Opinion

Government spending 'not justified'

Tuesday 31 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write to you in the hope something can be done about the on ongoing wasteful spending of various State Owned Enterprise (SOE) boards on Boondoggle projects.

Taking with one hand, giving with the other

Tuesday 31 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The almost $16,000 (that we know of) that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) took out of three Grey Power members’ accounts last week pays 800 of the $50 bonus the Ministry of Internal Affairs handed out as Christmas presents to local beneficiaries.

Kata - December 31, 2013

Tuesday 31 December 2013 | Published in Kata

'Why should they be exempt?'

Monday 30 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I live in New Zealand and receive a New Zealand pension that is taxed by the New Zealand Tax Department prior to being paid.

Exposing the jetty 'boondoggle'

Saturday 28 December 2013 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Well, Don Dorrell’s at it once again, setting the record straight as to the Arorangi jetty being one more boondoggle that had all the experts, aid donors and politicians cutting the ribbon and patting each other on the back,” writes a smoke signaller in response to his last Saturday letter to the editor ‘Arorangi jetty danger ‘obvious from the beginning’.

Celebrating women: changing the narrative

Saturday 28 December 2013 | Published in Raro on my mind

Cook Islands News published a letter written by the Prime Minister’s chief of staff on December 18, and I’ve been thinking about her words every day since.

Court outcome 'solves' title dispute

Saturday 28 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, At long last, the long awaited decision by the court in relation to the Maoate Mataiapo title had eventually come to a final conclusion.

CIP – 'the party of cruelty'

Saturday 28 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As a longtime Cook Islands Party supporter I have always come to believe that Papa Arapati’s dream of his party as the party of Aroa is the most enduring legacy of the CIP.

Death prompts emergency flight to Pukapuka

Saturday 28 December 2013 | Published in Return to Pukapuka

The Pukapuka Airport opened yesterday for an emergency landing to bring home the body of Billy Baniwai Tiro, aged 48.

Taking pensioner's tax 'an arrogant act'

Saturday 28 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, People in our society typically ask, “Who is supposedly leading our country?” Seldom do you hear this question being repeatedly tangled in our people’s daily conversations.

No basis for gossip

Saturday 28 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am extremely flabbergasted as to how much energy goes into the production and spreading of stories that have no basis or element of truth.

Kata - December 28, 2013

Saturday 28 December 2013 | Published in Kata

Related article(s): Pukapuka runway repaired for funeral

'Restructure the CIP government'

Friday 27 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It didn’t surprise me at all to learn from CINews on Thursday December 19 that we are in deficit of $2 million.

'Why spoil the spirit of peace and love?'

Friday 27 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear editor, We have been blessed with the most precious gift of all times – rain, a day before Xmas day.

NZ public health system free for Cookies

Friday 27 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In response to the letter titled ‘What a Christmas Gift” published December 21, I feel an urgent response is needed.

Appalling invasion of privacy

Friday 27 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear editor, The front page report in CI News on 24 December in regards to Mrs Nancy Simiona’s bank account being raided by over $3,000 by government reveals an appalling lack of judgement and sensitivity by some expat bureaucratic minion in the MFEM hierarchy who didn’t even have the decency to inform the local old age pensioner of the appropriation of her money on behalf of the MFEM Tax Department.

Kata - December 27, 2013

Friday 27 December 2013 | Published in Kata

Govt could choose to exempt NZ-paid pensions from tax

Tuesday 24 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have been reading the NZ/Cook Islands Allocation of Taxing Rights Agreement signed by John Key for NZ and Jim Marurai for the Cook Islands on July 9, 2009 and more particularly Article 5 which relates to pensions. Nowhere in that Article or the Agreement proper can I see substantiated the claim that […]

Memories of swimming at Arorangi Passage

Tuesday 24 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The reported comments in your December 19 edition by Mr Bim Tou, general manager of the Ports Authority, regarding the Arorangi passage is most surprising. One of my fondest memories is as a young child, spending several days in a Boys Brigade and Life Boys camp based at Arorangi School. Our daily activities […]

'I salute you for staying united' – Grey Power

Tuesday 24 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would personally like to thank our Vice President Dennis Tunui for his contribution in establishing the growth of our Grey Power organisation. He has been in, out, around, and through a lot of activities that have given us a steady footing today, and it’s about time that he takes a breather. Job […]