Opinion

No Sunday sport

Saturday 3 September 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Sir, I am responding to your news item of Wednesday August 31 2011 headed, Club Philippines celebrates first year. I believe this was held at Nukupure sports field at Muri, Ngatangiia on Sunday August 28 Fine! Except, why on a Sunday? The celebration was fine but definitely not on Sunday as far as I […]

Where is the CIP love?

Saturday 3 September 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Why is everyone moaning about the MPs travelling to New Zealand with a delegation of 20 or the new interest tax or the money spent on the opening of parliament.We voted them into parliament, didnt we all? We followed their campaign at the elections. Did they deliver? Yes, they did. When you add […]

Sunday Star Times not worth it

Saturday 3 September 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, A greater deterrent than the freight-cost of Sunday Star Times as suggested in Fridays Smoke Signal is the export documentation fee and the slim wholesale discount available. At $4 per copy, Bounty Bookshop was losing more than $100 per week when distribution was taken over by Fairfax Media, with a higher documentation fee. […]

Audit a valuable service

Saturday 3 September 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I support the work by the Audit Director and his staff. Without this office and leadership by Paul, we would be like PNG, corrupt and down the drain. Sholans ranting is crap…this guy only just finished school and Maoate gave him the top treasury job. Look what financial mismanagement he has left us, […]

Kata - September 3, 2011

Saturday 3 September 2011 | Published in Kata

Lost Tribe repeats its plea

Friday 2 September 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Dear Editor, I wrote a letter to CI News more than a fortnight ago headed Request to PM from Lost Tribe, which related to our PM Henry Punas discussion with John Key recently in New Zealand on the subject of portability of NZ superannuation to deserving local residents. Ive not yet received an answer to […]

See what $48,000 could buy for the Cooks

Friday 2 September 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

No amount of wisdom, logic or outrage is going to stop the travel of the 20 to the Forum, a smoke signaller writes. But before you anointed ones travel offshore, travel to your local primary school and ask the principal for a tour of the worn out fixtures and buildings. Then climb upstairs at the […]

Kata - September 2, 2011

Friday 2 September 2011 | Published in Kata

Perplexing priorities

Thursday 1 September 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: Government has been billed as Henrys Travelling Circus, whose members stay home just long enough to enact ill-conceived and unpopular withholding tax legislation to rake in revenue from thrifty savers on the one hand, while on the other, doling out a substantial $48,000 of taxpayers money to fund a grossly outsized […]

Doomsday for disgruntled taxpayer

Thursday 1 September 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, To the Taxpayer: Today makes the start of the Brown tax on your savings. Fact Information Sheet part 2. 1. All interest on deposits at local banks will be taxed 15%. 2. This will be the first time since 1 July 1997 that interest from Westpac or ANZ has been taxed. 3. The […]

CITC explains minimum charges

Thursday 1 September 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would like CITC to clarify why they have minimum purchase amounts per EFTPOS on a DEBIT card (not credit card) linked to either ANZ/Westpac local bank accounts. On numerous occasions when I have personally shopped at CITC/Foodland and I have purchased items under $15, the checkout operators have tried to make me […]

Spending just goes on

Thursday 1 September 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Please allow me to point out my very concern in your paper about the current Government. Mark Brown who has the title of Minister of Finance has shown over and over again that he is obviously not capable for the position. I have done USP courses and havent finished but dont think I […]

Kata - September 1, 2011

Thursday 1 September 2011 | Published in Kata

Kata - August 30, 2011

Tuesday 30 August 2011 | Published in Kata

For the parliamentary record

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Opposition members of parliament voiced their objection to the withholding tax amendment bill being read a third time in parliament on Thursday, but lost to the majority vote in favour. No opposition to the bill was voiced by any MPs during its reading of principals and merits, nor during any other time of voting at […]

Malicious and cowardly

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Dear Editor, I am responding to your Friday report of Norman Georges speech in Parliament. How dare this scoundrel make cowardly and untrue attacks on my wife, my staff, advisers and myself from his pulpit in Parliament, where he is protected by absolute privilege. I totally reject his outrageous assertions and the way in which […]

Kata - August 29, 2011

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in Kata

Are you kidding?

Saturday 27 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, No disrespect to Papa Louis but for anyone to hold this man up as a safe driver is laughable. Travelling at speeds of around 25km in a 50km speed zone causes drivers who are usually quite patient to take risks by having to pass. Look for the large queues and then look for […]

Fishing comparison: our $73 vs their $5000

Saturday 27 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Fishing minister Teina Bishop has returned from China with a reported three-year deal of $800,000 in licence revenue for the Cook Islands. A smoke signaller writes. Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) have recently set down guidelines for fishing in their waters at a minimum of $5000 A DAY for EACH fishing vessel, with some […]

Kata - August 27, 2011

Saturday 27 August 2011 | Published in Kata