COOK ISLANDS NEWS, Monday 27 January 2014 FRONT PAGE STORIES Asbestos soil being removed from Avarua Around 30 truckloads of soil are to be removed from Avarua School this week, after asbestos was found in the ground at the school. Beginning today, the Cook Islands Investment Corporation is co-ordinating the process of removing the soil before students can return to school. The aim is to complete the task by this Friday January 31, with students returning to class one week later than planned on February 3. Asbestos is only dangerous when it becomes airborne – such as when people walk across the soil or dig it up. Prolonged exposure to airborne asbestos fibres – which are too small to be seen by the human eye – can cause respiratory illness later on. To remove the hazard, the soil will first be dampened before removal to ensure the asbestos fibres are contained within the soil. The soil will then be transported to a site within the landfill site at Arorangi where it is to be dumped from the trucks straight into a hole specifically prepared for the purpose of burying the contaminated soil. Around 300 cubic metres of soil will be removed, and will be back-filled with a mixture of sand, gravel and soil which CIIC said is consistent with New Zealand practice. Stuart Keer-Keer – a quality and technician manager for New Zealand-based K2 Environmental Ltd, which specialises in air quality testing and advice – will be on hand during the removal to monitor air quality, measuring the effectiveness of dampening the soil as it it moved from the school to the burial site. Approximately 30 big truckloads of soil will be transported, with the trucks travelling from Avarua to Arorangi this week. In addition, around 30 truckloads of back-fill material will be transported from Arorangi to Avarua School during the same time period. Road users are asked to be careful when using the side roads in particular, between Avarua School and the main road as well as those leading to the landfill site in Arorangi. Avarua School will remain off-limits to everyone except those authorised to be on the site, who are to wear protective gear. The air around Avarua School was tested late last year, and was found to have levels high enough to be in the ‘red’ category where there is a risk of exposure to asbestos. The school has since been closed by the Ministry of Education. With asbestos removed from the roofing of schools on the island between seven and twenty years ago, the source of the hazard at Avarua was found to be the soil, with asbestos particles that were mixed with roofing materials washing off the roof with rain as the material around it degraded. Avarua School, one of 11 areas where the air was tested in September and early October by Keer-Keer, was the only area found to have levels high enough to be in the ‘red’ category where there is a risk of exposure to asbestos. Three other areas – Avatea School, the community dental clinic in Tupapa and the Met Office – had asbestos levels in the ‘amber’ category – indicating levels above normal but not high enough to be considered hazardous. Keer-Keer said previously that he will be taking more samples from these “amber” areas and it is possible the soil in these areas will also need removal. - Briar Douglas Arson investigations ‘frustrating’: Heather Minister of Police Teariki Heather says he is frustrated that a major investigation into three arson attacks in Rarotonga has still not been solved. Two schools were hit by devastating arson attacks on October 20, followed by the burning down of Turoa Bakery and adjoining Saltwater Café two weeks later. Heather, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said it concerns him that the person or persons responsible are still running free. “I’m frustrated like all the public and I have made the challenge to police to produce some answers. I think it’s taken too long.” He said he cannot get involved in the day-to-day operations of the police but he has expressed his feelings to police commissioner Maara Tetava. His most recent discussion with Tetava about the matter was at the launch of the Crime Stoppers office on January 17. “I have a lot of respect for the Cook Islands Police Service but it’s worth repeating, when are people going to get their answers?” Heather said. The attack on Nukutere College resulted in the destruction of six classrooms, three resource rooms, a canteen and small side room. Later that day, six classrooms and a library were burned down at Avatea School. An on-edge community then had to deal with the news that Turoa Bakery and adjoining Saltwater Café in Vaimaanga had been razed to the ground by an arsonist two weeks later. Last week, Tetava told CINews the investigations are progressing “steadily”. He would not reveal how many suspects police are looking at or whether any arrests are on the horizon. “This will be revealed when the investigations are complete. Arrests will be made when we have sufficient evidence to prove our case or cases beyond reasonable doubt.” Asked whether there have been any recent breakthroughs in the case, Tetava said his team is continuing to work hard on the investigations. Previously, police have said there are three main suspects, aged between 14 and 25. Some of them – it has not been confirmed how many - go to the attacked schools. A number of search warrants have been executed