Safe cycling on Raro
Racking up titanium airpoints
‘Get rid of this pointless discrimination’
Elderly on the exodus out of here
Crisis in changing fabric of society
Water needed for our people
‘Name suppression is a privilege’
Learn to let sleeping dogs lie
Creating a Cinderella future
Recruit Tahitians to fill jobs
Safe cycling on Raro
Thu
9 May
Dear Editor,
I would like to express my and other cyclists thanks for the lanes which allow us to walk and cycle in safety on the newish road by the airport runway.
It really is a pleasure to ride on the potholeless lane without having to worry about cars and trucks running you down.
Thanks also to the landowners who keep their road side hedges cut so we don’t get smashed by branches.
To whoever is in charge of the roads, would it be possible to have the lane swept from time to remove the smashed glass and stones?
Really looking forward to when the whole island is like this and I’m sure that will encourage more people to get out there and get healthier.
Brent Fisher
Nikao
Racking up titanium airpoints
Fri
10 May
Dear Editor,
This current one term government is a master of the blame game. The level of their intellect is so wanting that rather than building on the sustainable strategies put in place by the previous government through Te Kaveinga Nui, this government has chopped and changed priorities to suit what looks to be its ultimate goal of racking up titanium status airpoints.
This government is quick to take the glory for following the plan but when they deviate from the path they are quicker still to place the blame for their actions at someone else’s door.
Regarding the Prime Minister’s comments on pensioners and taxes recently in your newspaper, should you wish to fact check the referenced Tax Information Agreement signed in July 9 2009 between NZ and the Cook Islands you will find it was signed as part of the Cook Island’s commitment to global citizenship and our international efforts to strengthen co-operation in this area. It was also agreed to establish an annual Joint Ministerial Forum that will further strengthen the special relationship between the Cook Islands and New Zealand. (I note here both are aspects of underlying strategies outlined in Te Kaveinga Nui.)
The agreement provides for full exchange of information on criminal and civil tax matters between the two countries, “The Agreement will enable the tax authorities of both countries to gain access to information about income and assets that would-be evaders try to hide in the other country. The agreement will cover not only information held by banks and other financial institutions, but also information on who benefits in company ownership chains and on the settlors, trustees and beneficiaries of trusts.”
New Zealand’s Prime Minister, John Key, who signed the agreement on behalf of New Zealand, said, “Regular high-level political engagement between our two countries will play an important role in assisting the Cook Islands in developing its economy and also reflects the strong relationship that underpins our partnership.”
Mr Key also highlighted New Zealand’s increased official development assistance funding to the Cook Islands which will increase from $11 million to $14 million this (sic. 2010/2011) year, and then to $17m in 2011/12.
“This assistance, delivered through NZAID,” he said, “will focus on support for activities which contribute to sustainable economic development.”
The above statement tells a different story to what the PM is blabbing about in the paper, as it is clear that the increased engagement of the Cook Islands with New Zealand was brokered by the earlier Democratic government.
You may, Editor, choose to take a look at this a little closer to provide some balance to the Prime Minister’s recent tirade.
In fact, I can assure the readership that the democratic government, both in the past and in the near future have no intention to grow taxes on the local community at large and in particular those good citizens that have contributed to our society for more than 65 years and continue to spend their pension dollars through our local stores and services.
The Democratic government will solve this issue by reducing spending on unnecessary and lavishly hosted functions and overseas trips to get the current government’s voracious appetite for the people’s cash under control. We are not going to victimise individuals or groups -- our tax policies are designed to treat the average Cook Islander with dignity and humanity, and encourage growth and nation building so that we can all enjoy better lives, not strip away what little our old people have and leave them reliant on absent families who have relocated to Australia or NZ.
We have heard Minister Glassie blame the previous democratic government for the mismanagement of our health system, but instead of blame how about focusing some of that energy on continuous improvements to the current system? The same goes for the Prime Minister and Minister Brown. The Prime Minister says they are fixing up the blunders of the past, I want to remind them that the past is a long time and their track record is so poor that the people blame them for running the economy into the pit and chasing our people overseas in the 1990s and this is reminiscent of what is happening today.
View the past in balance, and remember you are being judged on what you do today, whether you are an MP, Minister or government of the day, do not be boastful about your successes but humble yourselves and remember that it is the tax payers of the nation holding us together, governments are just caretakers.
