Opinion

Take referendum seriously

Monday 27 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Your news item ‘Referendum is on’ published September 10, 2010, must have pierced the hearts of many Cook Islanders. They would have asked themselves too, why the Government stooped to the lobbyists whose ravings-on about referendum are opined not only to be erroneous, but also unmeritorious. A referendum of the kind announced is […]

Where does the fat batch go?

Monday 27 September 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes in response to the article ‘Palm apologises for fat batch’ in last week’s CINews: “McCallum Industries (Palm Corned Beef) states ‘Regular Palm Corned Beef is not a mass produced product and specific recipes are applied to our various markets. The product we produce for the Cook Islands has a lower fat […]

Kata - September 25, 2010

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Kata

Roads and health

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I’m a frequent visitor to your beautiful island country who regularly keeps up with the Cook Islands news online. I’ve read of two seemingly different topics, roading upgrades and health concerns about obesity, and would like to suggest that these two issues actually are related. The beauty of the scenery driving around the […]

Punch a 'cheap shot'

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, To the Avatiu Premiers rugby player ‘A much closer eyewitness’, I can only say nonsense. You saw what you wanted to see, not what happened. We have a video of the event. We know what happened. We know Emile Mamanu was legally rucking at a player who was playing the ball, not “nowhere […]

Carr's removal, last nail in coffin

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Since his appointment in March it is common knowledge that Kevin Carr has been doing a very good job as acting financial secretary, making big strides to improve the overall accountability and transparency of public financial management and, in the process, ensuring that the country’s financial situation is improved for the long term […]

Vancouver flight dreamin'

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A Canadian writing from the capital of the province of British Columbia says one of his dreams will come true if a direct flight operates between Vancouver and the Cook Islands. Ray Powell from Victoria, BC (“near Vancouver!”) says travelling to Rarotonga via Los Angeles in the United States “is a royal pain!” Cook Islands […]

Advance voting goes ahead

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

After much opposition from the Ngatangiia Democratic Party committee, advance voting for next week’s Short-Maoate candidate run-off has finally been given the green light. Despite strong lobbying from Mann Short’s team to permit advance voting, the Ngatangiia committee was against it on the grounds that it would complicate the run-off. Short is of the view […]

Electronic edition under change

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I look forward to reading your on line edition on a weekly basis, however over the past two weeks the standard of electronic publication has slipped. I could understand if this was a deliberate effort to encourage payments by reducing service, but I suspect it is not that, but just poor service by […]

Supporter hits back

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I think it’s very unfair of you to print the letter from ‘Ngatangiia Local’ in your newspaper dated 23 September 2010, especially when Sir Terepai and Mann Short are just about to go through a run off. I hope you would give me the same opportunity to set the record straight with the […]

Wall has health benefits

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes tongue-in-cheek: “The Small Wall of China recently installed in the courthouse has two admirable qualities, clearly designed to enhance the health of us all. When a member of the public rings to speak with someone, the receptionist cannot see if the person is at their desk. This means that the receptionist […]

Ngatangiia decision very important

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The upcoming run-off vote for the Demo candidate in Ngatangiia is the most important that our nation has ever faced. As a born and bred Ngatangiia person, I am hoping the people in our village think of our whole nation first before they vote Sir Terepai Maoate in again. If he wins over […]

Just having a ball

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes in response to the recent article ‘The last waltz looms’ published prior to the Tereora College Ball: “In the articles about the school ball it clearly says that males cannot wear black skinny jeans, but then in the ‘Top Ten Tips’ for the ball it says something clearly different. It suggests […]

Tourism plans the same

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Over the past six months I have read with interest the articles on tourism. They range from the new appointment of staff, the leaving of the old staff members, the arrival of a dog, (Please, how is that front page news?) the media spin on the success of the Australian flight, the spin […]

Kata - September 23, 2010

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Kata

Announce policies

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Through your column may I request both the Democratic and CIP Parties to publicly announce their policies firstly on import substitution and protection from those trade practices designed to strengthen monopolistic agenda, enhance market power and eliminate competition and, secondly, whether they intend to resist the lobbying which has seen the deferral of […]

What makes a good MP?

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have been reading and hearing with interest the various views expressed on political reform, well, more so only on the numbers of MPs we should be having in Parliament. I see also that there are lot of members of the public willing to put their names forward to make changes to how […]

Arnold quality needed

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Since the day you published my recent letter, I received numerous phone and skype calls and emails from readers there and abroad. Some, especially from the Tupapa electorate, admonished me that the MP for Teenui-Mapumai, Mr Norman George was not the only person who has made ‘informed and sensible’ views on the ills […]

Amid the noise and haste

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, After reading June Hosking’s letter on the qualities that make exemplary leaders, I am prompted to mention Mike Tavioni’s excellent translation of Desiderata on the TV the other night, which also has a message on leadership. In Maori Desiderata makes fine poetry. Desiderata also serves as a guide for living a fulfilling life […]

Survivor Cooks least challenging

Wednesday 22 September 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

After 21 seasons of the reality TV series Survivor, a website has chosen Survivor Cook Islands as the least challenging. BuddyTV.com staff writer Ben Watson writes: “The season that divided tribes up by race didn’t seem to have too many challenges location-wise. There was a significant amount of in-water challenges (including an awesome zip line […]