Dear Editor, The newly constructed sidewalk fronting Trader Jacks is perplexing. Previous to this construction, the open access to the Avarua Wharf from across the street next to the Ministry of Justice where the canoes are stored was seamless.

In the last few decades, I can’t recount one instance where there was an accident involving canoes moving across the street nor any vehicle/bike accidents coming out of Trader Jacks.

Now that this sidewalk has been built the only access is through a gap fronting the roundabout which now requires the paddlers to carry the canoes an extra 40 metres against traffic on the road through the roundabout which has increased the probabilities of an accident happening exponentially. Furthermore, the cars exiting Avarua Wharf now have to come out fronting the roundabout which again has increased the probabilities of an accident occurring.

Having the Avarua Wharf area open decreases the probability of accidents happening and increases the safety of paddlers and the general public. Not to mention with Vaka Eiva coming up in a few months’ time, there will be hundreds of other people there in a now constrained area. This seems like a situation where in the interest of “progress” we have now created a problem that previously didn’t exist.

Teanaroa Worthington

Vaimaanga backroad

The highlight of Sonny Williams’ response (Cook Islands News 28/4/23) to another letter writer of the same date, is to underline that “… the village made a strong request to me last year to have this Vaimaanga backroad repaired and resealed”. This writer could not agree more, as this work was well overdue, and the road was very neglected and beyond its use by date. So going ahead and repairing and resealing the EXISTING road would have been supported by everyone affected.

But for ICI, (with or without Sonny’s advice), to go ahead and literally bulldoze and rip out large chunks of private and residential land, including trees and hedges, on either side of the Ara Metua , without ANY consultation, was doomed to be criticised at the least, and raise a major backlash from backroad residents and landowners … as indeed has happened. 

As the other letter writer points out, one has to wonder whether there is an ulterior motive to this entire road widening scheme, which may have to do with a nearby hotel development wanting to close the main road. Climate change, and sea level rise appears to have little or nothing to do with it. 

(Name and address supplied)