Opinion

Letter: Preserving Rarotonga’s pristine beauty

Rarotonga is a true paradise – its fragrant floral air, the rhythmic sound of the ocean, and, most impressively, the cleanliness of the island all contribute to its breathtaking beauty.

Letter: ‘Get your priorities right’

Dumb or Dumber? Or Stupider and Stupider? Looks like CIIC still insisting on kicking out the Apii Potiki from their historic and very fit for purpose school environment in Nikao and move them to House #52 on the corner of the main road, just so someone in that CIIC hierarchy can say “Yes I am doing this for Sports Admin … much more important than tamariki wellbeing.”

Letter: Why is alcohol’s harm ignored?

Dear Editor, It would be interesting to know, when it comes to the ‘local’ news content of your paper, just what percentage of published local news relates to the reporting of the disastrous effects that alcohol has on the physical, mental, psychological and spiritual health of our “Christian” nation.

Pet Talk: The importance of timely veterinary care: Fluffy the cat’s case

As a pet owner, it’s common to notice changes in your cat’s behaviour or appearance and wonder if something is wrong, writes Dr Rose Hasegawa, medical director Te Are Manu Vet Clinic.

Kata: Illegal search

Letter: Cook Islands, China and the US

Dear Editor, The Cook Islands Government and the United States of America Government signed a treaty that came into force on September 8 1983, titled, Treaty between the USA and the Cook Islands on Friendship and Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between the USA and the Cook Islands. It was duly ratified by US President Ronald Reagan and Prime Minister Sir Tom Davis.

Kata: Gaza

Smoke signals

Came across a book recently …” The Canberra Wronglish Dictionary”. One word caught my eye immediately, and could easily describe many of our bureaucrats, including those in CIIC… SMUGERVESCENCE…..

Celebrating the uniqueness of women

Women’s day is not to be confused with Mothers’ Day. This is not a time to celebrate what label we are but who we are, writes Ruth Mave.

Kata: MP overseas travel

Thomas Wynne: Protecting the future

As we celebrate 60 years of self governance, with the theme “Kua kite au i toku turanga, e avaiki toku – I know who I am, I have a homeland” – we also reflect on significant moments for us as a country, writes Thomas Tarurongo Wynne.

Te Ipukarea Society: Fresh eyes on the Takitumu Conservation Area

The care with which the TCA is managed is clear, preserving its unique ecosystems and biodiversity, writes Gemma Langley.

Kata: Survival letter

Letter: Intersection of faith and environment

Whilst visiting family in Christchurch recently, Andrew and I learned the focus of this year’s World Day of Prayer is for the Cook Islands. Friends visited to ask us to sing the Lord’s Prayer in Cook Islands Maori for them to play at their combined service in Darfield on March 7th.

Letter: Next empire built on nepotism?

Dear Editor, It is most encouraging to read some of the details of the Chinese and Japanese inter-island vessels to be operated by government.

Kata: Drive not found

Kata: Math success

Te Tuhi Kelly: Reshaping education for the next generation

The latest Education NCEA results are pretty embarrassing to be honest. The headline says it all – “29 teachers leave: Mokoroa explains teacher shortage and declining results – Cook Islands News”, writes Te Tuhi Kelly.

Letter: Plaque instead of shade?

The destruction of the still-living Utu tree in the Arorangi CICC grounds was not widely debated in the community.