Opinion

Public still paying for joyrides

Wednesday 22 August 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

”A couple of months ago,“ a smoke signaller writes, ”the Public Service Commissioner came down hard on public servants misusing motor vehicles. Well, all that talk has done nothing, commissioner. The same practice of the misuse of motor vehicles is going on within government. Public funds paying for free fuel for these joy riders is […]

Why the big secret over fishing licences?

Wednesday 22 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write about the response in your newspaper by the Secretary of Marine Resources Ben Ponia to your OIA questions about fishing licences. Once again this guy continues to avoid and not provide answers to questions rightfully being asked by the public and government watchdogs. I believe the agreements which are signed with […]

Good luck Bill Framhein: The Lost Tribe

Wednesday 22 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As spokesman for our Lost Tribe, I will follow the case of Bill Framhein (CINews Monday August 20) with great interest. We applaud Auckland councillor Mike Lee’s lobbying on Bill’s behalf. Mr Lee has quite correctly pointed out – as we have also tried to emphasise for nearly 20 years – that this […]

Kata - August 22, 2012

Wednesday 22 August 2012 | Published in Kata

Park land or more huts on waterfront?

Tuesday 21 August 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller asks: ”Can someone in government please assure the public that the new land being created at Punanga Nui is not going to be covered with plywood shacks to spoil what is one of the most pleasant waterfront vistas anywhere?“ SS: That’s a very good question. Every town needs safe, open park spaces. […]

Clarifications

Tuesday 21 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Just a few clarifications to two articles which have appeared over the past week. 1) Regarding Friday August 17’s article reference to the late Peto Nicholas being a member of the team which beat the Italian national rugby side, that game was played in 1980 – not in 1981. 2) Re the article […]

Kata - August 21, 2012

Tuesday 21 August 2012 | Published in Kata

2 more years of whinging

Monday 20 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Thanks to the Demo conference for making clear who I am not voting for in the next election. Congratulations Demos for picking a leader that has no problem cutting of the noses of his Tongareva people in order to spite the face of the Cook Islands. You have a leader who is not […]

It's amazing why tourists come

Monday 20 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, There are a lot of dogs in the Vaimaanga area now. A few weeks ago I started my walk and saw the Esther Honey director dumping a dog around the area. I asked him what he was doing and he said he was dropping off a dog who lives around the area. Funny […]

Kata - August 20, 2012

Monday 20 August 2012 | Published in Kata

Kata - August 18, 2012

Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in Kata

What a sorry state we're in

Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

”Wow, this police corruption saga just gets worse!“ a smoke signaller writes. ”And in my opinion the Crown Law Office and the legal fraternity are accomplices in the cover-up. How on earth do they all justify keeping this a secret? The public has a right to know that systemic corruption and dishonesty are ingrained within […]

Stand up

Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, No matter which political party gets elected as the government, no matter who the prime minister is, no matter who the members of parliament are, no matter what they say, no matter what they do, and no matter where they go, through our democratic system there will always be those out in the […]

Herded like animals

Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am not from Tongareva or Manihiki or any of the Northern Group islands. I’m Rarotongan with a little bit of Mangaian and proud of it. Witnessing what happened at Avatiu wharf on Saturday afternoon whereby our people from the Northern Group were almost herded like animals on to a already overloaded vessel […]

Forum is a wonderful opportunity

Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read with interest two items in Friday’s paper (August 17) critical of two aspects of the preparations for the 43rd Pacific Leaders Forum being held here later in the month. The first was about a motorcade rehearsal held on Wednesday August 15 after 4pm, and the second about the perceived cost of […]

Import tax too much

Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Aunty June is right. The 75% import tax on soft drinks is ridiculous. The government is telling us that the tax is for health reasons to discourage people from drinking soft drinks. If health issues are the reason for the increased taxes, why are there no duties on unhealthy food items, and why […]

No way I'm terminating Sky

Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Firstly my sincere thank you maata Cook Islands News for highlighting my concern regarding the Sky Television problem. Mr Walker, I have been to your office twice to talk about our Sky TV reception problem with the recent problem indicating on the screen NO SIGNAL or BAD CHANNEL which started last Friday night […]

'You can't make ika mata without slicing fish'

Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am staggered by the credulity of your report on the Democratic Party Conference and the remarks attributed to new leader Wilkie Rasmussen that ‘I have not resigned from the Cook Islands Party’. This man is making false statements and it does concern me and should concern a lot of other people. If […]

Speeding convoy risks lives

Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

”Holly heck – is this damn Pacific leaders’ forum more important than the lives of our Cook Islands people?“ a smoke signaller asks. ”I’m really angry at an unannounced exercise conducted, apparently by Cook Islands police, for drivers of VIP and government vehicles. Without warning on Wednesday a speeding police bike appears out from around […]

Get back the dogcatcher

Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Once upon a time in Raro there was a dogcatcher, causing quite some controversy and discussions about how to deal with Raro’s dog problem. I envy this time, because at least there was widespread agreement that we have a problem with too many dogs roaming around our roads. At least this is the […]