Opinion

Kata - April 3, 2010

Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Kata

Probe, please

Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, A couple of months after the end of the Pacific Mini Games I posed the question, through your paper, asking when the public would be able to obtain details on the exact amount of money spent on these games, how and where the money was spent and who got what. In response, government […]

'Best squad' the priority

Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Obviously ‘2 netballers’ saw none of the games at last year’s World Youth Netball Championships, to appreciate the standard and quality of player competing at the international level. Despite wanting to give international competition to local players, CINA and the national selectors and coaches know that there are harsher and starker realities. ‘2 […]

Crackdown

Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

Patrols manning checkpoints around the island this long weekend will be searching cars and pickups – both front and back seats – for any evidence that Easter eggs have been eaten prior to Easter morning this Sunday. The evidence could be either empty foil wrappers left inside vehicles, or chocolate on fingers, door knobs and […]

Kata - April 1, 2010

Thursday 1 April 2010 | Published in Kata

PM holding us to ransom

Thursday 1 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This country is in so much trouble in so many ways and one person is holding the country to ransom for his own selfish reasons: A prime minister with no integrity, leadership and guts. Through out Maruari’s term as prime Minister of this country, he has maintained his hold on the prime minister’s […]

Wake up, Demos

Thursday 1 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I cannot believe how pathetically the Executive for the Democratic Party is behaving. How can they endorse and support Terepai Maoate who is an old man who disregarded Sunday flights, ignored his promise to review the Sunday flights, drove our economy into the mess by committing us to Chinese loans, gave BTIB the […]

Materials doubled up

Wednesday 31 March 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: “Three weeks ago Wilkie arrogantly boasted in the media about his government’s intentions for a cyclone recovery plan for Aitutaki. The business sector of Aitutaki mobilised to purchase basic building materials – timber, iron roofing and cement – expecting government to purchase from them as part of its plan to stimulate […]

Kata - March 31, 2010

Wednesday 31 March 2010 | Published in Kata

What is government doing about the mess?

Wednesday 31 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was very concerned to read about this islander who will never return due to departure taxes being doubled in price. Why should people be paying $50 when there is nothing at all to do on our beautiful island? Before it was guests arguing about the departure tax, and now it’s our very […]

Sour grapes over netball selections

Wednesday 31 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Last Friday evening I went to watch the netball trials for the Pacific Series held by CINA. Out of the seven players selected and announced in Tuesday’s newspaper, only two players I think deserved to get in the team but the rest I have reservations about. My question to the selectors – what […]

Justice for all

Tuesday 30 March 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: “While reading the newspaper court report, one matter that came to my attention was a male adult pleading guilty to careless driving and who to my understanding had been drinking and was only fined a total of $70. One Sunday afternoon my friend was stopped by police and fined a total […]

Kata - March 30, 2010

Tuesday 30 March 2010 | Published in Kata

Departure tax puts off returning islander

Tuesday 30 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, What’s up with this $55 Cook Islands departure tax? I am writing to strongly voice my concern and disappointment about the increase in the Cook Islands departure tax. I have just recently returned from the Cook Islands after a fantastic week and the half holiday on Rarotonga with 30 of my extended family […]

Women suffer while govt idle

Tuesday 30 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Right now women who work for government receive six weeks of pay for maternity leave when they have their baby. The same can’t be said for women who work in the private sector. They have absolutely no maternity protection under the law. Women in the private sector are being treated like second class […]

A shambles

Tuesday 30 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Tourism is in a shambles! The question I ask is, why can’t the Minister of Tourism Robert Wigmore see that Tata Crocombe and those board members with hotel/motel ownership, similar to Tata, have huge conflicts of interest. The tourism community and public Joe Bloggs can easily see it, but somehow it’s inv- isible […]

Don't lose sight of your best asset

Monday 29 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor As a bit player in Cook Islands tourism, I have been dismayed at the turmoil and turnover within the local tourism board. It is apparent that the views of a few are taking precedence over the best interests of the tourism industry and the islands in general. While I understand that a catchy […]

Solving the Toagate saga

Monday 29 March 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Well Triad’s boss Chris was my hero for taking on Toa and the uncle and nephew tag team, but then the latest revelations hit the press,” writes a smoke signaller. “If Chris had not made the challenge then we the people would now own a fuel farm with a just about to expire lease and […]

Kata - March 29, 2010

Monday 29 March 2010 | Published in Kata

Think about dry vegetable matter for energy

Monday 29 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Seeing you are not averse to publishing some of my letters, I feel moved to throw this quite topical one in. During my 30 years of aviation contributing more than my fair share of carbon to the atmosphere I also learned some basic science that helps me to see related issues clearly. Out […]