Dear Editor,

I saw the Cook Islands News article on new CISNOC secretary this morning (Thursday).

The appointment seems like an “inside job”.

It's so easy to put unjustified descriptions on a preferred applicant with a “wink wink say no more” approach and “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine”. Owen Lewis’ daughter is described in the article as something much greater than she is – “significant roles at ministry of finance” BS. I never heard of her there. She never held any division manager’s title. She has never lasted long anywhere either when you look at the descriptions in the article. 

I recall that both his daughters were employed at CISNOC when Owen Lewis himself was away working at Federated States of Micronesia last year.

There’s a telling comment near the end of the article from an anonymous source “Hope that we can now get a focus on things that need to be done”, evidencing that Lewis’ performance was short of what it should have been with key tasks not accomplished.

You know if it wasn’t for the fact that CISNOC administers money that government gives as well as distributes the Olympic funds which IOC give, then most sports codes would not bother with membership of CISNOC because it’s long been a self-interested nest of incompetent and greedy second-rate officials.

The benefits of being in the head CISNOC roles (Secretary General and board) have always far exceeded the performance of those holding the reins over the years and there is ample evidence of that going right back to 2011 when unsolved mismanagement of funds was on record and the late Geoffrey Henry, the then president, was in the spotlight.

Now Owen has his daughter in charge, will he still get his free ticket to Paris? Is that why they haven’t replaced Hugh Graham as president so he can still go?

Astonished

(Name and address supplied)

Editor’s note – A right of response was offered to CISNOC president Hugh Graham, senior vice president Romani Katoa and newly appointed secretary general Keziah Lewis on Friday, May 10.