Opinion

Who's calling the pot black

Saturday 3 July 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“How much was Sholan paid and how was he appointed as Financial Secretary?” a smoke signaller asks following former financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti’s allegations of misconduct against the Director of Audit, Paul Allsworth (see the past couple of days’ editions of CI News). “The coconut wireless says that he was not number one on the […]

Kata - July 3, 2010

Saturday 3 July 2010 | Published in Kata

Where are the players?

Saturday 3 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Thank you ‘Rugby Union DMD’ for responding to my letter, it’s a pleasure. To clarify the issue, I am not blaming the rugby league organisation or anyone else. They are doing an excellent job. My real concern is we do not have the senior players to cater for our A & B teams […]

MP for life?

Saturday 3 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

It seems the writer is in a world of his own, what a ‘Clown’. The reason we are in such a mess is because of that stupidity. The traditional title has nothing to do with ‘papaa politics’, but everything to do with ‘traditional politics’ and never the two shall meet. Your voters, if they have […]

Death to democracy

Saturday 3 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, There was a report in the Cook Islands Times of June 25 that new guidelines are being introduced by a Democratic Party Policy committee for the Democratic Party to bring more discipline and accountability to MPs’ actions. This is the same Jim Marurai Democratic Party that said in 2006 that they were going […]

Ivaiti alarmed

Saturday 3 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to respond to and clarify recent articles in the media concerning my complaint regarding the Audit Director Paul Allsworth. The Toagate Audit report has nothing to do with my complaints. That is a separate issue, and will eventually run its course when Parliament sits. A clever diversion or smokescreen by Mr […]

First flight 'not full'

Friday 2 July 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

Responding to a statement yesterday that this Sunday’s inaugural direct Sydney-Rarotonga flight is fully-booked, one of our readers reckons the new Tourism CEO Carmel Beattie is exaggerating. “As at this morning I can still get two seats Sydney to Rarotonga this weekend on direct flights in all classes.” The Cook Islands is underwriting the flights […]

Kata - July 2, 2010

Friday 2 July 2010 | Published in Kata

Nothing to do with league

Friday 2 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, To answer Papa Simiona’s letter yesterday in regards to rugby union, the answer is very simple. Invest the $120,000 plus the Cook Islands Rugby Union receives annually from IRB to develop the local competition instead of spending it on their high flying executives and so called overseas coaches and TAs (technical advisors). The […]

Do something for our rugby

Thursday 1 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Last Saturday, while I was watching the Tupapa vs Avatiu rugby union game, I was told that Tupapa could only field two teams because of the shortages of players. But in the end the coach managed to select a team from the reserve and the under 19 players to make up the A […]

Full investigation needed

Thursday 1 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Re: Allsworth v Ivaiti, It may well be a “cheap parting shot” but we don’t know that. A full, independent and transparent investigation needs to take place. You see, five years ago, a high flying lawyer/politician also said words to the same effect. The likes of Allsworth, Ivaiti, Tetava, Franklin and Elikana paid […]

Don't get lost in debt

Thursday 1 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor The time is now for bringing the Cook Islands out of debt. A lot of tourists were asking me, “Do you think that the Sheraton will ever be built and finished?” and as always my answer is “yes”. They ask when, and I say to them when I run for parliament. “How is […]

Accident could have been serious

Thursday 1 July 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Just wondering if tourists are still being allowed to hire bikes before proving they can actually ride one and obtaining a bike licence?” a smoke signaller asks in a message to TXT188. “On Tuesday afternoon at the Island Car and Bike Hire beside Raro Cars we had a close encounter with a tourist who lost […]

Kata - July 1, 2010

Thursday 1 July 2010 | Published in Kata

A job for life

Thursday 1 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor James Beer doesn’t understand anything about being an MP in the Cook Islands. When you are elected as an MP, it is just like becoming a titleholder, just like when you bite the pig’s ear. This position is yours for your life, it doesn’t matter if you get a bit loose upstairs or […]

Kata - June 30, 2010

Wednesday 30 June 2010 | Published in Kata

Is this a repeat of 2004?

Wednesday 30 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, A government that cannot recognise and understand democracy and the rights of the people is a country with no status. Mr Editor, I’ve been following the various news articles on the happenings and the fighting among the two political parties, and the injustice that has been accorded to the poor people who put […]

New rappa exec making money?

Wednesday 30 June 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller phoned in these questions yesterday in relation to the Ruatonga Avatiu Panama Palmerston Atupa constituency, understandably referred to as RAPPA: “Why is the new RAPPA executive charging $5 to become a member when the Matavera and Nikao Cook Islands Party constituencies were charging $2 to become a member? What’s the extra $3 […]

Kata - June 29, 2010

Tuesday 29 June 2010 | Published in Kata

Good on you Wilkie

Tuesday 29 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Having watched the TV programme ‘Turama’ on Sunday night, I was very impressed with the comments from our Minister of Finance, Wilkie Rasmussen. You rectified a lot of areas of doubt that we as the taxpayers have had, and explained things very precisely giving us all a clearer picture of what is happening. […]