Opinion
Monday 10: Bear the badge of shame
Wednesday 12 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Those supposedly responsible for the progress of sports in the Cook Islands are “individually dumb and collectively dumber”, a smoke signaller writes. “The vote to amend the SPG charter was taken right here in Rarotonga, and was passed UNANIMOUSLY. That means that each and every representative from the Cooks was there and voted …so no […]
3 August: PR QUESTIONS
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller says: “So, a few athletes may get their PR awarded so they can ‘legally’ compete in the Mini Games for a couple of weeks! What about those responsible, hardworking, honest individuals that have been law abiding citizens of this wonderful country for over five years? Not only were their applications ignored last […]
1 August: Where's Jake & Wolfgang?
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, My attention was understandingly drawn to the report on the Air New Zealand Tourism Awards in the Cook Islands News of Thursday, July 30. Looking at the list of award winners I was not pleasantly surprised to note that at least two peoples names were conspicuous by their absence. The first name that […]
3 August: LOCKED COURTS
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A reader writes: “Recently, the tennis courts at Tereora College were upgraded, a very good job, they look spiffy. So now someone has padlocked the gates and passed the word that the gates will be opened only for ‘authorised persons’. And all these years, I thought the courts were owned by the taxpayers and all […]
1 August: Room for improvement
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Had the Tourism Industry Council Awards been all about a big night out, then yes, I would have been able to say I totally enjoyed my evening. But the awards part, the main reason I was at the event, left a bad taste in my mouth. Yes I was an entrant. The application […]
3 August: LAGOON FIX
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A reader says: “Apparently there is aid money in the pot now to get a sewage system up and running in Muri. Why is yet another environmental report being done? Is this to line the pockets of a few again? We all know that our lagoon is a disaster area. Just fix it before it’s […]
Thursday 30: Congratulations
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, To the Tourism Industry Council and everyone who took part in Friday night’s inaugural Air New Zealand Tourism Awards — congratulations! What a wonderful evening. To everyone who was nominated and to those who won an award, well done. To the organising committee of Vaka Eiva, you rock. Congratulations on winning the Supreme […]
3 August: BIG DEBT
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A reader who says he’s a Cook Islander living overseas writes: “I read with great concern and alarm at the debt currently imposed on the CIs people by a government who at best can only be described as totalitarian with no regard for the long term welfare of its people. Who will pay back this […]
3 August: PAPER PASSING
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
About further public service cuts, a smoke signaller writes: “The first place to start cuts is the over bloated ministerial support offices. Fifteen years ago it was one staff with abudget of $25,000. Now it’s over 10 staff with an average budget of $235,000 each! That’s a whopping $1.6 million spent on passing paper around […]
3 August: Something about July?
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller suggests an interesting political study would be to investigate why over the past 25 years or so, the majority of attempts to topple a prime minister or government – apart from a general election – have come a week or two before the annual celebration of self government. Maybe some people want […]
5 August: King or the People?
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Who should rule, the King or the People? Not long ago, the right to rule in the Tinomana Family was decided by the “Court” and the title is to rotate between the descendents of the three wives of the King. A current controversy exists today with the Makea Family. The “Court” has said […]
5 August: Who's to blame for the utu?
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Through your esteemed paper, I’d like to ask a couple of questions which I hope some brilliant legal mind out there can answer for me: Who is responsible for paying for the damage caused by an utu seed falling on the windscreen of my car and completely shattering it, whilst I was travelling […]
5 August: Sewage problem haunts Tepuka residents
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I am concerned that the sewage problem in Tepuka is still haunting the Tepuka residents. Back in 1994 when I was the chairman of the Health Board under the Minister Joe Williams, the Tepuka residents complained about the toxic smell coming from the sewage. The board immediately conveyed the message to the minister […]
5 August: POLITICAL REFORM?
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
What’s going on with Government’s promise after receiving the Electoral Reform Committee’s report over four years ago, a smoke signaller asks. “It goes to show that the two mainstream parties cannot be trusted and both parties have failed. People Power, where are you?”
3 August: Why didn't you?
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Before sacked minister Wilkie Rasmussen goes to Australia I have a question for him. Tell us Wilkie why don’t you expose the ‘horrific level of corruption’ now, or why didn’t you expose it as it happened or when it was exposed to you? Why wait when you get back from Australia? Come on […]
5 August: WELCOME HOME
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
A smoke signaller was amused to read that our Cooks team was to arrive in Rarotonga yesterday for the WYNC. “Despite having some residing Cook Islanders in the team – it is a humorous title.”
3 August: Do you love your kids?
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, My friends and I would like to state our opinion about the article ‘Terrible price to pay’ on Tuesday 14 July 2009. We think that teenage drink driving is a disappointment. It can cause innocent families to lose their loved ones. It is very unforgivable for young teenagers to die from drink-driving. We […]
5 August: RARO SHORTIE LINES
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
Alice: “Get those shorts off!” Kip: “You, me, Raro.” Naomi: “You think I’m going to tell you our precious local (surfing) secrets?” Kip: “Can I walk you home tonight?” Naomi: “Not tonight…tomorrow morning.” $80 TO PRESS A BUTTON? What a rip off, says a smoke signaller, referring to charges of $80 for reinstating a phone […]
3 August: None other than the Lord
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Re: – Michael is not Jesus! Dan 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Who was Michael, who here came to Gabriel’s assistance? The […]
5 August: PAGING KIP'N'ALICE
Wednesday 5 August 2009 | Published in Smoke Signals
It’s been over a week since they left Shortland Street to “choose life” in Rarotonga, but neither has turned up to start work at the hospital’s emergency department. Maybe they got confused and are waiting outside the Outpatients Clinic at Tupapa – as in the episode that’s been shown 2.9 times on TV – rather […]