Arrogance in the public service
Doing desperate things
Return our pounamu please
What’s your point?
Patience and understanding needed
No April Fools’ Day joke
Which constitution are you referring to?
Dangerous goods
Leave things as they are
Bought but not paid for
Wanted: sensible decisions
Pulling the PM’s strings?
Who profited from the APS fuel?
Out with the old
Paradise no more
We’ve got the people
Police admit failure, act on complaint
Arrogance in the public service
Fri
8 Jan
Dear Editor
We are all aware that not all public servants are dedicated to serving the public.
While some certainly do their best to provide the service for which the public pays, there are other petty officials, many of whom have been given authority well beyond their competence, once they get behind a desk surrounded by proliferating piles of paper and rubber stamps, sink into a world of fantasy in which their main mission in life is to make things as difficult as possible for others.
Why should this be so? Once outside their little world of influence most revert to reasonable human beings like the rest of us. Even Dick Chapman, arguably the most hated public servant of all time, was, when he got home, a wonderful father to his children.
Having heard several stories of the delays and deliberate obfuscation that could be expected at the immigration department, I arrived at 9 o’clock one morning recently, armed with a novel, a tape recorder in my shirt pocket, and a determination not to lose my cool.
There were several desks with computers on them but the office was otherwise deserted. However one of the staff (there appeared to be only one) showed up at 9.10am and I explained to her that I had two new passports, my own and my wife’s, and wished to have the stamp placed in them confirming our status as permanent residents.
The following conversation then took place:
“When are you travelling?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because I might not be able to get them done until tomorrow.”
“Why is that?”
“Well, I might be able to get them done today.”
“Why can’t you do them now?”
“Because my boss has to sign them.”
“I see. But your boss sometimes travels overseas. Do you mean to say nothing can get processed while he’s away?”
“Oh, when he’s away he gives one of the staff the authority to sign on his behalf.”
“Then if he is not here, you can sign on his behalf?”
“No, I can only sign if he is off the island.”
“OK, What time does he usually come to work?”
“Oh, he’s usually in by 9.30. He’s probably on his way now.” It was 9.15 by this time.
“Well in that case couldn’t you stamp the passports now so that when he comes in all he has to do is sign them?”
Silently she went to her desk and duly stamped the passports. It took only a couple of minutes. Meanwhile I settled down to read my book.
At 9.35 I asked did her boss have a mobile phone? Perhaps she could ring him and see if he really was on his way.
“No, we’re not allowed to call him on his mobile.”
“Then could you give me his home number so I can check if he has left yet?”
“No, his home number is confidential. We can’t give it out.”
I returned to my novel.
At 9.35 she advised me that her boss had just called in. He was now at Esther Honey and would be arriving soon.
At 9.55 the boss arrived. He had obviously been advised of the situation in the office as he went straight to his desk, signed the two passports and gave them to the girl. This took all of two minutes.
I said to him “When you are away overseas I believe your staff have the authority to sign on your behalf.”
“That is right.”
“So why can’t they sign on your behalf when you are not in the office?”
“Oh the authority is only for when I am off the island.”
“Well in that case shouldn’t you be in the office from eight till four?”
“Look, I have other things to do.”
“Oh yes, I understand you are just an overworked public servant. Good day.”
I took the passports and walked out before I lost my cool. I switched off the tape recorder.
Don Silk
Kiikii
Doing desperate things
Fri
8 Jan
Dear Editor,
How many don’t know that the sacked maxi-leader attempted a coup of sorts over the long weekend?
Maybe there are a few revellers still sleeping it off who don’t know that a ‘vote of confidence’ in Sir Terepai Maoate was circulated by the Ngatangiia MP amongst the remaining Demo MPs and all the opposition and independents.
The intent was to present it to the Queen’s Representative on Tuesday 5 January in the forlorn hope that he would disband the new-born government.
It was even stated unequivocally that Auckland QC Alex Frame had reviewed the petition and found it be constitutionally correct. It wasn’t and he didn’t.
It was, in fact, a scam to gain signatures from MPs and former ministers who should have known better, but whose greed for power overcame all good sense. They signed! Let it be said that, except in death and resignation, only a majority of parliament when in session can vote the prime minister out.
What is there about that last sentence that our politicians cannot understand? I suppose we have to give maxi-leader A for effort, but that effort was legally doomed from outset.
Still, desperate leaders do desperate things, and so do greedy followers.
Amazed
(Name and address supplied)
Return our pounamu please
Fri
8 Jan
Dear Editor,
My son was part of a New Zealand wedding group having been seduced by romantic tourism advertising and Rarotonga’s idyllic setting.
On the 19 December 2009, thieves broke into their accommodation at Island Villas at Muri, rifled through all their property stealing my son’s entire suitcase containing all his belongings including his laptop, passport and clothes.
The wedding party was devastated on return from dinner at a nearby restaurant.
They had been lulled into a false sense of security and safeness by the relaxed charm of your shores.
Rarotonga’s tourist promotions never hint of this type of crime and it is not a good story to come home with, especially as Rarotonga heavily promotes wedding tourism.
I am, however, making a personal plea to the thieves.
Amongst my son’s belongings was his greenstone pounamu.
The pounamu is of spiritual value between father and son. It is of no monetary value to anyone and if the thieves are aware of Maori spirituality, they know the greenstone should be returned to its rightful owner.
We will accept an anonymous return of the pounamu or any information.
Anita Williams
Wellington, New Zealand
What’s your point?
Sat
9 Jan
Dear Editor,
I refer to the letter written by Don Silk which appeared in Friday’s issue of the Cook Islands News.
As the eldest daughter of the late Richard Chapman I am pleased to confirm that he was indeed a wonderful father to his children. However, as his child, I am not in a position to comment on whether he was hated as a public servant. I have been told that he was regarded as meticulous and efficient, particularly in customs, as Mr Silk may recall.
