Opinion

Just research it first

Monday 17 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I’m writing to ensure there is no misinformation circulating as a result of your letter writer “Toketoke Enua“. The point I’ve been making all along is that all available information on the fish traps in Avana-Aroko should be examined before springing into action. If the research concludes that the fish traps are the […]

Palmerston health clinic questions

Monday 17 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I understand that the Cook Islands Ministry of Health received $160K from the European Union in 2007 to build a medical centre on Palmerston Island. It is now 2011 and still a medical centre has not been built. I want to ask the former Outer Islands Health Director, now Secretary of Health Tupou […]

Kata - January 17, 2011

Monday 17 January 2011 | Published in Kata

Rounding up the shopping cents

Monday 17 January 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

“From the attached receipt (see photo below right) you will see that I purchased goods to the value of $16.02 at Foodland this afternoon [Friday],” a smoke signaller writes. “The receipt shows that rounding was applied to bring the total to $16.05. It also shows that I tendered a $50.00 note to pay for these […]

Community clean up in Muri

Monday 17 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Residents in Muri Tapere are being called to a community working bee this afternoon starting at 5pm at the Nukupure Park. The working bee has been called by Pu Tapere Keta Williams and will included cleaning rubbish and overgrowth around the sports grounds at Nukupure Park. The working bee is a post festive season cleanup […]

'The honest approach has disappeared'

Saturday 15 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It is finished, and finally, the people have spoken. Every election leaves a track of disharmony from the candidates’ supporters, and this mayoral election for Aitutaki, according to some people, is a classic duplication of that unfortunate concept. Various accusations, such as the lack of promotion for such an important occasion, a much […]

Govt has betrayed outer islands: Wilkie

Saturday 15 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Has the Government betrayed a number of voters and candidates in the Outer Islands Local Government Elections held yesterday? My simple answer is, YES – ABSOLUTELY! The Government has committed gross injustice. I understand both the Prime Minister and the Head of the Ministry of Planning and Infrastructure echoed each other with their […]

Call to repair road damage

Saturday 15 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, With schools to resume operation in a couple of weeks it is my hope that the Ministry of Works will get in and fix the road that leads directly to Takitumu Primary School in Matavera from the main road. Ever since Telecom Cook Islands dug this road up to lay cables a couple […]

Avana stench inquiry

Saturday 15 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am amazed that the horrible stench at Avana harbour has gone ‘un-noticed’ by the appropriate authorities, in this case probably the ministries of health, marine resources, infrastructure & planning and environment services, so that this appalling smell pollution problem can be eradicated. But then again, attending to public nuisances such as this […]

Call to catch scrap-munchers

Saturday 15 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This letter to your columns is in justifiable and credible support of Papa Joe Ngatae, the Police and Justice Ministry appointed dog-ranger who, to this time has weathered so much criticism for his sometimes natural overzealousness in eradicating paraiah, unfed and abandoned dogs which kill tethered goats and terrorise almost every pedestrian and […]

A letter from the mayor

Saturday 15 January 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

“I have very little respect for prominent persons who use profanity in public,” a smoke signaller writes, most probably in response to yesterday’s headline ‘One big F up’. “Their view can still be made known without subjecting the reading public to such vulgarity. Please consider our school age readers and readers who don’t condone profanity […]

Kata - January 14, 2011

Friday 14 January 2011 | Published in Kata

A case for action man

Friday 14 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As a Ngatangiia family man whose children regularly make use of Muri lagoon for recreational purposes, it concerns me greatly that much needed plans to improve the quality of water in Muri lagoon by removing the fish traps appears to have hit a brick wall all because one person who is not from […]

'Let's get on with it, mate'

Friday 14 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, My sympathy to those Queenslanders affected by the floods. Green and Gold, like Tok, is asking for a national fundraising appeal. Let’s be realistic and practical. Aussies are seasoned victims of all kinds of disasters – fires, cyclones, floods, drought. However, the thing about Aussies is that during or after a disaster, unlike […]

Fix the disgusting stench in Avana

Thursday 13 January 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Instead of cutting down killer coconut trees, can the Ministry of Works guys do something about the disgusting mess at the bridge opposite the Ngatangiia CICC at Avana?” pleads a smoke signaller. “Driving past, you notice the stench getting stronger and stronger every day. I almost vomited when I walked past there this morning. It […]

Kata - January 13, 2011

Thursday 13 January 2011 | Published in Kata

Let's launch fundraising appeal

Thursday 13 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have no idea whether the Prime Minister is intending to launch a national fundraising appeal to assist those in Australia who have been badly affected by the severe flooding in recent weeks, but I really hope that he and his government take the opportunity to do so. Asides from putting out the […]

Govt brave and courageous

Thursday 13 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am writing to commend the Prime Minister and his newly elected government for the brave and courageous stand towards the prevention of HIV and all other STI, in the Cook Islands. It is rewarding to read that you have all worked together to resolve this issue. I would also like to offer […]

Ignorance is bliss

Thursday 13 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I’d like to educate a little…. Cook Islands and Proud, you don’t have to have sex to contract HIV. You can contract it from as easy as having a blood transfusion. It is not air-borne, you can’t get it from touching someone like you can get conjunctivitis. I am not an outsider, I […]

It's show time on outer islands

Thursday 13 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Today is the DAY to determine our future, in securing a very satisfying and better tomorrow for all Aitutakians. There is no more time for weighing the pros and cons, it is now show time. It is time to look at our pa metua, our mapu, and our children. We are indebted to […]