You wanted this job to run the country so get the job done -- we want to hear about accomplishments for the nation, not excuses.
Blaming the previous government is short sighted and is not going to help you get your work done, and if this government is not up for the job they should stand aside and confine their whinging and moaning to the comforts of their homes so their lack of leadership stops affecting our glorious nation.
Sel Napa
MP Teimurimotia
(Titikaveka)
‘Get rid of this pointless discrimination’
Fri
10 May
Dear Editor,
It was very sad to read Tony Tou’s letter in the paper yesterday regarding the young boy of an immigrant worker who wasn’t allowed to play rugby league under this new rule. Could the CIRL executives please explain how this rule adds any value to the game? Please get rid of this pointless discrimination that doesn’t add any value whatsoever to the game, and just spoils it for everyone.
I also note the article in Friday’s May 3 paper titled ‘Bulldogs admit making a mistake’. I’d just like to ask -- why on earth would the Bulldogs admit to breaching the rule when they are headed to court to resolve the issue? The reason is simple – they didn’t admit a breach.
In trying to confuse the issue and perhaps win some public support – Charles or whoever supplied your reporter with the information are going to be looking rather silly when the matter is put before the court outlining exactly why the Bulldogs are against the rule or why they believe they haven’t breached the rule in the first place. Think about it, why would you admit wrongdoing then feel strongly enough to go to court to fight against it? Doesn’t make any sense does it? Did your reporter check with the Bulldogs execs if this was an accurate picture of events? Apparently not.
Overall, the whole situation stinks. If Tony Tou’s information is correct and Ngatangiia were fined $100 for exactly the same sort of breach, then there is an obvious bias against the Bulldogs – if this is true, then every last one of the CIRL execs should be sacked. This is exactly why the Bulldogs should go to court – because it doesn’t seem as though they’ll get a fair hearing under the flock of sheep at the CIRL.
Just one more little thing, perhaps your reporter might like to revisit journalism 101, which probably says something like – check the alleged facts before writing your article!
League fan
(Name and address supplied)
Editor: The Bulldogs executive has had the opportunity to comment on and clarify its position on the CIRL rule the club breached since CI News began its reports on the issue. No one from the Bulldog’s executive has been willing to go on the record and speak out about the breach of the rule. CI News understands Bulldogs’ president Robert Matapo did admit the Bulldogs had breached the competition rule on overseas players, but he has since declined to comment on the issue or the court case. CI News has encouraged the executive to comment, but so far, it has made no statement in regards to the issue. The Bulldogs have left several questions unanswered including: why the club broke the rule, whether it indeed views the rule as discriminatory against immigrant workers, and why it is now taking the CIRL executive to court. CI News stands behind its reports on the breach of the rule, and challenges the Bulldogs executive to present its ‘side’ of the issue to the public.
Elderly on the exodus out of here
Fri
10 May
As a fully paid member of the Mongoose Golden Oldies Rugby team, one thing difficult for some members to accept is that they are no longer young. They find it hard to accept that youth has abandoned them and they can no longer run as fast as they used to. In fact, it can be quite amusing to watch some oldies players attempt to catch a ball while on the run. It’s more likely the ball will be ahead by a few centimetres whereby we see someone toppling over as they attempt to catch the ball. On occasion on the rugby field when their manhood was challenged by a particularly harsh tackle; you bet your last dollar that a ‘crunching hit’ will be executed to disprove their waning testosterone level. But one thing many of the above sixties golden oldies have is disposable income for the after match function.
I guess it is not really that perplexing when Cook Islanders who retired in New Zealand transfer their pensions or superannuation for collection here in the Cook Islands. An agreement forged some years ago, (though it was difficult to reach such an agreement) placed upon the NZ government the duty of ensuring those fortnightly or monthly payments show up in these people’s Cook Islands bank accounts. People wanted to take it easy, relax a bit, and enjoy life here and why not? But what they are doing in essence is contributing to the economy of the Cook Islands. They are in fact injecting new money into the country.
