Opinion

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 27, 2010

Saturday 27 March 2010 | Published in Kata

League deserves better

Saturday 27 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am not the least bit surprised that the Arorangi Rugby League Club has tabled a vote of no confidence in both the president of Cook Islands rugby league association, Charles Carlson, and his vice president, Navy Epati, for what they see as poor administration and management of the code by the two. […]

Third world psyche spoils hopes, dreams

Saturday 27 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, There is an insidious political culture in the Cook Islands that frustrates our social and economic progress. At the core of this culture is a national psyche that could be characterised as a lack of self belief, self confidence and ultimately self esteem. This national psyche manifests itself in the small minded politics […]

Jobs for 'boys'

Friday 26 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, With the appointment of Cassey Eggleton as a Minister, the coconut wireless has been running hot with talk of inducements and lolly offers from on high. All for the purpose of inducing some MPs to swap sides in order to further bolster their numbers. Watch this space for the creation of new posts […]

TV quality a turn-off

Friday 26 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Could the management of CITV please advise when the quality of the TV reception received around the island of Rarotonga will be improved? For the past few weeks the quality of CITV’s reception at my home in Turangi has been poor to say the least. In fact, it is getting worse by the […]

Kata - March 26, 2010

Friday 26 March 2010 | Published in Kata

Plea for small operators

Friday 26 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The recent resignations at Cook Islands Tourism Corporation are not a good thing. Both Glenda Tuaine and Chris Ingram were very competent in their respective roles, delivering the outputs expected by both Cook Islands Tourism and the tourism industry as a whole. As dedicated tourist ambassadors for this country, it is widely known […]

Cabinet asked to 'reign in' tourism board

Thursday 25 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, ‘Changes needed in tourism’ is a great headline and in my view is the best decision by the so-called tourism board. They should start with a mass resignation for the good of the industry and country. Tata, Dorice, Ewan, Robert, Thomas, Theresa, and Iaveta – get rid of your personal interests at these […]

Tourism brickbats and bouquets

Thursday 25 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor A bouquet to Sir Terepai. Well done for exposing this tourism tragedy which is what it is. A brickbat to the Tourism Board for allowing this to happen. When we are all in favour of “locals” for “local jobs” how do we allow two extremely talented and competent people to be lost to […]

Kata - March 25, 2010

Thursday 25 March 2010 | Published in Kata

Water wasting

Thursday 25 March 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“I’ve just been watching the local news asking us all once again, not to waste water, to use it wisely and with thought for those living on higher ground,” a smoke signaller writes. “The thought crossed my mind when I went to town last Saturday morning where I noticed two organisations offering car washes as […]

It's odd, absurd, obscene

Wednesday 24 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Please allow me to clarify some issues raised by Wilkie Rasmussen in his comments on Monday in your paper. Firstly it not an oddity to have a leader of a party elected openly and fairly by the representatives and delegates of each puna in the Cook Islands. This is democracy at work. The […]

Shocked by tourism resignations

Wednesday 24 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The shock resignations of the acting CEO of Tourism, Glenda Tuaine, and Cook Islands tourism NZ manager, Chris Ingram, have the potential to cause serious, long-term damage to Cook Islands Tourism Corporation. If we are not careful, these unfortunate resignations could actually undermine and threaten the unprecedented growth and success that the country’s […]

Parties first, broken promises

Wednesday 24 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Political parties always put themselves first and the Cook Islands Party has broken their promise again. They promised earlier not to hold up necessary funding in government. Now they are screaming that the present Cabinet is failing the people of Aitutaki. The CIP don’t care about Aitutaki, all they care about is forcing […]

Our minority govt is akin to Fiji

Wednesday 24 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Good to see that Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen is back in touch again after being ‘out of touch’ for over a week. Pity though that rather than addressing the important issues which I raised last week, he has concentrated on perverting the essence of my statements and thrown in some cheap personal comments […]

Quit the hypocrisy!

Wednesday 24 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Sir Terepai Maoate has the gall to blame good honest people Doesn’t he know that he was the cause of all the problems the current government is facing? Has the man got a conscience? He drove hard for government to buy Toa. Instead he hauled in a huge debt and lots of costly […]

Good on Wilkie for exposing rotten deal

Wednesday 24 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, If it is true what finance minister Wilkie Rasmussen explained on CITV earlier in the week in regards of how much this country’s really owes TOA petroleum, then good on him and this government for exposing the full story on the fuel farm debacle. The tax paying citizens of this country have every […]

An attempt at reform

Wednesday 24 March 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“It’s interesting that the PM in his letter of August 29 was trying to begin the process of political reform within the Demo Party, but it was obviously shot down by the Maoate/Tongia faction,” a smoke signaller writes. “Also interesting that the MPs refuse to answer any questions about reform, in fact they refuse to […]