in the case since October 20, both on homes and company premises. Two $10,000 rewards remain on offer for information or evidence which leads to the identification and conviction of those responsible for the fires. Anyone with information which could help solve the crimes is asked to call the police on 22499 or Crime Stoppers on 080022200. - Ben Chapman-Smith Property dispute behind alleged home invasion A man, two women and a baby allegedly had a weapon pointed at them last Sunday after about five men entered a Matavera home. Senior sergeant Solomona Tuati said “approximately five” men went into the home at 11:30am and one of them allegedly pointed a weapon wrapped in clothing. He said the altercation stemmed from a property dispute. A member of the public who knows the victims told CINews about nine to ten men entered the property and threatened to kill another man with a shotgun. “The shotgun was pointed at the man, two women and a four-month-old baby,” the person said. Tuati confirmed the weapon was pointed at a man, two women and a four-month-old baby. However, he said any suggestion of a shotgun being brandished is “just an allegation”. “It may end up in court and revealing that weapon right now may jeopardise the court proceedings,” he said. Earlier in the week, inspector John Strickland said the weapon may have been an axe. Two officers attended the scene on Sunday and a 21-year-old male was brought in for questioning. Tuati said that man has since been released and no arrests have been made or charges laid. He said the matter is still under investigation. - BCS OTHER STORIES Resident says Te Mato Vai master plan “lacks depth” An attendee of the recent Te Mato Vai consultations believes the draft of the project’s master plan fails to take into account many previous reports on the island’s water infrastructure. Arorongi resident Sam Napa – a local grower who has studied agricultural engineering at Auckland’s Massey University – said over a dozen studies have been done on Rarotonga’s water and sanitation sector. Napa said the Te Mato Vai (TMV) master plan, written by global engineering firm AECOM, fails to acknowledge and build upon many of those earlier reports and studies. Additionally, he said a condition of the master plan’s original tender was to “review all previous reports and data and produce a gap analysis on data still required to produce the master plan”. “To me, the (master plan) lacks depth,” he said. Napa provided a list of eight reports – prepared by local government, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and SOPAC - the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Applied Geoscience and Technology Division – not mentioned in the bibliography of AECOM’s master plan. He also produced a March 1992 report on Rarotonga’s water supply by Sakura Tsuchiya, a civil engineer from the United Nations Volunteer Service, which appears to include details on water flows in litres per second (LPS) for nearly every pipe in Rarotonga. That report also fails to be mentioned in the bibliography, and Napa asked if authorities were aware of the data, as water meters are currently being installed on the island to monitor and record information on water flows. “These reports get done, and nobody reads them,” he said. Napa said he would be willing to offer his insight to project officials, and spoke about the importance of input from Cook Islanders. “You can’t beat local knowledge,” he said. “We have so many skilled and talented people on the island, but they get passed.” In attendance for a number of the recent consultations, Napa said he thought the information presented by project officials was too technical for a public audience. At Wednesday’s public consultation in Titikaveka, he said he noticed some people started to leave halfway through the presentation. “You have to come down to their level, and tell them what you want to do,” said Napa, adding a more visual depiction of the project, including aids and diagrams, could help future consultations. His criticism aside, Napa said the effort was an improvement from the past when there was little consultation on “big-spending projects.” “The government is doing the best they can, but there is always room for improvement.” Napa said his interest in the Te Mato Vai project is a tribute to his friend, the late Ken Brown – a former director of Water Works. “A lot of people didn’t recognise his contribution to the current system,” he said. - Emmanuel Samoglou Cabinet in country this week All members of cabinet will be in the Cook Islands for the coming work week. Prime Minister Henry Puna returned last week from Abu Dhabi last week, where he attended “The Blue Economy Summit’ – a meeting that aimed to help island states pursue “more appropriate” models for sustainable development. At the meeting, discussions were held on renewable energy, fisheries, tourism, and shipping. This week, Puna resumes his normal schedule and will be in the country all week. Finance Minister Mark Brown, on personal leave last week in New Zealand, returned yesterday and will be in office all week. This week, education minister Teina Bishop hopes to continue with an initiative that sees the ministry distributing laptop computers to schools in the Pa Enua. Bishop is working out plans to make it to Atiu to deliver the computers on Wednesday, with further