Opinion

Lessons from 1960

Monday 8 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, A friend sent me a scanned copy of CI News dated 23 May 1960. It reported on the impact of a tsunami caused by an earthquake of 9.5 magnitude that was, also, near to Conception, Chile, where 2 million persons were left homeless. The US Geological Survey calls it the ‘largest earthquake in […]

Demo president confused, not true to party

Monday 8 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Many of us Democratic supporters are tired of Makiuti’s rendition in the newspapers about the Demo government. Can we ask Makiuti the following questions please: 1. Who is he to say that the PM will eventually be sacked from the party. He is not the party and there are many supporters out there […]

Kata - March 6, 2010

Saturday 6 March 2010 | Published in Kata

Good on govt – don't take China money

Saturday 6 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Probably after Kevin Cook I am the country’s second biggest critic when it comes to making sure that the roads of this country are of a decent standard, particularly in the capital Rarotonga. Relying almost entirely on the tourism industry to keep the country’s economy chugging along, it is critical that the country’s […]

Amazing claims

Friday 5 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It’s amazing to see the TCI boss accusing William Framhein of ‘unsubstantiated claims’ when TCI has been making ridiculous unsubstantiated claims for years to retain their monopoly. The same ridiculous claims that AT+T was making when it was rationalising its strangle hold on world telecommunications over 30 years ago. Free market without monopoly […]

Waiting for radio announcer to scream

Friday 5 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor With regard to the debate on helmets and their ability to “help” save lives, I ask one question: How can you disagree, and be intelligent at the same time? With regard to the tsunami alerts, I commend the Police Commissioner for his statements on Cook Islands Radio. He had the sense, and courtesy […]

Yes Minister!

Friday 5 March 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

When it comes to e-mails, it doesn’t get much better than this exchange. Outgoing FinSec Sholan Ivaiti sends a bulk farewell message (with the Einstein quote as reported this week in CINews) to heads of ministries and cc’s Wilkie Rasmussen, Prime Minister Jim Marurai etc. A few days later back comes a reply to Sholan […]

Leave the 'traitors' out

Friday 5 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, If Jim Marurai and his four ‘rebel’ Cabinet ministers Wigmore, Rasmussen, Heather and Piho are intending to stand at the next general elections, surely they do not expect to ride on the Demo Party campaign wagon? In the betrayal of the Demo Party last year, these five politicians have made the party and […]

Stand alone

Friday 5 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Can someone tell me why it’s necessary for the five members of cabinet to ‘form a new political party’ just because the two tired, old parties don’t want them. Why not run as independents? We expect to see more than a few independents run successfully in September even without the addition of the […]

Hope springs eternal

Friday 5 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Yesterday’s (March 4) article ‘NZ law change extends student loans to Cooks’ highlights the fact that the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau are acknowledged by the NZ Government as being within the REALM OF NEW ZEALAND and, as such, students living in this realm are entitled to receive interest-free loans. I submit that […]

'Fantastic experience'

Friday 5 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I personally would like to thank the Cook Island Police, our neighbours and friends surrounding the Seventh Day Adventist School in Titikaveka for their fantastic response on Saturday morning during the Tsunami warning and evacuation. Unlike ‘High Hopes’ in Wednesday’s newspaper, we had a completely fantastic experience. We too were the ‘house at […]

Why govt should take over

Friday 5 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In response to ’Get Real’ in last Saturday’s Cook Island News, may I suggest he or she GET REAL and look at what is happening to world economies, our economy, our country and our people as we reel in a recession not of our making. The saddest thing for me as a Cook […]

Sardines and overnight scientists

Thursday 4 March 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

If 1500 people were gathered on Hospital Hill and cars were crammed up the road like sardines, in a medical emergency how is the ambulance or someone hurrying up to the hospital on their vehicle going to get safe and fast access, asks a reader? “EMCI’s William Tuivaga helps to calm the public’s rattled nerves […]

TCI defends itself

Thursday 4 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to respond to William Framhein’s latest outburst claiming Telecom had no right to disclose details of the savings on his use of telecommunications, because he says, the information was personal. William claimed in CI News on February 25 that his January account did not reflect pricing changes announced by Telecom in […]

What insolence!

Thursday 4 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It’s wonderful Mr Ivaiti can so eloquently quote Einstein as he fades off into the sunset after being a major player in Toagate with “ no regrets” and “ leaving, a much more experienced and knowledgeable Cook Islander.” What insolence! Personally I sincerely hope that Audit can wipe the smugness from his face. […]

Still the carnage continues

Thursday 4 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Your correspondent Brian Coker is under the misapprehension that a compulsory helmet law is being touted as a “magical solution” to the carnage on our roads. There is no “magical solution”, although it would be rather magical if we could eliminate speeding, drink driving and all the “acts of complete insanity that one […]

Your news is wonderful

Thursday 4 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Once a week I read about the Rarotonga news online. Things over there seem to have improved with the schools and the government, but the drink driving people don’t seem to care about safety and it sad that family has to suffer. I know because some of my family have died from drink-driving. […]

Kata - March 4, 2010

Thursday 4 March 2010 | Published in Kata

One death is one too many

Thursday 4 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, If I had a magical solution to our horrific death rate here or anywhere else in the world I would have used it by now. But I haven’t! Helmets are not a magical cure to our deathly problem but they are one component in a whole mix of measures that need to be […]

Take note and check Tap's conclusions

Thursday 4 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, My congratulations to Tap Pryor for his letter about tsunami warnings. Since the Samoa tsunami, I have been telling a number of people the same thing but Tap’s use of the English language is vastly superior to mine. I do hope that those in authority take note and check up on Tap’s conclusions. […]