Opinion

Kata - July 15, 2010

Thursday 15 July 2010 | Published in Kata

Not a good look, Graham

Thursday 15 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Oh dear it’s not a good start for Mauke demo candidate Hugh Graham. The NZ Herald recently reported former councillor Graham is under pressure to repay the public salary paid to him while he was absent campaigning in the Cook Islands. Mayor Len Brown added the absentee councillor’s overall performance was not entirely […]

Plea for more convenient flights

Thursday 15 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor I was fortunate to be one of the passengers on the inaugural flight NZ49 from Sydney to Rarotonga on Sunday, July 4 and returned home on flight NZ46 on Saturday July 9. Having visited the Cook Islands before, this is a great incentive for Australians to conveniently travel to your destination. The wristband, […]

No racist comments

Tuesday 13 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Ngereteina Puna needs to stop his racist comments about who should help build the nation. I left the CIP back in the late sixties because of his and others attitudes. All talent and love for the Cook Islands is not held exclusively by Maoris. Consider the best and not the colour. And as […]

Get rid of the confusion

Tuesday 13 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor I don’t know whether I am speaking tongue in cheek, (I thought it was ear in teeth, but it might be foot in mouth, or hole in head), but here is what I have been thinking. We used to have our traditional leaders, our ariki, our aronga mana, but it was decided that […]

Partial to eclipses

Tuesday 13 July 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“People overuse the word ‘awesome’ these days,” a smoke signaller texts to 188, “but Sunday morning’s partial solar eclipse was just that: AWESOME!!” SmokeSignals: Agreed. Adding to the surreal atmosphere was the crowing of a number of island roosters which must have had their body clocks temporarily confused by the sudden darkness! Many viewers watching […]

Kata - July 13, 2010

Tuesday 13 July 2010 | Published in Kata

What have you done to help?

Tuesday 13 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor For someone like Teuira Ka to brag about his passion for politics is a sick joke. He reminds me so much of an empty vessel that makes so much noise, te pupu vaa koia tikai. The question that come to mind is this, what has he done for the Cook Island people? We […]

Website praised

Tuesday 13 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor You are doing a very good webpage. Seems that you have found the right format. Good on you. Thank you. Volker Goebel Germany

Step down at 60

Monday 12 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to encourage those current Members of Parliament who are over 60 years of age to consider stepping down and let our young people step up and take your places in the highest court of the land. But whatever you do, keep our legislature for Cook Islands Maori people only. Kia manuia […]

I commit to openness

Monday 12 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Nerys Case has got it absolutely RIGHT! (article Saturday July 10, page 8). Politicians in New Zealand, both at central and local government, are more open and transparent, than we are here in the Cook Islands. Being open and transparent MUST be paramount at all times. Without this we will continue to have […]

Toagate audit falls short

Monday 12 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As expected, the Toagate audit report has again lived up to the audit office’s reputation as an organisation without a sense of direction, fairness, or commonsense. Most of their latest garbage will fall short, should and when it is scrutinised by a proper independent forum i.e the courts. However, after having said that, […]

Really bad reporting

Monday 12 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We all knew before reading the Audit review into Government’s attempt to nationalise the fuel industry in your newspaper on Friday July 9 that the main architects of the Toagate scandal was Terepai Maoate and Sholan Ivaiti. What was really bad reporting by Cook Islands News was that they were fooled into reporting […]

Give him a fair go

Monday 12 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read with astonishment the negative comments made against Hugh Graham standing as the Mauke Democratic Party candidate. I support no party having had left the Cook Islands many years ago. This does not mean however that I am not interested in the goings on back home. People like Hugh should be encouraged. […]

Kata - July 12, 2010

Monday 12 July 2010 | Published in Kata

2 great shows

Saturday 10 July 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

Put your alarm clock on for an early rise tomorrow morning to catch two spectacular events, one astronomical and one sporting, shortly after 8 o’clock. Rarotonga residents get to see a partial solar eclipse at 8.19am (see recent editions of CI News for safe viewing guides) when the Moon’s umbral shadow will be just 25km […]

Kata - July 10, 2010

Saturday 10 July 2010 | Published in Kata

Airlines, take your rubbish home

Friday 9 July 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes in response to what describes as “Joe Ngamata’s weak excuse for pollution” after the Airport Authority’s Chief Executive wrote in yesterday’s CINews that he is required by law to burn all rubbish – including plastics – that comes off international flights, which has concerned a Panama resident who understandably does not […]

Investigation suggestion

Friday 9 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The process for the Allsworth investigation is wrong. Audit should be investigating this first, and where required, the police. The difference between the two basically is this. Audit allows innuendo, insinuations, rumours, mere suspicions and unproven village gossip into their reports. They don’t have to meet a high standard of proof as required […]

What is your business?

Friday 9 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This will be my last response to Teuira Ka’s letter to your column. Empty vessels like Teuira will always make a lot of noise. Teuira, direct your sweat and views on recent political issues and interests in the constituency you derive from because there are so much happening there. You’re sickening because our […]