Opinion
It's our ocean, it's our future
Wednesday 7 June 2017 | Published in Opinion
This week I will be attending and speaking at the Oceans Conference; a high-level United Nations Conference and will be joined by Kevin Iro, a delegation from Marae Moana, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration.
Pounds of problems in old legislation
Wednesday 7 June 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
The issues raised in the letter from “Unionist” on the employers’ liability insurance scheme are reasonable and I do not take exception to them as an employer.
Some predictions about shipping
Wednesday 7 June 2017 | Published in Opinion
Soon after I became leader of the Demo Party I held a press conference.
Men: Our silence is killing us
Wednesday 7 June 2017 | Published in Opinion
While I was at the Land Court last week, the judge decided to take a break so I walked over to the criminal court and sat there for an hour or so.
Problems with overseas visit should be warning to others
Tuesday 6 June 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
“When reading the story about the tere party that went to London and France and their complaints as to the indignities that occurred to them, I felt great sympathy for them, especially being left without transport by their tour leader,” a smoke signaller says.
'Unionist' letter long on rhetoric, but short on the facts
Tuesday 6 June 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
I refer to the letter published in the Cook Islands News on Friday June 2, headlined “Spare some thought for the worker”, and signed by what can only be described as an extremely shy “Unionist” hiding behind a nom-de plume.
So what's been happening out at Matavera?
Tuesday 6 June 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
The RAPPA selection process for Albert Nicholas seems similar to the one that supposedly happened in the Matavera selection process for the Demos.
Why government fears parliament
Tuesday 6 June 2017 | Published in Opinion
Members of Parliament in the Cook Islands are being called lazy and worthless. People write to newspaper or phone radio talkback shows to complain about MPs not even working a full day. Why is this happening, and what can be done about it? I believe it is not the fault of elected MPs. Instead, the blame rests on the prime minister, Henry Puna. Our system places the sole responsibility on him to call parliament. He, and he alone, is therefore accountable to the people of this country and responsible for the progress of democracy in our sunny isles. Why blame and demean MPs when they have nothing to do with the planning and the scheduling of when and how often parliament sits? In the last three years, parliament has sat for only a handful of days. Yep, I could count them on my fingers and it is embarrassing when visitors ask about it. In 2015 it was, I believe, less than 10 days and last year, even less than that. But why is the PM doing this? The answer is simple: he could get voted out of office. We know very well that government does not have a strong majority to govern and therefore the PM’s thinking is to minimise the risk and have few days of parliament actually sitting. This is bizarre, isn’t it? The greater wheel of democracy is being held to ransom by one man, simply so he can stay in power. It’s political siege by Henry Puna. We could also say that it is a social and economic siege. It is also a siege on our integrity as a country that boasts to practice good democratic principles. Unfortunately, our political system can easily be manipulated as in such instance. After Henry Puna and his team won office in 2014, albeit by a small majority, an enduring promise from the 2010 elections was that there would be an increase in the number of days when Parliament sits. But that was not to be. Instead, the PM regressed into fewer and fewer days of Parliament. That was a major promise broken. That broken promise also overlapped with one of parliament sitting at least 100 days in one year. Of course that was never achieved. Should the PM be held up as a liar in this instance? Should the reasons why parliament doesn’t sit more often be accepted by the public as legitimate, even though they have never been clearly explained? I’m talking about the prospect of being voted out, even in these days of anti-vaka hopping. We have now seen the prospect of a vote of no confidence against the PM and his Cabinet several times and of course it’s the reason the government guillotines the budget debates so the MPs can close up shop and go home. We have clashes about constitutional clauses, disputes over the clarification of relevant provisions of no confidence motions and votes, and each time the PM has survived. That’s the key really, isn’t it? Regardless of how brutal it will be, Henry Puna must allow the proper process of democracy to take place and of course fight to defend his team and himself. What he does instead is an improper use of the power and authority of the executive arm of government. What is more alarming is the fact that MPs in the government side appear to me to be gutless and too scared to speak up about it. To them it is the natural thing just pack up their folders and go home after a hearty lunch and without even questioning the reason they are in parliament. Most of them go to parliament and ride along with the PM in a tunnel of persuasion, manipulating the system to their advantage. It is so shocking that people can actually think of excuses such as being unable to this month, for example, because they may not have the numbers to pass the budget. The Opposition also has the responsibility of passing the budget for the running of the country and so the public service can be paid. The PM is likely to leave it right until the last few days until the country is near strangulation, before actually introducing a budget. And this despite the fact that there is always full co-operation by those MPs who mean well to pass the budget without the PM’s fears coming to fruition. Things need to change. People need to be a lot smarter. Politics as a game of overpowering one another should not be the rule or the norm, but the exception. In the past, votes of confidence involving a change of government have taken place as the result of one-off situations. They were the result of democracy at work and the voting facility of parliament being used. Today, one person frequently blocks democracy for reasons, I believe, of his own self-preservation. If it is for the preservation of his political party in office, then the obvious thing is that when the situation is fragile, it’s time to return to the polls. That would be more acceptable than holding on to office under some dubious belief that you still hold the mandate of the voting public.
Land court case raises all sorts of interesting issues
Friday 2 June 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
“I read with interest the ‘watching the land growing’ smokie in Wednesday’s CI News, as I was also an observer in court, a smoke signaller says.
Beware trailer danger
Friday 2 June 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
The last I looked, it was a legal requirement to have trailers intended to be towed on public roads, to be registered and warranted.
Spare some thought for the workers
Friday 2 June 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
The Employers Liability Insurance Scheme (ELI) has got employers complaining again. Whining and moaning about having to pay to recompense their workers who are hurt at work. It’s just not on, if workers get hurt at work it’s their fault isn’t it?
Building contractor's history doesn't bode well
Wednesday 31 May 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
With Rarotonga’s past history of three bad buildings built by the same Chinese contractor, I am concerned with the fate of the Apii Nikao project, which has now started.
On the track of rubbish culprit
Wednesday 31 May 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
As an expat settled on this beautiful island I am grateful to God and some of his servants for my good fortune.
Watching the land growing
Wednesday 31 May 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
The Land Court sitting has been rather fascinating and has involved a wide variety of matters.
'Media battle' not just about fishing
Wednesday 31 May 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
It would appear obvious that Mata-Atua McNair’s recent “media-battle” with Tina Browne, wasn’t really about the purse seining issue at all.
Letter-writer prepared to eat his hat for Albert
Wednesday 31 May 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Congratulations to Albert Nicholas on your win in the RAPPA by-election.
Brown's police comments 'uninformed'
Wednesday 31 May 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
I write in response to Finance minister Mark Brown’s uninformed comments against arming a small section in our police to handle armed conflicts in the future (CI News May 27).
Choices are competition or regulation
Monday 29 May 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Although I don’t disagree with Peter Etches over the salary package of Mr Montenegro (the former Blue Sky Chief Executive), I found it more eye watering than mind-boggling - it was that painful!
Coalition must review arrangement
Monday 29 May 2017 | Published in Opinion
There must come a time when the Democratic Party and One Cook Islands will have to earnestly review their coalition arrangement.
The need for forgiveness
Monday 29 May 2017 | Published in Opinion
Forgiveness is essential to our souls. If we allow this virtue to atrophy from disuse, it becomes a thorn in our hearts, slowly but surely leaking life energy, eroding love, denying joy, avoiding faith and resisting wealth of every kind.
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