Opinion

Kata: National debt

Letter: Travel budget

Not one dollar, not one cent better be spent on these MPs in the supplementary budget for travel. Not another dollar Mr Brown, not another cent of our hard-earned taxpayers’ money to be spent on your travel.

Letter: Protecting our women and children

Dear Editor, The recent sentencing of Yawea Teophilo to 14 years in prison for 47 charges of rape (and other charges) has shocked our community. Learning about what these young girls had to go through is heart breaking and reminds us of the urgent need to protect our women and children, and support survivors of gender-based violence (GBV).

Kata: NCEA pass rate

Ruta Mave: It must end today

Fairytales tell our children to fear the wicked stepmother. Reality says they should fear the stepfather, uncles, grandfathers and friends of the family. Not all men are rapists and paedophile’s but most rapists and paedophiles are men. It must end today, with the women, writes Ruta Mave.

SMOKIES

Reading the CIN article, (Jan 20, 2025) about the government arranging a Supplementary budget in the next Parliamentary sitting in February… for important works …made me laugh ... .and cry! . … Where are the priorities? Of course we need roads and bridges, but we need a well-protected and safe environment more.

Kata: Cook Islands residency stamp

Thomas Wynne: Where were our leaders while children suffered?

Let’s break the silence and protect those who most desperately need our protection, writes Thomas Tarurongo Wynne.

Kata: Nu price

Te rua teretereanga o te Pupu CINAT

Kia Orana e te Etita, Tetai au mea tei tupu I rotopu I te mataiti 1965-2025.

Letter: Prison ‘break’

This writer would appreciate a follow up story from CINews as to whether any heads rolled after the revelations that convicted fraudsters were released from prison to sit with ‘family’ in a certain Arorangi café and to clean the gardens at their Airbnb income property instead of “doing time” for the crime within the prison itself.

Letter: Immigration stance questioned

Dear Editor, Unless there are legal grounds for detaining or preventing a person from departing the Cook Islands, one would expect the departure processing by CI immigration to be straight forward if the standard requirements are met.

Kata: Church petition

Letter: Topcopz sarcasm

Although Topcopz tried to be funny, he ended up being sarcastic, so here is to set the record straight;

Kata: Medical marijuana

Letter: Apostle of truth

Did the Apostle of truth, our very own Minister George Maggie, tell the truth finally to the Cook Islands Public what this Cook Islands passport is all about?

Letter: Reform the system

Dear Editor: The Cook Islands is experiencing a criminal justice crisis, with increased demands to reform the system. While there are demands in all areas--wife beaters, child abusers, drunk drivers, rapists, etc etc, a large number of demands focus on pakalolo (cannabis) reform.

Kata: Donald Trump

Letter: All in the numbers

Dear Editor, How is it that a $20.6 million hole has now appeared in the 2024/25 budget – via the Half-Year Economic & Fiscal Update (HYEFU) – a deficit which was not forecast when the budget was tabled in parliament in May/June last year?

Kata: Supplementary budget