Smoke Signals
One gunner still firing
Monday 3 December 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes: “Reading the news the other day it was good to see we have one Member of Parliament in the opposition, Norman George, still alive and firing questions at the government ministers – especially when the ministers are spending more time overseas on taxpayers’ money than here in the Cook Islands. What is happening to the rest of the opposition members, are they still alive or dead? Go Cook Islands Party, make the most of it.”
Govt can't even answer public concerns
Saturday 1 December 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller rang in asking how Cabinet can be expected to answer Norman George’s questions. “How can Cabinet answer Norman George’s 27 questions when they can’t even respond to very important issues in our community? Government can’t even be bothered addressing public concerns, so how the hell are they going to answer these questions? Government is silent on numerous public outcries, so we will return the favour and be silent when it comes time to vote. In fact the way they are going, I don’t think this government will make it through the next election.”
Chasing cheaper island TV
Tuesday 20 November 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes from Aitutaki: “For several years to recent days Michael Henry, a businessman with ever-widening horizons towards greater things, has also supported Aitutaki people by providing, over-generously, with a free-to-air 24/7 TV service of TCM, NZTV1 and later Foxtel news, sports programmes of local events plus ESPN American/international sports. Now, Araura TV has fizzled out, but Nick and Mike’s 88FM radio station is ‘Booming’ and well received. At earlier dates Aitutaki TV proprietors raised some operating funds by way of TVthons and advertising for equipment power, pay-programmes etc. Multi-media TV via satellite is now expensive and unfortunately now people are obliged to pay/install SkyTel or TCI-Marama TV if they want to add such programmes to paying for DVD rentals. Old people, children (Cartoon Network), and hospital patients need modern entertainment, educational and regional TV but they may be deprived of TV before Christmas. Is there no one or an organised group of community-conscious people at Aitutaki resolute enough to negotiate/action an alternative, reduced costs TV service to all those who may pay less than the high installation charges for SkyTel or TCI-Marama? To Mike and his programmers, meitaki atupaka for past TV initiatives.
Banking on Cook Islands tourism
Thursday 15 November 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller wrote yesterday: “I just tried to ring the Bank of the Cook Islands this afternoon and lo and behold, someone at Cook Islands Tourism answered. I was a bit disorientated and said, ‘Um, Tourism, I just rang BCI’. The lovely lady over the phone replied, ‘Yes, this happens sometimes when the bank’s lines are busy, we get their overflow.’ WHAT!!!”
The parakoka boys
Wednesday 14 November 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes: “The Prime Minister and all Cabinet ministers have got the travel bug. As soon as Parliament is finished – with little work done – they all troop off to different parts of the globe. Henry Puna to Dubai, Teina Bishop to China, Nandi Glassie to Korea, Tom Marsters to who knows where, Mark Brown taking off soon, with only Teariki Heather holding the fort. Can someone from government please explain what benefit has this government gained from all the travels and spending of public money since 2010? Can the Opposition force government to show the people just how much public money is spent by each Cabinet minister and MP since 2010? The people have a right to know as it is public money, so we can judge for ourselves who the big spenders are. There is no transparency of public funds spent on travel by all ministers, MPs and even officials. Will the new Ombudsman and the Speaker release this information to the public?”
Flying north, east, south, west
Monday 12 November 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
“Our prime minister chuckling away with Norman George as pictured in Friday’s CINews, just before they shut parliament down until whenever, says it all,” a smoke signaller writes. “’Sorry everyone, we have some travelling to do’. What happened to our Cook Islands Party promise of 100 days of Parliament to complete all the bills waiting these many years – obviously just a joke to them, eh? That was one of their promises to do better than the Demos I think. Also in that article Mr Puna went on to use the old tried and untrue spin system of ‘O my God, it’s those tricky papaas raising uncomfortable questions again’. Get a life, Mr Puna, check the surnames of your confederates, relatives and your well-milked taxpayers. Move into the 21st century, you have a multi cultural society to deal with at your own risk. Isn’t it just a bit scary to think that the better we educate our young people, the less likely they are to absorb your antiquated beseeching to the people of Manihiki for one more election, instead of getting on with the business of Parliament?”
