Opinion

More tourists are not the answer, yet

Thursday 8 April 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“It’s not surprising to note that the composition of the Tourism Board is made up of hard core tourism operators,” writes a smoke signaller. “Their motives are clearly profit-driven as entrepreneurs and increasing tourism numbers is good for them. What about the rest of us? Don’t we know that tourism on one hand supports our […]

We're worlds apart, Mr Prime Minister

Wednesday 7 April 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: “Mr Prime Minister, while you sleep soundly under a nice roof in your Rarotonga home, the people of Aitutaki sleep in their homes under a tarpaulin roof. While you sleep soundly in the comforts of your private room in your government house, the people of Aitutaki sleep in damaged buildings with […]

Nice place, shame about the politics

Wednesday 7 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Kia orana, te iti tangata and all others that read this, Having recently returned from lovely Rarotonga, back in the cooler climate of where I am now, I gotta say yes, still an awesome place to be, shame about the sacked MP who just won’t get the hint. Think about it, is there […]

Do things ever change?

Wednesday 7 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Kia Orana, There’s an old saying “The more things change, the more they stay the same” and never more so than right now it seems. The latest news to come out of Rarotonga regarding the recent departures from Cook Islands Tourism must be extremely disappointing for the industry as a whole. The same […]

Kata - April 7, 2010

Wednesday 7 April 2010 | Published in Kata

Showcasing the visiting Japanese group

Tuesday 6 April 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A Rarotonga resident writes about the Japanese group that’s in town showcasing and sharing their martial arts prowess and their ballet dance: “The photo on the front page of the Cook Islands News of the young girl was fantastic – what amazing form she has! But I thought it was really sad that they had […]

People our biggest asset

Tuesday 6 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I totally agree with Papa Mike in regard to the people of the Cook Islands being our/your best asset…I love the people. My family. Who, no matter what is happening in the world, won’t stop smiling. The little people, who work hard for next to nothing, still smile. Who, after working for a […]

Do nothing, say nothing

Tuesday 6 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, One of the reasons families continue to leave the Cook Islands and have given up on our beautiful island is because they can’t stomach what a complete and total joke the Marurai government is. A recent example is, Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen stating in the Cook Islands News, “it’s likely government will no […]

Thank you from Aitutaki

Tuesday 6 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, George “Maggie” Angene was amongst the first volunteers who came to Aitutaki in the wake of the Cyclone Pat disaster. George Maggie offered his assistance free of charge to Aitutaki families who needed some help with rebuilding their damaged homes. Maggie’s experience with limestone buildings came in very useful in Aitutaki. The first […]

Call for free meals

Tuesday 6 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I’m letting the Cook Islands know that T&M Heather have breakfast and lunch provided for their employees – how great is that? Tourism Cook Islands on a whole can learn from this company. Tourism operators throughout the world always provide staff with complimentary meals but for some reason tourism Cook Islands as a […]

Think carefully about tourism

Tuesday 6 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Congratulations to ‘Papa Mike’ for his letter on Monday March 29. We would like to add our comments to his. As repeat visitors to these beautiful islands, we agree with his views. We have been coming to the Cook Islands over the last ten years and have seen changes that are inevitable. But, […]

'Rip-off' profits paid by consumers

Tuesday 6 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Telecom is a rip-off. To watch and listen to the posturing by the CEO on TV the other night makes me sick. Telecom makes millions of dollars a year profit from the customers in the Cook Islands. How do we know this? Study the various budget books put out by government over the […]

Kata - April 3, 2010

Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Kata

Probe, please

Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, A couple of months after the end of the Pacific Mini Games I posed the question, through your paper, asking when the public would be able to obtain details on the exact amount of money spent on these games, how and where the money was spent and who got what. In response, government […]

'Best squad' the priority

Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Obviously ‘2 netballers’ saw none of the games at last year’s World Youth Netball Championships, to appreciate the standard and quality of player competing at the international level. Despite wanting to give international competition to local players, CINA and the national selectors and coaches know that there are harsher and starker realities. ‘2 […]

Crackdown

Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

Patrols manning checkpoints around the island this long weekend will be searching cars and pickups – both front and back seats – for any evidence that Easter eggs have been eaten prior to Easter morning this Sunday. The evidence could be either empty foil wrappers left inside vehicles, or chocolate on fingers, door knobs and […]

Kata - April 1, 2010

Thursday 1 April 2010 | Published in Kata

PM holding us to ransom

Thursday 1 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This country is in so much trouble in so many ways and one person is holding the country to ransom for his own selfish reasons: A prime minister with no integrity, leadership and guts. Through out Maruari’s term as prime Minister of this country, he has maintained his hold on the prime minister’s […]

Wake up, Demos

Thursday 1 April 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I cannot believe how pathetically the Executive for the Democratic Party is behaving. How can they endorse and support Terepai Maoate who is an old man who disregarded Sunday flights, ignored his promise to review the Sunday flights, drove our economy into the mess by committing us to Chinese loans, gave BTIB the […]

Kata - March 31, 2010

Wednesday 31 March 2010 | Published in Kata