The trial may be only a partial eclipse of the theft by the three convicted but although we are not able to see it, there probably lies a total cover up of, corruption beyond our comprehension that we are kept completely in the dark about, writes Ruta Mave.

You may or may not be aware of a total solar eclipse starting today from Mexico travelling on a forward slash trajectory across America to the east coast of Canada. The moon will move in between the earth and the sun thus blocking the light and casting its shadow onto earth. Day will become night for a maximum of four minutes twenty-eight seconds.

We will only experience a partial eclipse, so light will still be visible, through the clouds and rain predicted.

Technology and science can predict and prove what and why this phenomenon will occur. Back in 585 BC, the six-year war between Lydia of Alyattes and Media of Cyaxares came to an end during a total solar eclipse. When day became night, it so frightened the armies they took it as a bad omen and immediately signed a peace treaty sealed by the marriage of the Lydia king’s daughter to the son of the Meridian king.

Oh, if only it could create the same reaction today so the wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan to name a few would end. Of the 200 countries in the world, there are currently 30 civil wars.

Unfortunately, the total solar eclipse is not passing over these countries plus the endurance of their leaders to continue fighting rather than find some agreement, despite the loss of many of their own citizens lives, means war continues unabated.

We live in paradise away from destruction and violence so often experienced by others in the world. Our climate, our way of life, the amount of food dropping to the ground to rot, puts us in an enviable position we have not fully grasped the true meaning of.

Even in comparison to our island neighbours Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, we have a higher standard of living and earning. Compared to New Zealand and Australia on a personal and community level we can achieve greater compensations and help with little competition. A simple hedge trimmer can become a member of Parliament due solely to this activity.

When someone is elevated to greater heights than they are capable of handling, and they earn a staggering amount of money for just turning up at the office, they take liberties and spend money meant for the environment or infrastructure improvements for the general public for their own use. Regardless of how petty and small in amount, compared to New Zealand theft numbers, their misuse may look small and the sentence argued as ‘excessive’ but it isn’t; because we are not in New Zealand.

By pro rata on not only the theft but the sheer hubris of entitlement equates their crimes to a greater impactful level locally.

You can argue they were blinded by the light of temptation or the shadow of darkness came over them, it is not their fault all you want, but reality prevails, it was their decisions, their choices, their fault that has landed them in jail.

The war on crime, corruption and theft has been ongoing longer than six years in the Cook Islands. It has been a regular feature since we took independence and were left to our own devices.  Fifty-nine years ago, we were fitter and healthier. We had agriculture growing and producing for exports, we had thriving dental, nursing and teacher training schools. We were something to be proud of.

Now we are wallowing in our own excrement of corruption and corrupted leaders. We are a developed nation but continue to beg for funding to build infrastructure and prevent climate change. Of all the millions donated very little is seen benefiting those at the grassroots level.

We celebrate criminals who steal, as heroes who stole from the system - because at least a local is being rewarded. But how many locals are losing so one family benefits even more.

The Puna family of Nga and Diane Charlie were pulling in $200,000 plus per year and they couldn’t pay for their own family vay-cay at the Edgewater? Robert Tapaitau couldn’t afford to fly to his uncle’s funeral on his $130,000 plus salary?

Did the sentence exceed the crime? No, because in theft and fraud cases you can only take them to trial on the theft you can prove without a shadow of doubt. Like, the tax department understands and accepts that self-employed businesses do not declare 10 per cent of their earnings so too do prosecutors see and accept they can only charge offenders 10 per cent of the actual amount stolen.

The trial may be only a partial eclipse of the theft by the three convicted but although we are not able to see it, there probably lies a total cover up of, even greater corruption beyond our comprehension that we are kept completely in the dark about.