Opinion
Kata - December 12, 2012
Wednesday 12 December 2012 | Published in Kata
Arornagi Jetty not used by cruise ships December 12
Pay tax before perks
Wednesday 12 December 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller wrote yesterday: “While listening to parliament today I was annoyed to hear Wilkie Rasmussen pleading for businesses that have tax arrears, and he’s asking for leniency on them. In my business we make sacrifices and the owners go without personal pay sometimes in order to pay our monthly tax bill. This includes PAYE collected from staff pay packets, VAT collected on behalf of government, and company tax which we pay ahead of overseas trips and luxury things like flash six cylinder 4x4s. What’s up with these bludgers and free-loaders like a certain resort owner and a certain lawyer who live the high life and who run up huge tax arrears, and then self-righteously tell us how the country should be run, or even attack their competitors for so-called restrictive trade practices.”
Education Bill passed
Wednesday 12 December 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
Parliament passed the Education Bill into Cook Islands law yesterday afternoon with no amendment.
Unlawful suspension a shambles
Wednesday 12 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The suspension of the Head of Ministry of MOIP is a real mystery.
'Brown tax' query
Wednesday 12 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Prices rise but pay packets stay the same, said Titikaveka MP Selina Napa during parliamentary question time onMonday. She asked finance minister Mark Brown when he will review the ‘Brown tax’.
Decriminalise marijuana in the Cooks
Tuesday 11 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, To our parliament leaders of the Cook Islands, it is to my understanding that a review of the laws regarding sentences towards marijuana users etc, is going into consideration due to how the sentences on our fellow men are, how shall I say, over the top.
Carols not PC
Tuesday 11 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Carols are not very PC
The costs of a conviction
Tuesday 11 December 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
“A recent criminal court report in Cook Islands News indicates that a convicted drink drive criminal caught driving while his driver’s licence was suspended was made to pay a total of $50 for the offence,” a smoke signaller writes. “The poor fellow, he will be short one case of beer for one weekend of binge drinking. Some punishment. Anyone sitting in the peanut gallery at criminal court sees the smirk on these miscreants faces as they walk out after these wrist slappings and give the thumbs up to mates. What does it cost the taxpayers to collect this $50? Add up police and support staff time, JP sitting fees, Justice and Probation time and can it be less than $500 to collect $50? It would be more cost effective to have a vending machine in the front of the courthouse where the defendant pushes the button for his particular offence, inserts a $50 note, holds his wrist up for a mechanical slap, and gets back to the bush beer school where he needs to be drinking with the mates.”
Thanks, but still more questions
Monday 10 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Thank you to the Minister (Mark Brown) for the apology. Apologies are rare in the Cook Islands so he gets my respect for that.
Wilkie Hard to believe
Monday 10 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
DEAR Editor, read the response the Leader of Opposition, Wilkie Rasmussen made to John Scott’s letter through your paper about the lack to action from the Democratic Party.
Thanks from America
Monday 10 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, My wife and I have just returned to America after paddling in the Vaka Eiva.
Call to stand against 2 male MPs
Saturday 8 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The PM deplores domestic violence, said the headline in CINews on Friday December 7, although what he says is confusing in that the PM seemed to think it was okay for village elders and parents to give kids hidings as this was a traditional communal approach (which is domestic violence isn’t it?). He then says he despises domestic violence and especially violence of men against women.
Minister on 'predatory pricing'
Saturday 8 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I write in response to John Scott’s letter yesterday. Firstly my apologies to Mr Scott. In my responses to a question posed by Mr Norman George in Parliament, I relied on memory rather than the written report to provide an answer.
Call for water crisis action
Saturday 8 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The other day when driving along the back road in Matavera I noticed the very person who had been guilty of leaving his unbroken water hose running 24/7 into his taro swamp now has two hoses running into the same taro patches.
Kata - December 8, 2012
Saturday 8 December 2012 | Published in Kata
Norman on normal domestic relationship December 8
2nd job 'to pay for world trips'
Saturday 8 December 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller texts to 188: “Prime Minister Henry Puna’s statement that people should ‘stay in the country and get a second job to make ends meet’ really just angers me more! I’m a single working mother who works two jobs only to be slapped in the face with high tax – for your world trips! How inappropriate it is that with my second job the more hours I clock in, the more tax I pay, so in a week you are taxing me nearly half my pay from my first job. And the second job gets taxed higher. Mr Puna, how do you sleep well at night? You need the boot! Bring John Carter in as PM. And don’t blame the islanders for packing up – life is hard here, and you don’t seem to care about your own people!”
PM has no idea how we make ends meet
Friday 7 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Te Uti tike, Mr Puna, have you ever had a second job, excluding your pearl farm?
Market entertainment started too late
Friday 7 December 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I just had to say something about the Christmas in the Park/Market this year – echoing what many families have said. While I commend the great guys and gals at Rotaract for all their hard work in putting this great night together, it was really frustrating and annoying that it takes so long for any of the planned entertainment to start!
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