Letters to the Editor
Thursday 13: DPM defends his sons
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Of the recent public comments that have been made recently by a former Cabinet minister and others, what disappoints me most is the insinuation that one of my sons is wrongly benefiting from my health portfolio. Please allow me to clarify this matter once and for all. My eldest son Terepai Jnr is […]
Monday 17: Dreadful advice
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Minister Ngamau Munokoa’s speech at the under 21 netball opening ceremony was awful. Her grammar and tenses were so badly arranged that one could barely understand what she was saying. Worst of all she turned on Cook Islanders who were sharing a proud moment of realising the dream of hosting the netball games. […]
Thursday 13: Dear Editor,
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Cook Islands citizens choose and elect officials during local and central government elections, which is our democratic right. It is hoped that the best person gets elected to govern with good governance, accountability, responsibility and total transparency in decision making in any and all fiscal expenditures. Sometimes we get it right, and the elected official […]
Monday 17: It's a fib, I didn't resign
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Either there is an error in information which I doubt or the office of the Deputy Prime Minister is telling fibs. In a press statement from the DPM’s office it said I have resigned from the Pacific Mini Games Board. I have not and nor have I been asked to. But Minister Ngamau […]
Thursday 13: Any dummy can see what's happening
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
The Editor, The question I’d like to ask is – how did cabinet elect the new HoMs? From my own knowledge, the first criteria I would evaluate are experience, performance and accountability. Again, do all these new appointees possess the above expertise? I doubt it very much. As far as I am concerned some of […]
Monday 17: Act like a rangatira!
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, What is customary lore and what are the duties of a leader under those customary lores? In principle do we elect under a democratic policy or do we elect those who have been groomed by the older generation guaranteed to walk beside the people and listen to their needs and have a willingness […]
Monday 17: HoMs fiasco raises discontent, distrust
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I make reference to the letter in Saturday’s publication titled ‘PSC answers criticism’. In my view the PSC Commissioner Navy Epati has failed miserably to address the growing public outcry in regards to the recent appointment of some HOMs, in particular, the three who were appointed to Justice, Agriculture and Culture. Therefore, in […]
Monday 17: 'Soft touch' buys a sob story
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, What on earth are our leaders doing? Since when do our country’s leaders cater to the demands of rapists and murderers! I think a response from Mark Short justifying his actions would be appropriate now. How can he condone the actions of the prisoners who escaped after they put the island on high […]
Monday 17: Govt cruel, inhumane to old HoMs
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Now we all know what this Demo government had in mind when they brought in the ‘new’ Public Service Act. And it is not very nice at all. Six Cook Islanders – Terry Hagan, Nga Mataio, Russell Thomas, Tamarii Pierre, Makiuti Tongia and John Herrmann – have now been consigned to the scrap […]
Saturday 15: TV coverage a team effort
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Thank you for your kind comments (William Framhein). Just to clarify, we are currently showing two games a day on CITV with the permission of IFNA. The 5.30pm game is shot with one camera (Pete or Matt) and has one commentator (Mona). The 9.30pm game has a team of eight people: three camera […]
Wednesday 19: Phonetic links
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Just a quick note with regard to the life long desire of all Maori to find the “Makea” title holder. The phonetics of the Maori language provide keys to family names and traditions. When we in our language know the oral tradition and importance of spacing in a personable way as well as […]
Saturday 15: Angels' touch
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, With surprise I read about the outbreak of prisoners because of bad facilities and bad treatment. That is not the Polynesian Rarotongan way to deal with humans. There is a prison specialist on the island with 40 years of experience, Mr Gordon Sawtell, and I am sure he will be happy to help. […]
Wednesday 19: Let's get rid of them!
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I would like to congratulate my Cook Islands people for standing up and giving it to Government et al for their arrogance in appointing some young highly qualified people to HOM jobs. You are true Cook Islanders. I agree entirely with you, these new HOMs are too young and too highly qualified and […]
Saturday 15: PSC answers criticism
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, After reading some of the concerns voiced in the media over the appointment process for Heads of Departments and Island Secretaries, it is very important that this is clarified as a matter of public interest There were a total of 198 applications, 60 for the secretaries and 138 for HODs. These applications were […]
Wednesday 19: Call for a prison's board
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, In my letter of August 17 I indicated that I would write another article outlining a remedial measure to improve the prison service. The prison service is charged with the containment of offenders sentenced to terms of imprisonment as well as offenders awaiting trial. Basically these offenders who have committed offences against the […]
Saturday 15: Leading by example – yeah right
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The admission by the Finsec (CINews August 14) that he had applied direct to his uncle the Minister of Finance for a bonus of the full amount has proved beyond any doubt the self interest and conniving that is going on with the minister and his pet appointees. If the Finsec had any […]
Wednesday 19: Highest paid should be last for a rise
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Probably like every other tax paying individual in this country, I am appalled and disgusted that the country’s financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti has the nerve to seek a 5% increase to his salary for ‘outstanding’ work which he believes he has achieved over the past year. At a time when the economy has […]
Saturday 15: Endless stuff-ups speak
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, We read with disgust that Sholan Ivaiti is trying to get a bonus pay. What for? He is already highly paid for a start, and most of the things he has done since he started working have been a total failure. Like most of the current HoMs, his appointment was clearly political. We […]
Tuesday 18: We were fleeced!
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The Cooks’ prosperity is based on tourism – and rightly so. You have it all. Four of us from New Zealand spent a glorious last week of July in Rarotonga and Aitutaki. And here’s how to kill the goose and its golden eggs. Take tourists for a ride by charging them $55 departure […]
Friday 14: Top job!
Wednesday 19 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I write to you on behalf of the team at Matariki FM to ask if you would publish our gratitude of the great TV presentation that Jeanne Matenga, Moana Vaevae and others are doing of the WYNC as seen on Cook Islands Television. Jeanne is the sole CITV camera person and Moana the […]