Dear Editor,

I loved Aitutaki (Aitutaki crowned Oceania’s top island destination, September 23). I stayed at Tom’s Beach House and the ladies made me ei’s. I had the most amazing time and was only there a week. I rented/borrowed bike and rode all over and went on two lagoon tours. That was in 1999/2000 and coral was sick but the water was so blue … it was breath-taking. I hope it is better now.

Rarotonga was awesome too. I spent six weeks altogether. It was super cultural and I learned a lot of the island, people and myself. Oh, I went snorkeling a lot and ate tons of mangos and papayas.

Tina Winterlik

(Facebook)

Medicinal cannabis

We import our coffee simply because we don’t grow it. If we can grow it and process it then there will be no need to import it.

With this natural product (medicinal cannabis), this is truly is a gift from God for purpose of medication. It is not a manmade drug of petroleum base pharmaceutical medication.

Look at Canada as a model. They have total protection (for recreational marijuana use) in their legalisation. There is an opportunity for local deployment in this industry, created by your own with a vision to export. There is no need to rely on New Zealand, Cook Islands is way ahead of Australia and New Zealand and their ridiculous oppressive stance.

Raeputa K Dyer-Tutai

(Facebook)

Electricity bill increases

Stop electricity, it’s going to cost too much. Need to bring in solar power! I use solar power. Stop buying high power electronics. Research power so you can lower your power usage.

Naivo Mclean

(Facebook)

Reply – Naivo Mclean, pretty sure that is the plan. But is costs a lot to build equipment for solar power. Imagine how much more when you have to think beyond a household and batteries, etc. Not easy to just stump out that much money and the whole Covid period has made it very difficult to make any headway in this area.

Mike Linda Crosby

(Facebook)

If I recall we had some subsidised power during Covid. Hands up those who were subsidised and forgot? It was subsidised during hard times for many of us. I’m grateful for that and I don’t mind paying the extra now.

Everything’s changed. Everything has had its time. Two years ago, we were paying different prices for groceries. Businesses made the sacrifices to keep their prices low. Lest we forget those two years of subsidy.

Charlie’s Villas

(Facebook)