trips in the works for Mauke and Mitiaro. Deputy Prime Minister and minister of infrastructure Teariki Heather will be resuming his regular ministerial schedule after completing the last of nine consultation meetings on the $64 million Te Mato Vai water infrastructure project last week. Last week, the infrastructure ministry was formally rebranded to ‘Infrastructure Cook Islands’ (ICI), during an event held in Arorongi. Minister of health Nandi Glassie and agriculture minister Kiriau Turepu will be in the country all week attending to their ministerial duties. - Emmanuel Samoglou Motu2Motu – $180k boost to Aitutaki enua Paddlers and supporters who headed to Aitutaki for the Motu2Motu event in December contributed about $180,000 towards the island’s economy. The fast-growing Motu2Motu race is gaining a reputation for being the most stunning paddling location in the world. Cook Islands Tourism Corporation said 134 people went to Aitutaki for the one-day event in December, although the average length of stay was six days. Noeline Mateariki from the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation said each visitor spent an estimated $228 per day, using the latest annual AUT visitor satisfaction survey. Based on 134 people staying an average of six days, total spending amounted to $183,312. “The data used to calculate this figure is based on a preliminary report supplied to the corporation by the organising committee of Motu2Motu,” Mateariki said. There were other positive spinoffs from the event for the people of Aitutaki, with visiting teams donating educational and sports equipment to junior schools. The stunning Motu 2 Motu course is a 36km race consisting of seven legs and six changeovers. Next year’s race is expected to be the biggest yet, with 144 paddlers already registered. - BCS Surveillance facilities inadequate: MMR Marine Resources secretary Ben Ponia says its current facilities in Avarua are hindering the ministry’s ability to monitor the nation’s waters for illicit fishing activity. Ponia said the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) has observed an increase in the numbers of fishing vessels operating on the high seas – international waters falling outside the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zones (EEZ) assigned to Pacific Island nations. He says the increase in vessels is causing concern, in the belief that the vessels encroaching on the Cook Islands EEZ may affect catch rates within local waters. Ponia said its current office in Avarua is “inadequate for the modern surveillance and compliance regime that is required to control fishing”. “... Staff are crammed into separate spaces instead of a centralised hub where they can feed multiple streams of live vessel movements and catch data,” he said. “If we are to get serious about controlling our waters and the high seas then we will have to invest more in upgrading the surveillance infrastructure and office facilities for both MMR and maritime police services.” MMR’s current office space houses 25 staff members, including one temporary student staff member, along with consultants and occasional staff from their Avatiu office. In December, Ponia said the ministry recorded a snap-shot showing 165 fishing vessels concentrated in the high seas areas east of French Polynesia’s border. By comparison, several vessels were reported to be fishing in the Cook Islands EEZ during the month. “I’m told that those fishing vessels operating east of French Polynesia were getting good albacore tuna catches,” said Ponia. “These are the same tuna stocks caught in our waters, and so one has to wonder if this means that there will be less catches for the Cook Islands in the 2014 season.” With the reported increase in high seas fishing, Ponia said there is more activity for MMR to monitor. Some of the activity observed by MMR officials in December included monitoring the entry and exit of roughly a dozen vessels into the eastern high seas pocket – an international area north-east of the Cook Islands. Another occurrence took place before Christmas, when MMR was alerted by Chinese authorities of a broken-down longliner which had drifted into the Cook Islands EEZ before being rescued and towed out by other fishing vessels. Additional events cited by Ponia included monitoring a purse seiner setting its nets close to the nation’s border, locating a vessel which had stopped reporting its position, and investigating an unregistered longliner, which appeared in the middle of the nation’s EEZ. - Emmanuel Samoglou Mosquito-fighting supplies heading to Pa Enua Outer island communities are being given about $40,000 worth of spraying equipment and chemicals to help them tackle mosquito outbreaks. Each island will be receiving aircraft spray, pesticide, spraying equipment, and personal protection gear consisting of hats, goggles, face masks, boots and overalls. Stationery like pens, paper and calculators are also being sent to the Pa Enua so health protection officers can record the details of their work. “The main aim is to reduce the mosquito populations so we won’t have an outbreak of dengue fever,” said senior health protection officer Charlie Ave. Funding for the new stock has come from the Office of the Prime Minister’s Climate Change Division. An official handover to the Ministry of Health took place on Friday, with health minister Nandi Glassie expressing his gratitude. “Thank you so much for such an important gift of generosity. This will make our lives much easier.” The new supply also includes tubs of rat poison, which Glassie said would be very useful. “Rats destroy a lot of our birds in the outer islands,” he said. Robert Matapo, from the Climate Change Division, said providing the equipment is about trying to help the outer islands adapt to the effects of climate change. “When it rains there’s a huge increase in mosquitoes flying around so we provide funding for certain projects in the Pa Enua.” Matapo said he hopes the equipment will go a long way towards assisting people in the outer islands.