Smoke Signals
Looks like a 'chilly bin'
Monday 15 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller said he supports the writer of the letter to the editor last week who criticized the design of the Ministry of Education’s new admin building to be built at Nikao. “This is a perfect example of leaders not going back to the people and asking for their opinions: just look at the […]
Sitting, stalling
Saturday 13 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
“I read with interest the people of Murienua’s comments (‘We’re tired of your talk’, Wednesday’s CI News) about the efficiency of government and how tired they are,” a smoke signaller writes. “I can but sympathise with their tiredness – it’s enough to want to give up and leave. Rather than assist any new developments or […]
Give and take
Thursday 11 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
On the subject of Telecom Cook Islands’ $500,000 sponsorship in cash and kind of the Mini Games and World Youth Netball Championships last year, a smoke signaller writes: “The Income Tax (Sponsorship Deductions) Amendment Act 2009 provided for a deduction at the rate of 200% of the sponsorship sum. Therefore Telecom’s sponsorship of $500,000 was […]
New Tutaka dates
Wednesday 10 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
The change of Tutaka date is NOT another case of ‘You guys got it wrong’, as someone at Public Health tried to say to us on Monday. That was their first response when we asked why the latest date for the Tutaka is a week later than the date given to us by Dr Fariu. […]
Assessing the wiggly road
Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
“Robert Wigmore is correct in not responding to those mischievous calls for comment on the Sheraton loop road approved by Cabinet,” a smoke signaller writes. “The mischief makers know what we all know, it would be totally inappropriate for a Member of Parliament, a member of Cabinet and indeed the Deputy Prime Minister to comment […]
Action against pollutants
Monday 8 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
A project team is working to get rid of dangerous chemicals in the Cook Islands. The chemicals are present in lots of everyday items and can cause serious health problems as they fatten tissue in the body. The group of chemicals is known as Persistent Organic Pollutants or POPs. They can cause cancers as well […]
Around the bend
Monday 8 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes on the Vaimaanga ring road: “Mr Wigmore has been strangely quiet on this issue, which is surprising as it could very well make the difference between him winning or losing his seat. And while you are thinking about this perhaps you could explain to the voters of Titikaveka your motivation in […]
Independent thought
Saturday 6 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
“A certain United States Congressman – a staunch environmentalist – was asked why he accepted political contributions from developers, loggers, miners and other despoilers of the environment,” writes a smoke signaller. “He replied that he took their money and then inevitably voted against their special interest legislation. He was happy to take the money but […]
Sponsorship like tax
Friday 5 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
Responding to yesterday’s front page article on Telecom Cook Islands’ second annual report to the public, a smoke signaller writes: “Everyone needs to remember the $500,000 given to sports plus the millions given in dividends to government is coming out of the community. Just like a tax. Ever wonder why you don’t have any money […]
'X' is best, tick accepted
Thursday 4 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
The Electoral Office urges voters to follow the Electoral Act and mark their ballot paper with a cross [X], but will count those votes with a clear tick or other clear mark. In response to a question of whether a tick [a] would be counted as a valid or invalid vote, the chief electoral officer […]
Noughts and crosses
Wednesday 3 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
“I note in the front page article in Monday’s paper ‘Pencil or pen?’ that we should place an [X] in the box when voting at election time,” writes a smoke signaller. “What are some of the party hopefuls expecting when they are promoting in their advertisements the use of a [a]? Would it be a […]
End of a beautiful harbour?
Tuesday 2 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
“The Ports Authority must be on to an environmental winner with the call for placing billboards to block the sea views down at the water,” quips a smoke signaller. “Tourists will soon discover that the Cook Islands are the same as where they come from, billboards everywhere, and tourism will decline with less jet fuel […]
Yearly election will fix it
Monday 1 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
“If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” quips a smoke signaller.” If it takes an election to get the Tupapa drains fixed, let’s have an election every year. Then the government of the day will fix everything in the 30 days before the election and we can send all the public works fellas home without […]
Bike seats not safe storage
Saturday 30 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
Almost every time you read the Police crime report in the newspaper there’s at least one case involving visitors losing many hundreds of dollars and cameras (usually with irreplaceable holiday snaps) ‘locked’ under their motorbike seats when they park and go snorkeling or hiking. Many visitors obviously don’t realise that the storage compartment under a […]
Cracking the egg question
Thursday 28 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller who says he’s a former Scotts Farm egg eater reckons he knows why the government shied away from John Scott’s demand for protection of his egg production business. “Scott’s eggs are painted in CIP colours but one must salute John Scott for probably being a good practitioner of reverse psychology and therefore […]
Reading between the lines
Wednesday 27 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
More close scrutiny and analysis of a manifesto photo from a smoke signaller: “If you look at the cover page photo on the Demo Party manifesto, you will notice that Wilkie is right in the middle with Wigmore and Willis on the side. This is a clear reflection of the true picture of the Demo […]
Our elections tame by US standards
Monday 25 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
With our general elections a little over three weeks away there have been a few small skirmishes between the political parties over public service numbers, the timing of tractor donations to the constituencies and the amount to be paid for each newborn baby. All healthy debate and handled in a typically measured Cook Islands manner […]
Working for the 'Economic Games'
Saturday 23 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
“I think what they are suggesting is secondment,” writes a smoke signaller on the contentious election issue of how to effectively utilise the country’s large public service. “It’s like we handled the Mini Games: those who could be spared – and there were many – were redirected to other jobs, like drivers, liaison officers, catering […]
Battling the Man-of-War
Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
Those watching vaka races from the comfort of local watering holes sometimes have small green bottles in their hands, but the paddlers battling it out on the water have another colour of bottle to watch for, the painful stinging bluebottle. The Rarotongan name for the Pacific Portuguese Man-of-War is tu-pakipaki-tai and the type found in […]
Please leave it to the private sector
Thursday 21 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller writes: “The Cook Islands Investment Corporation was set up during the reform years to monitor the performance of state-owned enterprises and report their results to Cabinet and eventually the Parliament. One of the principles of the reform was to leave commercial activities to the private sector where they can best do the […]