Amidst this catastrophic boo-boo by the government to tax the elderly, some of these well meaning people are now contemplating packing up and leaving the country. Isn’t it enough that we are losing a lot of young people and now we have the threat of the elderly heading back to NZ? Yet again, why should we blame them when after all they will be heading to better and advanced medical services and support? They will also be heading back to better transportation, perhaps to the family nest there and so on. But worse for us here in the Cook Islands is that they will be taking their money back. That in total will be a huge loss for a struggling country like ours.
After church last Sunday, an elderly gentleman shook my hand and said hello and then told me a story I have now become familiar with. He said, I asked the tax department, how much will you tax my pension by and was told several thousand for the year 2012. He told them he will take his money back to New Zealand. He and his wife are now heading back to Auckland next month. What was interesting was that this man was a very, very staunch Cook Islands Party supporter. This should not be a serious consideration in the context of things but he absolutely believed in Prime Minister Henry Puna during the last campaign and he detested me as Leader of the Opposition. But much to my delight, he sees things the opposite way.
More fundamentally, we are haunted by depopulation. This government offers no answers to this tragic situation -- tragic because depopulation means less disposable income and less tax. It therefore lessens our economic base. The exodus of the elderly out of the Cook Islands is also going to change the way that government taxes the rest of the population. A smaller population will create disparities and will force drastic measures so there will be an increase in taxation. It appears the only option for this government is to tax more. Taxing can only mean that the PM has run out of ideas; has become bankrupt of solutions and has lost vision. It also means that when you beat someone with a stick, that stick may in fact turn back on you.
Anyway, for those elderly or 35 years old and over, there is a golden oldies rugby tournament starting next week. Come for a run and think of aging gracefully instead of being forever young.
Crisis in changing fabric of society
Sat
11 May
Dear Editor,
The public discussions by Paka Worthington and others are certainly worthy of some constructive debate--not so much at a personal level but more at a national level -- as in my view, we are facing a crisis situation, with long term effects to come.
The effects of outward migration of our people and inward migration or immigration by foreigners will have dire intrinsic and socio-economic repercussions that will completely change the fabric of life here in the Cook Islands, within the next five to 10 years--if left unchecked.
I say this because it is happening now, the shape of our demographic community and society is changing and the latest population statistics confirms this.
I’m sure many of us know of many families and friends who have sold up, resigned and left for greener pastures. I know on my home island Mitiaro, scores of people have packed up and left - leaving empty homes, boarded up or left with remaining families.
A school principal the other day said to me that she only has 36 pupils on her role, more empty classrooms and surplus teachers.
This is the same situation in Atiu, the last time I visited. This problem is not only confined to Rarotonga but also extends to the outer islands.
So what is the solution here?
In my view, there is no one solution to remedy this problem. What we need is a multi-disciplined approach by government and the private sector, as the solutions largely depends on the way government controls and manages our lives through legislation, policies and regulations, at the macro-economic level.
By this I mean through direct government interventions that shape our wages, taxes, business creation and incentives, development and investment, bank lending rates, cost of living and many other enabling stimulants that will generate and rejuvenate the economy.
Basically our people are leaving because conditions here either make or force them to leave to find a better life, a better job and income and a better future for their families.
The question we may ask is, why aren’t those same conditions overseas available here at home?
Although there are specific reasons why our people are leaving, in the main, here are my views;
1.Scarce employment and available jobs-basically there aren’t enough jobs to go around in both the public and private sectors for the market to absorb. The influx of school leavers, returning graduates and many businesses and the effect of government ministries’ rightsizing programmes for efficiency purposes, have led to what is referred to as the ‘overcrowding effect’.
Migrant workers from the region therefore fill in the gaps left by our local migration. The pull for higher wages throughout this process is evident, as migrant workers from outside are happy to receive our minimum wage, while our local migrating population leave for even higher wages overseas.
2.Cost of capital and living too highthe honeymoon period is basically over, the previous good times of spending, borrowing and investment have now tightened and have become more prudent as regional and world markets constrict for various reasons -- the main being high domestic and foreign debt levels.
Using the NZ currency in an open market, leaves us prone to imported high prices, high bank rates with little or no power to generate real growth of our own.
One only needs to see the high level of mortgagee sales by the banks and real estate companies as a fall out. The existence of certain monopolistic businesses within our community also adds to the high cost of living. Better price control mechanisms need to be put in place to assist struggling families as prices are continuously rising, while real wages are static.
