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Letters to the Editor

Week ending Wednesday, February 24, 2010

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We will not publish any material which we consider to be defamatory

Te Puka land belongs to the Lord
Why can’t all the banks freeze loans?
Give all road work to private sector
Say no to Asian fishing
Carlson justifies Sharks trip to Raro
Appeal funds warning
T&M puts food on tables
Give fishing company a fair go
Maoate and Marsters in new comedy act
Play league or what!
Roading is all about funding
Message to our MPs

Dear Editor,

I am appalled at the attitude of the Cook Island Christian Church executives in trying to claim compensation from government for the land where the Telecom Sports Arena is built.

It’s not CICC land – the original landowners are the Ngati Makea.

This land was gifted by their ancestors to the church for the purpose of helping the people originally in the relocation from the old airport site, not to make money.

More importantly, government has built a sports complex on this land for the use by all the youth of the Cook Islands.

The land actually belongs to our Lord and for years the people of Te Puka have been charged huge leasehold fees for this land by the greedy executives of the CICC.

What kind of treatment is this by the church to its people? It shows they are greedy hypocrites with money on their minds rather than the gift of love and the many blessings from our creator.

My advice to government is don’t pay CICC a cent and with all your powers, please give all the land in Te Puka free to the people who have no land on Rarotonga.

I guarantee you, this will leave a lasting legacy for all the families and their children and future generations to come.

CICC executives, read Colossians 3:22-25, then see what your blind eyes can’t see!

God help the people of Te Puka.

Cook Islands Native

Rarotonga

(Name and address supplied)

Dear Editor,

Three cheers for ANZ Bank for their kind donation, but I would wonder why all three banks here in the Cooks have not stepped up to the plate and frozen home mortgages in Aitutaki.

There is so much talk of fear that some of the stricken may give up and leave, and there has been such an outpouring of sympathy for those new-ish home owners whose properties have been damaged, so why can’t the banks give them at least six months or a year’s holiday from their loans?

This breathing space could give more incentive to stay and rebuild, thus in the long term giving the banks more business and plenty of kudos.

I am not a finance expert, but I did live through the hardships of Cyclone Martin in Manihiki and am aware that if loan breaks had been made available then, the mass exodus could have been halted, or at least slowed right down.

Just a suggestion

(Name and address supplied)

Dear Editor,

The extensive heavy-duty road trenching work being carried out by T&M Heather in Ngatangiia over the past week has demonstrated two promising factors.

The first is that this work can be undertaken in a very efficient and effective manner by Cook Islanders.

The second point is the fact that the private sector companies can perform this type of work much better and faster than any department in the public service could ever dream of doing. The overall coordination, commitment, management, organisation and planning of the work undertaken in Ngatangaiia over the past week by Teariki and Joe Heather and their dedicated troops from T&M has simply been outstanding to say the least.

If this is the case, does it not make sense for all future road sealing and repair work on Rarotonga to be contracted out to the private sector rather than retained by Ministry of Infrastructure & Planning?

Anyone who owns a vehicle on Rarotonga would know full well that the quality of work carried out by MOIP’s road gang over the years on Rarotonga’s two main roads have been a complete shambles. And rather than making any improvements to our roads with better tools, the quality of the roading on Rarotonga has actually deteriorated.

The time has come, therefore, for government to pull away completely from undertaking future road works and allow companies in the private sector, such as T&M Heather, the opportunity to bid for such work.

There is no doubt that under T&M’s watch, our roads have the potential to be of a similar quality to that of New Zealand’s, thus saving the country millions of dollars as a result of less wear and tear to vehicles. Wouldn’t that be fantastic?

Keep up the excellent work T&M.

Improved roading fan

(Name and address supplied)

Dear Editor,

We are very much against fishing licences given away to the Koreans or any Asian fishing boats – the reason being, they take everything out of our waters.

There are far too many of them slowly fishing our Pacific waters and before long, there won’t be any more fish left if we continue to say yes all the time.

Just take note of how they take fish from other waters. I urge the minister of fisheries to say no to these foreigners, and yes to local fishermen.

At least the locals sell their fish to locals.

Look at the fishing venture that was to happen up the northern group – whatever happened to that? Another fake incident? I wonder. Say no to foreign fishing boats. Money is not always important....the more we get, the more greedy we become.

