Opinion

Saddened

Saturday 5 May 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As I prepare to leave the Cook Islands, I am saddened by my time in Rarotonga. I fell in love again with Pukapuka, but am left disappointed by my experience here. As I wrote in previous letters, a lot of my valuable belongings were stolen by an identifiable suspect. After three weeks of […]

'Fabrication and exaggeration'

Saturday 5 May 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The way some people write about and run Norman George down, got me fuming in disappointment because of the total fabrication and exaggeration of facts. I know a lot of people only see Norm from a distance, hear him on radio or see him on television, but never take the time to sit […]

Growing list of national problems

Saturday 5 May 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, To see our political leaders falling over themselves to attend global talkfests when the most immediate problems they should be dealing with are here in this country is disgraceful. Clamoring on jets at every opportunity to zoom off to far away, exotic destinations are certainly not going to help solve the country’s problems. […]

Kata - May 3, 2012

Saturday 5 May 2012 | Published in Kata

Kata - May 5, 2012

Saturday 5 May 2012 | Published in Kata

A sea of islands?

Saturday 5 May 2012 | Published in Return to Pukapuka

Visiting writer Amelia Borofsky reflects on the challenges of transportation affecting Pukapuka and other isolated islands of the Cooks. Polynesians voyage. From vakas to boats to planes, travel runs in the blood. Using indigenous way finding methods, Polynesians navigated by stars and currents. As Samoan poet Epeli Hau’ofa wrote, ‘the Pacific is a sea of […]

Staffing problems at Titikaveka college

Friday 4 May 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The other day I was greatly disturbed to learn that the Ministry of Education had failed thus far to recruit permanent teachers for Titikaveka college so as to replace those teachers who are filling in on a temporary basis. I believe that this problem has been ongoing since the beginning of the school […]

Olympic jokes keep coming

Friday 4 May 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, While your cartoons of Hagar and the Phantom raise a smile, and Kata is world class, nothing beats the ongoing circus of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC). Excuses, arguments over procedures and responsibilities, awards to the secretary general, funding for sports not even played in the Cook Islands for […]

Kata - May 4, 2012

Friday 4 May 2012 | Published in Kata

Kata - May 2, 2012

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in Kata

Ben's pork loin

Tuesday 1 May 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

Some checking their email inbox a week ago would have been confronted by a nude Ben Bergman, his crown jewels hidden by a pig’s head, inviting you to tonight’s preview of five portraits by artist Nanette Lela’ulu, titled ReSpect. Lela’ulu told CI News’ Rachel Reeves last week the five subjects of her paintings are people […]

No mischief

Tuesday 1 May 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The recent publicity of the stance of the Liquor licensing Authority that liquor on display in shops must be locked outside the selling hours of the liquor is a good example why the private sector dislikes having to deal with “the government”. CITC Supermarket and Foodland are authorised to sell liquor from 9 […]

Norman just out of hybernation

Tuesday 1 May 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As Kata correctly pointed out (Saturday April 28 CINews), What has Norman done for Atiu in 29 years as MP? Answer, absolutely nothing. Wait, no he did start something, yes, the $800,000.00 incomplete road sealing for Atiu, what a cost for only six kilometres of road, while drums of tar rusted away at […]

Kata - May 1, 2012

Tuesday 1 May 2012 | Published in Kata

'Little people, be very afraid'

Monday 30 April 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, With reference to the article (April 28, 2012), entitled It’s about iti tangata. What a one-sided and unfair treatment, especially with reference to the Mauke case cited. Anonymous ‘local lawyer’ doesn’t seem to know the difference between iti tangata and ‘little people’ (tangata rikiriki). Iti tangata is the general populace (including banks and […]

Kata - April 30, 2012

Monday 30 April 2012 | Published in Kata

How times change!

Monday 30 April 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would like to comment on the photo of the young dancer Te iti O te Ra which accompanied last week’s Churchtalk article on the nine fruits of the spirit by the Rev. Papa Aratangi of the Nikao Ekalesia. I could feel missionaries like Williams, the Gills and the Rev Buzacott “turn in […]

Land clearing will pollute lagoon

Monday 30 April 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I thought it was fairly well known that the worst pollution of our precious lagoon happened when there was heavy rain which washed out creeks (and overflowing septic tanks) making unsightly and, more to the point, unhealthy brown stains in the areas of the lagoon where this filthy water ended up. A few […]

Focus on training

Monday 30 April 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Once again, I have read in your newspaper regarding the tightening up of warrant of fitness regulations. While all this is well and good, I wonder if the appropriate measures are targeting the right area. It would be interesting to know how many of our road accidents are caused by unsafe vehicles, because […]

Our wayward youth need turning around

Saturday 28 April 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Sitting at the courthouse on the days when the room is full of young men waiting to stand in criminal court, one is struck by their youth,” a smoke signaller writes. “Some are really just boys. They seem sullen, disconnected, perhaps ‘lost’ is the best Papa’a word. What are we as a community doing to […]