Dear Editor, When is the government going to address Rarotonga’s worsening water shortage? This is a necessary project that the Cook Islands government has yet again failed to deliver.

The Te Mato Vai project, once the crowning glory of this government’s infrastructure plans, has become a symbol of their failure to safeguard the most basic of human needs, access to clean water.

It’s a stark reality that the residents of Rarotonga are grappling with a water crisis that seems to have intensified after the completion of what was supposed to be the solution. With soaring costs and questionable execution, Te Mato Vai project has me raising my brows with more questions than it has laid pipes. The government’s oversight of this project, or the apparent lack thereof, has left a bitter taste in the mouths of those who continue to face water shortages.

The failure to consult with landowners or to follow local laws and regulations during the project’s development is not only arrogant but also indicative of a government disconnected from its people. It is a breach of trust that undermines the very principles of democracy.

To Tatou Vai’s efforts to manage the water crisis post-Te Mato Vai have been nothing short of a desperate scramble, with threats to prosecute individuals for water waste. This punitive approach is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, a superficial and short-sighted attempt to address a problem that requires deep, systemic change.

The government’s mishandling of Te Mato Vai project reflects a broader pattern of neglect for the essential services that form the backbone of any thriving society. One must ask: What is the purpose of a government if not to provide for the welfare of its citizens? When will the Cook Islands government take full responsibility for the water woes that have only worsened under their watch?

Sammy Mataroa