- Ben Chapman-Smith Proposed hike in harbour dues The Cook Islands Port Authority is proposing an increase in harbour dues for the first time since 2012. The proposed hike in fees is meant to take into account increases in the consumer price index – a method of measuring the changes in price levels for goods and services. “We don’t increase fees at our own discretion,” said Ports Authority general manager Bim Tou. The average increase is roughly 3 per cent he said, while some fees see no change. Under the fees outlined in the Port Authority’s proposed new price schedule, local charter vessels and pleasure charge will be charged $0.01 per metre, per day. Inter-island vessels will be charged $0.16 per gross registered tonne (GRT), per day, while in port. International single-hull yachts will be charged $2.14 per metre, per day, with multi-hulls at a rate of $2.95 per metre, per day. Keeping an international fishing vessel in port will cost $2.69 per metre, per day. All prices are exclusive of value added tax (VAT). Full copies of the proposed price schedule – which included cargo dues, vessel movement charges, cruise ship charges, and goods wharfage charges - are available for inspection during office hours at the office of the board of the Ports Authority at Avatiu wharf. Queries or comments on the planned changes should be addressed in writing to Ports Authority general manager Bim Tou, and delivered personally to their Avatiu wharf offices. - Emmanuel Samoglou Infrastructure ministry undergoes rebranding The government ministry that oversees the nation’s harbours, roads, water distribution, sanitation, and other major public works is now officially known as Infrastructure Cook Islands. During an event last Friday afternoon in Arorongi, Deputy Prime Minister Teariki Heather marked the official rebranding of the nation’s public works ministry, which is now known as Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) - previously known as the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP). The event attracted traditional leaders, government members, and other dignitaries, along with ICI staff who were seen at the event in new grey and orange shirts with the ministry’s logo. Speaking afterwards, Deputy PM and ICI minister Heather said the new name is more simplified an all encompassing – taking into account the outer islands and the various public works being run and developed by the ministry. Also on hand at the event was Cook Islands Tertiary Training Institute (CITTI) director Owen Lewis, who presented CITTI certificates to ICI staff who had recently completely infrastructure-related programmes. - Emmanuel Samoglou CITTI open day attracts tertiary hopefuls Prospective tertiary students got a taste of life at the Cook Islands Tertiary Institute on Friday. CITTI held its open day ahead of the start of the first semester on February 17, with both its hospitality school in Ngatangiia, headed by Taa Pera, and the trades campus in Arorangi, headed by Alister Anderson, open to potential students. Director Owen Lewis said the day was about informing new recruits about the training that is available at the institute’s campuses – including a Diploma in Nursing that will initially be taught at Rarotonga hospital. Tutors were available to speak to prospective students on Friday, and former students were also invited along to share their experiences and knowledge of the courses. Food safety tutor John Taripo, who began teaching the subject two years ago at Nukutere College and Titikaveka College, said he is pleased to see affordable and practical education options on offer to tertiary students. “I think it’s very important to teach our young people these things, and the cost isn’t an arm and a leg. And what you learn is recognised overseas – then at least if you go to New Zealand, you’ve got that (qualification).” The institute was launched in June, bringing the Cook Islands Trades Training Centre and the Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre under the same body. The institute is now a ‘stand-alone’ training facility, with more than 300 people enrolling annually in its nationally and internationally recognised qualifications and courses – which range from ‘statements of attainment’ to certificates and diplomas. - Briar Douglas Cruise ship survey launched A major cruise ship survey has been launched to give a clearer picture of what visitors think of the Cook Islands and how much money they spend here. The Cook Islands Tourism Corporation is aiming to survey about 480 tourists over the next six months, starting two days ago with the Columbus 2’s arrival. Surveys will be carried out in Rarotonga and Aitutaki