Opinion
No place for diminished views
Saturday 18 March 2023 | Written by Thomas Tarurongo Wynne | Published in Opinion
Anti-Asian rhetoric and diminished views of others based on race or prejudice has no place in our country, in our churches, across our tables or online, writes Thomas Tarurongo Wynne.
LETTER TO EDITOR: The number of cars on the island
Friday 17 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, In reply to the nameless letter “Redesigning our CBD” I would like to clarify a couple of things in this letter: Rarocars has only just taken over using this section. Very few if any trees have been cut down from this section since Herbie Pemberton had the lease in the 1990s. Almost without exception those people who complain about the number of cars on the island already have a car themselves ... I would also like to see fewer cars on the road but don’t those people who currently don’t have cars have the right to own a car? Regards, Don Carlaw Director Rarocars
LETTER TO EDITOR: Sheraton ‘back road’ proposal
Thursday 16 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, So the pikika’a has started! The new MP for Titikaveka justifying the new back road behind the Sheraton hotel site, through Vaimaanga and linking with the main road further down on the other end of the village (CITV local news, 14th March 2023), because of future main road flooding due to sea level rise. But isn’t the real reason for putting in the new back road is because Chris Vaile wants access to the beach site in front of his new hotel development? The entire length of beach is covered with huge boulders as rock revetment (which were originally put in by Government exactly to stop sea level rise!). But close the road to the public anyway, and inconvenience them having to drive all that extra way around the back, and say it is for their own good. The new MP’s logic is similar to that which he used to rip out all those fantastic old Toa trees at Takitumu School, because they were a safety hazard, yeah right! (Name and address supplied)
Water – the most essential nutrient
Wednesday 15 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Opinion, Pet Talk
We have had a bit of rain, at last, after a month or so of hot weather. During that hot weather we had a group of British volunteers working at Te Are Manu. They were great; enthusiastic, talented and very knowledgeable. But not very heat tolerant.
LETTER TO EDITOR: ‘PM should be held responsible’
Tuesday 14 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, Wouldn’t you think that when 62 per cent of the voters said yes to the cannabis referendum during the 2022 general election on August 1 to allow for research and medicinal use that the Government would want to make life easier for patients arriving in our nation with a legal prescription for medicinal cannabis products?
Life is not a fairytale …
Monday 13 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Opinion
The problem with Disney fairytales is that after abandonment abuse bullying and slavery, the young helpless girl is saved by a young handsome man with a sword but no other real-life skills. He does not have a job or his own house, he is still living at home with his parents in the castle, writes Ruta Mave.
LETTER to Editor: Redesigning our CBD
Monday 13 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, The recent comments from our locals after the central business district (CBD) of Avarua was overrun with hundreds of cruise-ship passengers taking over the CBD made interesting reading. People noted the many visitors walking in the street as if streets were made for people and not cars.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Cannabis confusion ‘falls squarely on the shoulders of Customs’
Saturday 11 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, I write in regards to Thursday’s front page article about “Border confusion continues: Police, Customs at odds over cannabis importation”. The reason for all the confusion falls squarely on the shoulders of Customs because in our Narcotics Act it states on page 49 that, “This Act is administered by the Ministry of Health”. And there is a provision in the MOH Act, Part 5,23- # (7) that as long as all the criteria is met it is legal to import personally prescribed medicinal cannabis products.
Protecting life in the high seas
Saturday 11 March 2023 | Written by Thomas Tarurongo Wynne | Published in Features, Opinion
We must find that balance to utilise and protect our environment, our seas, our land, our fish, our forests and our seabed, because this has been how we as people of the Moana have maintained and sustained ourselves for generations, writes Thomas Tarurongo Wynne.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Some questions for CIIC …
Friday 10 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, I have some questions for CIIC (Cook Islands Investment Corporation), regarding the new plan for the market, and thought a public forum like the paper would a good format to do this, so everyone concerned can get the answers they need. I understand all stallholders (arts, crafts, and advertising for tourism) are being moved to the new location, past the current huts into the park, and all food vendors are heading to the old playground.
Religion and science: World in fear, turmoil, confusion and uncertainty
Friday 10 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Church Talk, Features, Opinion
We can only save our world full of fear, turmoil, confusion and uncertainty when the union between the Bible and Science is strongly intact, integral and intimate, writes Apostolic Church head Bishop Tutai Pere, BA, LTh, M.B.E.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Extent of negativity ‘disgusting’
Thursday 9 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, I cannot believe the extent of negativity I’m reading on this trail regarding Jack Ma’s visit to our island and judgements passed based on hearsay and assumption. All you need to do is read up on Mr Ma’s Foundation and the huge financial support the foundation has given that spans over almost 10 years (and I’m not talking $millions, but $billions) to support education for teachers and students in the most rural and remote areas, funding for women empowerment, created thousands of jobs, helped eradicate poverty in China and then in 2020 spent millions on research towards a cure for COVID-19.
LETTER: ‘Unlawful and misguided act’
Tuesday 7 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, The phrase above the law describes a person who is exempt from following the rules or at least thinks he or she is exempt. Usually a person who is above the law has a very high government position or a lot of power.
RUTA MAVE: Women in the Cook Islands need to rise up for their rights
Monday 6 March 2023 | Written by Ruta Tangiiau Mave | Published in Opinion
Sunday was children day and Wednesday is Women’s Day. When is men’s day? Everyday. Move on, writes Ruta Mave.
Thomas Tarurongo Wynne: ‘We need to be better prepared’
Saturday 4 March 2023 | Written by Thomas Tarurongo Wynne | Published in Opinion
Ka anoano ia tatou kia papa no teia au ra ki mua – As the waters subside back to their usual levels and the devastation has been left bare, we are all here left with this residual feeling – a lingering awakening that we all need to be better prepared.
Te Ipukarea Society: Biodegradable FADs and the purse seine fishery in the Cook Islands
Saturday 4 March 2023 | Written by Te Ipukarea Society | Published in Opinion
A one-day stakeholder consultation at the Crown Beach Resort in Rarotonga was held to discuss an upcoming project related to tuna fisheries in the region.
The big problem at Air NZ
Thursday 2 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in National, Opinion, Tourism
Kiwis trying to book a trip to Rarotonga will be frustrated with reduced flights to Rarotonga. On many days the airline is now only flying one daytime flight from Auckland to the Cook Islands, which was an astonishing $1800 return when I tried to book for June this year, writes Brook Sabin of Stuff.
PET TALK: Cattle are extraordinary
Wednesday 1 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Opinion, Pet Talk
Cattle are multipurpose. They can produce meat and milk, and make excellent tractors. They pull ploughs, they tow trailers. They harvest their own fuel and provide fertiliser in return for fuel, writes Te Are Manu clinic medical director Dr Michael Baer.
Letter to Editor: Dog owners ‘are the problem’
Wednesday 1 March 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, Dog owners need to take responsibility for their part of not taking care of their dogs! (‘Stop dog culling’: SPCA threatens to leave Dog Committee if shooting doesn’t stop, February 24, 2023). They end up roaming and causing chaos for all!
Tender for road works
Tuesday 28 February 2023 | Written by Supplied | Published in Letters to the Editor, Opinion
Dear Editor, Good to see the roads being sealed but I never seen any tender for this clean up job. Come on e Garth (Henderson, Financial Secretary), come on e Arapati, eaa teia angaanga repo. Why no tender. I think same thing happen for the Ngatangiia and Avatiu valley roads before the election. No tender too. Na kotou rai e aati ta kotou ture. E kino tikae teia tu.