Dear Editor, Kia Orana. Reading about the major destruction of Toa trees in the Akapuao/Fruits of Raro area, and NES’ comments in the Cook Islands News (20 July, 2024).

The Director of NES (National Environment Service) maintains that ‘no’ formal written consent was obtained to carry out the “trimming” – read violation – on those coastal trees, and that “advice was given (presumably directly from NES to the tree removalists) to not proceed with the work”. And that when an NES team arrived on site, most of the destructive work had already been carried out. (One has to wonder whether that visit was even on the same day?)

Ok, so to quote a papa’a expression – “no use shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted”.  The Toa trees have been cut – butchered – and that is a most regrettable fact. But if NES told the tree removalists to “not proceed” (as quoted in Cook Islands News), why did no one take any notice? Is this a case of the bark of the puaka’oa being worse than the bite?

NES claims it has the power under provision 50(1) of the Environment Act to maintain the law. Either NES can enforce the laws in place or they can’t. If they can’t, and are just plain reactive, “naughty naughty…don’t do this again” reaction, why are they even operating? 

Are you (NES) supposed to be the designated guardians of our Ipukarea, and all that it contains? Given the mandate to safeguard all things relating to environmental issues?

Maybe it is time for your bite to be much worse than just your bark.

May I suggest that you at NES initiate immediately for mobile teams of NES personnel to do regular rounds of Rarotonga, back roads, main roads, side roads, as well as coastal areas, to keep a finger on the environmental pulse of what is actually going on in Rarotonga, and be visible! You have 4WD vehicles – no excuses – and getting out of the office can be rewarding and exhilarating! Take photos of anything the team sees as being suspicious, and be proactive in doing something about that suspicion, should it be required.

Bark or bite? Proactive or reactive? Your call.

Andy Olah