Smoke Signals
Tuesday 18: Public service easy money?
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Since the HoM contracts have yet to be signed and sealed, one person has suggested that the public service commissioner start everyone on a base salary of $45,000 and then work their way from there. “What I always notice is that when HoMs lose their job, you never seem to see them working in the […]
Monday 17: NIGHT RAIDERS
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A recent police report in this newspaper about watermelons being stolen from a patch in Nikao raises the question about who these thieves are and how they’re getting away with this shameless act. “And it’s not just watermelons, it also happens with pawpaw patches, and sometimes whole taro patches are raided at night,” a reader […]
Monday 17: WHAT'S IT ALLS WORTH?
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
“The Cook Islands is at risk of going morally insane,” a reader says. “Our Audit Office seems to do a great job of uncovering corruption, exposing abuse of power and authority, revealing dishonesty, but what’s the point if there are no penalties or repercussions? It’s all very well to be vigilant and sharp in auditing […]
Monday 17: SMOKO TIME
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
You know the wind’s cold in Raro when otherwise tough tradesmen huddle in the sun on the sheltered side of a building under construction on the beachfront, none wanting to venture around the corner and get chilled and sandblasted on the windward side. So the job takes a bit longer than normal.
Monday 17: PAPA SLOW DOWN!
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
One signaller urges the ol’ fella who was driving a blue single cab pick-up truck last Thursday morning from Upper Tupapa way towards town, to “please put some sense in your head and understand that every day it’s an early morning rush hour for most of us with a job, and your careless driving is […]
Monday 17: REEF INSPECTOR
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A visitor to Rarotonga who received numerous coral cuts when he made the mistake – possibly after a few drinks – of paddling into waves crashing on to the reef on the island’s western side last week, reportedly had one request to make when his rescuers brought him to safety on the beach, a cold […]
Monday 17: Invisible partitions?
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller after watching a ‘Tuatua with Tua’ episode was curious about the lack of cubicles in the Sports Arena’s VIP bathrooms. “One wonders how the VIPs from our country and other countries would feel about doing their business in sight of every other VIP! And since when did the Cook Islands consider red […]
Thursday 13: SHINY COSTUMES
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Responding to the smokie about Te Hiva Nui girls temporarily mislaying their coconut bras for their shows in England, a reader recalls when Papua New Guinea hosted the 1980 Festival of Pacific Arts, the female dancers in the teams from the Cook Islands and Tahiti were sometimes playfully described in Tok Pisin (Pidgin English) as […]
Thursday 13: WANTING TICKETS
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A reader reports a “perplexing experience” at the opening of the World Youth Netball champs while trying to buy tickets for matches for subsequent days, but was told none would be on sale till at least Wednesday. “How bizarre when those wanting tickets are right there and the MC kept promoting other matches all afternoon.”
Thursday 13: SING OUT LOUD!
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Poor old New Zealand, our cousins and closest friends, seemed to draw a dud welcome at the airport when they turned up for WYNC. Observers noted that ‘Waltzing Matilda’ directed at the Australian players also coming off the plane drowned out other greetings at the time of their arrival, but the humble Kiwis just kept […]
Monday 10: WHO ARE THE KINGS?
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Larry Price says it right in his letter last week titled ‘King or the People?’ comments a smoke signaller. “He asks ‘What is your guess?’ The answer? The court won’t find it easy, but there will be lots and lots of work for the lawyers and lots of work means lotsa money! Who is King? […]
Monday 10: SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
An irate reader reports his disgust at the Minister of Finance’s statement in the budget speech that the Cook Islands faces the same challenges as countries around the world. “Not so,” says our reader. “Other countries don’t have the majority of their politicians as incompetents. Neither do they have a few collaring as many of […]
Monday 10: CONSTITUTION SURCHARGE
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A visiting couple who were in Aitutaki at the time of the August 4th Constitution Day commemoration commented on a 15 percent surcharge they were required to pay at some places. They said the 15% surcharge at restaurants was similar to what they would face on a public holiday back home, but they were a […]
Monday 10: AIM HIGH
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Referring to whoever advised the Cooks U21 not to worry too much, they just need to do better than 7th place, a smoke signaller said: “Come on kotou, think about how much sweat we had to go through to get them here. Be serious in everything you do or say to them so that they […]
Monday 10: DODGY BAG
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A satisfied diner asked for a bag of bones and scraps for his dog, which the restaurant duly provided, and on the way home he stopped at Whatever Bar for a drink. While there, someone stole his bag! He laughed when he sent us this smoke signal, adding, “I hope they choke on it!”
Monday 10: TOP SHOW
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Te Hiva Nui dance team, one of the hit groups at the Billingham International Folklore Festival in the UK that wrapped up this weekend, featured in a news article with the playful title ‘Dancers go nuts as stage bras show up’. “The girls from the Cook Islands thought their traditional coconut bras must have been […]
Monday 10: Bear the badge of shame
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Those supposedly responsible for the progress of sports in the Cook Islands are “individually dumb and collectively dumber”, a smoke signaller writes. “The vote to amend the SPG charter was taken right here in Rarotonga, and was passed UNANIMOUSLY. That means that each and every representative from the Cooks was there and voted …so no […]
3 August: BRRRRR!
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
You know it’s getting cold on our little Pacific island when a store in Rarotonga has room heaters for sale!
3 August: ONE LETTER
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
In reference to the article about the new synthetic track at Tereora, a sharp reader from Aitutaki asks: Were the tonnes of used motor vehicle tyres palletised, or where they in fact pelletised? Smokies: Probably both – made into pellets and then loaded onto pallets.
3 August: TOP JOB
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Nice to see the DPM’s office engaged in employing an office/finance manager, a smoke signaller writes. “But what about advertising the CEO position? Or has someone already been earmarked?!”