Opinion

'Better understanding and empathy' needed on issue of merging schools

Wednesday 18 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I applaud some of the Nikao Maori School parents who spoke their mind opposing the merge with Avatea School. Some harsh and degrading comments were made towards Nikao Maori School at the meeting and I guess the outcome of that meeting was not a surprise. So perhaps a better consultation process should have […]

'He was trying to buy my vote'

Tuesday 17 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Be careful, Patrick Arioka for the Murienua Cook Islands Party (CIP), you’ll get yourself caught out again. Just like his election day interview on CITV….he is such a bright spark. The offer from the CIP was to ask the Democratic Party to withdraw their evidence and Tuariki would withdraw his and then he […]

NES 'rubber stamps' everything

Tuesday 17 December 2013 | Published in Smoke Signals

“The National Environment Service has been giving people permission to butcher trees for decades,” a smoke signaller writes in response to reported anger over the recent felling of more than a dozen ironwood and coconut tress on a beachfront section at Vaimaanga. “Remember the ancient ironwoods on the beach where John Scott’s hotel now stands? […]

'An illness called jealousy' - Colagate

Tuesday 17 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Watching the never ending attack on Trevor Clarke of CITC fame and reading the revealing article by Charles Pitt in last week’s Herald headed “The other side of the Colagate coin”, in which he compared Clarke and CITC’s contribution to our economy with that of his competitors, pointing out that Clarke employs Cook […]

Kata - December 17, 2013

Tuesday 17 December 2013 | Published in Kata

Related article(s): Overheated engine causes power cut

Kata - December 16, 2013

Monday 16 December 2013 | Published in Kata

Related article(s): Traditional leader angered by tree felling

'Worst to come for agriculture'

Saturday 14 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, ’Huge decline in agriculture’ screamed yesterday’s headline. Well, you haven’t seen anything yet. Just as soon as this Cook Islands Party government proceeds with its ill-advised import levy removal programme, you will need to find a stronger adjective because ’huge’ will not describe it. John M Scott

Parliament is a circus

Saturday 14 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This current government are a bunch of clowns who belong in a circus not in parliament gathering revenue by taxing mamas and papas and the list goes on, shame on you CIP. I can only hope the people can see what this party has done and how deep this hole will get if […]

WATSAN septic tanks questioned

Saturday 14 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In reply to the unconvincing dribble from the acting manager of the WATSAN project relating to the installation by Raro Plumbing of a fully-funded septic tank on the site where the Ngatangiia Packing Shed once stood, one can only conclude that there has been a clear breach of the WATSAN project criteria/guidelines. As […]

Kata - December 14, 2013

Saturday 14 December 2013 | Published in Kata

'Eenie meeny miney mo Bishop ignored as DPM'

Saturday 14 December 2013 | Published in Tropical Chronicles

There must come a time when people see their silver lining on the horizon. For politicians, life in the halls of power can be torrent and on a number of occasions blood will be drawn when you are in the front line. To survive such obstacles and still serve as a Member of Parliament for […]

TMV – Another watery failure?

Friday 13 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

“Can a mere citizen suggest a field trip for Cabinet?” a smoke signaller writes. “Go up into the hills at Arorangi and see just what remains of the massive failed fresh water reservoir that never supplied a drop of water to anyone. Are you really going ahead blindly with the water project, as blindly as […]

Weekend 'cruises' in govt vehicles queried

Friday 13 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am concerned to see some of the government vehicles cruising around the island on the weekends. The question I want to raise is who is paying for fuel – the ordinary people. Maybe that is the reason why the government wants to tax the New Zealand pensioners (Grey Power) to foot the […]

Kata - December 13, 2013

Friday 13 December 2013 | Published in Kata

Grey Power marches come to an end

Friday 13 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Forty Grey Power members marched quietly into the Matavera CICC Church on Sunday morning without placards, banners and chanting, bringing to an end a series of planned marches to various government offices and sites. For six weeks running we’ve hit the office of the Revenue Management Division, the Prime Minister’s office at Atukura, […]

'Rational worn out' on Air NZ payments

Thursday 12 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, At $7.7 million annually, the subsidy we pay to Air New Zealand for the Los Angeles/Rarotonga flight equals about $321 per seat on each flight, or $642 per seat on each return flight, filled or not. The Covec report (CINews December 9, 2013) says the flight is presently loss making (to us) but […]

Tree cutting: 'Who is responsible?'

Thursday 12 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Recently I read in CINews (“Beachfront ‘annihilation’ leaves locals fuming”, December 10) about ironwood trees being cut down without the approval of the National Environment Service (NES). How could this happen? Who is responsible for looking out for the interests of these valuable assets if the NES is not following through with their […]

By-election laws 'not worthless' - Beer

Wednesday 11 December 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The standard of evidence required by our courts is quite high. In other words, you can’t make frivolous claims … but any schoolboy can stand on a coconut stump and shout. Claims of legality and validity made before a sitting judge who has read sworn affidavits and considered the evidence; those mean something. […]

Kata - December 11, 2013

Wednesday 11 December 2013 | Published in Kata