Opinion

Local TV station not public funded

Wednesday 6 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This letter is in defence of the local television station which from what I could see is run purely on the advertising support of the business sector and the community, which is the only way in which private stations can raise any revenue. There is no public funding or subsidy from government but […]

3 White Collars?

Wednesday 6 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In replying to the letter about Cook Islands Television, I support the letter writer, because in the past three weeks I’ve seen the same episode of White Collar. It’s very interesting but I shed a tear when I hear of the sponsors putting their hard earned money into advertising for this programme only […]

Govt may be backing the wrong horse

Tuesday 5 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The news that the government is attempting to renegotiate 16 loans to the value of $63 million with the Asian Development Bank sounds very much like a consolidation loan. Such loans are greatly favoured by banks because they lock the debtor into much longer periods of loan repayments than the original term. Banks […]

TV at its worst

Tuesday 5 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I watch our local TV, although have SKY Pacific, and am very disappointed to see once again, CITV at their worst as far as their programme schedule is concerned. I thought CITV was a private enterprise, but must say they run their business like our government, (being everywhere, except looking after their core […]

Kata - June 5, 2012

Tuesday 5 June 2012 | Published in Kata

Don't hold your breath on a decrease

Tuesday 5 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We all recall that as the price of oil increased over the last few years, Te Aponga, the airlines and the petrol retailers on the island were all very quick in increasing their costs to us. Fuel surcharges were quickly imposed, then embedded in the costs. The price of a barrel of oil […]

Must HOMs speak Maori?

Tuesday 5 June 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A reader phoned the newsroom complaining that the recent heads of department advert stipulated that applicants MUST be fluent in Maori. The caller was worried that this would isolate good people like Richard Neves. Public Service Commissioner Russell Thomas responded that it was not a condition of application for the positions and he said fluent […]

Grave concerns over NZ aid system

Saturday 2 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write in reply to the Hon. John Carter. We appreciate NZ Aid but I have grave concerns with the current system which is likened to the provision of material gifts which is damaging to our struggling economy during these difficult times. Mr Carter says that NZ Aid only looks to foreign companies […]

Fix the economy, leave sports alone

Saturday 2 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As they say, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts. Mark Brown has a clear conflict of interest by wearing many hats and many jobs. He gives two reasons why he is standing as CISNOC President. The first he says is to have a direct hand in healing the rift that has occurred between […]

Kata - June 2, 2012

Saturday 2 June 2012 | Published in Kata

'Major disaster' if Avatiu silt kills coral

Saturday 2 June 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

”Silt from the Avatiu Port dredging operation has flowed out to sea, covering the ocean floor from Avatiu to Tupapa,“ a smoke signaller warns. ”You can’t even see the ocean floor, and the coral will die as a result. The marine sector, dive tours and glass bottom tours stand to lose. What did the environmental […]

What's the story?

Friday 1 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I just came across the Wednesday story on the back page about the CISNOC AGM and the nominees. I would have thought that something like that should have been front page or in news pages. For non sporty types, the back page stories are usually run of the mill sports stories but Mark […]

UK mission a 'sad affair'

Friday 1 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read with interest Sonny Williams’s rebuttal to Wilkie Rasmussen’s comments in Tuesday’s newspaper. I agree that the funds could’ve been better utilised. The value we would’ve received from the spend in the UK would’ve been from promoting the destination as a tourist spot. This would support the work done by the team […]

Kata - May 31, 2012

Thursday 31 May 2012 | Published in Kata

Island jewels to steal for

Wednesday 30 May 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

Hats off to Immigration Cook Islands director Kave Ringi and his team for a job well done in apprehending and deporting a visitor to the Cooks who was connected to an organised Indonesian crime network using stolen credit cards to purchase airline tickets. Their work was obviously a result of drawn out investigations and excellent […]

Make aid-funded projects 'go local'

Wednesday 30 May 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Could someone from Te Aponga Uira please advise us Cook Islanders and taxpayers as to the reason why the 100 KW solar photo voltaic project for the Avatiu power station and the 50 KW solar project for the new Education Building contracts are being awarded to a foreign based company. Is it because […]

Ports pledge to 'monitor and mitigate'

Wednesday 30 May 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This is a response to Alistair T Macquarie’s letter New call for a halt to work. Firstly the project apologises to the public regarding the spilling of salt water during the transportation of dredged material to the Panama storage site. The project has and is currently taking steps to prevent any further such […]

Kata - May 30, 2012

Wednesday 30 May 2012 | Published in Kata

Kick in the pants

Tuesday 29 May 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As three time visitors to your island of paradise, and hoping to visit a fourth time, my wife and I are disappointed to the increase in the departure tax. It will just seem like a kick in the seat of our pants as we leave. Possibly, consideration to waiving the fee should be […]

Salt water pollution a breach

Tuesday 29 May 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, With reference to the letters from Kevin Cook and Des Eggelton regarding the salt water pollution taking place, it would appear the responsibility for this lies in the hands of Cook Islands Investment Corporation, the Ports Authority and the National Environment Service. In the EIA for the harbour works dated 17 March 2010 […]