Opinion

To deny 'political influences' is lying

Monday 5 November 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I make reference to an article in your newspaper on Friday November 2 in which the Public Services Commissioner appeared to have directly attacked the Leader of the Opposition in his remarks for job layoff claims.

Stop water supply 'abuse'

Monday 5 November 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Is MOIP able to fine or ban the person who, for almost the entire year, has deliberately allowed his broken 30mm black PVC water pipe to gush water freely 24/7 into his taro patches?

Will the jetty be open to the public?

Monday 5 November 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: “I was one of many who were disappointed when we went to check out the new Arorangi jetty at the weekend. After such a colourful and well-publicised official opening, especially your excellent reports and photography, I couldn’t wait to see it for myself and walk out on the jetty. So I drove across the island on Saturday morning and drove to the entrance behind the Aroa Nui Hall. But the gaps between the school buildings were gated, chained and locked, and the kikau screen stuck all over it meant we couldn’t even peel through the gaps. I was one of several people who turned up for a look at the new wharf. It looked very much like members of the public were not welcome to visit and not allowed to wander out on this new facility. It also looked like the beach had been locked off after the night markets, and the only people allowed on the beach were the leftover crew still partying in one of the big tents. Can the Ports Authority and Arorangi Protectors of the Pier please let the working public know when we can gain access to the new wharf, and what hours/days will it be locked off?”

Kata - November 3, 2012

Saturday 3 November 2012 | Published in Kata

Santa books passage on Tiare Moana November 3

State of town toilets pitiful

Saturday 3 November 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I felt compelled to write after having to use the public toilet opposite the Police Station in town on two separate occasions during the last week.

Kata - November 2, 2012

Friday 2 November 2012 | Published in Kata

PSC calls out public servants. November 2

Shrinking school roll

Friday 2 November 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

“When I viewed the Ministry of Education website concerning the Mitiaro School it amazed me to read that the pupil/student roll is 54, with about four teachers,” a smoke signaller writes. “When was this updated? When the population is still migrating I was surprised to read the student population maintains its figures when in fact the number has decreased dramatically to around 43; when the eight students who left the island return, if so, as they are in that count. And the number of teachers has increased to six, including the principal; this is amazing because the population is decreasing as well as the number of students. In my opinion the lower number of students and higher number of teachers required is so they can MoE during official hours. Would someone at the Ministry of Education check this out?”

Kata - November 1, 2012

Thursday 1 November 2012 | Published in Kata

Kata - October 31, 2012

Wednesday 31 October 2012 | Published in Kata

Import players for Annual 7s arrive October 31

Elect PM

Wednesday 31 October 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to bring out into the public arena the issue of the election of the prime minister of the Cook Islands.

Six Sevens questions

Wednesday 31 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller emails across some questions about the Sevens in Heaven tournament which takes place in Rarotonga tomorrow, Friday and Saturday: “First of all, how come Titikaveka has two teams – I thought each village was only allowed 1 team? How many local players are in the Teimurimotia team? Are they a local team, or overseas players with local benchwarmers? I hope not. Is B for Bacon and is he even playing? It’s confusing for a Titikaveka supporter – I didn’t know about this until today’s paper! But I will support Bacon’s team if he is A or B; just let me know and can I wear my bulldogs singlet. Also, what happened to the girls’ teams – they gave us the most laughs and best games!” SS: This is not a quiz, but all the answers are within stories in the Sevens in Heaven supplement in today’s CINews.

Kata - October 30, 2012

Tuesday 30 October 2012 | Published in Kata

Electorate numbers down October 30

Thanks and praise to fire fighters

Monday 29 October 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, To the dedicated MEN and WOMEN of the Puaikura Volunteer Fire Brigade and Takitumu and Airport Fire Service:

Wrong message

Monday 29 October 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In the U14 football game last Saturday between Tupapa and Nikao, a player was harshly tackled from behind and ended up landing shoulder first into the dirt drawing an uproar from the majority of spectators, but a carry-on call was called by the ref Lai resulting in another incident occurring not long after that.

What value going green?

Monday 29 October 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, What value is going green to Cook Islands people?

Ministers on power trips

Monday 29 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

“It’s true!” a smoke signaller writes. “Te Aponga charges for substations and cables at costs so high that in some cases, not all, it forces people to leave their ipukarea. But don’t count on the CEO responding with the truth – that he can’t manage to run the power station as a standalone entity, even if it’s a monopoly– because PM Henry Puna and his Finance Minister Mark Brown need every cent to maintain their overseas trips and big government budgets. Big budgets to produce more and more environmental or energy paper policies so they can handshake and be photographed with every global leader and hope that they remember them. What for? Because they will be left with not a single legacy in their own country worth remembering except the type that people would most like to forget, like sovereign debt and empty homes. Instead, CEO Apii Timoti will respond that costs are going up and Te Aponga is facing hardship. Anything other than the truth and he’ll be looking for a new job. But spare a thought for those who can’t leave. Those who have no choice. They would have to borrow more money to get that substation built so Puna and Brown get an overseas trip on an interest free loan to Te Aponga.”

Righting a wrong

Thursday 25 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A man phoned the newsroom yesterday to say: “Twenty five dollars reparation to his girlfriend after assaulting her? You’d hope he took her out for a pretty nice dinner plus buys her chocolates and flowers for a year to make up for that one. Don’t know about you, but $25 seems pretty stingy to me.”

Power charges repel people

Thursday 25 October 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Can Te Aponga Uira tell the reading public why they have a policy of making some new power users pay for a substation at the cost of $30,000, in order for these folk to get access to something most people take for granted – electricity – and TAU gets to own the substation afterwards? This is morally wrong on so many levels.

A coalition government on the cards

Wednesday 24 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

Waiting for surge “Well it’s good to hear that the ‘Film Raro’ challenge will provide millions of dollars worth of publicity for Cook Islands tourism but one wonders if that might or might not translate into increased tourist arrivals,” a smoke signaller writes after reading Monday’s page 7 article ‘Hollywood actors support film challenge’. “It’s been some weeks since we got ‘millions of dollars worth’ of publicity from having US Secretary of State Mrs Clinton’s dog and pony show dominate media around the world – can someone in the know tell us if we have yet seen the expected tidal wave of visitors from the Northern Hemisphere, or even a ripple in the water to indicate the wave is on the way?”

Kata - October 24, 2012

Wednesday 24 October 2012 | Published in Kata

Ministry of Education looking for teachers October 24