I could go on and on but I think the message is made clear. We have some major problems to deal with. These are not only purely economic but social, political and cultural as well.
What we need now is a major stimulus project or value added industry such as the seabed mining or tourism infrastructural development to kick start our economy.
However, like most things, this depends on the political will of government.
Paul Raui Allsworth
Atupa
Rarotonga
Water needed for our people
Sat
11 May
Dear Editor,
I am surprised that Michael Henry (Community uses Aitutaki fishing club, May 8) has not noticed that I have been a regular letter writer to your newspaper since 2010.
But, I thank Henry for trying to squabble over my previous letter -- it has attracted a strong following from our people back in Aitutaki.
People will always have different interpretations of any scenario, and I do respect their views, whether I agree with them or not. But, democratically speaking, we all look at the world from different windows.
It is overwhelmingly depreciative for Henry to even put weight on justifying the importance of his fishing club project. To go further and publicly announced my personal political interest is uncalled for.
My solution is simple: which of these two projects has significant value to our people’s lives?
Anyone with a bit of common sense will understand the merit in my argument on the importance of water to our people.
Around June 2012, while the Aitutaki airport project was on, I first heard about the proposed Vaimaru water project.
But almost 12 months later, we read about the fishing club in CI News.
This is why I wrote about the prioritising of these projects. I am aware where this funding came from; what I am disappointed in is that all the effort should have been put towards the water project – something that’s a necessity for our people.
Get that out of the way first.
Editor, we still have community halls in each village that are rarely used, only need a little bit of money to refurbish, and could be utilised for functions.
Te tika ua ra taau taikuanga e, kua atorotoro ua atu au i te akau roa e tai epetoma, but am planning to move back to Aitutaki for good, “for there is no place like home”.
Teuira Ka
Ngatangiia
‘Name suppression is a privilege’
Sat
11 May
Dear Editor,
This letter is with regards to the two articles in your newspaper of Friday May 10 (‘Rape case suppression lifted’ and ‘Cannabis accused named’), where you report that Justice Judith Potter has lifted name suppression in cases where they should never have been granted in the first place, in my opinion.
All three accused -- in fact all people committing a crime -- are intelligent enough to know that, if caught, there will be consequences. In the cases mentioned, their (good?) names will be known by everyone and they will be facing court cases.
They know pretty well that, if convicted, their children and parents will suffer despite having nothing to do with the crime committed.
The lifting of name suppression by Justice Judith Potter (with many years of bench experience) should be a timely reminder to our rather inexperienced lawyers and JPs, (headed by John Kenning) that you just cannot expect to be given or handed out ‘name suppression’ like one hands out a lolly to a child. Being given name suppression is a privilege and it should be given only on very rare occasions.
It should not be given to prevent the public at large from thinking that he/she, the accused, might be a crook, a criminal, a druggy, a rapist or whatever.
You were accused of committing something unlawful, you take the consequences like a man; which you obviously were not when the police came after you and rounded you up.
My plea to lawyers and JPs is: try to apply the law as qualified people like the most experienced Justice Potter does. No deviating from it, for whatever reason.
Maybe we should ask the Justice to stay in Rarotonga for a year to teach our lawyers and JPs what the law is all about!
No bush lawyer
(Name and address supplied)
Learn to let sleeping dogs lie
Mon
13 May
Dear Editor,
I noted in last week’s CI News that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is gearing up to investigate Colagate (PAC to consult public on Colagate, May 8) and wondered whether the impact and possible outcomes of investigation have been properly considered.
I think we all know that past governments granted some tax/levy dispensation on Cola packaging and the previous owners of CITC took advantage of it, before Trevor Clarke bought into CITC - meaning the benefit to CITC was not illegal and TC cannot be blamed for initiating the granting of dispensation. It then follows, Editor, that court action is not a likely outcome of the PAC investigation as no illegal activity occurred.
I suppose government can sue previous governments for granting the dispensation if PAC found the Cola packaging dispensation to be improper but do we really need another spectacle of government suing itself at taxpayers’ expense, as the previous government did in its Toagate witch hunt?
