Queen’s all for it

Friday 27 March: Manarangi Tutai Ariki says she is all for Sunday flights to Aitutaki continuing, without the need for a referendum.

Queen Manarangi, as she is known, is an ex-officio member of the island council and the woman who runs Gina’s Garden Lodges and Gina’s Akaiami Beach Lodge.

She expressed her views at the meeting the island council had with cabinet minister Wilkie Rasmussen yesterday on the island.

Manarangi says she sees Sunday flights as a means of air transport. She says that there has never been a law against such a thing in the Cook Islands.

She says while the Sunday flight protestors are within their rights to gather and protest the flights, others like her also have the right to travel where, when and how they want to.

“There was no law stopping flights from coming on that day in the old days and they are flying on Sunday again.

“I support the flights continuing because of the economy. We need to have the plane coming here.”

Manarangi said the meeting with Rasmussen went well.

“He has explained to us our rights as members of the council.” -HG