Dear Editor, as a business owner and regular visitor to Rarotonga it is wonderful to have the freedom to come and go again and to welcome our visitors back.

I am however very disappointed to see plastics bags being handed out (generously) again in shop and stalls. A few years ago, Rarotonga was making fantastic progress in reducing the use of these single-use plastic bags and now it seems we have slipped back into the old ways – Why? What happened?

I am sure you will notice our NZ visitors saying NO to the plastic bag as the use of these has been banned over there and is working well.

Everywhere I see the young people of Rarotonga asking (begging) and encouraging us to take better care of the island – to reduce rubbish and manage it responsibly – what are we doing to support them and their future? We are offering and handing out plastic bags with every purchase. This needs to stop!

Cindy Adams-Vining

Director, The Flametree Villa

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Political promises

Party political promises are just that and without consistent and sustainable values and principles, it’s like dust blowing in the wind. They will continue to compromise their principles for expediency, history in the Cook Islands tells us this. Watch the lolly scramble when they go into coalitions.

The most important thing is not whether you are young or old, if you don’t vote, you don’t have a say, if you miss an opportunity to have a say by casting a vote, you let someone else decide your future and all your fears and concerns by not voting will come to fruition.

Te Tuhi Kelly

(Facebook)

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Netball performance

The team did a fantastic job with their new coach and considering their lack of international matches e.g. missing out on participating in the PacificAus Sports series in March. The team’s current and previous coaches are Cook Islanders, have both played for the Black Pearls, know the majority of the players and have trained as coaches under Waimarama Taumaunu so props to them for committing to the future of the game in their homeland. Looking forward to seeing how players develop over the coming years

Justina Tupangaia

(Facebook)