Opinion

Letter: Prosecuting bars for over-serving

Dear Editor, The CI News Saturday edition page 2 under “Court News”, your paper reported on the conviction of Agnes Rameka by Justice of the Peace Vania Kenning of drink driving while more than four times over the legal alcohol limit.

Kata: Consumer Price Index

Ruta Mave: Looking on the bright side

After four years of writing a weekly opinion column there comes a time that you wonder what can be written that is different. For inspiration I looked at what I had written this time last year and not surprisingly, I found the same problems by the same people in the news, corruption and lack of health have not changed.

Australian High Commission: Australia and Cook Islands: Working together in friendship

This past week marked two important dates for Australia in the Cook Islands. Australia’s official national day, 26 January, is a day to reflect on what it means to be Australian, to celebrate contemporary Australia, and to acknowledge our complex history. The official theme this year is ‘Reflect, respect, celebrate’.

Thomas Wynne: Our land, our people

Nothing brings us together or tears us apart like our connection to land, especially when that land is divided, shared, allotted, or occupied by different members of our family, writes Thomas Tarurongo Wynne.

Kata: Luxton

Letter: The height of arrogance

Now it is announced Owen Lewis is “going to continue to provide support” with sports while doing “the most crucial position in the public service ... directly impact the lives of our young people” in Education.

Letter: ‘Make it fair for everyone’

Dear Editor, We have been coming to the Cook Islands for 20 years for holidays. I retired five years ago and we decided we would like to live in the Cook Islands for an extended period.

Kata: CISNOC

Letter: Proxy votes ‘will not fix the problem’

Dear Editor, The new Standing Orders for Parliament (SO) came into force on the 1st July 2022. There were some major changes in the new SO. One of the changes was that the Business Committee at the last sitting of Parliament for the year must recommend a sitting programme for the following year. There must be at least 14 sitting days per calendar year.

Kata: Health

Letter: WHO results

Kia Orana Editor, The results as reported by WHO is the same trend from previous years. However, when we talk about universal health coverage the reality is that healthcare services are easily accessible to everyone in the Cook Islands, and are free to everyone residing in the Pa Enua.

Letter: How’s ya health?

Dear Editor, The World Health Organization has recently released its ‘Tracking Universal Health Coverage 2023 Global Monitoring Report’ and the results are not good for the Cook Islands. In fact, we are third to bottom in the Pacific - just above Niue and Papua New Guinea.

Kata: Prizegiving

Letter: Education head

Kia Orana, Te akaroa Earlier Letters to the Editor in regards to the appointment of Owen Lewis as Secretary of Education are to be applauded for the valid points raised.

Letter: Smoke and mirrors

The way this government is running parts of this country is just a very bad joke! Why go through all that cost, time consumption and pretence of inviting applications for a job (Head of Education), doing the interviews, and then totally disregarding the recommendation of the very professional committee.

Letters: Investing in quality education

Dear Editor, I would have thought that it is simple common sense that we have only one government owned secondary school on Rarotonga.

Ruta Mave: Time for women to demand the credit they deserve

This acceptance of male power tripping behaviours as normal shows just how indoctrinated it is and how we continue to be slaves to patriarchy, writes Ruta Mave.

Letter: ‘When it’s not your money, who cares’

Kia orana, referring to the excellent letter to the editor in the Cook Islands News January 17 edition regarding successive governments thinking they can run commercial businesses, when in reality most schemes that government and public servants dream up become abject failures, and never any blame or repercussion on anyone!

Letter: Te Mato Vai: Wat-er disaster

Dear Editor, When is the government going to address Rarotonga’s worsening water shortage? This is a necessary project that the Cook Islands government has yet again failed to deliver.