and the target number is 30 respondents per cruise ship. Before they return to their ship, passengers will be asked to complete a five-minute questionnaire and their answers will be entered onto an iPad. Noeline Mateariki, tourism destination development co-ordinator, said the survey will look at each tourist’s country of residence and whether they have been to the Cook Islands before. It will also cover how much they spend on excursions, transport, food and shopping while on the island. “We’ll also be asking whether they’d recommend the destination to other people and what their overall opinion is of the Cook Islands,” Mateariki said. Funding for the project – which includes hiring four enumerators – has come from the South Pacific Tourism Organisation. Halatoa Fua, chief executive of the tourism corporation, said the cruise industry in the Cook Islands has suffered multiple cancellations in the past due to bad weather conditions. “This issue is alleviated through the construction of the Arorangi jetty as an alternate site.” A key step towards growing the industry will be developing a Cook Islands Cruise Strategy, something that is currently underway. Fua said that strategy could offer opportunities for the outer islands. Other short-term goals include improving the availability of pre-arrival information for cruise ships, and boosting marketing and promotional activities by tourism. He also wants to address congestion at the port area and to carry out formal research and analysis of the cruise sector. “Some of the long term goals would be to review the cruise infrastructure in all the Cook Islands and prospecting for increased cruise ship visits,” Fua said. - Ben Chapman-Smith LETTERS Film Raro ‘scrapped without even a glance’ Dear Editor, I don’t wish to get in a “tit for tat” situation with Tourism chief executive Halatoa Fua about Film Raro’s request for funding, but I would also like to set the record straight on a couple of very significant points. When we revised down our budget and our application to tourism it was to create a mutually usable marketing product: six films that showed location (film) and destination (tourism). It was a completely new proposal. We used the sensationally successful model of the film industry and tourism working in co-operation in NZ with government support. That model has resulted in multi-million dollar benefits for tourism – think Lord of the Rings showcasing (marketing) New Zealand’s magnificent scenery and all of the visitors that were drawn to “middle earth” just to experience that. That is only one prime example. Guess what? Now the Hobbit is having the same support from NZ Tourism, oh and James Cameron has moved to NZ to focus on the next three Avatar films. Now don’t you think that NZ Tourism will be capitalising on that and making mileage out of it? Of course they are... they get it! NZ tourism doesn’t hide the fact that it has enjoyed huge benefits from the development of the film industry; the NZ government invests in it because of the economic benefits. It celebrates it! There is no “compromise” by NZ tourism because they have had the vision and capability to recognise a good thing, hop into it, support it and reap the benefits from it. Halatoa says “It is not the role of the tourism authority to build the film industry...” How short- sighted. We haven’t asked tourism to build the industry, they don’t have the capability. Our small industry partnering with NZ can do that. We asked for tourism to support it and work with us to become established for the long-term benefit of the country. When all the evidence is presenting itself in our NZ neighbour and we have done the work to join in their success and have the Cook Islands also marketed by NZFilm, CI Tourism stubbornly refuses to see the merits. What’s that about? Apparently it’s about the number of bums on seats on aeroplanes. Interesting that the fledgling Film Raro is compared with Vaka Eiva in its tenth year! What about the cross island walk project, how many bums on seats will that be drawing? What about the Aitutaki Fishing Club? Huge investment from tourism.... er, how many bums on seats will that draw to justify the big spend? The Bowling Club $100,000 – how many bums on seats so far? Exactly how much economic return are we looking at so far from Destination Development funds? It seems that the 94 bums on seats that Film Raro brought in has only earned a contemptuous “sniff” from CI Tourism. Marketing of the Cook Islands is something that Film Raro has done extremely well so far. PBS channel in the United States will air the Film Raro films this year. I’d love to know what single marketing product generated by CI Tourism can get the same airtime on US television. Our films have been sought out by festivals, TV stations, universities, libraries and we have been asked to take our product “Film Raro” and re-create it in other countries. If CI Tourism had a product to offer, they would have to pay to put it on US television, they couldn’t afford it – we’ve provided that marketing for our country for free. Referring to the projects they asked us to work with them on, he failed to include the $5000 we were offered to make THREE commercials (I thought it was a joke), and as for the archive project, they didn’t supply the information that was needed to catalogue their film in keeping with their