Dear Editor, This Olympics thing from CISNOC (Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee) is the biggest junket ever and historically always has been.

Two athletes and a mass of local hangers on tagging along. Note they justify this by saying that the IOC (International Olympic Committee) is funding it except the King’s Rep. Why is he going? Plus, he is taking his wife and secretary – whatever for? We the taxpayers are paying for them to visit Paris which is not part of the King’s commonwealth. Just another example of free loading while hard working taxpayers here are suffering.

(Romani) Katoa and (Luisa) Peters are representatives on their international sport committees. Mac Mokoroa as Minister for Sport it is a guaranteed benefit of politics. What has he done for sport so far?

Why does the chef de mission need help for two athletes? (Raukura) Ellison is travelling as team attaché, a fancy word for an ‘add on’ for what reason? Is it to keep her BFF Keziah Lewis company. (Vaughan) Craddock is a renowned physio for New Zealand athletes and as an essential guidance and support for the athletes, why do we need Tanya Browne as physio? Hugh Graham is going as the CISNOC president when his term has finished. What a blatant farce this CISNOC debacle is.

In a letter sent to all sport federations ‘I Keziah’ (is how she addresses herself) continues to gloat in print and social media about how – I Keziah is going to Paris and my daddy Owen (Lewis) is going to be my plus one. Time to cut the cord Owen and stay at work for a change. How many letters have to be written about how many trips this man takes off island while being paid. How does he get time off work? It is a school holiday, not an Education Ministry holiday. Owen said when he started at the education ministry, his traveling was going to change. His new director Tania Morgan knows all about education, she stays and does the work he should be doing, but doesn’t get his wages. 

Despite some free tickets from the IOC, this is an exercise of greed not need. To have eight times more officials than athletes, how obvious is CISNOC failure.  Will either of these athletes be in the opening ceremony? Or will it only be officials marching as Team Cook Islands? I hope not.

Embarrassed much

(Name and address supplied)