Dear Editor, resorts and associated activities charge a premium, whether it be tourists or locals, yet pay the workers peanuts.

There’s your issue.

Hotel stays, restaurants, and tourism activities costs are relatively the same as New Zealand and Australia, yet the wages are higher than the Cooks.

We all accept the wages as ‘normal’ across the island because no one challenges the status quo. The mass exodus overseas in pursuit of a better lifestyle and higher pay is inevitable.

Pay a fair wage and the people will want to stay rather than importing an overseas workforce who are used to living under the poverty line, and accept low wages.

Lia Paki

(Facebook)

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MPs pay rise vs minimum wage

This reader estimates the cost of the very ill advised and ill-timed obscene 45 per cent pay increase for the 24 Members of Parliament costs the country about the same amount as the $650,000 it would cost to give a pay increase to $8.50 for an entire Public Service workforce … this is for 24 individuals! And does not include allowances and other perks.

If a minister was not pocketing their undeserved pay, and all MPs gave back their 45 per cent increase, there would be a win-win situation for all, and happy all around.

Yes, we are all in this together – remember Election Day!

(Name and address supplied)

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Vaping concern  

So important to be praying for the youth and for our children and to be good, positive role models. I feel that when I first became a mom, yes, my role was to take care of my babies, but also to pray and fast for them and for God’s covering over their lives.

Our son finished Tereora College last year. Now he is on a mission trip to Fiji to help serve on a medical ship with YWAM – Youth with a Mission. We thank God for his hand over our son and to help him make good choices.

I think the youth need positive encouragement and to be shown that they are loved and valued. Yes, parents are responsible, but what if kids don’t have loving parents. We all need to reach out in our communities and show that each child is important. That they are loved and valued. That might encourage them not to smoke or do the vape thing.

Pamela Sue Tangiataua

(Facebook)