Dear Editor, I am writing as a concerned citizen in response to the letter by Dr Deacon Teapa, Dr Yin Yin May, Dr Mokora, Dr Lwin, Dr Aung, Dr Basili, and Dr Zhou published on February 9.

I personally have attended numerous TMO meetings and have asked many questions that were unable to be adequately answered by Dr May.

Today, I wish to address the claims of protection made by these TMO doctors named, in the response letter to Serena Hunter, as well as claims the Covid-19 injection is safe and effective. 

Numerous times in Dr Teapa’s letter, he claimed the Covid injection protects the individual, but what exactly does it protect an individual from?

We all know you can still catch and pass on the Covid virus, even if you receive the Covid injection. It should make one ask oneself, what exactly does it protect one from?

This claim of protection is clearly misleading. 

Injected or not, you can still catch Covid and pass it on. 

They have not been clear on that fact.

Also, the claim of this Covid injection being safe and effective.  

Dr May said at the last TMO meeting, and I quote “studies are ongoing”.  

So, how can claims of safety and effectiveness be made when “studies are ongoing”?

Let me break this down, ongoing studies means this Covid injection is in its trial period.

They are still testing it.

And they are testing it on us.

The Cook Island People.

I love my People with a passion, and I believe they all deserve to be fully informed with some basic truths. 

Your Sincerely

Georgina Hand 

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Cannabis legislation no longer valid

Any preparation containg THC is illegal according to the Drugs Act, like the hemp products being sold on Rarotonga.

Additionally,all of these hemp products, according to Part 2 of the Act, contain high amounts of salt, isomer, esters and ethers of a THC plant, all illegal under the Act.

Now that these former illicit drugs under the Act are being legally sold on Rarotonga, no distinction or no difference can be made for not allowing the cultivation, use and sale of marijuana in the Cook Islands.

The Act is no longer valid, it has been broken and it would be clearly illegal and unjust discrimination to prosecute one and not the other.

The best way now to drive down the high cost of marijuana is to grow your own, it's easily done given our climate to do so.

If you do sell marijuana to those who can't be bothered, all you have to do is stay within the tax laws.

One other word of caution and this is very important, just like in the sale of alcohol, keep it away from those who are underage.

The authorities now have no choice but to release and discharge everyone brought up on trumped up charges regarding cannabis.

You must stop your mockery of justice or run the risk of being sued.

I want to thank biosecurity and I'm not being cheeky for opening up the floodgates for our people to greatly benefit from the medicinal and recreational uses of marijuana.

Steve Boggs

(Editor: Police spokesman Trevor Pitt said he would not respond.)