Smoke Signals
Pooches at the Palace
Monday 20 November 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
It was great to see the police dog patrols organised to round up wandering pooches around the Te Au O Tonga district was a success.
Bluesky workers go over and above the call of duty
Thursday 9 November 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
Congratulations are in order for Bluesky staff who have been working hard to ensure services are restored as soon as possible.
Give them medals
Friday 3 November 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
The crew of the Te Kukupa deserve congratulations for the rescue of a yachtsman they carried out in rough weather 390 nautical miles southwest of the Cook Islands this week. These guys, led by Tepaki Baxter, regularly put their lives on the line to save others. Well done, all of you! I reckon you deserve a medal.
Cheap roading fix
Thursday 2 November 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
A local wag has come up with an easy solution for filling the potholes that are rapidly proliferating around the island – fill them with purumu! Only trouble is, it would wash out in heavy rain –but then so do ICI’s patch repairs.
Information line hard to reach for some customers
Tuesday 31 October 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
You have to feel sorry for Bluesky in their current predicament following Friday’s fire at the Aroa cell site.
Minister looks a bit down during television interview
Monday 30 October 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
Did anyone else notice that Finance minister Brown looked rather crestfallen during a television interview about the government’s plans to pursue a seat on the United Nations?
New York her new home?
Monday 23 October 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
Congratulations to former Health secretary Elizabeth Iro for scoring such an exalted position. So where will the newly appointed Chief Nurse Officer to the World Health Organization be based? New York? Brisbane? Timbuktu?
Some taxing questions about outstanding tax
Wednesday 11 October 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
This signaller is wondering where or how the tax department gets their information on past tax that is outstanding.
No response from police command centre
Monday 9 October 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
Last week I saw a Facebook alert by police about a runaway and read that this guy was likely to commit more crimes while on the run.
It's time to be honest about obesity problems
Thursday 5 October 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
In his most recent Saturday column Thomas Wynne only seems to have woken up now after a test and has realised he is obese. But people don’t need to be tested to see if they are obese, because it’s usually blindingly obvious.
A close encounter of the worst kind
Thursday 28 September 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
Driver of the Week: The local person behind the wheel of a newish silver Suzuki 4WD who passed another car outside The Beachcomber Building on Monday at around 10.30 and came very close to running me over as I walked alongside the building – well off the road.
We can still do it
Tuesday 26 September 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
It’s not too late to change our gluttonous habit-causing non-communicable diseases. Fifty years ago our parents got us into the habit of raking rubbish before or after school. We ate home-cooked meals and exercised our bodies by growing fruits and veges in the garden. Why not bring back the rake, for our children of today?
New JPs raise the bar
Monday 25 September 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
The government of the day has to be congratulated for selecting highly intelligent, educated and capable people to be our new Justices of the Peace. They will certainly raise the bar (no pun intended) in the court rooms.
Aitutaki misses out
Friday 22 September 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
It is very disappointing to hear that the Aitutaki Ports Authority wasn’t authorised to exempt the port charge for the donated timber used in the playground that’s being built for the children of Aitutaki.
Toxic fires continue, despite obvious danger to health
Friday 15 September 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
It seems the message about burning tyres, and all sorts of other dangerous materials isn’t getting through at all.
A matter of cost
Thursday 14 September 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
Bluesky has reinstated CITV and Vaka to Aitutaki subscribers, but have halved the total number of programmes available. There’s no reduction of monthly fees though! They claim this is a result of costs to get signals to Araura Enua. Does this mean our phone and internet charges will also double?
'Response' a disgrace
Monday 11 September 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
For no-one to be attending any of those emergency response phone lines when the tsunami warning came, is just a national disgrace!
Aitutaki television-watchers left in the dark again
Monday 11 September 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
Last week a smoke signaller commented on the absence of the CI Herald from the island for the last few months.
Missing luggage no advertisement for service
Thursday 7 September 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
“I see Jetstar is celebrating 14 years of ‘service’,” a smoke signaller says.
Health ministers' meeting a non-stop food fest
Monday 4 September 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
We are the most obese nation in the world and one in three of our people have diabetes or heart problems.