Opinion

CIP clears up 'misconceptions'

Wednesday 10 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to state for the record the following in order to clear up any misconceptions about the true CIP position on a range of current issues. First, the CIP has not merged nor is about to merge with the Democratic Party. We have no need to do that, especially at this point […]

No second chances

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“The police can plead for a stop to drink driving and the loved ones of those killed can hope as well,” writes a smoke signaller, “but until the court locks offenders up in prison on the first offence it is just not going to stop. Forget the tears over the family that will be disadvantaged […]

Answers and repairs, please

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Can the HOM of ministry of infrastructure and planning please advise the public when the road works department will repair the roads in both Tupapa and Ngatangiia which were recently dug up to lay some power cables and water pipes? My car has taken a battering every time I drive over these roads. […]

Kata - March 9, 2010

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | Published in Kata

Helmets won't stop a neck breaking

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I take my hat off to Nga Puna big time. Realistically a crash helmet will not be able to prevent a motorcyclist’s neck from breaking, and losing one’s life. Understandably young motorcyclists would overlook the speed limit, and with the crash helmets on they are unable to physically experience the actual speed with […]

Count the deaths

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, When I was principal at Tereora College a few years back, I strongly encouraged the wearing of bike helmets on the Island. With the support of our Board of Trustees, the Road Safety Council, Cooks Transport and many others, we accessed helmets which the students were able to purchase at heavily subsidised prices. […]

Police need to re-focus strategies

Tuesday 9 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I do not want to be too critical of the work our police are doing but I believe that they could be more effective in discouraging drivers to stop drinking and driving than what is happening at the moment. To me it is pointless stopping/checking the vehicles of every tom, dick and harry […]

Egg numbers don't stack up – Scotts Farm

Monday 8 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am replying to CITC’s response on the egg sales situation. What would be really enlightening at this time is to hear from the egg consumers because they are the ones mostly affected. Some other observations: 1) If, as they state, our weekly supplies into the CITC Food Group comprises just 40% of […]

Island leader praises T&M

Monday 8 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would like to thank the Heather Families of Arorangi, Rarotonga, for the great support and work they are giving to help the people of Aitutaki from the devastation caused by Cyclone Pat. I say thank you and thank you again many times. Your men or operators are great. They know their jobs, […]

Leaders emerging who know how to run businesses

Monday 8 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, When people complain to me about the CI government I point out that there are a lot of bigger countries with much worse ones. However, one thing does occur to me and it concerns the type of person who is selected for the job. The Cooks is really a small player in the […]

Stop mafia type control by the party executives

Monday 8 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, If the politicians won’t do it – what about the people? One of the most consistent political reform changes the Cook Island people ask for is fewer politicians. The politicians are obviously not going to allow this to happen and due to our flawed constitution they control everything and will simply ignore the […]

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 […]

'We are not at any serious risk'

Monday 8 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The comments from Emergency Management Cook Islands (Saturday’s CI News) saying they were justified in alerting the island by door knocking, sirens, and horns blowing etc and getting everyone to run to high ground at around 2am when the ETA of any perceived threat was now over six hours away, just shows their […]

Kata - March 8, 2010

Monday 8 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 […]

Kata - March 6, 2010

Saturday 6 March 2010 | Published in Kata

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]