Opinion

Baptism suggestion 'preposterous'

Tuesday 5 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, If water baptism is the way to heaven, Jesus lied when he told the anabaptised thief (Lk 23:43) that they would both be in paradise that day. If water baptism is essential for salvation, Paul set a bad example by not emphasising this ordinance in his ministry (1 Cor 1:17) If immersion in […]

Import substitution – what a joke

Tuesday 5 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The Democratic Party Government’s position on import substitution is nothing but a joke. CITC is flooding the market with NZ eggs when local production is more than capable of meeting the demand. Attempts by this writer to get government to include in the Fair Trading Act of 2008 a Protection of Local Industry […]

Kata - October 5, 2010

Tuesday 5 October 2010 | Published in Kata

Kata - October 4, 2010

Monday 4 October 2010 | Published in Kata

Charmers and ei katu

Monday 4 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

Those who were up in the wee hours of the morning yesterday to watch the opening of the Delhi Commonwealth Games live on TV, or who caught the replay in the afternoon, would have noticed our team looking great wearing their colourful ei katu (floral headwear). If you thought the team hunted around Delhi to […]

Encourage our leaders

Saturday 2 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Following the Ngatangiia candidate selection I think it is time for some public reflection. It seems to me that the fastest growing international sport is Criticising Politicians. They are described as venal and corrupt by those people who are unaware of their real motivations. They are regarded as lower than Used Car Salesmen. […]

Kata - October 2, 2010

Saturday 2 October 2010 | Published in Kata

Give us real value

Saturday 2 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Even after all these years when government’s annual budgets have climbed to almost $200 million and advances in building construction technologies have improved in leaps and bounds, we see that Rarotonga’s supply of clean fresh water remains woefully inadequate. Why has this government failed to address Rarotonga’s continued water shortages? Why is it […]

Short on memory

Saturday 2 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I refer to yesterday’s front page where Mann Short stated that Ngatangiia has always been a Demo village. This is tutae toa puakatoro. Mann Short has a very short memory because Sir Apenera Short (Mann’s father) was one of the longest CIP and an MP that stood for Ngatangiia before he became QR. […]

A very negative holiday

Saturday 2 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Last spring I sent a letter to the editor advising the Cook Islands my wife and I were returning for a third holiday to the Cook Islands because there were more positives than negatives. I must regret that our third visit will probably be our last because there were far more negatives than […]

Sir Terepai going Indy?

Saturday 2 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A well placed source in Sir Terepai Maoate’s camp has hinted in a smoke signal that the sitting MP may run as an independent in the November 17 general elections. In Wednesday’s vote by financial members of the Democratic Party in the Ngatangiia constituency – and a good number of Cook Islands Party members also […]

Need to address pensions

Saturday 2 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We read on the front page of your paper that the cost of old age pensions etc to the Government is predicted to rise. One reason of course being that more advanced medication helps to keep people alive longer. I was not surprised to read that Government is advised not to reduce the […]

Wild chickens of Raro unite!

Saturday 2 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, To be anti-rooster is the same as being anti-Raro culture and lifestyle. There is a simple solution. The complainers should take their tourist dollars and spend it in downtown LA or any other city in the world where the traffic and other engine noises are more annoying than a rooster any night of […]

Give us just one policy

Saturday 2 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As an undecided voter in the upcoming elections I would like to ask both of the main political parties for some information which might help me and many others to decide on where to cast our votes. Could someone who is entitled to speak on behalf of your respective parties (maybe the president, […]

Kata - October 1, 2010

Friday 1 October 2010 | Published in Kata

Country has had a 'gutsful' of old guard

Friday 1 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The emphatic election victory this week of an inexperienced politician over one of the most experienced politicians this country has ever known, is clear testament that the voters of this country have had a gutsful of the political old guard and are now yearning for change. Indeed, the time has perhaps come for […]

Paradise spoilt

Friday 1 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have just had another holiday in my island paradise, but this time it was spoilt, as we were burgled during the day. Our holiday money, and a few other things were taken. How sad it is that you cannot even go to the beach in front of your accommodation without locking up. […]

Water is urgent

Friday 1 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, After 20-odd years of living in the area (Tupapa), this is the first time that I have noticed the water shortages, though we did have it once due to the fact that the water works turned the main tap off for an unknown reason. I am pointing the finger at our so-called politicians […]

Is Carr's sacking legal?

Friday 1 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We have had one of the most experienced Financial Secretaries terminated from his job. He was sacked on the exact same day Parliament was dissolved by the Queen’s Representative because of Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen’s actions. Does this send a good message to the Demo camp if they are going to win the […]

What a cock up!

Friday 1 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller reckons Tourism boss Carmel Beattie is “putting the cart before the horse by trying to attract tourists but not sorting out problems in the country”, in this particular caller’s case, noisy roosters. He said he knows of people who visit Rarotonga once but will not return because of roosters keeping them awake […]