An architectural 'bad dream'
Saturday 10 November 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
“Swag it!’ was on the lips and t-shirts of many last week during the Sevens in Heaven tournament in Rarotonga. The eight people polled for last Saturday’s CINews ‘On the Street’ column gave a wide range of responses when asked what the term means, and one smoke signaller who said the word swag “has been bothering me” sent across a couple of pictures that he said were from a friend in San Francisco. The photos showed people wearing outfits that were, er, quite a few sizes too small with the accompanying caption ‘Swag, or plain old sad?’ The rumour-busting website Snopes.com said it is NOT true, as some have suggested, that the word swag originated as an acronym for the following: ‘Secretly We Are Gay; Souvenirs, Wearables And Gifts; Stuff We All Get; Stuff We Ain’t Got; Scientific Wild A*sed Guess; Stolen Without A Gun; and Sold Without A Guarantee.’
Will the jetty be open to the public?
Monday 5 November 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes: “I was one of many who were disappointed when we went to check out the new Arorangi jetty at the weekend. After such a colourful and well-publicised official opening, especially your excellent reports and photography, I couldn’t wait to see it for myself and walk out on the jetty. So I drove across the island on Saturday morning and drove to the entrance behind the Aroa Nui Hall. But the gaps between the school buildings were gated, chained and locked, and the kikau screen stuck all over it meant we couldn’t even peel through the gaps. I was one of several people who turned up for a look at the new wharf. It looked very much like members of the public were not welcome to visit and not allowed to wander out on this new facility. It also looked like the beach had been locked off after the night markets, and the only people allowed on the beach were the leftover crew still partying in one of the big tents. Can the Ports Authority and Arorangi Protectors of the Pier please let the working public know when we can gain access to the new wharf, and what hours/days will it be locked off?”
Shrinking school roll
Friday 2 November 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
“When I viewed the Ministry of Education website concerning the Mitiaro School it amazed me to read that the pupil/student roll is 54, with about four teachers,” a smoke signaller writes. “When was this updated? When the population is still migrating I was surprised to read the student population maintains its figures when in fact the number has decreased dramatically to around 43; when the eight students who left the island return, if so, as they are in that count. And the number of teachers has increased to six, including the principal; this is amazing because the population is decreasing as well as the number of students. In my opinion the lower number of students and higher number of teachers required is so they can MoE during official hours. Would someone at the Ministry of Education check this out?”
Six Sevens questions
Wednesday 31 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller emails across some questions about the Sevens in Heaven tournament which takes place in Rarotonga tomorrow, Friday and Saturday: “First of all, how come Titikaveka has two teams – I thought each village was only allowed 1 team? How many local players are in the Teimurimotia team? Are they a local team, or overseas players with local benchwarmers? I hope not. Is B for Bacon and is he even playing? It’s confusing for a Titikaveka supporter – I didn’t know about this until today’s paper! But I will support Bacon’s team if he is A or B; just let me know and can I wear my bulldogs singlet. Also, what happened to the girls’ teams – they gave us the most laughs and best games!” SS: This is not a quiz, but all the answers are within stories in the Sevens in Heaven supplement in today’s CINews.
Ministers on power trips
Monday 29 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
“It’s true!” a smoke signaller writes. “Te Aponga charges for substations and cables at costs so high that in some cases, not all, it forces people to leave their ipukarea. But don’t count on the CEO responding with the truth – that he can’t manage to run the power station as a standalone entity, even if it’s a monopoly– because PM Henry Puna and his Finance Minister Mark Brown need every cent to maintain their overseas trips and big government budgets. Big budgets to produce more and more environmental or energy paper policies so they can handshake and be photographed with every global leader and hope that they remember them. What for? Because they will be left with not a single legacy in their own country worth remembering except the type that people would most like to forget, like sovereign debt and empty homes. Instead, CEO Apii Timoti will respond that costs are going up and Te Aponga is facing hardship. Anything other than the truth and he’ll be looking for a new job. But spare a thought for those who can’t leave. Those who have no choice. They would have to borrow more money to get that substation built so Puna and Brown get an overseas trip on an interest free loan to Te Aponga.”
