Letter: Next empire built on nepotism?

Dear Editor, It is most encouraging to read some of the details of the Chinese and Japanese inter-island vessels to be operated by government.

We’ve learned that the Japanese vessel is 10 years old. Brilliant work on the part of our leaders. Who wants a new vessel that will just get dirty soon enough; let’s start off with a clunker and see how many more years we can get out of it.

The best part of all of course is that we will no longer be reliant on any local shipping operator. There may be one operator with decades of service to the Pa Enua, but why take a chance on private shipping when our government has proved itself over and over again to have run profitable commercial enterprises. The list is endless, but if we just remember the Sheraton, Cook Islands International Airline, and Te Mato Vai, we can all now relax in anticipation of what will surely be the next empire built on nepotism.

(Name and address supplied)