Dear Editor, I’m confused! In the Cook Islands News court report of 2 November, I read where a young man pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving. The offence being the result of a two car a collision, where he ran into the rear of another vehicle. The police allege it was due to him not paying attention on the road. Full article click on link

An open and shut case, a guilty plea. On the scale of things, it’s not a big deal.

Just another minor traffic infringement.

So, after going to all the trouble of launching this case the story goes on to say the prosecutor asked the court to discharge the matter without conviction.

Say what? 

‘Yes, we charged him but now we want to un-charge him’.

The JP is said to have rightly commented that this action might send the wrong message or words to that affect. With this I agree. Then surprisingly she proceeded to take the police line.

Apart from wasting the courts time, I wonder why the police didn’t withdraw the charge beforehand, if they thought it unwarranted.

Paying restitution and a no injury accident does not call for the law to be ignored or is this the new normal?

Justice must not only be done, but seen to be done.

Perhaps the Crown Law Department might want to put this case on their list for review.

Rod Henderson

‘No to Chinatown’

Ministers of the Crown and MPs travelling overseas and visiting countries are supposed to promote foreign policy matters for the Cook Islands. The latest comments by Minister George Maggie about sourcing and receiving his netball dome for Tupapa Maraerenga shows that he personally requested these expensive materials and equipment for his village.

One may ask, so what’s wrong with that? Ministers have a code of conduct, which provides certain guidelines on what Ministers can and cannot do. Ministers certainly cannot directly seek aid funding materials and equipment for their village. That’s the job for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance and Economic Management senior officials.

The arrogance of George Maggie not abiding to Parliament’s code of conduct shows that he doesn’t care less about the law and rules and will do anything to promote his own interests.

George Maggie admitted that he received the Chinese materials and equipment before the elections but decided not to build it until after the elections. This is irrelevant as Maggie made it known, and the whole village knew before the elections, what he got from China and what was it for. He was boasting this on his Facebook page.

For the third time and most recently, after he gave an update on TV on the construction of the Tupapa Maraerenga dome, he said that he is looking at constructing a stadium, after the dome. Maggie strongly opposed the Tupapa Maraerenga Sports Association application to the Rarotonga Environment Authority to build the stadium. Maggie’s reason for objecting was that it was politics. However, the REA has given its approval for this project. Now Maggie’s tune is completely the opposite. Is China funding this project as well?  Or is it still football funded? We hope this is not politics due to his political relationship with football officials.

Like the dome, are the Chinese funding the stadium? The Australian and New Zealand foreign ministers recently visited the Cook Islands and signed memorandums of understanding. Are they aware of this arrangement with China?

No Chinatown

(Name and address supplied)