Righting a wrong
Thursday 25 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A man phoned the newsroom yesterday to say: “Twenty five dollars reparation to his girlfriend after assaulting her? You’d hope he took her out for a pretty nice dinner plus buys her chocolates and flowers for a year to make up for that one. Don’t know about you, but $25 seems pretty stingy to me.”
A coalition government on the cards
Wednesday 24 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
Waiting for surge “Well it’s good to hear that the ‘Film Raro’ challenge will provide millions of dollars worth of publicity for Cook Islands tourism but one wonders if that might or might not translate into increased tourist arrivals,” a smoke signaller writes after reading Monday’s page 7 article ‘Hollywood actors support film challenge’. “It’s been some weeks since we got ‘millions of dollars worth’ of publicity from having US Secretary of State Mrs Clinton’s dog and pony show dominate media around the world – can someone in the know tell us if we have yet seen the expected tidal wave of visitors from the Northern Hemisphere, or even a ripple in the water to indicate the wave is on the way?”
'Let's make cigarettes too'
Monday 15 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
“Saturday’s paper reported that Vanuatu refused to let Rock International Tobacco from setting up a cigarette factory in that country,” notes a smoke signaller. “Clearly this tobacco company went to the wrong island. Surely our Ministry of Health would be ready to support such an income generating business. Won’t someone get an email off to Rock International and explain how the Cook Islands sold our oceans to the Chinese and that they better get in quick and set up that cigarette factory while our resources and health are still on sale to anyone with ready cash and baskets of gifts.”
Play the ball, not the man
Tuesday 9 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes: “Ad hominem attacks – the practice of hurling insults at an opponent [rather than answering their argument] – is the final refuge of someone who has no valid arguments. It is both unconvincing and, sadly, unfortunately revealing of the weakness of a debater’s position. It is the equivalent of a small boy hurling dog dung when he isn’t able to think of a verbal response. Teina Bishop last week and Mark Brown in his Saturday letter to the editor could not have done more to convince the public that the unimpressed voter scored a palpable hit with his (or her) letter.”
Who's the real boss?
Thursday 4 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
“The questions [in their letters to the editor] asked by James Beer and William Framhein about the CITC alleged Coca Cola tax scandal have been to the point and need addressing by government,” a smoke signaller writes. “Instead, we read financial secretary Richard Neves’ pathetic reply that says it’s not worth further investigating [Tuesday’s CI […]
A right to know what happened
Tuesday 2 October 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
Responding to yesterday’s letter to the editor and response on page 10, a smoke signaller asks: “Did the financial secretary Richard Neves actually read any of the letter from William Framhein regarding the issue of unpaid taxes by CITC? All he does is outline the recommendations with regards to the new Customs Act and how […]
Government naivety knows no bounds
Saturday 29 September 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller asks: “Does marine resources minister Teina Bishop think we all came down in the last shower? He cannot be serious when he denies what 99% of the population would undoubtedly see as the clear conflict of interest that ensues from him appointing a foreign fishing company’s CEO, whom his ministry is negotiating […]
Who are you kidding, minister?
Friday 28 September 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes in response to Wednesday’s front page interview with Teina Bishop, the minister of marine resources: “Minister Bishop sees no conflict of interest in the appointment of his honorary fisheries advisor also being the chief operating officer of Luen Thai Fishing Ventures Ltd, who is also involved in the foreign and local […]
Watching where the tax dollars go
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals
“We must all be thankful to CITV for screening the compelling feature on Sunday evening of the Forum Leaders partners’ activities,” a smoke signaller writes. “Although initially thinking it would be a waste of time to watch, rather it was enlightening to hear the dreadful speeches – if you could even call them that – […]