More Top Stories
Sarakura declared new Penrhyn MP
16 March 2024
Govt says $1.3m invested in Lady Samoa charter
22 February 2024
Mass milkfish die-off in Penrhyn raises concerns
3 April 2024
Regulator defends Starlink users
9 April 2024
Police shortage leads to drop in checkpoints
9 April 2024
Aitutaki’s heritage preserved in new anthology
4 January 2024
Avatiu Eels retain Nines title
8 January 2024
Beddoes crowned top athlete
8 January 2024
NRL player Dargan dies in Aitutaki motorcycle crash
24 December 2023
‘Please heed the signs’: resident makes plea to tourists
20 December 2023
Cook Islands set to play in new World Series
10 October 2023
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
Corruption in the Cook Islands?
21 January 2023
Moana target 2025 World Cup
11 November 2022
Opinion
Letter: Future of netball at stake
I just found out at the weekend that the Rarotonga club netball season for grades below premier will run for one round.
Letter: Taxpayers already pay, why meters?
Dear Editor, According to Cook Islands News report (12th April, 2024), the consultant Dan Jackson has stated that our entire population is already paying for water through taxes. Indeed, to quote Mr. Jackson “… the reason domestic taxes are higher today is because part of them goes towards funding water services.”
Te Tuhi Kelly: 200 years of the arrival of the Gospel to Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is due to celebrate 200 years of the arrival of the Gospel to these shores. A momentous occasion to be celebrated by one and all with visitors from around the world coming to the Cook Islands to bask in the glory of the spreading of the word of God, writes Te Tuhi Kelly.
Sense of pride
Pride – A feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.
Where’s the stair climber machine?
Dear Editor, With all the current excitement about a new lift (elevator) being installed at the Court House/Justice complex, finally addressing the long existing issue of how to get the pakari, elderly and infirm, as well as mothers and babies, up those stairs and into the Court/land/BDM sections, one is forced to ask what ever happened to that Stair Climber machine, which the then Minister in charge trialled and demonstrated live on CITV, and no doubt had photos in the CINews back in the day? Does anyone else recall that event, which was touted as being the beginning of a new access era in a Justice building already fraught with issues.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Dog problem ‘getting out of hand’
Dear Editor, The animal welfare group and Dog Registration and Animal Control Committee (DRACC) who are looking at changing the Act and legislation relating to animal welfare are wasting their time and should leave it alone – karuke i te ture – it won’t do any good.
A heart for service
Aotearoa New Zealand and the Cook Islands (Avaiki Nui) are inextricably tied together and have been since our people migrated there when Vaka left its shores bound for Avaiki Tautau in and around the 12th century. Our migration story starts then and happens again on mass in the 1950s and 1960s through to today with close to 100,000 people in Aotearoa identifying themselves as Cook Islands Maori, writes Thomas Tarurongo Wynne.
Tackling Raro’s dog problem
Dear Editor, After reading this article (Authorities ramp up dog euthanasia on Rarotonga, Cook Islands News, February 23, 2023), I’m really disheartened to see that the Cook Islands Police are clearly just blatantly shooting people’s pets. The numbers just don’t add up? 34 dogs killed in January by the Cook Islands Police – two involved in attacks and eight strays. That means that 24 of the dogs that were shot were obviously people’s pets? Was there substantial and fair effort made to contact the owners? Did they have time to come and collect their pets? Were they fined or given warnings before their fur family members were shot dead?
LETTER TO EDITOR: Under pressure, high school staff offered ‘gift packs, massages and wellness checks’
Dear Editor, I write in response to Mathew Littlewood’s article, “Under pressure high school staff offered ‘gift packs, massages and wellness checks”, of 22nd February 2023.
Ministry of Finance and Economic Management responds
Kia Orana, Further to the letter to the editor published on the 20 February, 2023 under the heading “MFEM’s ‘sheer arrogance’” , I would like to respond to some of the comments made by the writer as follows: The decision to release details of any costs does not rest with the Financial Secretary, the Director of Revenue Management or anybody else in MFEM. The decision rests with the Court and until the court makes the documents public, which can only be done at the instruction of the judge who heard the matter, any release of information contained in the judgement can result in prosecution against the person who released the information.
