Opinion

Promises, promises

Thursday 24 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Perhaps people need to ask what the new Demo candidate for Mauke has done since leaving his post as councillor for Manukau City in NZ. One must wonder, what happened to the promises he made to everyone during his campaign for councillor in NZ? Must admit Mr Ka from Melbourne is not far […]

Mind your own backyard

Thursday 24 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to make some comments with regards to Teuira Ka’s letter to the editor because it’s sickening and he talks as if he is a born and bred Maukean. Teuira, leave Mauke alone for us Maukeans to talk about. Do you have no better things to do but criticise the efforts of […]

Paradise recovering

Tuesday 22 June 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Aitutaki is recovering in good spirits from their devastation from Cyclone Pat,” a smoke signaller says. “Around the island a number of families are in tents but still happy to wave and talk to visitors who stop by. With the world in such turmoil, there are a lot of places you would rather not be […]

Kata - June 22, 2010

Tuesday 22 June 2010 | Published in Kata

Rasmussen's tax plan unpopular

Tuesday 22 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was astounded to read in Cook Islands News on Monday that Minister Rasmussen in addition to intervening in tax matters is planning on giving a policy to banks which will ‘protect people who are struggling to pay their mortgages’. Who does he think he is? The sole shareholder of Westpac and ANZ? […]

Special combo pack

Monday 21 June 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

Raro sandwich boards suddenly got more interesting as seen in the photo at right! Either someone was having a little fun with a piece of chalk and changed the last letter from K to N (or first letter from C to P), or maybe this shop is advertising that they’ve got an internet caf inside. […]

Kata - June 21, 2010

Monday 21 June 2010 | Published in Kata

CIP meeting call

Monday 21 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor I have no wish to debate Cook Islands Party (CIP) matters for the RAPPA puna anywhere else but in a meeting of the puna. Again all CIP supporters in the RAPPA electorate are cordially invited to come to the meeting this Tuesday evening in front of Mama Uritaua’s home. That’s where we will […]

Hospital service praised

Monday 21 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Having just returned from a holiday in the Cook Islands, I should like to compliment the doctor and nurses who attended to me at the Rarotonga Hospital. The service I received was excellent from both Dr Voi Solomone and the treatment nurses. I can’t speak too highly of the care from the staff […]

Aito usage questioned

Monday 21 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor What’s wrong with using the Maori language of Rarotonga? While it’s good to see young Cook Islanders getting fit through paddling, can someone please explain the relevance of the term aito to this water sport? Aito in the Maori language of Rarotonga is either an eagle or a nuisance. In Mangaia aitoa means […]

Graham questioned

Monday 21 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, If Mr Graham has to go back and check his previous articles, then he may realise that I was only raising issues that he has openly deemed to have quoted in the Cook Islands News. I am not going to entertain Mr Graham by reminding him what he said in his previous articles, […]

Worried about dog hit by bus

Saturday 19 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor I had an absolute great time at the island recently and loved your wonderful country. However on the shuttle to the airport from Vara’s I experienced a very sad and awful event. I have inquired about the follow up with Cathy Sue (at Esther Honey), but just wanted to inform you about this […]

Telecom responds on Aitutaki mobile gripe

Saturday 19 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor In response to your smoke signal of June 18, I agree that Aitutaki mobile services are currently not fine (but I don’t recall us claiming that they were). We have had sub-standard mobile services on Aitutaki for some considerable time, and this was made worse by the damage caused by Cyclone Pat in […]

Robbing and stealing

Saturday 19 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Te akama iteia tu,te keia nei rai tatou i te iti tangata,te tangi,ka peke kite papaa kare o tatou enua akaou,te ta akama nei kotou ite ipukarea e te itingata So ashamed, we are still robbing/stealing our own people. So embarrassed, the papaa will be in possession of our lands again. We are […]

Interference not appreciated

Saturday 19 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, What is Temu Okotai trying to prove? Temu Okotai has been interfering with several CIP constituencies on Rarotonga in recent months. What he is doing? Some of the CIP executives are following in the footsteps of what is happening in the Demo camps. For RAPA Cook Islands Party constituency, do not meddle and […]

That's a short one

Saturday 19 June 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

Those who enjoy an early morning walk or late afternoon paddle but notice the sun rising later in the morning and setting earlier in the evening will be happy to know that tomorrow is the shortest day and longest night of the year for us in the Southern Hemisphere. The Winter Solstice is the moment […]

Tav's tax and the minister

Saturday 19 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor This week’s revelation that a supposedly successful business called Tav Ltd owes tax and is in the process of being sold up by the Inland Revenue Department (CI News June16 and 18) is interesting for two reasons. The first is that the position is not told from the tax department’s viewpoint. The second […]

Thanks from salsa teachers

Saturday 19 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor We are Ismael and Merce, the Spanish salsa teachers. We were in your country for a few weeks and we want to give to the people of Rarotonga our best . We have visited other islands of the pacific, like Fiji, Tonga and Tahiti, and in all places the people were so friendly […]

Airport board asked to explain

Saturday 19 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Could the airport CEO or airport Board please explain why a former board member and a very minor land owner at that, is being brought over from NZ at Airport expense i.e. is being paid return air tickets for herself and a chaperone to travel from Auckland to Raro and back to open […]

Whatever happened to political reform Mr PM?

Saturday 19 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Whatever happened to the political reform that the PM was promoting in January of this year? After the PM’s world came crashing down on him with the Toagate scandal and the resignation of the majority of Democrats, the PM needed to take away the public’s attention from his competence. For six years the […]