Dear Editor, Some of us were sort of excited to hear about the recently appointed DSAG (Destination Stewardship Advisory Group) on January 27th, which will steer tourism so it continues to deliver long-term benefits for all Cook Islanders, while protecting its natural and cultural heritage? Really?

So, why did the airport get rid of its native plants and replace it with all of that foreign rubbish? Bromeliads come from South America, not Rarotonga. Manila palms come from guess where? Make that DSAG’s first job to advise the Airport Authority to put back all of the native plants at the first-place international visitors step into our country.

Same thing is happening in the outer islands. Outer islands Island Councils have no concept of preservation of their natural resources; some islands do not even have a waste disposal system (i.e. regular rubbish collection and sorting). How is this looking after our natural and cultural environment? Soon, the outer islands will have no natural beauty to offer tourists so why would they want to go there?

When DSAG says ‘all Cook islanders’ does that include the outer islands, or are we to be forgotten as usual? The Cook Islands as a nation doesn’t just comprise Rarotonga. The government seems to have forgotten there are 11 other occupied islands in the group with their populations continuing to decline through migration since 1965. What do we have to celebrate these past 60 years? The fact our populations continue to fall and our economies are flat to non-existent (except Aitutaki)? How many tourists come to Atiu, Mauke and Mitiaro for instance? About 10 a year to Mitiaro; about eight to Mauke and about 50 to Atiu. How many go to Manihiki, Penrhyn and Pukapuka? Even less.

When are we going to get some of that tourism revenue, 99 per cent of which stops in Rarotonga? $541.7m was last year’s tourism earnings as stated in CI News January 25^th with visitor arrivals reaching 170,315 last year. How can the outer islands get some of that?

In the same article on 27 January the PM is quoted as saying “tourism is the lifeblood of the economy for decades”. Definitely not in the outer islands. The outer islands need some of that blood in a transfusion fast!

Moko Tuavaru

(Name and address supplied)