Letters to the Editor
Reef's new ship is bigger and faster
Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, We wish to respond to the concerns expressed by the Opposition leader, Hon. Wilkie Rasmussen, as reported in the Cook islands News (Wednesday March 28), and to give some context which we believe should allay those concerns. Firstly, and irrespective of how many ships are engaged in the Cook Islands trades, or indeed […]
Pension portability was deceptively introduced
Thursday 29 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, In 1996, I wrote a piece on this subject (pension portability) in the Pacific Island Monthly (magazine) soon after the New Zealand government introduced it in parliament. At the time, one could hear Pacific Island governments praising the special provision and did so because of the potential benefits that retirees will bring to […]
Skipjack numbers and MMR challenged
Thursday 29 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Our ability to assess pelagic fish stocks in recent years has certainly improved. In the Dr Lehodey report mentioned by MMR in your March 24 paper, this was aided by satellite technology. However, I would be hesitant to use this report, unless it has gone through a peer-reviewed process and published in a […]
Keep them honest
Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The one indispensable ethic for all non-state regional media and their professional bodies is to ensure their journalism aspires to tell it like it is to the people so that the people are properly informed and can form well informed opinions about prevailing situations – including political situations – themselves. It is a […]
Jesus more known as a swear word
Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I would like to say thank you for the times you have allowed me to put across the truth regarding the reality of Christ and Christianity in your paper over the years. As some may know, my time on the island is nearing an end and I am moving overseas with my family. […]
Cooks Islands tourism already well served
Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Interesting to read the debate around proposals to launch a new compendium publication here in the Cooks. As someone publishing a tourism publication here, I should declare my self-interest. But also, because I work in the industry, I have a close understanding of it. The Cooks is already served by two publications that […]
Batman defends its tourism publication
Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Recently your newspaper published an article about my company’s (“John Batman Group”) compendium publications. I am concerned that this article may lead local businesses to get a false impression of JBG and of what is being offered to them. Unfortunately this article contained inaccuracies about JBG revenue and I would like to clarify […]
A message to our politicians
Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, It always seemed to me to that contempt of court proceedings for debt collection seemed improper and I decided to actually look up the Judicature Act 1980-81 as it stands right now. So what a relief to see that section 36 (a) says that contempt of court applies when a judgment or order […]
Congratulations on the marine park process
Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Government must be congratulated for its efforts in getting all stakeholders together to draft the proposed Marine Park framework and guiding principles. The key to the Marine Park and seabed mining is sustainable development, working with our traditional leaders and community so that we have a voice in this area of potential development. […]
$8000 adverts 'ludicrous and unaffordable'
Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The recent attempts to coerce small and medium sized sightseeing operators into advertising at “over the top” rates in the hotel compendiums that the hotels will get for free is immoral and unfair. The Australian company (not registered here) promoting this scheme has managed to convince some operators that, unless they advertise, they […]
What's the joke?
Monday 26 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, In last Friday’s CINews a smoke signaller chastised the National Environment Service for authorising the removal of shrubbery from Takuvaine Stream, finishing off his piece with the statement, “Is Les Priest behind all this?” Why he chose to quote my name in a derogatory context in the media is a mystery beyond my […]
Foreign policy out of control?
Monday 26 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I am a big fan of the Cooks and holiday there quite often and I like to follow current events reading the Cook Islands News once a week. Though I am just an outsider from NZ, I have noticed that the Cook Islands’ foreign policy (do they have even a policy or is […]
Dismiss Operation Eagle charges
Monday 26 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Last year in March we had an investigation named Operation Eagle, where 13 people were arrested and taken into prison custody. This year in March 2012 a 17-year-old student didn’t even get a conviction and yet she had 613 marijuana seeds in a small container. I always walk past the court house hoping […]
Say no to mining
Monday 26 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, It will be a sad day for all Cook Islanders if the government allows seabed mining to go ahead on our beautiful foreshores. Why are we so money hungry, and not caring about our environment. Mining on our seabeds is going to be disastrous for our future generations to come, It’s a sad […]
Cervical cancer screening explained
Monday 26 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, As an on-line reader in New Zealand and visiting specialist to The Cook Islands, I was very pleased to see a recent letter from a reader in Australia calling for all Cook Island women to make sure that they have regular cervical smears. However, I feel that I should write to explain why […]
Over-zealous law enforcement
Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I wish to add my voice to others who over the past three months have been closely watching coverage of court proceedings relating to a friend on a charge of possession of a utensil in the Cook Islands. To put it bluntly we have been dismayed at the number of times (at least […]
Law spin
Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The spin sent out by the Law Society raises more issues of due process and remedies available in court. Why are the bankers and lawyers so determined to apply for rulings of contempt of court just so a debtor will pay up an account? There are other avenues in contract law so what […]
Stop rubbishing Raro league clubs
Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, ‘Disgusted Aitutaki’ all sports supporter letter in Thursday newspaper, please get off the backs of the Rarotonga rugby league clubs. Sick and tired of reading their tantrums. All the teams here in Rarotonga are struggling just as much as you are in Aitutaki. You the sharks have only one team to look after, […]
Pension problems still not resolved
Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Mr Geoff Porter, you really have revealed a lot of valuable information on the NZ pension in your letter to the editor. I left Raro to live in NZ in December 2005 aged 62 years after receiving a reply to my letter from the Head Office of WINZ in Wellington that I have […]
Why not subsidise northern flights?
Friday 23 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I am writing to follow-up regarding the $12.5 subsidy to Air New Zealand for flights aimed at increasing tourism. While I laud this effort, I also wonder about encouraging local flights, especially between the Northern Group and Rarotonga. The current lack of regular, affordable transportation is discouraging. To travel from Rarotonga to Pukapuka […]
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