Opinion

Floor crossing explained

Thursday 23 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It is amazing how a number of CIP MPs and supporters have found where I am on the island, to not only know more about certain parts of my letter to you yesterday, but also to bad-mouth Norman George to me. I was not surprised however that all of them readily admitted to […]

Reo Maori knowledge is here

Thursday 23 December 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“I can see from your article on ‘Funding boost for Reo Maori’ [see yesterday’s CINews], why the previous commission failed,” a smoke signaller writes. “It simply did not engage the appropriate cross-section of the community. Where are the Kai Korero taunga, teachers of Te Reo, culture and performing arts, outer island reps etc? A non-Maori […]

Pirates of the Pacific

Wednesday 22 December 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“I don’t hire pirate DVDs because not only is it wrong, but the quality sucks and I feel I have been ripped off,” a smoke signaller writes to TXT188. “I agree with Movie Lover’s letter ‘Bring back originals’ [see Monday’s CINews, p6]. Anyway, what’s the point having a huge high definition flat screen TV with […]

Kata - December 22, 2010

Wednesday 22 December 2010 | Published in Kata

No excuse for DVD piracy

Wednesday 22 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Kia orana to Mr/Mrs Anonymous.If you’re cheap, good on you, you’ll never get any better than being cheap. As for the unlucky one man cheering squad, who are behind fighting for their rights – maybe you should understand we are a massive family so we stick together as a family, which means we […]

Is the CIP government safe?

Wednesday 22 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, When one does some strict analytical assessment of the current political situation, it will jolt the present government away from their series of celebrations since election-day. Picture these scenarios – the Demos win all four of their electoral petition and with Vai Peua allied to the Demos. That gives the Demos 11 parliamentary […]

Copying local stuff ok?

Tuesday 21 December 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“The advocates of pirate DVD’s, please answer one question,” asks a smoke signaller. “Is it all right for a local to go to town and buy up legal copies of Cook Islands music CDs and DVDs of cultural events, and make pirate copies of those and sell/rent them out?” AIRLINE COOKILEAKS Prime Minister Henry Puna […]

Kata - December 21, 2010

Tuesday 21 December 2010 | Published in Kata

Monument Builder strikes again

Monday 20 December 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Olympic House? You’ve got to be kidding!” exclaims a smoke signaller in reference to the proposed new building that would primarily house the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee. “The Monument Builder is at it again, and will most likely name it after himself if given a chance (after a naming competition has been […]

Norm's the scapegoat

Monday 20 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Regardless of the flamboyant perfomances by the fearless, self-motivated, generous at heart, approachabile, dedicated worker and academically well placed Norman George, the anti-Norman clowns are always negative and like running him down, even though they have no direct dealing with the ATIU WARRIOR, but love to speculate provided they write or say bad […]

Don't be fooled

Monday 20 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Your smoke signallers might very well be the only two people on Raro who do not watch pirate films. That’s because they are either blind or very close-minded. They should get it in perspective. How is watching a pirate film encouraging criminality on Raro exactly? When you are seated while absorbed in a […]

Bring back originals

Monday 20 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In reply to ‘Market forces’, who said anything about Cook Islanders “giving up” their DVDs so Empire Theatre can survive? If all the DVDs in the shops were legitimate, the DVD shops would still make money, the public would enjoy their DVDs more (with top quality picture, sound and bonus features), and those […]

Road works are atrocious

Monday 20 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have finally succumbed to writing a letter regarding the atrocity of the new-found curb side road changes. I would have thought that a large number of residents would have written in or commented on the fact they have, without any consultation or previous “tests on areas”, lost their lovely green grass curbs […]

History of greed repeated

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“The news that officials of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee plan a $1.5 million office building substantially for themselves does not surprise,” writes a smoke signaller. “This is history being repeated. A number of the people promoting the new building are also the ones who promoted the Telecom Sports Arena at Nikao […]

Kata - December 18, 2010

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Kata

Les Priest could sue for $1.?m

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This letter is in defence of my friend Les Priest who was depicted in your December 15 edition in Kata’s cartoon as poking a walking stick (which he doesn’t own) into the visceral part of Hon. Murray McCully’s abdomen. Your newspaper cartooned a total misrepresentation of Les’s physyiognamy, demeaning his lack of stature.Furthermore, […]

Market forces rule

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Why should 99 percent of Cook Islanders give up their DVDs because one man is losing money at his movie theatre business? Instead of campaigning to put other video outlets out of business, why doesn’t Empire Theatre consider diversification? It doesn’t take an MBA graduate to figure out that the tastes and preferences […]

Tread carefully

Saturday 18 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We all know that the tourism industry is recognised as the largest contributor to the country’s economy, injecting massive financial benefits and prosperity over the years to the economy. However, when considering implementing specific policies and programmes aimed at boosting tourism numbers over the next 5-10 years by up to 50%, it is […]

Piracy has benefits

Friday 17 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Piracy has its benefits on an island in the Pacific far away from the world’s major entertainment centres. Pirate movies are a cheap form of entertainment for the whole family; it is accessible to all and the range of movies available is vast. Ever since celluloid was invented, Cook Islanders have always been […]

Kata - December 17, 2010

Friday 17 December 2010 | Published in Kata