And has anyone considered the possibility that TC and CITC may decide to sue for damage to their reputation, which will surely occur if past comments on this matter in the public arena are anything to go by? Let’s hope, Editor, that it doesn’t come to that, as it could cost taxpayers a whole lot more money and really give us something to moan about.
And by the way, Editor, an unmentioned reason that led me to suggest that taxing New Zealand pensioners was not a good idea was the policing aspect, as it can only be properly implemented by both governments cooperating on recipient information, which I understand is now being considered.
My fear, Editor, was that some double dipping by pensioners will surely have occurred, meaning they collected both the New Zealand and Cook Islands pension, and your no name writers will have a field day on debating the validity or otherwise of double dipping at the expense of pensioners, making spectacles of the Cook Islands people yet again!
And before some Smokie and/or no name writer even think about it, I qualify for both the New Zealand and Cook Islands pension and only collect the latter, because I reside here, and I do not condone double dipping.
Tepaki
Creating a Cinderella future
Tue
14 May
Dear Editor,
I refer to Sel Napa’s letter ‘Racking up Titanium airports’, May 10. Her message was nave and immature and demonstrated her lack of understanding of the real facts involved.
For instance, to promise that a Democratic Party government can and could solve tax issues; reduce international travels by ministers (even if airfares are prepaid externally); her claim to forget about the past and the list goes on is pure ignorance.
Even her dream of a Democratic Party government solving all these issues by creating a ‘Cinderella future’ is very much like the saying that pigs can fly.
She claimed that I had blamed the previous democratic government for mismanagement within the health system. She should read my letter again, maybe this time with double-focal reading glasses. What I stated was that the health system of today is riddled with litigations costing the ministry (Health) thousands of dollars for mismanagement and ill-judgment of yester-years. There was no accusation of any previous government.
My point of quoting the past was based on wisdom, “learn the past, to know the present so to divine the future”.
I was commenting on wasteful activities of the past based on evidence contained in legal documents which were costing us unnecessary and uncalled for expenses.
‘Whinging’ and ‘moaning’ are her words not ours. For her view on political direction this is better seen in the eyes of the beholder(s) of today. As for me, I am off to have my ‘titanium’ excavations.
Nandi Glassie
Minister of Health and
Agriculture
Recruit Tahitians to fill jobs
Wed
15 May
Dear Editor,
It has been thought provoking reading the letters to the editor recently regarding emigration/immigration.
Our limited labour supply has forced businesses in the Cook Islands to source overseas labour for many years. To this point the focus of the source of labour has been New Zealand, Fiji, and the Philippines all of whom have made great contributions to our economy.
However, the natural source of labour that we should be focusing on is our relations from Tahiti.
Before the French and British colonized the Pacific, Tahiti and the Cook Islands were the same people. We have legends of great voyagers coming and going from Tahiti (people will be familiar with the Tangi’ia legend) -- there is the Tainu’u (Kainuku) Marae in Raiatea, and of course the obvious similarities in language, traditions, and customs. The list is ad infinitum.
Many, if not most Cook Islanders (including myself), can trace our genealogy to Tahiti. Conversely, most Tahitians are part Cook Island as well, exhibited by Tahiti’s last President Oscar Temaru who’s grandmother was from Atiu. There is a deep connection and cultural understanding between both countries that we were (and still are) one people before colonization.
Tahiti is in the midst of an abysmal economic crisis. Their unemployment rate is 30 per cent. I would like our government to give serious consideration to opening a dialogue with the Tahitian government regarding the possibility of recruiting our Tahitian brother/sisters to fill the job opportunities in the Cook Islands. Given the newly elected government in Tahiti, this might be an opportune time to engage them with this type of proposal. We are already part of them and they are part of us. In addition, Tahiti has had a vibrant tourism industry for the last 40 years indicating that the tourism skill set of its people is already very advanced. Moreover, given that their industry has focused on the medium/high end of the market the Tahitians already have experience in that niche which is one that we will continue to develop.
We should not let the fact that they speak French become a barrier to our engagement with them. The USA is their number one market, so many of them speak very good English, French and Tahitian (which is just a different dialect than Rarotongan, and in many instances exactly the same language). The fact that they are multi-lingual is actually a benefit to us as it opens more potential markets for us to develop.
Te Aroa te Atua Maori.
Teanaroa Paka Worthington
Rarotonga
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