Opinion

Answers within our people

Wednesday 3 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would like to add to the story Rarotonga mission with sole, published Tuesday, August 2. I was privileged enough to be allowed to participate in the Enua ola groups activities on the island as a part of my Honours research into Cook Island Health Promotion. I feel that Reverend William Hakaoro, Teina […]

Guess whos missing in photos?

Wednesday 3 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: For the past week and this week Ive bought a newspaper every day so I can send them to my family back at home to show whats happening here during the Constitution and to check out the fantastic photos from these events. So far since Saturday, I am disappointed that there […]

A different version of the truth

Tuesday 2 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, To answer Toi Tu Rahui Tepapa Te Rautea Davids letter, yes you are papaa, the real Patuakino had one living son who left Rarotonga for Tahiti and never came back to Rarotonga. Im not telling you his name as Im still in contact with his descendants, this is whats wrong with your facts […]

Rising seas are a reality

Tuesday 2 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Im enclosing a cutting from our local (Cairns) news- paper, featuring global warming. In that news as you can see rising sea level is a reality. Some of the many islands in the Torres Strait between Cape York and Papua New Guinea are slowly being swamped by excess water. Do you people in […]

Sirens, lights: show time!

Tuesday 2 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

It also was a nice, peaceful Sunday afternoon until an entourage sped by, a smoke signaller complains. On Sunday afternoon around 12.45pm, two police motorbikes with lights flashing and sirens wailing, and officers waving vehicles off the road, followed by the Queens Representatives flash black car all smoking its way to the National Auditorium, I […]

We all hear of corruption

Monday 1 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Please allow me to express my views about Whos robbing who?. This is my little 2 cents worth in what I think of whats happening today in our society. Firstly, the Government. The reason why they want to get in government is not for the people, its for themselves. That, I guess, we […]

Kata - August 1, 2011

Monday 1 August 2011 | Published in Kata

Rough justice not recommended

Monday 1 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am now back in Australia and I would like to thank the people of the Cook Islands for assisting me with the research project aimed at understanding not only the offending behaviour of the young people, but also the cultural resilience in this community. My first impressions of the offending behaviour of […]

The iniquitous tax inequity

Saturday 30 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have my hand up to endorse the comments in Don MacKenzies letter A bad concept, published on July 26. A reader friend has belatedly prompted me to write the following ditty in support of that letter. Les Priest Matavera The old folk here on the pension Are Browned off and angry with […]

Get rid of vulgar songs

Saturday 30 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It is so very annoying, disturbing and disgusting to hear both radio stations still continuing to play songs belittling the beautiful women of this nation. When are the managers of these radio stations going to sit down and listen to what they are airing for anyone let alone tourists to listen to? What […]

MPs, step up to the plate

Saturday 30 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would like to publicly acknowledge the proactive solutions that Martin Iro, other Community Police Officers and in particular that the Cook Islands Police Department are implementing to get a handle on the burglaries and theft on the island, namely Increasing the Cook Islands Police presence in villages by way of Community Policing […]

Float day speeches

Saturday 30 July 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

After waiting for the return of the float parade to the Cook Islands cultural festivities, punters yesterday were left waiting a little longer. As the midday start-time breezed past, one man wondered why they were left waiting. The answer: our politicians, he said. The float parade is finally back after years, but as usual the […]

Kata - July 30, 2011

Saturday 30 July 2011 | Published in Kata

Kata - July 29, 2011

Friday 29 July 2011 | Published in Kata

Mug shots email welcome

Friday 29 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Emailing photos of the offenders throughout the community is an effort to clamp down on burglary and theft that is on the rise. Therefore its quite disturbing to read in Thursday, July 28s paper the threats that the Police Commissioner Maara Tetava is flinging towards anyone responsible for these photos, in the article […]

Preparation key to sounding good

Thursday 28 July 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: The quality of sound controlled by Robert Ioaba and his team during the Rarotonga Gospel Day programme on Monday at the National Auditorium was just appalling! There was screeching feedback from start to finish. If they cant even ensure quality sound for three hours of one day, how on earth are […]

Kata - July 27, 2011

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in Kata

Close-knit sports body

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller thinks the countrys sports and national Olympic committee is by and large, a close-knit inner core of people who make a living out of administration, carried out poorly or otherwise. My feeling is that CISNOC exhibits little appearance of people dedicated to sport and more a sense of people achieving income for […]

Kata - July 26, 2011

Tuesday 26 July 2011 | Published in Kata

No support for another Delhi

Tuesday 26 July 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

It appears from a newspaper report that the Cook Islands and the other 11 Commonwealth countries in Oceania have based their decision not to support the bid by Sri Lanka to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, on the performance of neighbouring Indias hosting of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Weve been to Delhi and we really […]