Opinion

Why not subsidise northern flights?

Friday 23 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am writing to follow-up regarding the $12.5 subsidy to Air New Zealand for flights aimed at increasing tourism. While I laud this effort, I also wonder about encouraging local flights, especially between the Northern Group and Rarotonga. The current lack of regular, affordable transportation is discouraging. To travel from Rarotonga to Pukapuka […]

Not all support

Friday 23 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Please allow me ‘to kill two flies with one stroke’, as the saying goes. Firstly, I disagree with Dick (affectionately known as Dicky) Thomson, as far as his complete disgust is concerned. The Aitutaki Sharks were informed, as we read, two months ago that the Takuvaine Warriors are unable to travel due to […]

Judicature law like David and Goliath

Friday 23 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, If sending letters to the newspaper gets disclosure that the Judicature Amendment Bill really is at the behest of the Bankers’ Association, it is a win for freedom of information. The Law Society would win points if their aim to ‘diffuse legal knowledge’ to the public happened before it goes to Select Committee […]

Batman cashes cheques, flees island

Friday 23 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am writing in regards to the compendium initiative by the John Batman Group which has polarised the tourism industry. As a small tour operator obviously I am one of those totally opposed to this initiative. Basically this man Jarrod La Canna came to see us, showing a fancy compendium and a list […]

Don't remove stream bank shrubs

Friday 23 March 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

“So the director of Environmental Services authorised the removal of ‘shrubbery’ from Takuvaine Stream ‘before it rains’,” a smoke signaler notes after reading yesterday’s front page article. “Brilliant indeed. That ‘shrubbery’ is what holds the soil, what slows down the flow of water and what absorbs pollutants from upstream before they can reach the lagoon. […]

Kata - March 23, 2012

Friday 23 March 2012 | Published in Kata

Disgusted with Rarotonga teams

Thursday 22 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It is with sympathy and rightful support of Aitutaki and our only representative rugby league team the Sharks that I, a long-term resident here, register my complete disgust with insensitive/uncaring and very bad sportsmanship of Rarotonga teams who renage/opt-out at short notice from competing at Aitutaki! Why? You have far more money-earning supporters […]

Law Society clarifies Judicature Bill

Thursday 22 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I refer to the letter to the editor by ‘Concerned Citizen’ appearing in Saturday’s edition of the Cook Islands News March 10 and headed ‘New law favours banks’, as well as information disseminated by the Cook Islands News regarding same. I write to you in my capacity as the President of the Cook […]

Conflict of interest by lawyers 'absurd'

Thursday 22 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Your letter writer ‘Concerned Citizen’ makes absurd the issue of “conflict of interest”. He calls for lawyers on the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Judicature Amendment Bill to step down because in his presumptuous opinion, these lawyers who are also elected Parliamentarians are sponsoring the Bill. He compares it to Justice Wilson who […]

'No job' for Navy at PM's

Thursday 22 March 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

The chief executive of the Prime Minister’s Support Office has quashed rumours that Navy Epati is to become a policy advisor in his office on public service review. Edwin Pittman said it was a “ridiculous proposition and the former Public Service Commissioner is pursuing private interests and there has never been any offer of a […]

Kata - March 22, 2012

Thursday 22 March 2012 | Published in Kata

Warriors hit back

Thursday 22 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would like to respond to the comments made by John Baxter re the Warriors vs. Sharks game. Firstly, John Baxter should get all the facts before making nonsense comments. The Warriors decision not to travel to play the Sharks was tabled two months ago in the CIRL executive meeting and not a […]

Prolonged police process questioned

Wednesday 21 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am concerned at the prolonged process by the authorities in bringing their case to the courts. In particular I refer to a charge against a friend who we know to be an upstanding and intelligent Cook Island citizen; contributing professionally to his country through his work and who has been charged with […]

Kata - March 21, 2012

Wednesday 21 March 2012 | Published in Kata

Call for details of Endeavour deal

Wednesday 21 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Without knowing the details of the scope of the current Endeavour offer (not having had the details disclosed), I have seen the 2007 colour brochure that the company handed out at the time. Going on that information, Endeavour wants exclusive rights to the seabed mining rights and any minerals found, with no qualifications. […]

Lawyers have a conflict in Judicature Act

Wednesday 21 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear editor, I am commenting after reading Monday’s front page of lawyer Tim Arnold and former lawyer Trevor Clarke coming forward with a more moderate or ‘less aggressive’ approach to the principles of the proposed amendment to the Judicature Act. It is especially of interest considering Clarke is one of the most prominent businessmen in […]

Kata - March 20, 2012

Wednesday 21 March 2012 | Published in Kata

Not extended, yet

Tuesday 20 March 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller called at the BCI yesterday at 3.30pm to renew their motor vehicle annual licence as an advert in Cook Islands News has been saying that the bank will remain open until 5.30pm for this purpose until the end of the month. “Unfortunately nobody told the staff about it – the bank was […]

The evil side of the Cook Islands

Tuesday 20 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, One of my sons just returned from a South Pacific cruise on a sailing vessel. After the sailing vessel visited the Cook Islands he recommended to his mother and I to go there. I never heard of the Cook Islands so I looked it up on the internet. At first it was refreshing […]

War games wrong, name an insult

Tuesday 20 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write to you in respect of the story entitled ‘Paintball Natives!’ in the weekend section of CINews dated March 3. Firstly, I am disappointed that the Religious Advisory Council has not commented on the introduction of war games by the Celebration on the Rock movement’s Pastor Jonathan Cargill. Secondly, who does Pastor […]