Opinion

Bishop Pere 'old school, faithful servant'

Thursday 21 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

A smoke signaller writes on the controversy surrounding the recent public celebration in Rarotonga of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which started with a letter to the editor from Bishop Tutai Pere of the Apostolic Church: “Bishop Pere may be old school but he does have the courage of his convictions and has shown […]

Breaking the silence

Thursday 21 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Because we can’t stand the silence that comes after the issue of sexual abuse was raised, we had to write this short note to thank Thomas Wynne for raising this issue in one of the most meaningful letters we have read to the editor in the 13 years we have lived here. We […]

Air NZ flight deal questioned

Thursday 21 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Being just a visitor to your fantastically delightful island would normally make me extremely reluctant in making any public comment about Cook Islands matters. The realisation that Cook Islanders have a certain aversion to non-Cook islanders giving suggestions, advice and criticism is fully understood. However, on the subject of Air New Zealand receiving […]

Diwali: hiding behind a 'non-issue'

Wednesday 20 November 2013 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes in response to yesterday’s letter to the editor from Bishop Tutai Pere of the Apostolic Church titled ‘From darkness to light’: “Ho hum, if ever I can’t sleep I start reading one of ‘Bishop’ Pere’s same old same old and, praise Jesus, I am a-gone to dreamland by the second paragraph. […]

Thanks from award winner

Wednesday 20 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, All the things I forgot to say on the night (due to serious excitement and nervousness): An enormous thank you to Air NZ and to CI Tourism for your outstanding biannual event – and to all other sponsors and organisers who contributed to the evening. It was/is a wonderful event to showcase and […]

Love, humility and tolerance

Wednesday 20 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Regarding Sophie Meyer’s letter (CINews November 18), I’m flabbergasted by her comment that she, Gus and Jonathon Cargill are totally against the Diwali festival and all that it stands for. I don’t doubt Sophie’s sincerity but have grave doubts as to her group’s sense of fairness, logic and reason, since the festival stands […]

'Love thy neighbour and judge not'

Wednesday 20 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am a 17-year-old Cook Islander and I know that it is a basic human right to be allowed to practice and serve a religion of your choice. By denying people the right to celebrate Diwali, we are being as closed-minded as someone who is racist or doesn’t like a certain culture. People […]

CIP MPs 'neglect' issue of Colagate

Tuesday 19 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As the most senior MP in parliament today, I write to rebuke and protest about the decision by MPs Moana Ioane and Ata Herman, both CIP government members, not to attend the PAC sitting at parliament last Wednesday November 13. These members decided not to attend because they do not share the same […]

Kua papa ainei tatou?

Tuesday 19 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Ki te Etita Te matangi ririnui, te ngaru tapoki tareu, te au karapa ka, te moe’anga o te ra i muri i nga tumurangi kerekere, kua rokoia e te tumatetenga. Teia ta tatou e kite nei tei tupu ki te enua Piripini, kua tareu ia tetai o teia enua, te au oire kite ririnui’anga o […]

'From darkness to light' – Bishop Pere

Tuesday 19 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Each and every island of our Cooks group has a story and testimony to tell of how their forebears were converted from an heathenistic lifestyle of polygamy, idolatry, cannibalism, tribal warfare and fear to a Christian new life of peace, freedom, love and respect, which all governments since self-government of 1965, traditional and […]

Kata - November 19, 2013

Tuesday 19 November 2013 | Published in Kata

'No shadowy dealings' Rasmussen

Monday 18 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Let me respond to the presumptuous letter writer to your paper last Saturday. I have met with Atiu MP Norman George and former Democratic Party Atiu MP. In this meeting Mr. George presented me with his letter of resignation from the Teenui-Mapumai Cook Islands Party branch. The letter was dated 21 October 2013. […]

Where is our heart today?

Monday 18 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Please get your facts right before photos go to print. Why should I be correcting a photo where my husband and I are in and it has nothing to do with the Diwali festival? This was a fundraiser night for Breast Cancer where, we gave up our Saturday night to help support a […]

'Evil is closer to home'

Monday 18 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have been so privileged to work here in Rarotonga and to be able to listen and counsel many young women and men, adults and parents, teachers and principals, prisoners and businessmen in the three years that I have been home. What a privilege it is to be able to hold their stories, […]

Finance questions still unanswered

Monday 18 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I hear that the minister of rugby league has returned from the UK. A couple weeks ago I posed the following questions to the Minister of Finance to answer. Despite the CINews asking for a response from him, none was received. He must have been too busy packing his bags. I ask again: […]

Get back to eco-warrior roots

Monday 18 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear editor, By their own actions and statements, it would seem that Te Ipukarea Society has (temporarily) lost their way as an environmental non-government organization. Where is the ’precautionary principle’ of environmental law found in Article 15 of the Convention on Biodiversity adopted at the Rio Earth Summit .1992? Have they forgotten that the principle […]

Experienced NZ police officers needed

Monday 18 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Having just arrived back on Raro after an absence of 12 months I am saddened and distressed to find this small island is in the grip of an unrelenting crime wave. I have found foremost in people’s minds is the extreme danger posed by the arsonist(s) who is recklessly destroying public and private […]

Freedom of religion in a 'world full of prejudice'

Saturday 16 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Sir/Madam, If Bishop Tutai Pere is, in this ill-considered rant against the Diwali festival, ‘simply expressing the concerns of many Christian brethren’ (presumably of his own flock) then he is failing in this ministry. Failing firstly in as much as he has not preached effectively to his followers Christ’s message of neighbourly love, and […]

Diwali festival 'showed lack of respect'

Saturday 16 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am compelled to respond to the overwhelming call for tolerance following last weekend’s Diwali celebrations. The same tolerance for our Hindu guests and for Diwali is not afforded to the churches and people of this land, who openly oppose and question the establishment of Diwali celebrations here. The intolerance of the ’tolerant’ […]

Welcome back Norman George

Saturday 16 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor I write to thank and compliment our leader Wilkie Rasmussen for having the wisdom and common sense to welcome back into the Democratic Party one of the demo founders, Papa Norman George. He stands tall among the party founders being Papa Tom Davis, Pupuke Robati, Papa Tangaroa Tangaroa, Tangata Simiona, Matepi Matei, Papamama […]