Dear Editor, Well, aren’t we busy bees on this island coming up with all sorts of ideas and ways to make money. Way to go whoever you are that comes up with these brain waves and of course, always including the people in the decision making as you go. Now it’s water.

Yes, it was talked about some time ago but now it seems like it’s all go and please don’t tell me it’s going to public consultation because we all know that means jack! That just gives someone something to do for five minutes but really the powers that be have already decided what they are going to do!

Ok I get it. Someone had to pay for all the materials and staff to put all the pipes in (Dunno why I thought someone gave us money to do this because we asked them nicely) anyway, now I’ll be charged for using the water that is

being piped into my home.

Mr Government, did you tell me how much you are going to charge me and why or are the vaka meetings for that purpose? And did you pay me for

using my land to store this water? Seems to me that when you want my vote you

speak a different language. When you want to blindside me, you speak a totally

different language!

Well seriously, I’m not sure that now is the right time to be charging me to use the water. The price of goods in the shops have increased hugely, petrol etc

etc. I get paid $9 an hour and now you want to take some of that away to pay for

water?

Maybe decrease the politicians pay if you are short of money. That might help but right now, I’m saying no to paying for my water.

Iriti Maoate

--

Before any member of the public can gain anything from the To Tatou Vai public input meetings this week, TTV needs to disclose some facts, including just how much we taxpayers are spending on what has every appearance of an entity that has ballooned from a handful of staff to enough for a couple of rugby teams.

Before TTV, water was handled by Public Works, now known as Infrastructure Cook Islands. A handful of ICI staff did quite well.

How many staff does TTV have? What is the annual cost of staff, not just salaries but 'all up? How many vehicles does TTV have? How many of those vehicles are driven home at night? What is the average monthly cost of petrol for this fleet?

You see, TTV is going to tell us in these meetings that we have to pay for water to cover TTV’s costs. All well and good. Disclose, in full, costs. If we don’t have those numbers before the meetings, waste of time attending.

(Name and address supplied)

--

Shout out to Justine Flanagan and Andy Kirkwood for their courageous and persistent battle against the government giants to ensure not only that we the public get good, clean, healthy water but that importantly we are not blinded by the marketing ploys of TTV (To Tatou Vai) and the CIP government.

The public meetings are being held at the moment that gives the impression they want to listen and they will take your thoughts into consideration. History has shown these meetings are just for show and they have already made up their minds and will not listen or make any notable changes.

This valiant couple have done the research and have read all the hundreds of papers including the fine print. They understand the difference between what has been said in the sales pitch and what the reality is like there is no free allocation of water; it’s still your tax paying money that gives this ‘break’.

You have an opportunity to go to the meetings and hear the talk and ask the questions. You will pay for it one way or another if you stay silent and you don’t speak up. There is power in a collective number of voices acting together. Make yourself heard.

Ruth Tangiiau Mave