The following letter was sent to the editor of Cook Islands News on March 18th; however, it was never published and was replaced by several letters from bogus Canadian tourists subsequently.
As I bid farewell to the Cook Islands after a four and a half month stay, I would like to share my reflections with the Cook Islands News readers. This newspaper has been my main source of local information in the past few months.
I came to the Cook Islands with one specific purpose - to see for myself the way of life on an outer island, especially in the Northern Group. Well, I waited for a cargo boat for a couple months only to find out that there was no boat that would take me to Pukapuka or Penrhyn until the middle of March at the earliest. The cost of flying with Air Rarotonga to either island is almost $1500 NZD one-way and there is no guarantee that I could catch a plane or a boat to return to Rarotonga in time for my return to Canada in mid-April when my tourist visa expires. Well, my initial frustration with the shipping company and the lack of inter-island transportation options have turned into deep admiration for the residents of the outer islands for their patience and perseverance. I could imagine how isolated and neglected from the rest of the country these residents must have felt at times.
In spite of the relatively high cost of living and the numerous resorts, holiday rental buildings, souvenir shops, bars and restaurants situated all around the island of Rarotonga, there is still a lot of nature, gorgeous beaches and landscape to qualify Rarotonga as paradise. For instance, after I take a second look of the clear turquoise water, I would have almost forgotten how expensive lunch was. (chuckles) For North American tourists like myself, Cook Islands are probably not at the top of our list of sunny destinations because there are other "paradises" which are far more attractive in terms of value and notoriety. I hate to think how your economy would be adversely affected should the Euro or British Pound drop, say by 10%. I understand 75% of the GDP in the Cooks is attributed to the tourism industry. In general, excessive dependency on any single industry is never a good thing for any economy, particularly when the tourism industry is so price-elastic and there is already an over-supply of tourist accommodation and services in Rarotonga.
A few days ago, I read the telephone directory of the Cook Islands, cover to cover, and had a revelation. The majority of the communities in the Southern group of islands are of mixed descent, namely European and Polynesian. It would appear to me that Cook Islanders, especially the younger generation, are not clear what their core values and belief systems are. The proliferation of internet access appears to accentuate external influences on the residents' choices and lifestyles. Unfortunately, when the "going gets tough", it is human nature to take the easiest way out without attempts to remain steadfast to the original culture and practices. Perhaps the issue of depopulation best illustrates the points that I am trying to make. The danger of this "rite of passage" is that these emigrants might never return if the quality of life does not improve in the Cook Islands.
I don't think any foreign consultants and scholars can prepare a comprehensive plan to rectify the socio-economic problems and improve the quality of life for Cook Islanders. You already have the answers and solutions, be it tax, legal and legislative reforms, or being self-sufficient in terms of food supply, or health care improvements. God has blessed the Cook Islands with all the necessary ingredients for building sustainable, healthy and happy communities. The task at hand is to find the right recipe that utilize these ingredients. What works in developed countries might not be appropriate for the Cook Islands. Be careful with the deployment of your resources and capital when fulfilling your community needs. The key to a brighter future is in your hands. May you thrive as a truly sovereign nation in the near future. In closing, I would like to leave you with the following quote:
Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control. These three alone lead to sovereign power.- Lord Alfred Tennyson
As I bid farewell to the Cook Islands after a four and a half month stay, I would like to share my reflections with the Cook Islands News readers. This newspaper has been my main source of local information in the past few months.
I came to the Cook Islands with one specific purpose - to see for myself the way of life on an outer island, especially in the Northern Group. Well, I waited for a cargo boat for a couple months only to find out that there was no boat that would take me to Pukapuka or Penrhyn until the middle of March at the earliest. The cost of flying with Air Rarotonga to either island is almost $1500 NZD one-way and there is no guarantee that I could catch a plane or a boat to return to Rarotonga in time for my return to Canada in mid-April when my tourist visa expires. Well, my initial frustration with the shipping company and the lack of inter-island transportation options have turned into deep admiration for the residents of the outer islands for their patience and perseverance. I could imagine how isolated and neglected from the rest of the country these residents must have felt at times.
In spite of the relatively high cost of living and the numerous resorts, holiday rental buildings, souvenir shops, bars and restaurants situated all around the island of Rarotonga, there is still a lot of nature, gorgeous beaches and landscape to qualify Rarotonga as paradise. For instance, after I take a second look of the clear turquoise water, I would have almost forgotten how expensive lunch was. (chuckles) For North American tourists like myself, Cook Islands are probably not at the top of our list of sunny destinations because there are other "paradises" which are far more attractive in terms of value and notoriety. I hate to think how your economy would be adversely affected should the Euro or British Pound drop, say by 10%. I understand 75% of the GDP in the Cooks is attributed to the tourism industry. In general, excessive dependency on any single industry is never a good thing for any economy, particularly when the tourism industry is so price-elastic and there is already an over-supply of tourist accommodation and services in Rarotonga.
A few days ago, I read the telephone directory of the Cook Islands, cover to cover, and had a revelation. The majority of the communities in the Southern group of islands are of mixed descent, namely European and Polynesian. It would appear to me that Cook Islanders, especially the younger generation, are not clear what their core values and belief systems are. The proliferation of internet access appears to accentuate external influences on the residents' choices and lifestyles. Unfortunately, when the "going gets tough", it is human nature to take the easiest way out without attempts to remain steadfast to the original culture and practices. Perhaps the issue of depopulation best illustrates the points that I am trying to make. The danger of this "rite of passage" is that these emigrants might never return if the quality of life does not improve in the Cook Islands.
I don't think any foreign consultants and scholars can prepare a comprehensive plan to rectify the socio-economic problems and improve the quality of life for Cook Islanders. You already have the answers and solutions, be it tax, legal and legislative reforms, or being self-sufficient in terms of food supply, or health care improvements. God has blessed the Cook Islands with all the necessary ingredients for building sustainable, healthy and happy communities. The task at hand is to find the right recipe that utilize these ingredients. What works in developed countries might not be appropriate for the Cook Islands. Be careful with the deployment of your resources and capital when fulfilling your community needs. The key to a brighter future is in your hands. May you thrive as a truly sovereign nation in the near future. In closing, I would like to leave you with the following quote:
Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control. These three alone lead to sovereign power.- Lord Alfred Tennyson
