $50 fill your car with fuel? Meanwhile, MPs used a years’ travel budget in three months. Think out loud.

I totally understand why no one says boo, no one points the finger outside a round of beers at the golf club. Because bad men know how to hurt and maim when they feel threatened.

Last year I ventured to ask if our Olympic Committee would look at vetting board members in a bid to uphold the Olympic values they are supposed to represent, notably no violence against women on or off the field of play for any reason. In a breach of power, the president alluded my federation’s good standing therefore funding could be questioned, if I continued to question them via email directly to the Olympic committee. I also received a letter of lawyer action. Instead of the CISNOC board reviewing their ethics, morals and safeguarding policies, I was put on review and asked to withdraw or retract or lose my status in the federation where I gave my heart and soul for athletes.

I chose to stand down so I could continue to stand up against violence.

They said I was a grievous mother, because my son didn’t get an Olympic scholarship. It was my son that year, it could be our athlete this year or your son/daughter next year.

When you allow them to do what they want without question, like leaving their full-time post to work overseas all year and then tell you it is okay, you will constantly be digging your own goldfish grave looking for funding mercy.

You have the choice to say no. Choosing silence for money makes you as bad as them. Speak up, stand up for better role models in sports positions of power. CISNOC exists because of the athletes not vice-versa.