Bank burn-off . . . unhappy in the valley
Dear Editor, This weekend past a local bank had a burn-off in a residential area in Takuvaine. This is where the bank burn off sensitive printed documents and paper waste, among other things. Without consulting the neighbours, this burn-off went ahead resulting in plumes of acrid smoke hanging over the whole neighbourhood.
What’s in a handshake: Symbol of friendship and loyalty?
The modern handshake is believed to be at least 3000 years old. Although its existence has been around for a millennium it has existed in many forms, writes Ruta Mave.
LETTER TO EDITOR: MFEM’s ‘sheer arrogance’
Dear Editor, The sheer arrogance that MFEM (Ministry of Finance and Economic Management) is displaying with regard to the Air New Zealand tax refund debacle, and subsequent legal fees Cook Islands as a country has incurred trying to fight this issue, is quite ridiculous and mind boggling (Cook Islands News, 13 February, 2023).
Review: Stranded Pearl
A critical review by Cook Islands News publisher/journalist John Woods. The new ‘Stranded Pearl’ feature movie was well received and mostly a hit with the VIP invite-only audience at its red carpet premiere in Rarotonga last Saturday.
‘Partition’ of Nukupure Park
Dear Editor, This is sad for all the people of Ngati Tangiia and Rangiatea (Court application to determine the future of Nukupure Park, Cook Islands News, February 14, 2023). The biggest issues here is greed for dollars. There’s a lot of people that came through that club and they left their legacy behind in that […]
LETTER TO EDITOR: Partition ‘will not affect’ Nukupure Park
Dear Editor, The landowners wish to correct the statements in Tuesday’s paper regarding the Ngatangiia Matavera Sports Club (Court application to determine the future of Nukupure Park, Cook Islands News, February 14). This land has not been “gifted” to anyone. It remains the landowners’ land, and the landowners are the ones who get to decide what happens to our land.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Medicinal cannabis industry
Dear Editor, The new Minister for CIIC (Cook Islands Investment Corporation) Albert Nicholas has already got a lot of good work done as was reported in your paper on 11-2-23 when he announced the appointment of the new CIIC Board members after meeting with Cabinet at the end of last month. Rose Brown, the Minister of Health, needs to show the same work ethic and start the process to get our medicinal cannabis industry jump started in the Cook Islands.
LETTER TO EDITOR: History and tradition: The ‘truth’ from the belief
Dear Editor, The challenge of tradition and or the interpretation of history associated with tradition is that like beauty – it is in the eyes of the beholder (Vaka Paikea to get whale art as tribute to legendary Maori ancestor and his journey, February 9, 2023). All it takes is a misinterpretation of the original message and it soon becomes Chinese whispers which then takes on a life of its own to such an extent that the truth is not really the truth.
Starlink set to enter Cooks market
Dear Editor, Regarding Starlink access into the Cook Islands, what is not confirmed in this article is who will be a local partner and it would be silly not to (Starlink set to enter Cook Islands broadband market, Cook Islands News, February 6).
When will we ever learn?
Dear Editor, You may ask what has the installation of that ugly new Papa’a style fence at Takitumu School got to do with culture and heritage? Here in the Cook Islands we are experiencing a cultural revival … especially in Te Reo and dance.
Ruta Mave: Art for art’s sake – give them some money for God’s sake
Art for art’s sake according to Oscar Wilde meant art need not express anything but itself. He put the value on artistry above anything else and regarded life as a kind of art form, to be lived beautifully, writes Ruta Mave.
Te Ipukarea Society: What wetlands do for you
Since 1971, February 2 has been marked as the official World Wetlands Day. This is the day environmentalists from around the world celebrate the significant benefits that wetlands provide for our planet and its biodiversity, and raise awareness about wetlands on a global scale
