Opinion

What's up with the new truck?

Friday 12 January 2018 | Published in Letters to the Editor

I have seen a brand new bitumen truck parked at ICI the last week or so, and I wanted to know from the ICI secretary whether this is the same bitumen truck that was talked about in parliament as having been paid for and not delivered, because the New Zealand company had gone into receivership.

Letters to the Editor

Tourist numbers not the only issue

Friday 12 January 2018 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Tourism has committed itself to operating under a sustainable guidance system for all the areas tourism affects - that means our culture, community and environment.

Letters to the Editor

High-flying PM jets off on first overseas trip of the year

Wednesday 10 January 2018 | Published in Smoke Signals

The year was just eight days old when our PM announced he was off overseas yet again, this time to Abu Dhabi for a renewable energy meeting. “Maybe he’s trying to break last year’s record for the amount of time spent out of the country,” a smoke signaller says. BAD AND BADDER… The amount of bad and dangerous driving that’s going on around the island at present points to the fact that we need the increased police alertness to continue. What’s going to happen when the checkpoints fade back to their normal level? ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN The police statement about the very uncertain rules regarding riding on the back of trucks was all well and good, but in the meantime, people are still riding around perched on the side of truck trays, or standing up and leaning on the back of the cab, without holding on to anything. It’s an accident waiting to happen – and if it is against the law, no-one’s doing anything about it. HITCHING A RIDE Unfortunately, it seems the police don’t follow their own rules when it comes to dangerous riding on the back of trucks. Seen yesterday at Panama, a truck driving along the main road with a police bike on the back – and a policeman sitting astride it! If the truck had come to a sudden stop, things could have got pretty tricky. WHALE TALE GAINS NEW LIFE The remarkable story about whale researcher Nan Hauser diving with a humpback whale off Rarotonga last year has gained a whole new life on the internet. Months after the story first appeared in CI News, overseas media have put a whole new spin on the episode. The New Boston Post, which bills itself as “the hub of conservative thought,” ran a story saying: “A Maine woman diving near the Cook Islands in the South Pacific cavorted with a humpback whale that kept trying to shield her with a giant pectoral fin; it took her a while to figure out the whale appeared to be shielding her from a lurking tiger shark. A video associated with the story in the link below shows the woman interacting with the whale, but doesn’t show the shark.” BALANCED VIEW The whale tale has also been aired on CBS news, together of video footage of the whale researcher and the humpback whale said to have protected her from a tiger shark. Thankfully, however, CBS took a more objective approach. “While Hauser credits the whale for protecting her, she acknowledges she can’t know what the whale was thinking,” the CBS story said. “James Sulikowski, a marine biologist and professor at the University of New England who has studied tiger sharks, said he’s not convinced that the whale saved her life. “The shark could have just been hanging around,” he said. “There’s really no way of knowing the whale’s motivation.” TABLOID SENSATION The prize for the most over-the-top version of the story predictably goes to a British tabloid, the Mirror, whose website ran a story and video headlined: “Amazing moment hero whale saves snorkeler from shark by hiding her under giant fin while pushing her to safety.”

Smoke Signals

Wedding carries weight for Cook Islands

Monday 8 January 2018 | Published in Opinion

It was a warm and low key event but a memorable one.

Opinion

Let them form their own party

Monday 8 January 2018 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Throughout last year and in previous years, George Pitt has painted the Democratic Party and certain members of it in bad light whilst also doing some “public relations” work for Tama Tuavera and promoting the idea of Selina Napa becoming leader of the Opposition. He has done this through his own media outlets.

Letters to the Editor

Plastic container riles reader

Monday 8 January 2018 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Amidst the international warnings about plastic waste in our oceans, and on our land and the danger of toxic fumes if you burn this waste, we now see Frucor Suntory, a New Zealand company producing the popular fruit drink Just Juice which was previously packaged in square cardboard cartons now bottling it in large 2.4 litre and 1litre plastic bottles.

Letters to the Editor

A reminder for Saturday columnist

Monday 8 January 2018 | Published in Letters to the Editor

I would like to remind Thomas Wynne, (Cook Island News January 2018 p.2) that we are not, as he claims “faced as a community with manslaughter.”

Letters to the Editor

Kua kite te Ariki Vaine Victoria o Peritane te ture enua

Monday 8 January 2018 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Kua manoko au i te apai mai i tetai tuatua puapinga kia tatou te Aronga Mana e mou nei i te au taonga Enua mei te Ui Ariki, Ui Mataiapo e te Ui Rangatira. Tena mai taua tuatua;

Letters to the Editor

Pineapple thieves deserve punishment

Monday 8 January 2018 | Published in Smoke Signals

What’s up with the dismal creatures who stole 100 pineapples from a local gardener recently? Have they no scruples, no conscience at all? Let’s hope they get caught, and soon. The sharp end of a pineapple might make a useful tool with which to exact punishment.

Smoke Signals

Say 'yes' or 'no' only when you really mean it

Monday 8 January 2018 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Over the holidays I met a friend having lunch out with her husband.

Letters to the Editor

'Wannabe PM' insults our intelligence

Monday 8 January 2018 | Published in Letters to the Editor

I watched Member of Parliament George Angene (Maggie) on CI Television on Tuesday evening (January 2), dressed in his customary pink suit pleading to the people of Tupapa Maraerenga to re-elect him as their Member of Parliament for a third term.

Letters to the Editor

Some questions for business leader

Monday 8 January 2018 | Published in Letters to the Editor

I attended Thursday’s public meeting held by the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce, attended by New Zealand deputy prime minister Winston Peters and fronted by CICC president, Stephen Lyons.

Letters to the Editor

Time to take a look at ourselves

Monday 8 January 2018 | Published in Opinion

No sooner have the celebrations of Christmas and New Years passed, the Christmas tree packed away and remnants of time together cleaned up and we are faced as a community with manslaughter and reported thefts of livelihood and crops all around the island.

Opinion

Exciting year in store for our country

Monday 8 January 2018 | Published in Opinion

A friend of mine told me with a smile that “a New Year resolution is meant to be broken.” That is quite true given our ill-discipline and general tendency not to stick with our resolutions in life.

Opinion

Facing the challenges of a new year

Friday 5 January 2018 | Published in Letters to the Editor

To all the marvellous, supportive, knowledgeable and loyal readers and contributors, who together with the hard-working, dedicated and super-efficient staff of the newspaper, collectively make up the “CINews family”

Letters to the Editor

Thumbs down for Jetstar

Friday 5 January 2018 | Published in Smoke Signals

Where else in the world but the Cook Islands would a jet loaded with passengers arrive in the middle of the night minus all of their luggage? A big thumbs-down to Jetstar for failing to explain anywhere near adequately why this appalling incident happened – or how it is that the other few airlines seem able to get here with everyone’s bags aboard.

Smoke Signals