Letter: Counting numbers and dollars

Tuesday’s front page headline, ‘Hawaii, Sydney routes to contribute $20m annually’.

The story, like all tourism stories, tells us that the “industry” continues to count “numbers” and “dollars” without counting the cost to environment, health of Cook Islanders, and out-migration from an industry that refuses to pay a living wage.
So long as money is more important than the welfare of our people, we are doomed to continue a decline of the ‘paradise’ that we are so eager to sell to the lowest bidders.

(Name and address supplied)