already catalogued still images, so the film went back to them. What’s not “sustainable” is us digging into our own pockets to create and run a unique marketing product and a unique social and economic project (yes, providing employment, preserving and enhancing culture, building skills and talent, generating national pride) and having tourism reap the benefits for no investment... that would be just plain stupid. What is unfair is being given the “bum’s rush” and scrapped without even a glance at our new proposal. I don’t know why Halatoa would invite people into Tourism to discuss our one and only proposal for the Destination Development Fund ... he’s never seen it! We realised early that Film Raro was an “out of the box” concept. It’s what makes it unique in the world. What we haven’t been able to do is help CI Tourism understand that occasionally some expanded thinking (vision) is called for when unique situations present themselves and “don’t meet the criteria”. Leading an industry calls for vision as well as capability to manage risk. All of the projects funded by Tourism have an element of risk, none can guarantee sustainability. In order to gain the competitive edge over every other tropical holiday destination, thinking outside the box should be a must for CI Tourism’s staff and board, not just seat-warming. Alexis Napa Wolfgramm General Manager Drum Productions CI Ltd Taxing NZ pensions is ‘breaking tradition’ Dear Editor, Richard Neves’ letter to the editor on Saturday January 18 (‘Reliable tax base crucial – Neves’) in part reads: “I believe most people would not like to be in a society where someone fulfils their tax obligations in a timely manner and others don’t.” Mr Neves, from 1996-2010 when Sir Geoffrey of the Cook Islands Party was Prime Minister, followed by Democratic Party Prime Ministers – 17 years altogether – by the grace of those great Cook Island leaders, NZ-paid pensioners were never taxed – I repeat, never taxed! And there was no animosity among the people toward us non-tax paying mamas and papas. We were respected as was Maori custom toward the elderly. However, your illegal, desperate, kamikaze style of tax collecting has labelled us bludgers and tax-dodgers! You broke a Cook Islands government tradition (in respect of the elderly) not to tax them. Now that you are going to tax the local pensioners, Papa Arapati rolls in his grave. Dennis Tunui Turangi ‘CIP not deserving of another 4-year term’ Dear Editor, Just to add my voice of concern to the Opposition Leaders in that PM Henry Elvis Puna embarks on far too much unnecessary and unimportant travel rather than remain in the country and provide the vital leadership and guidance needed to run an effective government. Prime Minister for the past three years, Punas political leadership has been a complete disaster. Indecisive and displaying a lack of genuine interest in the running of the government, the voters of this country will demonstrate their dismay with Punas hopeless leadership by sweeping the Demos to power in 12 months’ time. Botching up on almost everything they do, CIP is definitely not deserving of another 4-year term at the helm of government. Disgusted ex-CIP supporter (name and address supplied) ‘I’d demand a trial by a jury of elderly Cook Islands peers’ Dear Editor, I’m an older PR that does not have his pension sent to the Cook Islands. I have been following the Grey Power overdue tax saga regarding their New Zealand old age pensioners. My first thought was the stupidity of government. Any serving government official in most free countries would consider such negative action as potentially political suicide. I recognise the earlier government passed the current administrators a financial bag-of-worms, but this action is petty and does little to solve the Cook’s financial woes. From what I understand, Grey Power, in reality, only wants to pay their fair current and future taxes regarding their New Zealand pensions collected in the Cook Islands. They just don’t want to pay the old back taxes. Grey Power states many of those involved had personally contacted the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) and were told that no tax would be assessed against their New Zealand pensions … and over time this became “common knowledge” among those involved. Makes sense to me! Now MFEM, under new leadership, says these elderly folks must pay back taxes regarding these hard-earned pensions. Then, after several pensioners did not respond to MFEM notices to come meet with them, MFEM forced the banks to withdraw funds from pensioners’ accounts and give them to MFEM. This draconian action was uncalled for and I suspect illegal. I am not a lawyer but I believe that “due process” is recognised in most democratic nations and was not followed in this case. In my opinion, if MFEM was unhappy with this situation that caused the bank withdrawals, they should have taken the alleged elderly pensioners to court to determine what, if any money is owed for back taxes. At this point both MFEM and the pensioners would have their say in court, and possibly a jury of elderly Cook Islands peers would make fair decisions. This key element of democracy was bypassed to MFEM’s benefit. Also, to a lesser degree, the banks were also to blame as they allowed MFEM to bully them. If I were Grey Power I would find a “good” lawyer and