Opinion

Photo blunder

Saturday 2 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As a regular reader of the Cook Island News in Cook Islands and NZ (copies are sent to Auckland University, where I study), I feel bound to comment on one of your leading article in the CINews dated July 1. This article comments on the South Pacific Games being no longer a World […]

Nothings changed

Saturday 2 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Nothing in the local political arena ever seems to change. As an example, herewith a piece of doggerel I wrote on the occasion of the parliamentary opening ceremony back in December 1983 nearly 28 years ago! Im sure also that the majority of taxpayers will endorse Katas cartoon bemoaning the gross waste of […]

Top marks for planned road reseal

Saturday 2 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have to commend the Works (Infrastructure) Minister Tearikii Heather for responding almost immediately to any public criticism about potholes. When someone complains about the terrible state of the roads, the minister kicks butt to see that the roads are repaired as best as possible. Good on him. However, what we motorists really […]

Kata - July 1, 2011

Friday 1 July 2011 | Published in Kata

Voyagers stitch islands together

Friday 1 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The very first call I received on Wednesday morning was from my best friend Toni. She said that if I could run away from work, that I should come across the street to see the double hulled sailing vakas sailing towards Lahaina. She asked me where are they from?. Just then, the radio […]

Tourist thefts very damaging

Friday 1 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The ongoing, deliberate targeting of the tourist industry by organised petty criminals must be placed at the very top of governments priorities. Here we are spending millions of dollars both from government revenue and private sector – marketing the country to the world as a fantastic tourist destination while at the same time […]

We are killing tourism

Friday 1 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Every day I read the online Cook Islands News I get so angry to read about tourists being ripped off by thieves. Thieves are everywhere in any society, you go to some parts of the world the thieves will cut the bottom of your handbag and out falls the contents of your bag! […]

Kata - June 30, 2011

Thursday 30 June 2011 | Published in Kata

Eleven things every teenager should know

Thursday 30 June 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

This list should be posted in every school! That was the suggestion from reader Mark Brown when he pressed the magic button and sent it on me. I go one stage further. These rules should be on the door of every family fridge. To be read as often as possible. Read and understand. Its what […]

Landlords in the wrong business

Thursday 30 June 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Regarding the letter in Wednesday June 29s paper from Jackie and Steve Brown from Bay of Plenty, NZ Robbery leaves tourists scared. I hope the Browns write to the web site Tripadvisor about their experience. I also hope they include the name of the accommodation where they stayed, which they did not do in their […]

Blind eye to problems at home

Thursday 30 June 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Can someone at either National Environment Service or Ministry of Health please advise what progress, if any, is being made to remove the ever-growing number of vehicles, whitewear goods and other electronic bits and pieces that are piling up in a vacant yard behind the old Computerman shop in Turangi? Funny how government […]

Reward offered after burglary

Wednesday 29 June 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We have just this morning returned from our holiday in Rarotonga and Aitutaki, and I am hoping you can help us out. Last weekend, on Saturday night we returned to our rented beach house at around 7.45pm in Titikavaka to find we had been burgled. The whole place had been ransacked and we […]

Food poisoning claim answered

Wednesday 29 June 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Firstly I would like to say what a wonderful holiday weve had here in Rarotonga! We have been treated wonderfully by everyone we met and were able to really relax and leave the worries of everyday life behind for a while. We look forward to returning again, and again and again. However, I […]

Robbery leaves tourists scared

Wednesday 29 June 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am a senior lecturer in tourism and travel. I teach airlines staff and travel agents, I promote weddings in the Cooks as part of my work as a travel agent and a wedding celebrant and I am a member of new Zealand institute of travel and tourism. My husband is a wedding […]

Kata - June 28, 2011

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in Kata

Not helping stranded passengers

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

What a cop out response by the local Air New Zealand manager in respect of the airfares to Rarotonga in time of serious distress by Pacific Blue customers, a smoke signaller writes. In Saturdays paper Mr Bridge said when their flights are very heavily booked, as is the case at present, all of the cheaper […]

Kata - June 27, 2011

Monday 27 June 2011 | Published in Kata

Seabeds trillions: what do people want?

Monday 27 June 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: Saturdays CI News front page contains on the street opinions of Cook Islands voters overwhelmingly opposed to seabed mining, while above those sentiments is a picture of one of our leaders with a handful of nodules and a look that each reader will need to interpret. With respect and in the […]

Cheaper seats sell out early

Saturday 25 June 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

A smoke signaller writes: With the cancellation of the recent Pacific Blue flights due to the ash cloud, tourists are scrambling to book alternative flights to and from Rarotonga. Air New Zealand planes that have empty seats (which presumably would have flown empty anyway) are charging through the roof for those seats! Clients are being […]

Go Local concept a winner

Friday 24 June 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, On behalf of Geoff and I and my brothers Piltz Napa, Napa Napa and sister Riko Napa-Ioaba who were some of the stall vendors at the Go Local Night Market held on Wednesday night at the Punanganui Market, we would like to say a big meitaki maata to Terry Rangi, Danny Williams, Mana […]