Dear Editor, dear Prime Minister, please don’t keep using the phrase “We are all in this together”.

You are correct we are all stuck on Island, but we have the “Haves” and “Have Not” groups.

A quick addition (insert) in the Cook Islands News indicates $89 million in wage subsidies and support for the revenue-generating sector. 

What was the cost of the politicians and public service, essentially a non-revenue-generating sector? 

Perhaps MFEM has the numbers to show the costs of maintaining a fully funded government while its main source of revenue is shut down?

(Name and address supplied)

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Inmate’s medical referral 

Minister of Corrective Services George Maggie was boasting a few weeks ago that prisoner Teina Ataera Junior was being looked after and that he would be referred to Auckland for medical treatment.  The latest information is that Teina is still up at the sanatorium hospital and has not been referred at all. 

What is going on here? Maggie came on television saying that everything will be sorted out. This is a big lie and a cover-up by George Maggie.

Teina’s partner has been pleading with the authorities and with public support, the Minister changed his mind and approved for Teina to be referred to Auckland for further medical assistance. 

Other close family members of a certain party don’t have to wait for medical referral.  

We want the truth and no more pikikaa.

Concerned Citizen

(Name and address supplied)

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Reply – In reply to “Concerned Citizen”, the Minister in a recent TV broadcast provided an update on the Teina Ataera matter, given the significant public interest. He was not boasting as you describe it. Maybe you’d rather he had said nothing? 

 The inmate Teina Ataera is being taken care of and is in good hands, and managed as best as practically possible by medical staff at Rarotonga Hospital. But let’s be clear, this is not a normal situation. He is an inmate serving a prison sentence and there are protocols involved in his clearance to leave the country. And he will be leaving the country for medical referral but that is for the appropriate people to deal with, not the Minister.   

To infer that the Minister has lied and is part of a cover up is an indication of your stupidity. Other people don’t have to wait for a medical referral because they’re not usually locked up in prison with legal, judicial and cross border ramifications.

Mask up, sanitise and practice social distancing because that is far more useful to you than wondering why there is a delay in this referral process. 

Terry Rangi

CEO

Minister George Maggie Support Office