Letters to the Editor
Letter: Search for truth and justice
Thursday 6 April 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, Lissette Gonzalez Brito disappeared seven years ago and for all that time, I have fought tooth and nail to get her justice.
Letter: ‘Please be better, read situations better’
Wednesday 5 April 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Kia Orana editor, I hope this letter finds you well, I would like to bring to light a couple of issues I experienced while being treated at Tupapa Outpatients on March 15.
Visitors to our paradise
Monday 3 April 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Kia Orana, I hope this email finds you well. I would like to voice my impassioned opinion to our visitors to our beautiful paradise and hope it gets published.
The turtle tour debate
Monday 3 April 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, The “overcrowded” swim-with-turtles debate currently on is, this writer suggests, a microcosm of this country’s decades-long inability to come to grips with tourism in general.
Three questions for NES
Saturday 1 April 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
From time to time we see that the National Environment Service is looking to add new staff positions. Looking for three at the moment.
‘A man overboard’: Titikaveka Bulldogs clears air on coach
Saturday 1 April 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, Regarding your article in Tuesday, March 28 edition – Titikaveka Bulldogs coach steps down, I can confirm that Mr (Meti) Noovao has surprised the whole club including myself, he didn’t have the decency to advise me that he was to step down, yet he lives two houses away from me.
Letter: ICI confirms $90,000 spent on Apii Takitumu ‘Guardrail Fence’
Thursday 30 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
The stupid answers and justifications by various bureaucrats with regards to the ridiculous guardrail at Takitumu School, is in itself an insult to the public and the taxpayer.
Letter: Best by date products
Monday 27 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Re Labour and Consumer division at Ministry of Internal Affairs. Does this still exist?
Letter: What is there to celebrate?
Monday 27 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, Thomas Tarurongo Wynne’s opinion piece in Saturday’s newspaper brings us all face to face with what some might say is the total failure of this society to embrace the Christianity that we are about to celebrate the 200th anniversary of (Ten years of abuse and no one knew? Cook Islands News, March 25).
LETTER: Investing in education
Thursday 23 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, Increasing the budget when there is no money for such an expense is not the only option (College faces financial difficulties, March 20).
LETTER TO EDITOR: ‘Dump your wastewater elsewhere’
Wednesday 22 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, I note your article regarding a diplomatic visit from Japan in light of that country’s stated intention to dump its nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. I further note that Japan is bordered by four oceans, two of which comprise significant portions of its EEZ, of which the Pacific Ocean is but one.
LETTER TO EDITOR: SPCA’s Volunteer house in line for an upgrade
Tuesday 21 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, National, Opinion
No, need to educate people, there are free de-sexing clinics around the island and it’s not the dogs’ fault. It’s the owners, everyone needs to step up, and not rely on SPCA to take on unwanted dogs, if you want a pup, it’s for life. Not until you get bored with it and want another. […]
LETTER TO EDITOR: ‘We’ve to be cruel to be kind’
Monday 20 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, Mahatma Gandhi acutely observed that “the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. The Saturday feature article on the SPCA shelter at Vaima’anga testifies that there are among us many citizens who do us proud in that respect. But, is it necessary to balance that against present reality? The picture of SPCA president and shelter manager David Pokia tenderly holding newborn pups is heartwarming. The story tells us that Mr Pokia takes 32 dogs each day on a morning stroll. Thirty-two mature dogs needing loving homes. Why would we add two more pups to that number when the chances of ever catching up on the adoption of homeless dogs, we know from years of experience, are pretty much zilch? Shakespeare, as well known to us as Mahatma Gandhi, said words to the effect that, sometimes, you have to be cruel to be kind. Allowing more homeless dogs to mature may seem kind, but is it kind to the dozens of mature dogs waiting for a family to adopt? (Name and address supplied)
LETTER TO EDITOR: The number of cars on the island
Friday 17 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, In reply to the nameless letter “Redesigning our CBD” I would like to clarify a couple of things in this letter: Rarocars has only just taken over using this section. Very few if any trees have been cut down from this section since Herbie Pemberton had the lease in the 1990s. Almost without exception those people who complain about the number of cars on the island already have a car themselves ... I would also like to see fewer cars on the road but don’t those people who currently don’t have cars have the right to own a car? Regards, Don Carlaw Director Rarocars
LETTER TO EDITOR: Sheraton ‘back road’ proposal
Thursday 16 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, So the pikika’a has started! The new MP for Titikaveka justifying the new back road behind the Sheraton hotel site, through Vaimaanga and linking with the main road further down on the other end of the village (CITV local news, 14th March 2023), because of future main road flooding due to sea level rise. But isn’t the real reason for putting in the new back road is because Chris Vaile wants access to the beach site in front of his new hotel development? The entire length of beach is covered with huge boulders as rock revetment (which were originally put in by Government exactly to stop sea level rise!). But close the road to the public anyway, and inconvenience them having to drive all that extra way around the back, and say it is for their own good. The new MP’s logic is similar to that which he used to rip out all those fantastic old Toa trees at Takitumu School, because they were a safety hazard, yeah right! (Name and address supplied)
LETTER TO EDITOR: ‘PM should be held responsible’
Tuesday 14 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, Wouldn’t you think that when 62 per cent of the voters said yes to the cannabis referendum during the 2022 general election on August 1 to allow for research and medicinal use that the Government would want to make life easier for patients arriving in our nation with a legal prescription for medicinal cannabis products?
LETTER to Editor: Redesigning our CBD
Monday 13 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, The recent comments from our locals after the central business district (CBD) of Avarua was overrun with hundreds of cruise-ship passengers taking over the CBD made interesting reading. People noted the many visitors walking in the street as if streets were made for people and not cars.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Cannabis confusion ‘falls squarely on the shoulders of Customs’
Saturday 11 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, I write in regards to Thursday’s front page article about “Border confusion continues: Police, Customs at odds over cannabis importation”. The reason for all the confusion falls squarely on the shoulders of Customs because in our Narcotics Act it states on page 49 that, “This Act is administered by the Ministry of Health”. And there is a provision in the MOH Act, Part 5,23- # (7) that as long as all the criteria is met it is legal to import personally prescribed medicinal cannabis products.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Some questions for CIIC …
Friday 10 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, I have some questions for CIIC (Cook Islands Investment Corporation), regarding the new plan for the market, and thought a public forum like the paper would a good format to do this, so everyone concerned can get the answers they need. I understand all stallholders (arts, crafts, and advertising for tourism) are being moved to the new location, past the current huts into the park, and all food vendors are heading to the old playground.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Extent of negativity ‘disgusting’
Thursday 9 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, I cannot believe the extent of negativity I’m reading on this trail regarding Jack Ma’s visit to our island and judgements passed based on hearsay and assumption. All you need to do is read up on Mr Ma’s Foundation and the huge financial support the foundation has given that spans over almost 10 years (and I’m not talking $millions, but $billions) to support education for teachers and students in the most rural and remote areas, funding for women empowerment, created thousands of jobs, helped eradicate poverty in China and then in 2020 spent millions on research towards a cure for COVID-19.