It should be of huge public concern that the “new” private development of the Vaimaanga hotel site will soon include the closure of the main coastal road, forcing a long traffic diversion around the back of the hotel site for all motorists, purely in order to enable future guests and residents of the new hotel, direct access to a non-existent beach, with no sand, and no swimming or snorkelling , and bounded by huge rock revetments, which have been in place for years.

With road safety being  touted as priority all around Rarotonga, one has to wonder how two sharp corners into and exiting that proposed detour will allow greater road safety.

One would also have to speculate on an EIA. Will NES do one and allow the public to engage directly  and express their thoughts on  the proposed major changes?

Will the new MP for Titikaveka stand up and support his local constituents, the iti tangata, as promised in many of his pre-election speeches, those who voted for him, and those who did not,  whose lives will be hugely disrupted on a daily basis, or will he kowtow to the PM who has already shown his support for this project, but does not live on that side of the island, and therefore would not understand about the inconvenience.  

The entire public of Rarotonga, not just those living on the south side, need to take note of what is going to happen at that coastal road, and do something about it now. 

National Environment Director Halatoa Fua responds 

There are two separate EIAs that apply to this matter:

1. The property development – a terms of reference was issued to the applicant to complete EIA report for the full development plan
2. The ring road – it is a public infrastructure that comes under the Cook Islands Government

Applicable provisions of the Environment Act 2003 must be followed.

Meitaki

NES Management Team, Halatoa Fua