sue government for the return of those funds already taken plus damages and lawyer fees. Also I would sue banks for damages and legal fees as well. Further, I would demand a trial by a jury of elderly Cook Islands peers. In my opinion, Grey Power would have a good chance to win this case. If Grey Power wins, MFEM will reimburse the taken funds, damages and fees and change the way they apply the tax law(s) to New Zealand pensioners. Also, the banks will pay the required damages and legal fees and if they were smart, would also sue MFEM for the same fees and damages. After all, they were “forced” to remove and give money to MFEM from those personal accounts that their respective banks were entrusted. An interested old guy, Name and address supplied SPORTS Football CI members called to OFC The Cook Islands Football Association (CIFA) recently tried to have three members of the football community ‘charged’ by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Ethics Committee. Tony Jamieson, Brian Baudinet and Cameron Robertson were all ‘summoned’ to appear in Auckland in December before the OFC Ethics Committee. By trying to improve governance and accountability of CIFA, the three got ‘offside’ with the local officials. Instead of addressing the issues of concern, CIFA tried to have them banned from the sport for raising the issues and giving them public profile even though the sport is played largely on public facilities. Football Cook Islands (FCI) continues to work for the betterment of football in the Cook Islands. FCI want to try and work with the Cook Islands Football Association (CIFA) to address the many issues that affect the game here, but CIFA have instead chosen to attempt to have three of its members suspended. The four-yearly elections will be held this year for the CIFA executive. FCI would like to urge all the clubs on Rarotonga and the Outer Island associations to give some consideration to who they want to work for them on the Executive for the next four years. - FCI/MW Hash Trash/Strayer Day Run no 1744 will be set by Guzzle and Plonk from their abode in Vaimaanga (not far from Wigmore’s Superstore). This is the Hash Trash run (doubling as the Australia Day Run – no coincidence there!), so all are requested to bring a bucket to collect any trash you find while on the trail! As well as that, those of Australian decent are most welcome to dress in their best Ozzie garb to show their love for their country. Please no hash hounds this week as the hash base has several dogs and some nearby dogs that are not happy with other dogs! See you there! Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi! New equipment to spruce golf green presented The Rarotonga golf club last Saturday held the official presentation of golf course equipment sponsored by the golf governing body ‘R and A’ for the Rarotonga and Aitutaki Golf Clubs. Minister of Sport Mark Brown was on hand to present this equipment on behalf of R and A. R and A is the governing body for the sport of golf with about 130 affiliated members which the Cook Islands is an affiliate. The other governing body is the USGA which governs the sport in the USA and Mexico. In his speech, president of the Rarotonga Golf Club Ned Howard explained that the R and A sponsorship was the benefit of his attendance at the 9th R and A World Golf Conference held in St Andrews, Scotland last year in early May. The course equipment consists of one gang-mower and two green mowers, one fringe mower, hole cups, pins, hole cutter and spare parts for the equipment costing over 24k pounds sterling (NZ$47,994). Howard says the equipment is the last of the four programmes R and A was committed to providing for the development of the sport in the Cook islands. The other 3 projects included approval by Rand A for a Cook Islands World Amateur Golf Ranking event. This started in 2013 with the Rarotonga Amateur Golf Open being the designated event. 2014 event will be on the June 12 to 14. Another project was having a golf coach visit the Cook Islands 3 times over a period of 18 months. This programme started last year with NZ coach Jay Carter making his first visit during the Inter-island Constitution Cup. Coach Carter will be making his 2nd visit sometime in March or April. The third project RandA provided in June were 10 sets of junior golf equipment ( for ages 5 to 8 and 9 to 13) where four sets were given to the Aitutaki Golf Club and 6 to the Rarotonga Golf Club. After the dedication prayer conducted by the club chaplain Papa Aratangi, minister Brown presented the equipment to the representatives of the Aitutaki Golf Club, patron Munro Hockin and patron and president Natini Samuel. Minister Brown also presented to the Aitutaki Golf Club sponsored flags, pins and cups sponsored by Coach Jay Carter. The Committee of the Rarotonga Golf received the Rarotonga Golf Club equipment on behalf of its members. In their speeches, speakers representing the Clubs including patron Ewan Smith and club captain Jimmy Teokotai for the Rarotonga Golf Club and Munro Hockin. Natini Samuel on behalf of the Aitutaki Golf Club thanked the minister and especially ‘R and A’ for the course equipment as well as the sponsorships received from R and A. - Rarotonga Golf Club
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 02:39:21 +0000
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