Opinion

All islands need water tanks

Saturday 16 April 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

“The heading in the newspaper [yesterday] ‘Water tanks for all’ is an incorrect heading because it only looks at people living in Rarotonga,” writes a smoke signaller. “Here again the government of the day forgets that there are people living in the outer islands. We are not connected to a municipal water supply, we have […]

Some Aitutaki home owners upset

Friday 15 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Firstly we would like to say that we are very grateful to the Cook Islands and New Zealand Governments for their invaluable support and assistance to Aitutaki during and after the cyclone Pat. We are also grateful to Peter Scantlebury from the NZaid that has worked tirelessly over the past 12 months in […]

Alistair Campbell exhibition outstanding

Friday 15 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Last night my family and I had the privilege of attending the opening of the Alistair Te Ariki Campbell Exhibition at the Pataka Museum in Porirua. The exhibition celebrates the life of one of NZ’s greatest poets and one of Tongareva, Penrhyn Island’s greatest sons. To sit at the opening of that exhibition […]

Kata - April 15, 2011

Friday 15 April 2011 | Published in Kata

Nation's ideas need nurturing

Friday 15 April 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Wilkie Rasmussen says the Economic Development Summit was a waste of time and money as government will just go on its normal path, ignoring the man on the street,” a smoke signaller notes. “If one needed one small example, it would be when the Titikaveka Growers took the initiative to source a big commercial mulcher […]

Facts first, for fishery

Thursday 14 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have followed with interest the debate regarding the issue of proposed purse seining in Cook Islands waters. Having been involved in fisheries management for a number of years I am concerned that “good stories” seems to be getting in the way of a number of relevant facts. It is absolutely correct for […]

The economic reality of agriculture

Thursday 14 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, At Tuesday’s Economic Summit meeting, when the topic was agriculture, we ran out of time (lunch pending) so I was not able to speak. Therefore I would like to use this medium to say what I wanted to say: The economic reality of the agriculture industry here is that it is very hard […]

Dance for ourselves

Thursday 14 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The Economic Summit is all about money and making a living, each of us and as a nation. But in the arts this is best achieved somewhat indirectly. Although it might be okay to label the arts “Creative Industries” for administrative reasons, this label does not indicate a working formula for the production […]

Sewerage scheme already planned, costed

Thursday 14 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I listened with interest to Des Eggleton’s very reasoned arguments for the centralisation and disposal of sewage waste at Wednesday’s Summit. In the lead up to the last general election, I endeavoured to interest those candidates who approached me to address this very question and urged them to seek out a report prepared […]

Kata - April 14, 2011

Thursday 14 April 2011 | Published in Kata

Tataia te nuti ki roto i te reo Maori

Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Kia orana ete Etita, Te tatau nei au ite pepa Kuki Airani, teia te tata anga i runga ite kapi mua “Cook Islands News” Kia eeu au ite kapi pou rava i roto ite pepa ate Kuki Airani, kare takiri e potonga i roto ite pepa ate Kuki Airani e kua tata ia ki roto […]

Kata - April 13, 2011

Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in Kata

New cars for new leaders

Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller spotted at the Economic Summit yesterday the president of the House of Ariki getting out of a blue government car, registration GA79 “that was a real bomb”. Parked next to it was also a blue car, “but a very flash and new” GA387 driven by the acting secretary to Cabinet. The signaller […]

Don't be fooled by this person

Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read with interest the latest chapter of the Bruce Mita trouble making dissertations. I can say with my hand on my heart that during my time as Police Commissioner there was never any pressure on me from any politician from either side of the house to make an arrest of any person […]

Kata - April 12, 2011

Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in Kata

Big thanks for honesty

Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, My wife and I have just returned from holidaying in Rarotonga and I would like to thank the lady on a scooter who found my wallet on the road outside the airport about two hours before we were due to leave. She went into the airport and found my wife and returned it […]

Seven children in 'correct' geneaology

Monday 11 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have read Toi Tu Rahui’s letter in Cook Islands news dated Tuesday 29 March 2011 and I would like to have part of his genealogy corrected. Rahui said that Okimano (which should have been Akimano) and Rangi Makea’s father is Makea Komako. This Makea’s real name is Makea Te Konako (Our 4th […]

Just give us your money – yeah right

Monday 11 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Government’s plea to have aid donors just hand their money over and the Cook Islands will take care of the rest, was a real blunder for the Prime Minister (CINews April 9). Quoting “the strength of government’s financial management systems” was very bad timing. There are already finance systems in place and the […]

New CI coins minted

Monday 11 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

The Perth Mint has announced that it has released the first in a set of five Cook Islands coins that honours the Battle of Midway. The coins are collector’s items and cannot be used as legal tender. The newly-released coin is part of a Famous Naval Battles coin set – the front of the coin […]

Here's hoping

Saturday 9 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It’s exciting to see funding has come through for Waste Management. I’m just hoping that all aspects of waste are being addressed. From farm animal and human sewerage, reducing landfill, recycling organic matter, all the way to what to do with industrial waste e.g. whiteware, poor quality imports that very quickly end up […]