Opinion

Just a real shame we were absent

Saturday 14 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Last night on CITV the closing ceremony for the 11th Pacific Festival of Arts took place in the Solomon Islands. Twenty-two countries and territories from around the Pacific attended this amazing two-week event. Sadly, however, it seemed that the Cook Islands was one of the few not to participate. Pitcairn Island, with a […]

Government should be 'deeply ashamed'

Saturday 14 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The decision by government to not send a cultural delegation to participate and represent the Cook Islands in this year’s Pacific Festival of Arts in the Solomon Islands is disgraceful to say the least and reeks of arrogance and snobbery on the part of the Henry Puna-led government. The no-show to what is […]

National pride takes a hit

Saturday 14 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As a company in Rarotonga whose primary focus is to establish creative music, festival, and film and TV opportunities, the recent coverage and responses from the community regarding the lack of planning by the Ministry of Culture to have the Cook Islands represented at the 11th South Pacific Arts Festival in Honiara, has […]

Kata - July 14, 2012

Saturday 14 July 2012 | Published in Kata

Ui Ariki genealogy details are wrong

Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I refer to your Cook Islands News of Saturday July 7, page 10, where old photos of some of our Ui Ariki were displayed. Just to set the record straight, the caption under one of the photos stating that Rangi Makea is the grandfather of Makea Daniela Vakatini is completely incorrect. Makea Daniela […]

Doing the nation a disservice

Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We are saddened by the lack of vision and foresight of some individuals who have not understood their duties and the broadness of its scope to protect our cultural heritage within the ministry of culture and its attendant governments. The ministry, from its early developmental stage, now has veered from a pathway clearly […]

Buck your ideas up

Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Reading this morning’s Cook Islands News it is unbelievable that an ex-manageress Rosie Blake has been appointed to chair the committee overseeing the Punanga Nui. I challenge those who made the decision. This is a modern age and we need new ways of thinking and deciding what to do. Sorry Rosie, I am […]

Kata - July 13, 2012

Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in Kata

MPs, take a pay cut, lead by example

Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read an interesting article recently headed ”French Government takes pay cut and fights for growth in Europe“. The first item on the agenda was a 30 percent pay cut for the President and Ministers. The sizeable wage reduction was endorsed at a first meeting of the 34-minister team. It was described as […]

Disband 'phantom' committee and start again

Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Prior to the 1st July 2012, the ‘official handover date’ of the Punanga Nui Market from Minister Mark Brown, BTIB, to the new Ministry of Agriculture and Minister Nandi Glassie, the above committee was already in the process of being selected, by the chairperson, appointed by the PM, without the knowledge of the […]

Traveller stopped over tax 'debt'

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, My adopted son flew over to Rarotonga for the burial of his cousin and friend two weeks ago. He was advised while at the check-in at the airport that he was not allowed to fly back to New Zealand due to unpaid tax. To his surprised the date and time given was while […]

Kata - July 12, 2012

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Kata

Show independence

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The Pacific Arts Festival is a very important event for artists and traditional arts and it would have been wonderful if the Cook Islands could have participated. The official reason is that the Ministry of Cultural Development did not have the budget to do so having expended it on the Queen Elizabeth II […]

Nothing has changed

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The passing of government’s budget has come and gone and we ask, what real changes are there for our people? The cost of goods has gone up, the cost of fuel, power and cost of living is still high, so nothing has changed. The weekly wages are still the same but I will […]

Dogs and helmets

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Here is a small poem written to reflect how far the government have not moved on the helmet issue. It is called DOGS & HELMETS On their scooter were Jack and Jill. You know how the how the story goes; Jack fell down and broke his crown, A Mutt on the road some […]

Sadness, shame and humiliation

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was emotionally moved reading Marumarua Atua’s account of their silent welcome in Honiara. I’ve been in a similar situation where I know exactly how our warriors feel when they arrive there to find no welcome from their own people and to witness all the other vakas being embraced by their own kopu […]

Kata - July 11, 2012

Wednesday 11 July 2012 | Published in Kata

International calling down

Wednesday 11 July 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

Telecom had an intermittent problem with its calling system on Sunday, meaning some Cook Islands customers could not make international calls. The problem was not due to any maintenance carried out by Telecom, although it occurred after a scheduled upgrade on their system on Sunday morning. ”The problem was intermittent, which means that calls would […]

Disaster for the market

Tuesday 10 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read with interest the letter in your newspaper that a certain person, an award recipient is/has been appointed to the new board of Punanga Nui Market. What are ”the powers that be“ thinking? This person is involved with CISNOC and if the reading of that fiasco is anything to go by, this […]

Kata - July 10, 2012

Tuesday 10 July 2012 | Published in Kata