Opinion

Kata - September 29, 2012

Saturday 29 September 2012 | Published in Kata

Who are you kidding, minister?

Friday 28 September 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes in response to Wednesday’s front page interview with Teina Bishop, the minister of marine resources: “Minister Bishop sees no conflict of interest in the appointment of his honorary fisheries advisor also being the chief operating officer of Luen Thai Fishing Ventures Ltd, who is also involved in the foreign and local […]

Solomons mama cartoon inappropriate

Friday 28 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Rutaki School at the recent Forum exercise adopted the Solomon Islands delegation. My 10-year-old proudly told us at home all that he had learned about his Oceanic cousins. His mother and I hope we have instilled in our son a disdain for racism. How then to explain to him Kata’s cartoon on Thursday […]

'Free ride' not on

Friday 28 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, To the person who wrote and mailed the letter to Cook’s Bus Passenger Transport Ltd and called himself “Real Cookie.” For your information, Kevin Cook has been a permanent resident since 1972, worked and paid taxes, and has employed Cook Islanders all those years even to this day. That gives him the same […]

Kindness or camaraderie, both very different

Friday 28 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Thank you for covering the interview with Minister Teina Bishop. Thank you also, Teina, for supporting transparency within your community by accepting the interview. It’s not easy to be interviewed by a journalist, but it’s extremely important and appreciated. While I empathise with Teina that he views the computers as a gift, it […]

Kata - September 28, 2012

Friday 28 September 2012 | Published in Kata

Bus operator offers to sell out

Thursday 27 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Thank you for printing the article regarding the unlicensed taxi taking tourists on Tuesday 25th September. The comments made by Mr Lazaro open my eyes to the fact that this member of parliament is a complete liar and he can take me to court if he wants regarding this. I can prove that […]

Balancing

Wednesday 26 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Just like to express my sincere appreciation to you and your paper for balancing out my letter with comments from the new top man at CISNOC. It’s not about pointing fingers only and leaving it there, rather it’s about constructive criticism so our small nation can succeed. Hugh, I know you and therefore […]

'A man who sticks to his word'

Wednesday 26 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The Titikaveka Growers Association (TGA) would like to congratulate the New Zealand High Commisssioner, Mr John Carter, on his completion of the 2012 Round Rarotonga Road Race and a big meitaki maata for fundraising towards supplementing the agriculture programme initiated for the troubled youth of our nation. We recognise that the “troubled youth” […]

Story sad beyond measure

Wednesday 26 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The lead article in Monday’s paper, concerning the solo mother of eight who was killed in a motor bike accident, was saddening beyond measure. I suspect the focus may be on the police announcement that “alcohol was involved” (on whose part?) and/or on the fact that the deceased had a large number of […]

Bishopgate 100 x bigger than Toagate

Wednesday 26 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was watching the documentary on Nauru on CITV on Monday night. I remember 15 years ago they had one of the highest incomes per capita in the world from their huge phosphate resource. Now, they are bankrupt, they have lost everything as a result of incompetent management of this resource by their […]

Kata - September 26, 2012

Wednesday 26 September 2012 | Published in Kata

Watching where the tax dollars go

Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

“We must all be thankful to CITV for screening the compelling feature on Sunday evening of the Forum Leaders partners’ activities,” a smoke signaller writes. “Although initially thinking it would be a waste of time to watch, rather it was enlightening to hear the dreadful speeches – if you could even call them that – […]

Kata - September 25, 2012

Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in Kata

Kata - September 24, 2012

Monday 24 September 2012 | Published in Kata

Criticism makes policeman Boaza stronger

Saturday 22 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Senior sergeant Leighton Boaza has expressed his disappointment over any suggestions he would discriminate against a non-local. His comments were made after a news article appeared in the Cook Islands News last Saturday about Dr Oxana Makhno’s burgled laptop that is believed to be in police custody. In the article Makhno said Boaza had gone […]

Kata - September 22, 2012

Saturday 22 September 2012 | Published in Kata

What about Penrhyn's airport?

Friday 21 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Is it a large typo error or an administrative oversight for Tongareva airport not to be listed as a subject of the advertised Airports Feasibility Study Project? Surely Penrhyn airfield is of such strategic importance to this country and the region, that it cannot be left out of this review. The long standing […]

Questions about CISNOC leadership

Friday 21 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have just learnt that most important person at CISNOC has moved on and I’m pretty sure he is pretty disappointed that things have not gone the way it was supposed to. A few times I have made enquiries about different issues with CISNOC and I have been passed from one person to […]

'One-man' licensing open to corruption

Friday 21 September 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to express my concern over the story ‘New Chinese operator linked to Luen Thai’ (CINews September 18). Perhaps it is a mere coincidence that the very public donation of $50,000 worth of computers from the charitable arm of Luen Thai Fishing Venture came just two weeks after Huanan Fisheries (Cook Islands) […]