Opinion

Letter to a criminal

Monday 18 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, To the criminal who broke into my house last night: You saw my car. You saw the lights on. You KNEW I was home. And you decided to break into my house anyway. Your arrogance and fearlessness could be put to better use. You found nothing of value in the lounge so you […]

Silence from all but 7 says it all

Monday 18 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Your Saturday edition says it all. Seventy candidates to stand in the forthcoming general election – only seven chose to respond to your ‘on the issues’ poll. Of these seven note only two are current members, five will be standing as independents and neither of the major party leaders took the time to […]

Kata - October 16, 2010

Saturday 16 October 2010 | Published in Kata

Cheap scaremongering

Saturday 16 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, John Scott (letters, October 5) claims that Government’s policy on import substitution is nothing but a joke. But there is a strong case that John’s claims concerning Scotts Farm eggs are the real joke. Ponder this: Imported birds produce his eggs; imported building materials house his birds; imported cages incarcerate his birds; imported […]

Chaos all round

Saturday 16 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We need decent Cook Islanders to run our own country! The current political drama in the Cook Islands is now escalating to its lowest point in history. And the current minority led government should be ashamed of themselves with their ignorant attitude towards the welfare of our people. This Democratic government has done […]

Colonial hangover remains

Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read with interest the Carr vs Rasmussen spat. Both parties seem to have a point, in that Mr Carr was never a long term solution for the job as he had really stepped in to help the Cook Islands out when one of their own failed them badly. Rasmussen is right with […]

Disappointed with Bishop's behaviour

Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Ki te Etita, Kia orana, ko te putuputu anga teia o Te Kura O Te Au e tata atu nei i to matou marekakore i te au mea tei tupu. No runga ia Teina Bishop, te Mema Paramani o te Arenikau, Aitutaki tana i rave. Kua kite mata ia aia e te tangata i teia […]

Voodoo economics and foot dragging

Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Where do we get these turkeys from? The CIP has been opposition for years, so you would think that after all that time warming the Opposition benches they would have an alternative, coherent and rational economic policy. Instead they offer little more than a child’s Christmas wish list which amounts to the worst […]

Change with the times

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Te Kura O Te Au (Cook Islands News, October 13) says my recent ad featuring an old car “belittles” past governments and implies they were responsible for the “mess” in which the country finds itself. In fact, Tim Tepaki’s comment in your newspaper is exactly the message I wished to convey. Self Government […]

Restoring the economy

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Is there more than one Tepaki (Tim)?” asks a smoke signaller. “Or is the Tim Tepaki quoted in your newspaper as backing the political movement that is going to restore the economy of the Cook Islands and bring local wages up to New Zealand wages the same Tim Tepaki who said the Hilton was going […]

Kata - October 14, 2010

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Kata

An open letter to all election candidates

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Candidate, We are inviting all of you to share your views on key political issues with the public. Each week, from now until the election, Cook Islands News is inviting all election candidates – from both major parties, other parties and independents – to state their personal stance on the issues. The questions and […]

Taxi driver responds

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to respond to the’ Disgraceful Raro taxi service’ comments made in Cook Islands News on October 7. Like everyone else who read the comments by Steve Whitta, it concerned me greatly that one of our fellow drivers had done this, and more importantly, who he was. After several investigative phone calls, […]

Who is the next Demo PM?

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The general election is almost a month away and this Demo government is demonstrating that whatever promises it is making in the run up to the general election, nothing will change in its ineffective decision making which has got the country into the current mess. The last two weeks has the beach abuzz […]

Vicious cycle must be broken

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

This is the vicious cycle that must be broken. The MP’s function is to pass legislation and budget, nothing else. So before you go to see your MP you should first ask yourself: What legislation do we want to amend? Or. How can our MP help us to allocate more money into a particular area […]

Let upgrade process begin

Wednesday 13 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Tim Arnold’s upgrade campaign messages are bold and simple and strike at the very roots of our country’s current state of affairs. If I was living in Tupapa I would have no hesitation in voting for him in the coming elections. Congratulations Tim, I am hoping that the voters in Tupapa can see […]

Bishop missing the mark

Wednesday 13 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Bishop Pere says in Saturday’s Newspaper that “the one and only Bible baptism” involves water and is always in “Jesus’ name”, by which the Holy Spirit is received, an unlearned language is supernaturally spoken, and salvation is achieved. In Bible times, dishes were washed (baptizo) in water. Cloth was dipped (baptizo) in dye. […]

Hospital seeks the best applicants

Wednesday 13 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, ‘Makes Sense’ and Danny Mataroa have written about the advertisement for Director of Hospital Health Services. Their letters comment on improvements in our health services over recent years; improvements that have been achieved thanks to the hard work and dedication of many people – our staff first and foremost, led and supported by […]

Outbreak of Aitutaki fish poisoning

Wednesday 13 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am writing to share some information about my research on ciguatera fish poisoning in the southern Cooks, with particular reference to Aitutaki which is currently experiencing an outbreak. The Aitutaki outbreak is caused by Cyclone Pat that devastated the island earlier this year. In support, my research has shown that ciguatera in […]

Same old, same old promises

Wednesday 13 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Here we go again, promises, promises, we will, we can,” complains a smoke signaller. “People are not stupid listening to all this garbage each time they read the newspapers or listen to the radio. It’s like we already know what each party is going to say to us – after 10 years they are still […]