Opinion

Kiss your grass goodbye

Saturday 26 February 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

“The genius idea behind grading the verge of the main road was to remove all the holes and puddles,” a smoke signaller writes. “Well that is working – the puddles are now a bit further off the road. Otherwise the arterial vandalism raises at least two questions: (1) Where the work goes outside of the […]

Kata - February 26, 2011

Saturday 26 February 2011 | Published in Kata

Stop public servant travel rorts

Friday 25 February 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Gossip is rife that Cabinet recently issued a directive for all future travels of public servants be more transparent and accountable. About time and good on Cabinet for taking a hard stand on those frequent global travellers in the public service who seem to live abroad more than on the island. Word has […]

Freedom is conditional

Friday 25 February 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We write regarding the letter to the editor citing freedom of speech as justification for what we would consider to be unsuitable local songs for public airplay. Is freedom unconditional? You have the freedom to drive in Rarotonga, but at the right speed, on the left of the road, without alcohol etc. Does […]

Do away with wigs, gowns

Friday 25 February 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Boo hoo for the speaker and his staff who have to wear silly horsehair wigs and black witches’ capes at Parliament. Here’s a novel idea – do away with them! We’re an independent country with our own culture and traditions. Who says we have to slavishly follow mother England’s traditions to the end […]

Wigs and gowns story 'sensational'

Friday 25 February 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would like to respond to a rather sensational piece titled ‘Old gowns and patched wigs’ by Florence Syme-Buchanan in yesterday’s paper. My first reaction was, Ahoy! What did I get myself into? Where is the primary issue which you, Florence, raised with me on Wednesday? I am not disputing the facts you […]

Kata - February 25, 2011

Friday 25 February 2011 | Published in Kata

Island meeting talks over our heads

Thursday 24 February 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Has anyone noticed the irony and parody – or indeed does anyone care – behind the two obscure regional training workshops underway in Rarotonga this week? It says something about the dysfunction within our own public sector. First there’s the gathering of cabinet secretariat and public service commission heads, talkfesting to themselves about good governance […]

Suwarrow the highlight of my voyage

Thursday 24 February 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have just completed my passage across the Pacific. The best place we visited has been Suwarrow in the Cook Islands. Besides being absolutely gorgeous locations, the park hosts, James and Apii, made the stay that much better. They were fantastic and taught us a lot about the island and its ecosystem. These […]

Downsizing details wrong

Thursday 24 February 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I refer to the letter headed ‘Looking back’ written by Teariki Simiona in a recent edition. The downsizing of the public service did happen but it happened in July to November/December 1996, not in 1999. By late June 1996 there were 2904 public servants on the pay roll. By 1st January 1997 the […]

Why wasn't Crown Law held to account?

Thursday 24 February 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It can be argued that the former financial secretary ultimately paid the price for the Toagate botch up by not getting reappointed when his contract expired. Fair enough. The question I would like to know is whether the Crown Law Office was ever held accountable for its involvement in this scandal? Those who […]

Kata - February 24, 2011

Thursday 24 February 2011 | Published in Kata

Kata - February 23, 2011

Wednesday 23 February 2011 | Published in Kata

'A slap in the face'

Tuesday 22 February 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, When I first read the rumour that Sir Geoff was being considered to be the next speaker of Parliament, I thought this is only a sick and cruel joke by someone who has nothing better to do than spread harmful rumours. Surely Henry Puna would never consider Geoff Henry for the position of […]

Speeding sign in an accident

Tuesday 22 February 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

“I noticed on Monday morning that the speeding warning sign in Matavera was crashed into and totally smashed to pieces over the weekend,” a smoke signaller writes. “I see that event as both a little funny but also dumb and dumber. That accident is what you call an ‘ironic juxtaposition of events’, meaning the road […]

Kata - February 22, 2011

Tuesday 22 February 2011 | Published in Kata

Culture damages lagoon health?

Monday 21 February 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller responds to those opposed to the removal of the fish trap in the Muri Lagoon who say it would be cultural vandalism. “Here are some good examples of cultural vandalism: when certain Ngatangiia fishermen catch ature [Bigeye scad] via the fish traps and take off home without the usual tradition of sharing […]

Kata - February 21, 2011

Monday 21 February 2011 | Published in Kata

Grass kerbs ruined

Saturday 19 February 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I hope someone at Ministry of Works (Infrastructure and Planning) can tell the public what they are doing to the grass kerbs of Rarotonga? Are they preparing for something major? How about letting the taxpayers of this country in on it? Or, is it a way for the contractor to get free soil […]

Where's all the good music?

Saturday 19 February 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

What’s happened to good tunes? (Here we go!) When I was a kid you could nearly always hear kids humming, whistling or actually singing the current popular tunes or songs and what’s more, they were easily recognisable. It seems that this little enhancement of life has virtually disappeared. Something negative has happened to popular music […]