Smoke Signals
5 ministers can do it
Monday 18 January 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
Leave the government alone, says one signaller. “It will prove that we only need up to five people to manage the country – good for a political reform trial run.” And on the opposition thinking about jumping into bed with the Demos to form a coalition, the person says, “Fancy that, it’s monstrous and total […]
Ministers, live like us
Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
The ministers who have resigned should do the honourable thing and return their perks, cars etc and quit their offices immediately, says one signaller. “Relinquish the right and join us and live like us. By hanging around, you guys are contributing to the fiasco that is going on at the moment.” One of our readers […]
Just get some work done
Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller lets rip with questions and advice on the current political situation: “Regarding the 19 CIP/Demo coalition. Since when has the CIP and Demo exec been given a mandate to run the country? Does Mac see a trip to Wellington slipping into the mist? Is a saving of 100K not worth having, Nandi? […]
No surprise at all
Saturday 9 January 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
Dear Editor, Reading Tuesday’s (January 5) Cook Islands News regarding the report on our financial situation – it did not surprise me at all. I know I have mentioned in previous letters that our country is broke and relying on borrowed money to stabilise our economy. The politicians have been alerted to the situation time […]
Are those chicks cool?
Tuesday 5 January 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
One Rarotonga resident stocking up for the Christmas long weekend had wondered whether some Christmas supermarket specials might have given buyers more than they bargained for. "The specials for cartons of chicken were put on the floor all day so are they waiting for us to get food poisoning?" she asked.
Boom boom!
Saturday 2 January 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals
“The island is awash with vehicles emitting loud bass ‘boom boom’ radio sounds all recording 120 decibels and more,” complains a smoke signaller. “It’s a proven medical fact that 110 decibels listened to for more than a minute risks permanent hearing loss. It might be fun now but “listen up out there” because good hearing […]
'Unable to live at home'
Wednesday 18 November 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
“On the TV news the other night, New Zealand consumers were reported to be getting hit harder and harder by rising food prices, some of the highest in the world,” a reader says. “If the Cooks buys almost all its food from New Zealand, what does it make our prices? Then compare our lower income […]
Nandi, a refreshing change
Monday 16 November 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Our MPs are notoriously well travelled, attending the most obscure and unjustified courses and talkfests the world over, and they take flak for it, but mostly they just arrogantly ignore the cries of ordinary people for feedback, justification, and accountability. CINews has tried several times to request a travel diary or itinerary of cabinet ministers, […]
Thursday 20: SHOPPING TIMES
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller who claims to have been turned away from a supermarket recently – along with others – at 5.45pm when it’s advertised they close at 6pm – wonders if this is the result of there being a monopoly on supermarkets in town? Another signaller who has a very accurate watch commented that at […]
Thursday 20: FAIR TAXI FARE?
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
“I had a great meal in town the other day with a friend from overseas,” one of our readers writes. “We decided we did not want to wait for the next bus, an hour away, so asked the waitress to organise a taxi. ‘Could you tell me roughly how much it would be to go […]
Thursday 20: ADOPTION COSTS
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Great idea and very successful says one of our readers of the adopt-a-country programme for the netball champs. “Indeed the school visits were seen as highlight experiences for just about all the visiting teams. Just one downer in all of this…while a very limited number of t-shirts were sponsored, all the school children had to […]
Thursday 20: OCH AYE
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
On the subject of the netballers, judging by the close-up shots in the filler snippets played on CITV, the Scottish lasses sure know how to swing their bums in time to the local drums!
Thursday 20: Copycat crime story
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller wonders whether two Polish prisoners who broke out of a German jail might have heard about our prison breakout on the coconut wireless. They escaped by tying their bed sheets together to abseil down a 15 metre wall. “The wall is pretty high,” a spokesperson for the prison in the southern city […]
Wednesday 26: RAINMAN FOR HIRE
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A weather watcher remarked yesterday that we should loan the Cook Islands’ weatherman Arona Ngari to countries like Australia where they need someone to break the drought. “Every time Arona predicts a weather pattern, or pronounces such and such, we usually get the opposite weather pattern. Like the other day when he said we were […]
Wednesday 26: BEST PRICES
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Since critics are always quick to slam CITC, someone ought to note how the Main Store’s prices for sports gear are among the best anywhere, a smoke signaller says. “Nike apparel, for example, is cheaper here for the same latest range as in NZ and Australia. Evidence of that was seen on Saturday when visiting […]
Wednesday 26: INITIATE, NOT REACT
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
In responding to Wilkie Rasmussen’s expulsion from the Democratic Party, one signaller says that he only wishes that “MPs like Rasmussen will get off their butt and initiate things, rather than just react to anything and everything”.
Wednesday 26: SMOKE TERRORISTS
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A reader says rubbish burning is an issue the island needs to urgently address “as it’s a real health hazard for children, the elderly and people prone to developing respiratory illnesses. Shops and households burn cardboard boxes, plastic, cans, green waste, and all other waste in between. These are the Smoke Terrorists – you never […]
Wednesday 26: Good deed pays off in the end
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Here’s a smokie with a happy ending. A parent writes: “Had to mention this one. My daughter and her friend found a wallet in town – they were waiting for the bus at Cooks’ Corner. They did the right thing and headed to the police station. The police officer opened the wallet, looked at the […]
Tuesday 25: MILLER TIME
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
The police headquarters in Raro gets plenty of courtesy visits from fellow police members from other countries, and there was a special visitor last Wednesday. Senior Constable Bruce Miller, one of the two officers wounded in the Napier shooting siege in New Zealand in May this year (one officer, Senior Constable Len Snee, died in […]
Monday 24: HELLO?
Wednesday 26 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Some phone users get rattled when they’re confronted by an answerphone message rather than a live person at the other end of the line, and quickly hang up. Over the weekend Air New Zealand’s answerphone – which is normally kept busy updating callers with the latest flight arrival times – was not working, so friendly […]