Smoke Signals
Banana zaquiri
Tuesday 15 November 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
Zac should have received a special award at the tourism awards on Friday evening, a smoke signaller reckons. He has given Raro (particularly Trader Jacks) more media coverage in New Zealand than the Tourism Corporation has achieved in years of trying. SS: Ha! But where would they pin his award medal? A smoke signaller responds […]
Waiting to see what the police do
Monday 14 November 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
I love reading the news from the Cook Islands, a smoke signaller writes, and I am looking forward to hearing about the All Blacks Guildford situation at Trader Jacks over the weekend. Ive been reading the local news here and on TV, I havent seen anything that explains a step by step account of what […]
Pretending everything is fine
Saturday 12 November 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes in response to our news reports on the special general meeting of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee: Reading through` the newspaper this morning [Thursday] just shows you or anyone how two faced some people can be, or how loyal they can be to their own leader or friend, […]
Why not an absentee vote for Games?
Wednesday 9 November 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
What a continuing fantasy world we live in here! a smoke signaller writes. By now the sure to have been colourful CISNOC meeting from Tuesday night will be over and you will be reading here in CI News as to what eventuated. Surely the absence of the second or maybe the most important person in […]
Utopia, just the way we are
Thursday 3 November 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
Very seriously, a smoke signaller writes, you tourism people dont need to spend taxpayer funds or send junkets to China to promote tourism from there. Time magazine reports that by the year 2015 there will be 100 million Chinese citizens looking for somewhere around the world to descend upon. This current year around 54 million […]
Its mad dog behaviour
Wednesday 2 November 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes: I was shocked to read Geoffrey Henrys (I have not used his Knight of the Realm title because in my opinion he demeans it) disgraceful letter in Tuesday mornings paper. This is the abusive ranting of a mad dog defending its territory and control, exhibiting aggressive, irrational, abusive loud barking. It […]
Who is going to the Caribbean?
Tuesday 1 November 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
Theres no decision yet to the request by 12 national sports federations for a special general meeting of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee on November 8. Wonder if theres been a decision of who will be travelling to St Kitts in the Caribbean for the meeting on November 11 that will decide […]
Kids, have some diabetes
Saturday 29 October 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes: The pictures in Thursdays newspaper of the young athletes were certainly inspiring as to the wealth that we have in our kids as they show off their healthy young bodies. The images you did not show, however, were images that a few parents were concerned about on the day. Had there […]
CEOs statement incredible
Thursday 27 October 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes: What an incredible statement in Cook Islands News yesterday [CINews Tuesday Oct 25 p6] accorded to Mr George Turia, the chief executive at minister Bishops office. Just what does a ministers chief executive do anyway? It sure sounds important New Zealand and Australian ministers have secretaries and PR people to field […]
Reply to nitpicking nitwit
Tuesday 25 October 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller responds to the Off to bed smokie in Saturdays CINews. The New Zealand high commissioner, John Carter, has shown nothing but solidarity and support for the local community ever since he stepped into his post. But theres always some nitpicking nitwit sideliner trying to kill the buzz. Its not the high commissioners […]
Do the numbers
Saturday 22 October 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
So Pissed off driver thinks a distance of 2km at a speed of 30km/h is an eroding of his rights by a minority? a smoke signaller writes in response to a letter to the editor in Thursdays CINews. Was he pissed off when he wrote that diatribe, or was he just pissed? Attacking one of […]
Fan zone great way to promote drink-driving
Thursday 20 October 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
In response to the news of the Rugby World Cup fan zone at the National Auditorium where alcohol will be on sale a smoke signaller writes: What a great way to promote drink-driving set up a fan zone, bring the kids, keep them up late, get the parents wasted then drive home with a vehicle […]
Dredging up dinner
Tuesday 18 October 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
Now it would be easy to come up with some good lawyer jokes about retired solicitor Reuben Tylor moving a big machine that is essentially a giant vacuum cleaner around the South Pacific, a smoke signaller jokes after reading Fridays page 8 article about the former Ports Authority sand dredge. But this smoke signaller wonders […]
Just get him a visa
Saturday 15 October 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes: Most people would know that you are not just given any countrys citizenship or passports, so why is this being used as an excuse not to send Andrew Iroa off to New Zealand for medical assistance, when he has been a tax payer in the Cook Islands for a number of […]
Wheres CISNOCs report?
Saturday 8 October 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
The Pacific Games have come and gone and theres no word from the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee on the teams performance, a smoke signaller writes. No accountability of funds that CISNOC got from government. Check out the Pacific Games website to find out that this was the Cooks worst-ever performance at any […]
Will they handle the heat?
Thursday 6 October 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
Two smoke signallers have commented on the water tanks purchased by the government to ship to the outer islands. I was pricing some stuff the other day in Panama [here in Rarotonga, not the country in Central America] and on a vacant block there are heaps and heaps of big plastic water tanks stacked and […]
Behind the Suwarrow deal
Monday 3 October 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
The Suwarrow deal (see Saturdays front page) has caught the publics imagination and weve received some intriguing smokies poking fun at it. First up: Rumour has it that the Cook Islands Government Minister who was in Moscow earlier this year, ostensibly on Health department issues (everyone knew that was total nonsense), had in fact been […]
Easy answer to consultants
Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
Four hundred thousand dollars for a public sector review? a smoke signaller asks. Nothing has changed in the Cook Islands for decades. Smarmy consultants find aid money for government and come here and use up space, time and resources sitting in a room reviewing. All it takes to reform the public service is for one […]
Round Raro plastic glass trail
Monday 26 September 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
What a shame that for the Round Raro Road Race, the water bearers gave out water in hard plastic glasses, a smoke signaller writes. Many hundreds, perhaps thousands, of these have been dumped by participants right around the island in an ugly trail along the roadside. What an environmental eyesore. Who is supposed to pick […]
Reading between the road lines
Saturday 24 September 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes: Reading about the Aitutakian as a word in your signals, one thing that came to mind is why is it that the government is only helping pay for the Aitutakian team to the Manea Games in Mangaia what about the Atiuans, Maukeans, Mitiaroans? What is this? Dont tell me that what […]