Opinion

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 […]

'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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

Kata - March 4, 2010

Thursday 4 March 2010 | Published in Kata

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. […]

Why stress over tsunamis?

Thursday 4 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, To avoid unnecessary anxiety, time, widespread panic and effort being spent by officials and concerned people trying to work out appropriate areas where people can possibly flee to in the event of an approaching tsunami, perhaps we first need to ascertain whether Rarotonga and her sister islands are in fact vulnerable to tsunamis. […]

Support loans to MPs defended

Wednesday 3 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would like to respond to the article that was published in Cook Islands News on February 4 concerning Sir Terepai Maoate and his Member of Parliament son, Terepai Maoate Jnr. My name is Emi Marsters and I am the manageress of the Paradise Cove, the Aitutaki company owned by the Maoate family. […]

Destruction of our roads must stop

Wednesday 3 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This letter is regarding the upgrading of our water system by the Ministry of Infrastructure and planning. The recent work in Harley street and Tupapa has prompted me to write this letter. What I would like to know is, when the contracts for doing the water mains and pipes around the island are […]

Bring helmets law in, stop mucking around

Wednesday 3 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The helmet issue has now reared its ugly head again, due to several accidents on motor bikes that have caused death or serious injury. The Tereora school teacher that lead the petition that helped sway the MPs on the Law and Order Committee, along with those MPs who changed their minds and recommended […]

Well cared for

Wednesday 3 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We would like to offer praise to Teava and Lisa Iro for their calm and efficient handling of us, their tenants, in the tsunami crisis on Saturday morning. Not until they were sure that we were safe at the AOG church in Titikaveka, did they continue with their rounds of other beach dwellings. […]

Helmets aren't a magical solution

Wednesday 3 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Again the imposition of a compulsory helmet law for everyone is being touted as a magical solution to the carnage on our roads. As Nga Puna rightly points out, this is not an appropriate solution and there are many other factors that need to be addressed. Of course it is very sensible to […]

We need a 'real' recovery plan

Wednesday 3 March 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Saturday’s tsunami scare highlighted that we have a problem – we have a dire need for a formal disaster recovery plan to prepare our people and our visitors for tsunami. Proposed solution: 1. Disaster Recovery Plan at village level. 2. A requirement for all accommodators to have a plan in place for their […]