Opinion

It's also exercise

Thursday 23 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I refer to the letter of complaint about pole dancing by Bishop Pere. Pole dancing is also a form of fun dance and of exercise. The ad on TV was a world renowned lady who performs pole dancing as a sport. I hope people who come to the bar will have fun with […]

Kata - February 23, 2012

Thursday 23 February 2012 | Published in Kata

Tighter rein needed in the House

Thursday 23 February 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: “It sounds like Parliament has become a bit of a shambles without the Speaker Sir Geoffrey Henry, who is overseas on medical leave. He would have kept a tighter rein on procedure and respect than it sounded like on Wednesday. How is it that vocal MPs on one day, like Norman […]

1-day summit not a good investment

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The planned one day youth summit to address suicide in my view is a knee-jerk reaction to the situation rather than a strategic approach for the long haul. I strongly support and share the views expressed by Mereana Taikoko. It was also sad to see that a person who has dedicated her time […]

Tough times, not markets, closing stores

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Night markets are not responsible for the closures of ma and pa stores,” a smoke signaller writes in response to yesterday’s smokie ‘Markets closing shops?’ “They are indicative of the current tough economic climate experienced by a lot of businesses on the island. The night markets are occurring as a response to customer market demand […]

Bring in competitor airlines

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read in your front page story of Saturday 18 February 2012 that the subsidy paid to Air New Zealand from the Cook Islands taxpayers has risen to $12.5million, to cover losses on the Los Angeles and Sydney flights. I wonder if anyone has looked at the amount of profit Air NZ make […]

What's the Air New Zealand deal?

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

Saturday’s somewhat depressing news headline ‘Airline subsidy rises to $12.5m’ prompted one smoke signaller to ask government to reveal what exactly is in the contract deal with Air New Zealand. “And is there a ceiling or limit to the actual monetary level of exposure?” Another signaller writes: “After reading your airline subsidy story on Saturday, […]

Kata - February 21, 2012

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Kata

Doctor arrives in Pukapuka

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Return to Pukapuka

American Amelia Borofsky has been on Pukapuka since last year, and has been providing regular reports to Cook Islands News. Here she writes of Dr Thein’s arrival to the remote northern group island. A doctor has not been in Pukapuka since 2005. For the last 20 years, Manongi Tiro, a nurse practitioner, has served her […]

Leadership posturing is just opportunism

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

Norman George’s posturing for leadership of the Democratic Party is pretty low. For many his announcement on Saturday will be socially and culturally offensive. It’s just opportunism of him to be making political capital out of Robert Wigmore’s illness. It says more about Norman’s character than anything else, and hopefully Wilkie and the others will […]

Kata - February 20, 2012

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Kata

Traditional titles are 'family formations'

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was at an Ariki title family meeting last night here in Auckland. A woman, who spoke, quoted extracts from a letter by Mr Joseph Ka, which she said was published in your newspaper. Everything she said aroused my interest to know more and learn what Mr Ka wrote. I vividly recalled my […]

Kata - February 18, 2012

Saturday 18 February 2012 | Published in Kata

Sand mining should be banned

Saturday 18 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write about the article regarding the Betela land that was sand mined with the permission of the owners or lessees (not told which party) with the gaping hole then being a target for illegal dumping of rubbish. From the story, it seems that the National Environment Service has instructed the contractors ‘to […]

Wrong motive

Saturday 18 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Congratulations to Pa Ariki for the night market initiative at your palace grounds on Thursday evening. The response was positive from those vendors and the locals especially have shown appreciation by the vast turn out. You have made your ‘pu’ara o Takitumu’ proud and hoping, it will carry on. And oh, just a […]

Put NZ super back on the table

Saturday 18 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, At the risk of becoming tediously repetitive, I must say that many deserving golden oldies will be dismayed by the front page news yesterday that the NZ super portability issue is off the table indefinitely. I personally know of several who are quite distressed, anticipating an unwanted change of lifestyle to mope around […]

Kata - February 17, 2012

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Kata

Pole dancing, what's next?

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Mr Editor, Just watching pole dancing being advertised on TV and to be introduced into our country and on a public stage for the first time as far as I know causes me concern and reason to comment. A half naked woman doing acrobatic moves up and down the pole and in between her […]

Pointed questions on CISNOC accounts

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The following letter poses a number of questions for the CISNOC treasurer, Dan O’Brien, to answer. It is acknowledged that the current financial crisis at CISNOC happened before his appointment and thus, he has no culpability for the current mess. That said, the sports codes and indeed the long suffering taxpayer (who are […]