Star

(Name and address supplied)

Dear Editor,

Reading through the Cook Islands News this morning (yesterday) really made me angry with the decision by the president of the rugby league.

Can you please tell us what is more important to the Director of Emergency Management who is also the President of Cook Islands Rugby League, to get Aitutaki up again or for the Aitutaki boys to come over to Rarotonga just to play league which would cost over $4000 for a one-day trip. That amount of money could go a long way to help Aitutaki.

People living outside Aitutaki are offering their services to clean up Aitutaki and what happens – these boys from Aitutaki are coming over and let others do the cleaning up. Honestly, it is really disgusting.

Disgusted

(Name and address supplied)

Editor: Charles Carlson responds

This is the decision of the players from the Sharks themselves and not the president. We fully supported their decision and CIRL is certainly trying their best to keep them in the competition.

Top priority is to help the island of Aitutaki recover quickly, not only the environment and business sector, BUT also their emotional and mental well being. The impact of a disaster can be much worse if we don’t address the emotional and mental well being of the people who are traumatised by the event and especially the young people.

We all know that sports is one of the best ways to overcome stress, worries, trauma, hence the reason CIRL supports their decision. This is also a chance to give them a break and to be away from this disastrous environment. Many of these people have been working tirelessly to help with the response, clean up and restoration. Some of them have also lost their homes and they do deserve a break.

As the Director for EMCI, the early response has been fantastic and everyone certainly appreciates the volunteers giving up their time to come over to Aitutaki and help out with the response and early recovery. We have requested all ministries that they send their staff over here to relieve the local staff on the island because of the stress they have been under since the cyclone.

In fact, I would suggest that a portion of the funds raised can go towards funding all the Sharks’ trips to Rarotonga. The amount of $4000 is not a waste of money, this is only a very small contribution well spent towards the recovery of our young people in Aitutaki.

Aitutaki is looking forward to the Bulldogs coming over next week and this will be a big boost to the morale of the young people in Aitutaki. I’m sure the whole island will be at this game.

So I leave you with this question: do we help out the Sharks who are representing the whole island of Aitutaki or do we just leave them to suffer in their misery – eaa roa tena tu?

Dear Editor,

Whilst the salamo ‘Lest We Forget’ was intended for fallen brothers and sisters during previous wars, I use that loosely to highten past faux pas from reoccurring again.

During cyclone Martin in November 1997, from memory Manihiki victims were told that the donations due to them by donors from all over came to $330,000 and the money was sitting in the Westpac in Rarotonga.

Also from memory, a committee was formed comprising mainly residents of Rarotonga and Manihiki Island Council. The purchase of the island’s generator had been mooted which I believe should have been the responsibility of the government of the day and not bought by donations for cyclone victims.

Also the cyclone shelters – or are they chicken dens – showed holes from very poor quality timber full of knots and badly treated, after a few years.

Araura enua MPs and island council, please learn from our mistakes and ensure that you control the kindness and meitaki that was freely given to Araura cyclone victims and for heaven’s sake don’t be like the Manihikians and just accept the expenditure, disappearance of funds, or whatever, and ensure that what you spend on are quality and durable materials.

Sorry if I may sound like a party pooper, but somebody has got to stand up and shout ough!, bugger off!

Peter Kaitara William

Dear Editor,

I fully support the views of ‘Improved roading fan’ that the time has come for government to privatise the future provision of essential public infrastructure services such as road works.

No question about it, private companies such as T&M Heather can do a far better job and in much faster time than the ministry of work’s road gang. Unlike many public sectors departments, companies like T&M always use the correct machinery, are more innovative, don’t take short-cuts, work much harder and just take more pride in their work.

However, one very important factor that ‘Improved roading fan’ fails to mention in his letter to reinforce the privatisation of such services and which I like to add is the employment opportunities that privatisation creates.

One only has to take a look at the Ngatangiia road trenching project to realise that as a result of the large number of workers on site, T&M is probably putting food on the tables for at least 100 families.

Now that is a fantastic feat and so full credit to Teariki Heather and his company T&M for taking up this challenge. Keep up the great work.

