Dear Editor, I have some questions for CIIC (Cook Islands Investment Corporation), regarding the new plan for the market, and thought a public forum like the paper would a good format to do this, so everyone concerned can get the answers they need. I understand all stallholders (arts, crafts, and advertising for tourism) are being moved to the new location, past the current huts into the park, and all food vendors are heading to the old playground.

I have a couple of questions regarding this:

1. What are the buildings left in this area and why? Like the blue rectangle in the middle of the car park at the bridge end, and the gray one between car park and market office?
2. How are customers going to be encouraged to come into the market especially on weekdays? At the moment it’s visible, and passing traffic can see produce on the tables from the road, also separating the food from the other stalls, splits your customer base, people won’t be able to look at jewellery or drums, while waiting for food to cook, or coffee to brew.
3. Why is the children’s playground as far from everything possible? Do we not want it utilised? At present vendors keep their children at their stall during Saturday mornings and parents only go there after they have done everything else and at a protest, it’s currently way closer!

Meitaki Ma’ata

Duncan Lewis

Dead fish in Rakahanga lagoon

It happens every five to ten years in both islands Manihiki and Rakahanga (Lack of oxygen in waters leads to dead fish in Rakahanga, Cook Islands News, March 9). This was caused by the spawning of all living species in the lagoon specially the corals. It depletes the amount of oxygen in the lagoon causing the fish to die.

This happens only two to three day when the spawning eggs gain weight and falls to the bottom of the lagoon and the high tide brings in fresh water to bring in oxygen and plankton to sustain the lagoons living species.

Ricaldo Tekake William

(Facebook)

There’s more to come especially when you take $ for access to the land. Soon you won’t be able to live off the land. It’s not just climate change, fish can live in water and its what’s happening beneath the sea and what’s put into it. Mankind can be so greedy!

Carol Tumu Cameron

(Facebook)

Considering that Japan will be dumping 1.25 million tonnes of Fukushima’s nuclear wastewater in the Pacific Ocean, for the next 40 years, it is a great concern that cases of dead fish will come to arise. Better international environmental governance is needed.

Mere Waqabaca Naiyaga

(Facebook)

Not a good sign, is it? The ocean is polluted and the government giving licences for foreign fishing charters to harvest our ocean. What are we eating tomorrow? This is the first sign. More to come in later years, its climate change either way.

Bates Nah Wills

(Facebook)