Opinion
Farewell to Rarotonga
Tuesday 17 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Having been to your very beautiful country on a few occasions, I would just like to point out that the whole world is not rich! I for one will not be back to your wonderful island and have to pay that large of a departure tax. I think someone’s head got hit by […]
Vaccine: life saver or killer?
Tuesday 17 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I read with sadness about a young baby who died after being injected with poisons (vaccinated) and the plan by our health officials to do the same to 10% of the population including pregnant women with untested and unproven swine flu vaccines. My research into and knowledge of vaccines spurs me to express […]
Nandi, a refreshing change
Monday 16 November 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Our MPs are notoriously well travelled, attending the most obscure and unjustified courses and talkfests the world over, and they take flak for it, but mostly they just arrogantly ignore the cries of ordinary people for feedback, justification, and accountability. CINews has tried several times to request a travel diary or itinerary of cabinet ministers, […]
Tax beats borrowing
Monday 16 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I read Adrian Southwick’s entry about the $55 departure tax and I would like to address a couple of the issues he raised. The Cook Islands does NOT have ‘one of the most expensive departure taxes in the world’ Here’s a quick comparison of the departure taxes/fees imposed by different countries. The data […]
How lucky to learn te reo and earn PR
Monday 16 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Learning conversational Maori to earn PR is pretty easy. How lucky you are to earn it, just by practising speaking simple Maori on the streets, at home and in hotels. If you have been given that PR, look after it, you will never know when it will be terminated if you abuse it. […]
Parents could learn te reo at school
Monday 16 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The debate about whether or not permanent residents should speak te reo Maori is older than most people think. I remember it was being discussed in January 1999 at the country’s National Languages Workshop, and probably before then too. This workshop involved not only teachers from throughout the country but public and private […]
It's not 'any prison'
Saturday 14 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, How boring but politically expedient for members of Cabinet to suggest that the head of the Superintendent of Prison should roll. All your critics, including our ‘wise’ politicians, seem to have a span of memory that does not extend beyond the immediate controversy. The suggestion by Gordon Sawtell (my good friend) that lock […]
Te reo policy a breach of UN Declaration of Human Rights
Saturday 14 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I suspect that something is fundamentally wrong with our new Te Reo policy for future Permanent Residence applicants. The policy could be in breach of several Articles of the United Nations ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’. The Cook Islands government in its dealing with its citizens is duty bound to respect this key […]
Give him a chance
Friday 13 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I have a great concern at the way we treat our own who were given chances to prove themselves in our educational system. I am very pleased with the support given by those who know Teaea Parima well and the great achievement he made in the lives of our children on Mangaia – […]
Principal defended
Friday 13 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Upon my return to Rarotonga last weekend from travel overseas on Ministry of Education business, I was saddened to learn of the public and personal attack made by a writer to your paper on Mr Teaea Parima’s appointment to the Principalship of Tereora College. Whilst I am not in the habit of defending […]
'Marurai must be stepped down'
Friday 13 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor. In response to the fantastic letter by ‘Wake up’ yesterday, I agree that Marurai must be stepped down. I am sure that everyone agrees. Not only is he drowning the country as well as himself, he is also accountable to God for leading the people “astray”. Ezekiel 34 states very very clearly many […]
Double escape not unexpected
Friday 13 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The most recent double escape from the Arorangi Prison was not altogether unexpected given the state of the dilapidated old buildings. Not until the minister of finance provides funding to restructure the prison and also for the staff to be trained is there likely to be any improvement. This has been said over […]
CI departure fee far from highest
Friday 13 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Once again we get a letter to the editor from people that believe our departure fees are excessive. It is only because we are unable to include (hide) our fees in the ticket price that ignorant people like this last letter writer have cause to complain. Mr Southwick suggests he might have been […]
Morals before degrees
Friday 13 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I thank the person who spoke his/her concern of the new principal of Tereora. Should we encourage our kids to get a degree? Yes. But what has degree got to do with life? Greed, corruption, theft, etc. Did you know that the people that have caused the financial crisis in the world have […]
Let him prove his worth
Thursday 12 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I’ve just come across the letter by a concerned Tereora parent regarding Teaea Parima’s appointment to that school next year, and while this is a late response on the heels of others I still think it’s better late than never. First, is ‘Concerned Tereora Parent’ implying that in Teaea’s years as principal in […]
Open door could close behind us
Thursday 12 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor. In the United States, to work and live there you are required to have a Green Card. If you happen to be away from the US for a period of time, you lose your Green Card and all its benefits, and to re-apply you are almost guaranteed to be UNSUCCESSFUL, hence Green Card […]
Keen to learn but
Thursday 12 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I agree with Sir Terepai Maoate and the language issue associated with applying for permanent residency in the Cook Islands. To be eligible for PR, applicants must now be able to speak conversational Cook Islands Maori. As a New Zealand papa’a privileged enough to be living in the Cook Islands, I feel the […]
Criticism a catalyst?
Thursday 12 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I am responding from a personal viewpoint to the letter printed on Friday October 30 about Tereora’s new principal. I am also responding as a concerned educationalist and future parent. Even though the letter may have been portrayed as a personal attack by some, it does not divert from the fact that applicants, […]
Land Court reform is critical
Thursday 12 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
It’s more important than parliamentary reform, says lawyer Norman George Dear Editor, My friend Joseph Ka’s letter to the editor yesterday dated November 11 prompts me to write this response. 1. After practising in the Land Court for the past 20 years, I have on many occasions walked out of court gutted and disappointed with […]
Consult the north first
Thursday 12 November 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, It is quite disappointing to read that the government is going ahead and passing a bill without consulting with the people of the Northern Group, as the majority of the seabed resources are found in the northern parts of the Cook Islands. Terepai Maoate Junior had a consultation meeting with the people of […]
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