Dear Editor, Who is responsible for the ugliness at Panama? CIIC (Cook Islands Investment Corporation)? If so, what a waste of our tax dollars.

Is the red brick going to be painted a colour suited to the tropics and not remind us every day that we are part of a rural village in southeast Asia or slum city UK?

Is the ground inside these ugly walls going to be filled in and maybe planted with some plants/flowers because it’s been sitting like this for ages?

Please get some landscaping ideas from other tropical locations like Florida or even Tahiti, please, please, please. Even a book on landscaping might give you some good ideas. At the moment it is ugly, ugly, ugly. It is viivii in our language. Kare e manea ana.

Every day when I come into work, I have to look to the hills to avoid looking at this ugliness. I am not the only one to feel this way.

Not a fan of ugly

(Name and address supplied)

Response

Kia orana Editor,

We acknowledge this letter appreciating the public’s interest in how our national infrastructure develops and is maintained.

To clarify, the work currently underway is part of a broader infrastructure improvement project overseen by the Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC). This includes vital upgrades to public utilities, and long-term safety and access provisions – not just aesthetic improvements. 

The red brick material referenced in the letter is in fact cobblestone that has been repurposed from the medians in Avarua town centre. These cobblestones are being removed from the medians due to lifting and to discourage pedestrians from crossing between them. Rather than dispose of the material, it is being reused in the Panama garden development – a sustainable and cost-effective decision that reflects responsible resource use.

We understand that incomplete works may raise questions or even cause concern. Like all projects, this site is progressing in phases – starting with essential groundwork and structural integrity before moving to visual enhancements. As with previous CIIC projects across Rarotonga and the Pa Enua, the final result will reflect a balance of functionality, safety, and design that supports our tropical environment.

 We take funding for public infrastructure seriously. Our goal is to deliver quality infrastructure/public assets that serves the needs of today while being mindful of maintenance and resilience into the future.

We encourage members of the public to reach out to CIIC directly with concerns or suggestions, and we remain committed to delivering outcomes our people can be proud of – both in function and form.

Meitaki.

Te Tau Papa o Avarua Project Team

CIIC