Opinion
It's taken 4 years to 'embrace the future'
Monday 25 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, It’s about time Jim Marurai was actually leading the country. Good on you Mr Prime Minister, it should have happened a long time ago. Welcome into the new year also is Smiley Heather, Apii Piho, Wilkie Rasmussen and the new deputy prime minister Robert Wigmore. We can see all the changes in only […]
Political paranoia
Monday 25 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I loved Kata’s cartoon Saturday of the public pulling a stubborn donkey-like parliament towards reform. It makes me wonder why politicians fear reform. One obvious reason is because several outer islanders fear losing their seats because several constituencies will be combined into one under any rational plan. It takes a true patriot to […]
Reduce MPs to 15
Monday 25 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The political reform proposal is headed in a positive direction but still fails to address the need to reduce the number of MPs which most people want. We had a population of 24,000 with 24 MPs, now (due in a large part to their mismanagement), we have a population of 14,000. We simply […]
Jobs for the boys?
Monday 25 January 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
A signaller writes: “The DPM’s defence of the Seabed Minerals Commissioner’s qualifications required conveniently doesn’t extend to explaining why the applicant must have held appointed positions on local boards, held an elected office at some time (??), be a recognized leader (??), and have a background in commercial fishing or diving. Could there be a […]
Direct election of PM is dumb
Saturday 23 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Like a great majority of the people of this country, I believe that some political reform is long overdue and good for the country. I suppose any changes to old structures and processes and how people do things so as to better reflect the rapidly changing times is healthy. However, I strongly oppose […]
It's treason!
Saturday 23 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Despite all the advice from our constitutional lawyers, it still doesn’t take away the fact that what Marurai and his cronies have done in wrestling power from a democratically-elected government, is to commit a constitutional crisis and treason against Her Majesty the Queen’s government. The office of the Queen’s Representative has also been […]
Give the figures
Saturday 23 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Over the past few months there has been much public debate and political controversy surrounding the Toagate scandal. And rightly so. However, seeing that the country’s national financial situation is looking very grim, the finger of blame should not just point at those who pushed for the nationalisation of the country’s fuel. Some […]
Beware of seabed opportunism
Saturday 23 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, It is a real worry to all of us that are thinking clearly that one of the criteria for the job of commissioner to the Seabed Mining Authority requires the person to have held “elected office”. That can only mean one thing – a former MP. The Kata cartoon of former MPs Sir […]
Election year jitters, and now they're tainted
Friday 22 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I am happy with the Public Service Commissioner’s explanation, (CINews, Saturday January 16) that his visit to the Prime Minster on Sunday December 20, 2009, was not to add pressure to Prime Minister Marurai, to sack Sir Terepai Maoate KBE. In an earlier letter to your paper, I stated that the Prime Minister […]
Let the 5 rule till the election
Friday 22 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I think it is a fairer playing field if the current five cabinet ministers run the country now and during the election because they would not have a political party to join by then. By that conception the Demos and the CIPs cannot blame each other for being in government and abusing government […]
Revamp energy division
Friday 22 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I would like to add some comments to your recent articles about the recent works undertaken by the new National Energy Committee (NEC). Firstly, I do appreciate the work done by this committee to date with the recent release of their policy. I also welcomed Te Aponga Uira’s policy on ‘Net-Metering’. In my […]
Mou Piri is nonpolitical
Friday 22 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Mou Piri would like to clarify the position of our group. First we repeat we are nonpolitical. We especially did not form to support the aims of the Economic Task Force. We are a group of citizens concerned with our elected politicians continually refusing to act on what was clearly the people’s wishes […]
Tepuka road the same as in 1999
Friday 22 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I fully support the writer of ‘Open letter to the new minister’ dated January 18 regarding the state of Tepuka’s road. I was very saddened when I turned into Tepuka on the morning of Tuesday December 1 after just arriving from Auckland to see that the road situation had not improved a bit […]
Lord of the Flies back again
Friday 22 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, It’s me again, I’m starting to sound like a broken record. The flies are back. The sunset strip hotels in Arorangi are once again invaded by flies from the rubbish tip up behind Rarotonga Hospital. Sadly, my in-house guests don’t believe my explanations and point fingers at our restaurant for poor hygiene, etc. […]
Suggestions
Friday 22 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, When my husband and I came to Cook Islands four years ago for our honeymoon I felt very safe. Perhaps like other counties, maybe your hotels should have a security boxes at reception with your own key, and employee security at your hotels. These are only suggestions. Tracey Roy Australia
People are the highest authority
Friday 22 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Your letter writer ‘Guy Fawkes’ can complain but the least he/she could do is to research the topic well before going public. For example, he is wrong when he says that “Parliament of the Cook Islands is the highest authority of the country”. It is not. In fact, under the Westminster system of […]
What's the difference?
Thursday 21 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, We had a conversation on Sunday that I suspect is common wherever Cook Islanders meet this month. One of us asked, “What is the difference between the CIPs and the Demos?” Of course, one difference is that five Demos are running the government, but that aside, why should anyone vote for one or […]
Wealthy men, big business back PM?
Thursday 21 January 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I have been following the current political saga for the past three weeks. I can only say that I am offended at the casual indifference at how our constitution is disregarded by the public and certain NGOs. Parliament of the Cook Islands is the highest authority of the country. We all elect our […]
Why must Dean go?
Wednesday 20 January 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
“False words of courtesy can be nauseating,” a signaller writes. “After shoving Tourist Corporation’s Dean out the door, Crocombe purred faint praise: ‘The board is grateful for Dean’s contribution towards positive growth’. Positive growth? 2009 was the best year ever for tourism! Then, why must Dean go? Everyone knows that Tata still wants a Cook […]
Step up to the plate
Wednesday 20 January 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
Dear Editor, I do not know how others feel but it concerns me greatly that politicians are allowing Tata Crocombe to have increased influence in the way the country is now governed. This should not be the case. If Tata wants to poke his nose into government affairs and dictate how government should conduct itself […]
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