Opinion

Rewarding the govt for airline loyalty

Thursday 17 March 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Air New Zealand is playing semantics,” says a smoke signaller in response to yesterday’s article about the airline not budging from its policy that AirPoints is a reward for individual travellers and not the entity that pays or sponsors the airfare. Numerous Cook Islands governments have unsuccessfully lobbied the airline to allow AirPoints earned from […]

It's 'terrorism'

Thursday 17 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I can’t but agree with recent letters regarding the current ‘pruning’ or should I say, mindless massacring of our trees along Matavera and Tupapa. It’s nothing short of tree terrorism. As I suffered through another extremely hot, dusty and uncomfortable ride into work today, I couldn’t help but shake my head at the […]

Come clean

Thursday 17 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am concerned that the Health Ministry is unhappy with their budget. Before I evaluate more on the issue, I must remind the Government that the Ministry of Health is indeed very important because of the health of the people in the Cook Islands, without proper requirements (financial wise). We will end up […]

Immigration confirms $60 spouse fee

Wednesday 16 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write in response to the article ‘Time for a fresh start’ that appeared in Saturday’s edition of Cook Islands News. Focusing on what is for Immigration and no doubt most of your readers, the most important point of interest in the above article, may I simply recall that Immigration met with Ms […]

Kata - March 16, 2011

Wednesday 16 March 2011 | Published in Kata

Scenic beauty spoiled

Wednesday 16 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, For weeks, the Minister’s company’s men and vehicles have been removing limbs and whole trees from the main road verge, most recently along the Tupapa stretch. Picturesque and shady flamboyants, ironwoods, eucalyptus, coconuts, and others have been cut and hauled away and the scenic beauty of the roadway generally despoiled. A tree limb […]

Internet charges 'plain outrageous'

Tuesday 15 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In skimming your website I happened across a letter that stated, “What really concerned me about the TCI bill was the fact that almost $400 of this $500 bill related to the usage of the internet by myself and four, school aged children during the past two months.” A following letter stated that […]

Hitches at Mire Atu explained

Tuesday 15 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In reply to the letters to the editor on the matter of technical issues at the Mire Atu composters competition, I met with my team who were here for the event to discuss the issues raised, mainly what caused the technical problems leading to these complaints. 1. Feedback – overall this was during […]

Kata - March 14, 2011

Monday 14 March 2011 | Published in Kata

Red wine without the alcohol

Monday 14 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Responding to Saturday’s smoke signal Alcholesterol, CITC Pharmacy manager Shannon Saunders writes: “The Ministry of Health article in Thursday’s paper [page 11] recommended ‘Drink alcohol in small amounts’. I am sure what they meant by this was for people to drink responsibly and consider reducing their alcohol consumption if they have health problems. With regards […]

A tax increase is a bigger threat to the country than Telecom

Monday 14 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Telecom critic going under ‘Gumboot maniac’ (CI News March 8) is aptly ‘non de plumed’. There is something manic in his approach where he tries to show he’s a good analyst with information few other people have, because he fails to acknowledge other relevant issues. He writes that Telecom is the most loathed […]

Grow up

Monday 14 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Congratulations to the leadership and members of the Democratic Party for their decision to support the confidence motion in the new Prime Minister and his government. This is an evidence that our new crop of parliamentarians are showing maturity but I’m sad to see that one of our longest serving members of parliament, […]

Bid for Steve Barrett

Monday 14 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We are dumbfounded, down in the dumps, reeling from shock, to hear that Steve Barrett didn’t win the Island Secretary position for Mauke. Logic told us that as he had been called to represent Mauke at recent meetings planning for the future he must be in. Please tell us this isn’t political. We […]

Our sovereignty was usurped

Monday 14 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have reports of Mr Bruce Ruatapu Mita’s meetings in 2008 and last Thursday night. I also have cuttings of published condemnations and now of Pa Marie’s deprecation of him in your front page story last Friday. I opined that the apparition fibres of all te ‘aka’apa, ‘akakino and scoffing at Mr Mita […]

Kata - March 12, 2011

Saturday 12 March 2011 | Published in Kata

Is anybody home?

Saturday 12 March 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Just wondering what has been organised for warning systems in the outer islands?” asks a smoke signaller following yesterday morning’s Pacific-wide tsunami warning as a result of the massive 8.9 earthquake in Japan. “Just heard some people living on north coast of Mauke knew nothing of the tsunami until they woke up this morning, and […]

What if I blew up?

Saturday 12 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Thank you to Thomas Peyroux for explaining a lot about the sound on the night of the composers competition. I was a backup singer on the night and I was getting little electric shocks every time I touched the mic. When I told the soundman I was getting shocks he did nothing. I […]

Is this an attempt to gag?

Saturday 12 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read this article about information being requested by the Clerk of the House. I sincerely hope this is not the first step in an attempt to gag the local news providers. I know from reading your paper over many years (both online and when I am in Raro) that you are not […]

Not the rightful titleholder

Saturday 12 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Your front page story yesterday about Marie Rima Desiree George Ani Rima Peyroux known to others as Marie Pa Ariki urging the “ui ariki not to repeat mistakes” amused me. The Pa Ariki title belongs to the Kopu Ariki of the title, that is, to us the descendants of Pa Tepou Taputapuatea Tepuretu […]

Shame on rip-offs

Saturday 12 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am very disgusted to learn that some of our own people will gladly rip off our elderly folks for their own selfish gain. An elderly woman of Ngatangiia was charged $400 for the cutting of her lawns (2), one for $250 and the other for $150. Previously, she had it cut by […]