Road fan 2

(Name and address supplied)

Dear Editor,

I would like to give my support to the Northern Cook Islands Fishing Company, because as stated in their letter to you dated February 12, ‘Commitment is there’.

There has certainly been a lot of media attention over the past few months regarding the operation and commitment expressed by NCIFC that would benefit our people in the northern group and the Cook Islands as a whole.

Let’s give the company time to ‘mature’ and as the director mentioned, don’t uuti them down yet. Give the island boy a fair go.

Mathew Pau Tauia

Auckland

Dear Editor,

Now we read the Maoate and Marsters Comedy Act.

What a joke for these two hasbeens to challenge funding for cyclone relief and demanding that everything must be done ‘according to the rules’.

Is this the same Maoate who ‘followed the rules’ re the Toagate fiasco and preferential treatment on hardship loans to Aitutaki business interests? Yes, the very same guy.

Is this the same Marsters who as our supposed Leader of the Opposition has been operating on ‘mute’ all year, also choosing to take his wife on a junket to Africa – has anyone seen a report – at the height of the Toagate affair?

Yes, the same guy.

With any luck both of these geriatrics will be put out to pasture at the next election and voters can look forward to at least two younger replacements in parliament who are ‘on to it’.

Action Ma

(Name and address supplied)

Dear Editor

I’m replying to Carlson’s statement of Saturday.

In reply to your question, it sounds like you’re only worried about the well being of those 15 or 20 Shark league boys. What about the rest of their family, specially the old and the very young ones?

I think they’re the ones that are really suffering – but regardless of that I’m more concerned at the situation in Aitutaki and for those boys to come away from Aitutaki is not okay. League could be played next season or the year after – you quoted that funds should be used to bring the boys to play league, come on koe eaa roa tena.... TE AKAROA.

Disgusted

Editor: Charles Carlson responds as president of Cook islands Rugby League

That is 20 young people CIRL have helped.

This Friday the Bulldogs will be coming to Aitutaki and they will provide some entertainment, fun and joy to the whole of the island.

CIRL is doing the little bit they can to help our people and I hope you are also doing your little bit instead of sitting on your laurels and pointing the finger at those who are doing something about the need on the island.

Play League or What!

Dear Editor,

My sincere best wishes to the people of Aitutaki. Donations have been made, and hopefully all will reach them. I noticed a letter regarding road works. I am amused at the writer’s ignorance, thinking the entire problem was the ‘works crew’.

One thing is clear, we do have the capable people right there on the island, no need for any over-seas contractor. The biggest problem on our little rock is funding. The past collective administrations have all either re-directed, mis-appropriated, or simply diverted allocated funding – ask the past finance ministers, ask Maoate, he did it too.

The new works minister and his up and coming Muri CIP candidate Ata Herman are the best thing to happen to this new administration. These two together will give works a much needed shot in the arm.

The funding is already there, for starters, ‘Road User Tax’.

All those heavy vehicles you have there breaking up the ‘budget’ road, how long did you think it would last?

To the idiot who thinks that road construction is just about the men you can see on the road, the ability to purchase the correct and total quantity of materials for job is the responsibility of those in the finance ministry then parliament.

Bobs your Uncle!

(Name and address supplied)

Dear Editor,

Every week I stay in touch reading the Cook Islands News (of course, as a former employee) to see what is happening back there at home Rarotonga and our beautiful neighbouring islands. I really do not know exactly what to think of the many political dramas happening there.

Whether it’s a good thing or what, I don’t know. But don’t get me wrong, I did not want to leave home, but hey I had a real genuine reason in the area of support of our child in education and sport development.

I tell you, there was not a day I dreamt I would ever leave my home island.

It just saddens me to read about all this, and I need to voice myself to our Members of Parliament. Come on folks, it’s time do something constructive for once, listen to the voice of the people, what they want, enough of the old ways, put forward some young guns with fresh ideas, come on it’s the year 2010, what are yous doing, still mucking about with never-ending dramas in the political arena.

No wonder some of our people here do not want to come back home. We ask why? I leave that for you folks in government to answer.

I am looking forward to coming home in the near future, but for the time being Christchurch is home, I hope not too long, for I miss my family most, the friends and simply our beautiful island.

Ngaire Karati

Christchurch NZ

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