Dear Editor, honourable Albert Nicholas is quoted in the Cook Islands News (Wednesday, May 25, 2022) – “Although incineration was considered to be the preferred best option in an assessment that was done about three years ago, we are open to other options...”

Wow, talk about sitting around waiting for someone else to take the initiative (and meanwhile the waste facility gets even more bogged down in garbage). He then goes on to say – “To that end, Infrastructure Cook Islands is putting together a terms of reference for expressions of interest to businesses that may be interested …” So not only has he and others in Government been sitting around for three years doing absolutely nothing about the waste issue, he is now trying to project a positive spin somewhere into the future, which is totally speculative, hoping that someone, somewhere will take the rubbish ball and run with it.

‘Smiley’ Heather has absolutely every right to be p!$#@d off with the lack of foresight, lack of initiative, and lack of funding for such a serious issue, and it does not only affect Puaikura. He is almost kind to the Government, when he says that “I know we are struggling…”, meaning of course the last couple of years however, the Government seems to have no problem finding money for projects that suit them, wins votes, flying charter flights almost at will, and continuing to pay the Deputy Prime Minister totally undeserved and unearned salary, and expect the poor iti tangata to just swallow all that. And on top of all that, regularly advertise for new top jobs in so many ministries, so clearly, they have no shortage of funds where it suits them.  

The final comment is that Hon. Nicholas says that he hopes the Cook Islands may be able to get the entire incinerator (project) to be funded – Patipati! Handouts have become a way of life here – what happened to smart, sensible Government budgeting where a county used its own resources to get things done rather than rely on overseas aid donors?

(Name and address supplied)

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Minimum wage

A lot of people really have no idea how the politics of today is actually played out. Our country is technically not run by our government alone. They are not allowed to spend more than they are granted. So seeing a minimum $12/hr pay rate in the Cooks would be nearly impossible at this given moment. How much of the money that is in the hands of the government is actually allocated to the people? The minimum pay rate is not calculated by the amount of money government owns, but by what the country as a whole can generate. I personally don’t see it even being possible in the next 10 years considering the way the economy is going there at the moment.

Cruz Robati

(Facebook)