Opinion

Prison escape email

Wednesday 2 June 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

The ‘prison break’ early Monday morning resulted in a flurry of FYI (for your information) e-mails from people in various business and government offices who forwarded a police e-mail and pdf attachment – including the WANTED heading in bold Latin typeface with large triangular serifs reminiscent of Wild West posters – about the escapee and […]

Good luck at Vaimaanga

Wednesday 2 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor It is comforting to know that the latest entry in the ‘finish the Vaimaanga before 2050 sweepstakes’ does not intend to hang his hat on the expired building permits and expired EIA but will begin anew. Just a note to the gentlemen involved, the last EIA was in essence a ‘blank cheque’ that […]

Manarangi responds to template view

Wednesday 2 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I refer to the letter “Kevin Carr explains Toa Template” which was published in Monday’s CI News. In general I agree with the views expressed by Mr Carr but there is one passage in his letter that requires a response in order that the observation made by Mr Carr is seen in its […]

Stop the performance

Tuesday 1 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Nobody is buying the latest scene of the two leading performers in the Jim and Fred con game act. In scene 1; 2006, the PM didn’t have a majority in parliament to call a snap election but that didn’t stop the two conmen from calling a snap election at the time. In scene […]

Kata - June 1, 2010

Tuesday 1 June 2010 | Published in Kata

Great paper, but bad news

Tuesday 1 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Thank you for the Cook Islands News. I like reading what’s happening to Government it’s sad. I hope they will elect a strong leader to run the county. And another thing I want to ask is why the fare to Aitutaki on Air Raro is so steep? It’s just only 45 minute to […]

'Outsider' comments on tourism

Tuesday 1 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I hope you will accept my ‘outsider’ comments on tourism to the Cook Islands, based simply on our strong desire to visit but finding considerable practical reasons to be unable to fulfill our dream. My wife and I live in Britain, and will be in Melbourne in December and January. We had planned […]

What's different?

Tuesday 1 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Here’s a good one for your readers. The mighty Jimmy says he was advised against a snap election because he did not have the numbers. But wait just a minute, same PM, same QR back in 2006, they did not have the numbers then, but still called an election. What’s the difference now, […]

Kata - May 31, 2010

Monday 31 May 2010 | Published in Kata

Tourism's very big ask

Monday 31 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

A New Zealand Herald article says: “Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand will between them invest about $130 million in the United States market during the next four years, with a target to increase annual visitor numbers from 200,000 to 300,000 over five years,” writes Stephen Lyon. He asks: “If it will take $130 […]

Little wonder

Monday 31 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read the CI News online every Friday and I’m very grateful to have updates on the political scandal going on! I am disgusted at your government’s treatment of the local people who gracefully casts their votes for you liars to represent our paradise. I suggest that you all get the hell out […]

No sharks in the lagoon!

Monday 31 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It is comforting as a returning visitor to Raro, that you can roll out of bed, grab your bathing suit (snorkel optional) and hit the FANTASTIC beaches in Muri. Meeting a Stonefish is rare, and a puffer may be less rare (but sort of harmless), and there are no sharks (that I’ve seen). […]

Less for more

Monday 31 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The Cook Islands’ financial situation is fragile, with budget cuts necessary and a reduction in reserves coupled with a rise in debt that is degrading our economy. So far this year tourism has been on the decline with Tata Crocombe being in charge since August last year. The tourism board wants more money, […]

Great service

Monday 31 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was present at the sports awards held last Tuesday night at the Aroa Nui Hall in Aror-angi. I would like to acknowledge the great service the young Arorangi rugby boys showed on the night when it was time to eat. The food was great and the boys were willing to go the […]

What are they afraid of?

Monday 31 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The headlines in your paper last Friday raise a few issues that concern the people and country as a whole and are worth commenting on. First the injunction by the Democratic Party executive to stop “the other faction” from meeting shows that they are the ones that don’t have the numbers in the […]

It's just game playing

Saturday 29 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Jim Marurai is again playing his usual game of blaming others for his own short comings. First, he blames the QR for advising him not to call a snap election. For goodness sake! You the Prime Minister are supposed to advise the QR of what you want him to do, not the other […]

Kata - May 29, 2010

Saturday 29 May 2010 | Published in Kata

Toa deal fuels exodus

Saturday 29 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, While champagne flows in the TOA camp, in-fighting amongst the political parties is relentless, our country is governed by a minority group and meanwhile the voice of the people is being ignored and we wonder why our middle working class continue to leave our shores. Again we hear Sir Terepai on radio apportioning […]

Willing to pay for stupidity?

Thursday 27 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Yeah, me again. I read the news re: Ngatangiia candidate and his gang “demanding” he stand again. What a joke. Yes, he is a bully, and like any bully, he can’t see the wood for the trees”. But you gotta hand it to Porter and crew. That surely must be the con-job of […]

More Toa-ing and froing

Thursday 27 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Some comments on Porter’s explanations as reported in the CI News on May 22: 1. When it established its depot in the 1960s Mobil had a monopoly on the fuel business, thus government felt justified in introducing price control, hence the Fuel Price Template which allowed Mobil to sell its fuel on a […]