Opinion

Kata - April 29, 2010

Thursday 29 April 2010 | Published in Kata

Coco Putt deserves a licence

Thursday 29 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am writing in regards to the issuing of a new liquor licence. People who set up the new business called Coco Putt put a lot of money and dreams into their new venture, and then are denied a restaurant liquor licence, which is needed by the business to succeed. I know Tokerau […]

Health system unfair

Thursday 29 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to voice my disappointment at our national health system in regards to an issue when my son and daughter in-law were blessed with a beautiful baby girl in March this year at the Rarotonga hospital. They were told to pay $1000 for their week’s stay in hospital, added to that they […]

New jetty questioned

Wednesday 28 April 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“How can it be justified for $2 million to be spent on a new jetty for cruise ship tender boats that will only be used a couple of times a year?” a smoke signaller asks “What about spending that money on roads and sewerage and other more immediate needs? It’s like a man whose house […]

Give board a fair go

Wednesday 28 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, There has been a lot of recent criticism of the Tourist Authority Board and its chairman but the persons on this board are undoubtedly the most capable and experienced we have available on the island. Some of the criticism is coming from people with a vested interest in seeing change or other people […]

Reciprocal friendship for New Zealanders

Wednesday 28 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, No country in the whole world welcomes and financially assists the Cook Islands more than New Zealand. So what about some special reciprocation for our Kiwi friends and relations? Give New Zealanders your thanks and encouragement by helping their citizens exclusively, because of who they are, as they do for you. Invite all […]

We're in a 'perilous position'

Wednesday 28 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The Cook Islands has been put in a perilous position by the Tourism Board, as it moved to reprimand Unique Tourism Collection (UTC) over Christopher de Doby’s letter to the industry. The board has acted hastily and incorrectly on many counts. The letter was not anonymous, as claimed. It was directed at Tata […]

A bit bogged out

Wednesday 28 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am writing in response to “Man with a ‘beef’ lets rip”.Yes, Steve Boggs let rip alright. A big fat smelly one. And I’m a bit bogged out by it. Can he please just get over himself and let the Minister of Finance do his job. Does he not appreciate that there is […]

CISNOC 'circus' claims answered

Wednesday 28 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Events at CISNOC (Cook Islands Sport and National Olympic Committee) since the Pacific Mini Games have been nothing short of a circus. This outfit seems to have turned into a defacto office for former CIP hacks and has-beens. The grandstanding President is now off to Europe for another junket being a world conference […]

Kata - April 28, 2010

Wednesday 28 April 2010 | Published in Kata

Kata - April 27, 2010

Tuesday 27 April 2010 | Published in Kata

Man with a 'beef' let's rip

Tuesday 27 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, John Woods is right, I got a beef! I got a beef with anyone who praises Wilkie Rasmussen or any other member of cabinet, both past and present who would front up in court regarding Toagate, but doesn’t blast them all for agreeing to such a foolish idea in the first place. All […]

'Sheraton' detail refuted

Tuesday 27 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write regarding the letter ‘Sheraton worse than Toagate’ by Jacqui Evans in yesterday’s Cook Islands News. 1. Where on earth did Evans get the b.s. from? 2. I have never been a Minister of Tourism and as a person educated in legal matters would never sign a contract binding Cabinet or the […]

2 faces of Tangaroa

Monday 26 April 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

The logo for the new Rules of Attraction reality dating show (above) is neat: it can be seen as two Tangaroa faces looking at each other – in keeping with the theme – but stare at it a while and it could be a single Tangaroa face looking straight at you. Cook Islands Tourism has […]

Kata - April 26, 2010

Monday 26 April 2010 | Published in Kata

Our hopes are dashed

Monday 26 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The Tight Five have been in control for four and a half months. How hopeful some of us were when they took over. How wrong. Except for replacing the Secretary of Finance with a competent person, what have they achieved? They have turned the future of our back-bone industry over to one resort […]

Why the barrage?

Monday 26 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I, like many people with an interest in tourism, went to the public meeting held by the tourism board. I have to admit that when I went in, I was slightly pessimistic as to the outcome. I am ashamed to say that after reading so much in the news about how bad everything […]

'Sheraton' worse than 'Toagate'

Monday 26 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It’s nonsense that Toagate is the “worst financial blunder that has ever been made by a Cook Island politician since self-government” as claimed by letter-writer “E Tu e Ara e taku Iti tangata”. I don’t condone the actions that lead to the Toagate debacle, but we should never forget what got us into […]

Kata - April 24, 2010

Saturday 24 April 2010 | Published in Kata

Letter writer upset

Saturday 24 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am writing this letter to let your readers know that I have written a letter to your newspaper in order to respond to Wilkie Rasmussen’s last wrongful and false accusations against me, but Cook Islands News refused to print my letter. John Woods, managing editor of the Cook Islands News, said my […]