Letters to the Editor
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.
LETTER: ‘Unlawful and misguided act’
Tuesday 7 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, The phrase above the law describes a person who is exempt from following the rules or at least thinks he or she is exempt. Usually a person who is above the law has a very high government position or a lot of power.
Letter to Editor: Dog owners ‘are the problem’
Wednesday 1 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, Dog owners need to take responsibility for their part of not taking care of their dogs! (‘Stop dog culling’: SPCA threatens to leave Dog Committee if shooting doesn’t stop, February 24, 2023). They end up roaming and causing chaos for all!
Tender for road works
Tuesday 28 February 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, Good to see the roads being sealed but I never seen any tender for this clean up job. Come on e Garth (Henderson, Financial Secretary), come on e Arapati, eaa teia angaanga repo. Why no tender. I think same thing happen for the Ngatangiia and Avatiu valley roads before the election. No tender too. Na kotou rai e aati ta kotou ture. E kino tikae teia tu.
Where’s the stair climber machine?
Monday 27 February 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, With all the current excitement about a new lift (elevator) being installed at the Court House/Justice complex, finally addressing the long existing issue of how to get the pakari, elderly and infirm, as well as mothers and babies, up those stairs and into the Court/land/BDM sections, one is forced to ask what ever happened to that Stair Climber machine, which the then Minister in charge trialled and demonstrated live on CITV, and no doubt had photos in the CINews back in the day? Does anyone else recall that event, which was touted as being the beginning of a new access era in a Justice building already fraught with issues.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Dog problem ‘getting out of hand’
Saturday 25 February 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, The animal welfare group and Dog Registration and Animal Control Committee (DRACC) who are looking at changing the Act and legislation relating to animal welfare are wasting their time and should leave it alone – karuke i te ture – it won’t do any good.
Tackling Raro’s dog problem
Friday 24 February 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, After reading this article (Authorities ramp up dog euthanasia on Rarotonga, Cook Islands News, February 23, 2023), I’m really disheartened to see that the Cook Islands Police are clearly just blatantly shooting people’s pets. The numbers just don’t add up? 34 dogs killed in January by the Cook Islands Police – two involved in attacks and eight strays. That means that 24 of the dogs that were shot were obviously people’s pets? Was there substantial and fair effort made to contact the owners? Did they have time to come and collect their pets? Were they fined or given warnings before their fur family members were shot dead?
LETTER TO EDITOR: Under pressure, high school staff offered ‘gift packs, massages and wellness checks’
Thursday 23 February 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, I write in response to Mathew Littlewood’s article, “Under pressure high school staff offered ‘gift packs, massages and wellness checks”, of 22nd February 2023.