Opinion

Rosie responds to critics

Tuesday 23 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write in response to the nameless few that have smoke-signalled and had nom-de-plumed letters in your paper. My voluntary services to sports span over 48 years, as club captain, president, manager to world and international events, and chef de mission to 3 Olympic Games. I could go on and on, but my […]

Kata - August 23, 2011

Tuesday 23 August 2011 | Published in Kata

It wont be easy

Tuesday 23 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The Fact Information Sheet advertising taken out by the Office of the Financial Secretary and the under siege Minister Brown just goes to show the lack of knowledge evident by the planners and the sheer inappropriateness of a withholding tax. Minister Mark Brown is on public record as saying the new tax will […]

Getaway vehicle a yacht?

Tuesday 23 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Aitutakis mayor John Baxter said police were investigating whether the thieves who got away with an amount rumoured to be anywhere between $20,000 and $200,000, could have moored a yacht at Aitutaki, carried out the heist at the Bank of the Cook Islands branch there, and then sailed away. I know the police are checking […]

Kata te CIP!

Monday 22 August 2011 | Published in Kata

Dear Editor, The letter from True Demo confirms that our Demo caucus is not only talking to each other but also talking past each other. Second, the leader of the party is being openly challenged from within caucus. Caucus is divided and there is no unity, in other words you cannot ask the party rank […]

Kata - August 22, 2011

Monday 22 August 2011 | Published in Kata

CISNOC meeting was a disgrace

Monday 22 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Last Wednesdays meeting at the CISNOC offices called as a Special General Meeting but cancelled when Sir Geoff Henry walked in was a disgrace. What was a greater disgrace was Sir Geoffreys attempt to not let people ask questions. This was shameful in the extreme. However, there were other disgraces. 1) The information […]

Hes the best watchdog there is

Saturday 20 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Why would the Public Service Commission reduce the qualifications for Audit director when we need the best we can have? a smoke signaller asks. Is it another government attempt to mould the qualifications to suit someone they want to hire, I wonder? Are we going to have another CIP boychick foisted on us that will […]

Kata - August 20, 2011

Saturday 20 August 2011 | Published in Kata

No one will be held accountable

Friday 19 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

No one is ever punished for incompetence in the Cook Islands, even if it costs the country, an irate smoke signaller writes. Nothing has changed. Quit trying to pull the wool over our eyes. CISNOC officials knew of the pending financial shortfall and were counting on Government to bail them out. To date they have […]

Kata - August 19, 2011

Friday 19 August 2011 | Published in Kata

Kata - August 18, 2011

Thursday 18 August 2011 | Published in Kata

Do not bail out CISNOC

Wednesday 17 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Dear Sir, How is it that the president of CISNOC pleads ignorance to its financial problems? According to CISNOC the problem is that the government budget didnt allocate them enough cash. That budget was passed six weeks ago, and the president of CISNOC was sitting in the house of parliament as the budget was passed. […]

Kata - August 17, 2011

Wednesday 17 August 2011 | Published in Kata

CISNOC crisis: who really knew?

Wednesday 17 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Its hard to believe Sir Geoffrey, as the hands-on president of CISNOC, is not familiarised with the financial affairs of his organisation, as reported in Wednesdays Cook Islands News, a smoke signaller writes. Its also hard to believe the Cook Islands Party hierarchy did not know about the mess at CISNOC until they were informed […]

Praise for new whale centre

Wednesday 17 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Recently my partner and I went to the whale museum in Atupa. This facility had only been open for a couple of weeks after a refurbishment. We were very impressed with the way the exhibits were shown and could only guess at the amount of work which had been done by an obviously […]

Will we keep our people here?

Tuesday 16 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

It was exciting to see our hospitality students being glorified of their achievements at the recent Nestle Toque dOr Junior Chefs competition in New Zealand, a smoke signaller writes. But it is disappointing to hear that one the contestants applied for a job in one of our boutique hotels and guess how much the person […]

Kata - August 15, 2011

Monday 15 August 2011 | Published in Kata

Rallying call

Monday 15 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The Prime Ministers song fest on constitution day had a positive ripple effect on the six oclock TV and radio news that evening. It reverberated throughout the national and international airwaves reminding me of the first premier of the country. He too sang Maori songs at every public opportunity, to communicate his government […]

Auditorium criticism answered

Monday 15 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am replying to your Smoke Signallers on July 28 referring to Gospel Day and on July 30 titled Sound Feedback. I thought its time I also answer and share my thoughts in your column to your smoke signallers harsh comments in regards to the use of my name, the Ministry of Cultural […]