Letter: Police review panel

The Cook Islands News front page article on October 3, 2024, reads “Review panel established to address challenges facing Cook Islands Police”.

Amazing how quickly the PM/Minister of Police has responded … this is nearly the end of 2024, and Rarotonga has had major issues with burglaries, including bikes, drink driving, domestic violence, illegal mufflers, stunt riders, etc., for quite a few years. So, to now set up a Panel to develop a strategic plan going forward is just laughable. The Panel will sit and deliberate, come up with recommendations in due course, and just maybe by 2025/2026, some sort of recruitment drive will take place and even then, no doubt funded by patipati money again generously given by NZ.

The crisis is now Mr PM. Making snap decisions by MPs and bureaucrats regarding upcoming “critical” travel plans clearly can be done almost immediately and the funding found, whether those travel plans are justified or not. But finding funds to make a recruitment drive for more Police personnel, clearly requires a much more drawn-out bureaucratic process, so the Minister can relax for a little longer.

As suggested by others, maybe the Police portfolio should be handed over to Minister George Maggie, who will get off his t’oe and organise things immediately. Or maybe that’s what bothers the PM.

(Name and address supplied)