Opinion

‘It Starts with Me’: Ending the cycle of violence

The 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence began last week. Te Punanga Oraanga Matutu’s Rowena Manning reflects on the campaign and White Ribbon Day, and the underlying causes of violence in our society, writes - Rowena Manning.

Letter: Take your rubbish home with you

Dear Editor, I am writing this letter with the hope that this letter reaches those who need to know. I am a very proud Tupapa Maraerenga resident who has lived in this village for most of my 62 years. My family has been a part of this village for over 70 years.

Letter: Keeping catchment payments ‘above board’

Dear Editor, The To Tatou Vai (TTV) was scheduled to hold a workshop for the catchment committees (CC) last week. The catchment is the land above the Te Mato Vai water treatment plants; the land in the middle of island.

Pet Talk: How to protect your pets and family from parasites

Cats and dogs are beloved companions, but when they roam freely, they are more exposed to parasites like fleas, intestinal worms, and, in dogs, heartworm disease, writes Dr Rose Hasegawa, medical director Te Are Manu Vet Clinic.

Letter: Fix it or shut it down

Dear Editor, “Rogue operator puts lives at risk”. If Cook Islands Tourism tells us one more time that they will get on top of this debacle at Avaavaroa we’ll put Tourism in the same space as the JP’s who say, “You’ve been in this Court 5 times now for drunk driving and this Court is almost to the point of thinking about putting you in jail”.

Letter: Balancing faith and freedom

Dear Editor, The Cook Islands is a beautiful nation founded on respect, Christian principles, values, and a commitment to protecting human rights.

Ruta Mave: The fading virtue of loyalty

As I sit down to write this column, I ask myself what is loyalty? What does it really mean to people and do we have any anymore? Ruta Mave writes.

Letter: Masjid Fatimah

Dear Editor, Unlike many of your readers, I decided to establish how Cook Islands News was able to expose that there was a mosque located in Kauare, Rarotonga, and found that it was through looking at Google Maps Rarotonga (GMR) which showed that there was a mosque called “Masjid Fatimah” located in Kauare, Titikaveka.

Letter: Lack of respect at Tereora College prizegiving event

Dear Editor, I recently attended the Tereora College prize-giving ceremony, and I was deeply disappointed by the behaviour of some parents and their children during the event. It was akin to a rooster being woken before dawn – abrupt and disrespectful.

Thomas Wynne: Roots of justice

This is part two of three articles on the writing and founding of our Cook Islands Constitution. By Thomas Tarurongo Wynne.

Te Ipukarea Society: ‘Death by power point’: NZ visit ‘a road show, at worst a propaganda tour’

Today’s article is by June Hosking, president of Te Ipukarea Society. It is based on information she received from family and friends that attended the Cook Islands Government’s presentation to the Cook Islands community in Christchurch last week. The title for this article is taken from an apt comment her niece overheard at the presentation.

Letter: Enforcement of law

Recently in the middle of town, not far at all from the Police station, a young motorbike rider, black hoodie overhead, white helmet on top of that, not speeding, and helmet just flew off, strap dangling.

Letter: Give the owners the land back

Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) wants to move Blackrock Preschool, “to prioritise the development of sporting codes”. May this writer humbly suggest that CIIC in the first instance prioritise Cook Islands landowner rights?

Letter: ‘Shameless racism and Islamophobia’

Dear Editor, Recently, there has been substantial discourse over the one and only mosque established in the Cook Islands.

Letter: Religion

Readers of the Cook Islands News were treated yesterday to a front page with a Minister of the Crown telling the world, and our potential visitors, that one of the most prominent religions on earth are breaking our laws while on the second page we see a parade of people marching on the main road celebrating the Confirmation of youngsters that have been indoctrinated from infancy into that other prominent religion.

Letter: Religious Act ‘an embarrassment’

Dear Editor, Despite the excellent letter by Heinz Matysik of Matysik & Marshall P.C. in your paper questioning whether the Religious Restrictions Act 1975 was enforceable Minister (Vaine) Mokoroa was reported in the lead article of your newspaper on 27 November, 2024 as saying that Muslims “should not be operating” because they are not registered with him as Minister of Justice.

Kata: Sky temple

Kata: Driving stunt

Ruta Mave: Questioning the legality of another’s belief

Everyone just wants to live a life of mundane tasks and group socialisation. They want to wake up and interact with family and pets. Go to work or school, complete tasks of growth challenge or wage earning, writes Ruta Mave.

Letter: 7s disappointment

My name is Maia Samuela, and I am the President of Cook Islands Rugby New Zealand (CIRNZ). I am writing in response to the article published on November 15, 2024, regarding the upcoming Oceania 7s tournament.