Letters to the Editor
No witches to hunt for
Tuesday 5 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, With the recent happenings around the cabinet table I was amazed to read the press release of the now reinvented minister, Wilkie Rasmussen. He said that "there will be absolutely no witch-hunt against Sir Terepai Maoate and senior public servants associated with him in the Toa Petroleum matter". Why not, is my question? […]
It takes one to know one
Tuesday 5 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, A smoke signaller accused Wilkie Rasmussen of being a hypocrite because he called the PM naughty names the last time Wilkie was sacked for something. In fact, the signaller called Wilkie the "biggest hypocrite ever in the Cook Islands". You have to wonder if that smokie was sent by a tourist or by […]
Out with the old and in with the new
Saturday 2 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Had some thick-headed politicians observed my letters to the editor concerning the Vaimaanga debacle some years ago, we wouldn’t have been in such chaos nowadays. Those letters were for the government to stay clear of any business dealings. No, my pleas were ignored and now it has turned around to bite the hard-working […]
Smart money on the rebels
Saturday 2 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, At the top of Wednesday’s front page, minister Wilkie Rasmussen said that the Marurai government, Sir Terepai Maoate and the Democratic Party will try to resolve their differences. At the bottom of the same page, the Democratic Party withdrew its support of the Marurai government. Cook Islands News helpfully noted that these are […]
Cook Islanders deserve better
Saturday 2 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, As an ex-pat watching this mess unfold with the Cook Islands government, it strikes me how incredibly ridiculous this whole affair is. It’s blatantly obvious how diabolical the circumstances were that led to Sir Terepai Maoate’s sacking. Yet three ministers resign in support of somebody that has fundamentally betrayed his duty of office. […]
Same talk, same vision
Thursday 31 December 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Re Koutu Nui Community Visioning project. And the visioning still goes on after many years of talking about the same issues of good governance, social, environment, economic and culture. It’s time now to move on to more creative and active thinking. The current political turmoil, the increase in crime, and the downturn in […]
Where was the anger?
Thursday 31 December 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor Member of the opposition from Aitutaki Teina Bishop managed to grab a headline by accusing the prime minister of causing instability. This was surely a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Who was it four years ago who abandoned a coalition government to incite a failed coup? There’s nothing wrong with […]
Sunday flights and all that
Thursday 31 December 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The protest against government for approving the flight scheme highlights several crucial elements that seems to have escaped the media from day one. Those who endorsed the Sunday flight scheme should think twice. Although the message coming across to us appears to be an issue about Sunday, the campaign was always intended to […]
'Reaction to protest gone too far'
Wednesday 18 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, We refer to your front page article in the Cook Islands News on Monday November 16 headed ‘Protest gone too far’. It made for interesting reading when you quoted the many half truths from the local politician Teina Bishop. We feel we have to respond and convey the real facts. The protest group […]
Akaou'anga, kia vai teateamamao tatou
Tuesday 17 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Kia orana Eaa te tuatua Maori no te kupu reform. Eaa tona aiteanga e tona puapinga no tatou i teia ra. Eaa tona ngai tu kaui. Manganui te kupu Maori tau no te akamarama i teia kupu papa’a – akaouanga/akatuke’ anga/ taui’anga e te vai atura. Kiriti mai au i te kupu akaou’anga ei tatara […]
Farewell to Rarotonga
Tuesday 17 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Having been to your very beautiful country on a few occasions, I would just like to point out that the whole world is not rich! I for one will not be back to your wonderful island and have to pay that large of a departure tax. I think someone’s head got hit by […]
Vaccine: life saver or killer?
Tuesday 17 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I read with sadness about a young baby who died after being injected with poisons (vaccinated) and the plan by our health officials to do the same to 10% of the population including pregnant women with untested and unproven swine flu vaccines. My research into and knowledge of vaccines spurs me to express […]
Tax beats borrowing
Monday 16 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I read Adrian Southwick’s entry about the $55 departure tax and I would like to address a couple of the issues he raised. The Cook Islands does NOT have ‘one of the most expensive departure taxes in the world’ Here’s a quick comparison of the departure taxes/fees imposed by different countries. The data […]
How lucky to learn te reo and earn PR
Monday 16 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Learning conversational Maori to earn PR is pretty easy. How lucky you are to earn it, just by practising speaking simple Maori on the streets, at home and in hotels. If you have been given that PR, look after it, you will never know when it will be terminated if you abuse it. […]
Parents could learn te reo at school
Monday 16 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The debate about whether or not permanent residents should speak te reo Maori is older than most people think. I remember it was being discussed in January 1999 at the country’s National Languages Workshop, and probably before then too. This workshop involved not only teachers from throughout the country but public and private […]
It's not 'any prison'
Saturday 14 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, How boring but politically expedient for members of Cabinet to suggest that the head of the Superintendent of Prison should roll. All your critics, including our ‘wise’ politicians, seem to have a span of memory that does not extend beyond the immediate controversy. The suggestion by Gordon Sawtell (my good friend) that lock […]
Te reo policy a breach of UN Declaration of Human Rights
Saturday 14 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I suspect that something is fundamentally wrong with our new Te Reo policy for future Permanent Residence applicants. The policy could be in breach of several Articles of the United Nations ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’. The Cook Islands government in its dealing with its citizens is duty bound to respect this key […]
Principal defended
Friday 13 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Upon my return to Rarotonga last weekend from travel overseas on Ministry of Education business, I was saddened to learn of the public and personal attack made by a writer to your paper on Mr Teaea Parima’s appointment to the Principalship of Tereora College. Whilst I am not in the habit of defending […]
'Marurai must be stepped down'
Friday 13 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor. In response to the fantastic letter by ‘Wake up’ yesterday, I agree that Marurai must be stepped down. I am sure that everyone agrees. Not only is he drowning the country as well as himself, he is also accountable to God for leading the people “astray”. Ezekiel 34 states very very clearly many […]
Double escape not unexpected
Friday 13 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The most recent double escape from the Arorangi Prison was not altogether unexpected given the state of the dilapidated old buildings. Not until the minister of finance provides funding to restructure the prison and also for the staff to be trained is there likely to be any improvement. This has been said over […]
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