Given the rest of Mr Silk’s letter is about inefficiency in the public service I am not sure the relevance of the reference to my late father.
Most of the letter is the verbatim recording of a conversation with a public servant. The recording of conversations without the other person’s knowledge is at best impolite and, in some countries, illegal.
Mr Silk may in his letter have a point. But I am not sure change is best brought about by demeaning those both alive and dead.
Yours faithfully,
Jean Chapman-Mason
Tepuka
Patience and understanding needed
Sat
9 Jan
Dear Editor
Don Silk must have had a very bad day two days out from Christmas (re his letter in yesterday’s edition of Cook Islands News).
Armed to the teeth with his tape recorder, Immigration was going to be his OK Corral whatever it took.
As a person from the colonial era and used to being a big fish in a small pond, Don clearly embarrassed my staff member, who had neither the command of English he possesses nor the wit to adequately address his demands.
The powers of immigration officers are specified under the Entry, Residence & Departures Act, 1971-72 and Regulations. To depart from those would be unlawful.
Regardless, Don would have preferred that the lone staff member to act unlawfully. With a little patience and courtesy, the lone staff member would have found a solution by seeking appropriate advice by phone.
When we placed our advertisement with Cook Islands News advising of our limited staff and services during the Christmas break, I did not anticipate a staff member falling sick (with one on leave) and that the staffing and service would be very limited from December 22, 2009.
So yes, there certainly were several empty desks on that day.
None of them were mine.
At the same time Don was in the office, there was also a Cook Islander patiently waiting for his passport who had lodged his application a week before.
I would like to thank this Cook Islander and those other clients whose applications were put on hold so my lone staff member could attend to Don’s demands.
By way of context, the 1996/97 reforms saw the downsizing of immigration from 20 to six staff in September 2008. Overall, this is a huge reduction in staff while the workload has significantly increased since 1996.
Staff wise, immigration has been operating below the optimum level required to effectively carry out its increasing workload.
At the time Don was inside the immigration office, there was only one staff with two others on leave. We have also been a staff member down since August last year.
While immigration is significantly under-resourced today, it is nevertheless punching well above its weight by national and international standards.
We are not perfect by any means (yet) the remaining staff have however shown that they
are far more productive than before.
Whatever the reason for Don’s reference to Dick Chapman in his letter, it was irrelevant and uncalled for. He should just let it go and allow Dick to rest in peace.
Your headline ‘Arrogance in the public service’ is therefore as silly as Don’s complaint for having a bad day two days before Christmas.
We however do wish our clients all the best for the new year and thank them for their patience, support and understanding over the past year.
We look forward to a better year ahead.
Kave Ringi
Director
Immigration Cook Islands
No April Fools’ Day joke
Sat
9 Jan
Dear Editor,
I could not believe the headline on Thursday -- “PM to cut costs”.
I checked to see if I had overslept, so maybe this was already April Fools’ Day.
No, it was indeed 7 January all day. But, how will cabinet and their new minister for bean counting cut costs?
Okay, not adding a sixth minister is a good start. Chopping ministerial travel to the bone is another. Oh yes, a public servant job freeze is painless and could help. What else?
Impose a 10 percent across-the-board pay cut, including members of parliament. Halve the number of government autos in use. Require all government employees to work a full five-day week, but be sure to check around Friday afternoons to see if they really are.
And, of course, switch cabinet’s catered lunches from shrimp salad to corned beef or just make them pay for their own. But, those are the easy ones.
Next get serious and cut the members of parliament to 19 or 13 or 7 – whatever! Just do it. Convert Te Aponga Uira to alternate energy now – no more studies. Just do it.
Meanwhile, on the supply side, use your international clout to finance private sector development.
Go ahead. It won’t hurt, I promise. Indeed, go one step further: Hereafter every cabinet meeting’s opening prayer should include, “Thank you, Lord, for the private sector for they giveth us every dollar we spendith”.
Prayerful
(Name and address supplied)
Which constitution are you referring to?
Mon
11 Jan
Dear Editor
I have been asking myself which constitution are some people referring to because in my copy I cannot find anything to support some of the proposals, statements and speculation we are reading about in your newspaper.
My understanding of the present situation is this.
Like it or not, Jim Marurai is the prime minister.
He remains the PM unless he resigns, is absent from the Cook Islands without authorisation for private reasons longer than three months, ceases to be a member of parliament or is defeated on a confidence vote.
Marurai has not resigned. He continues to be a member and he is present in the Cook Islands.
The prime ministership therefore comes down to the confidence question.
To pass a vote of no confidence requires parliament to be called together.
The Queen’s Representative has no authority to unilaterally call parliament together.
The QR, except where the constitution gives him a discretion, has to act on the advice of the PM or the appropriate minister so appealing to the QR to call parliament together is an invitation to the QR to violate the constitution. He is unlikely to do that.
Parliament will at some point need to be called together if for no other reason but to get legal authorisation for the continued expenditure of the public revenues (supply).
The MFEM Act sets the timeframe for that and unless there is some other pressing, unavoidable business the PM and his cabinet can continue to hold the executive reins of governmental authority as contemplated by the constitution and those that wish to oust them from office will just have to wait until parliament is convened.
Parliament, when convened, will be by appointment by the QR acting on the advice of the PM.
The constitution authorises a cabinet comprising the PM and no more than six other Ministers. The present cabinet numbers are within those limitations.
Those that claim otherwise are wrong.
As to the speculation that the PM might call a snap election - if he were so inclined he would need the support of some of those currently aligned against him for otherwise the QR would be obliged, acting in his discretion, to refuse any such advice which was not supported by a majority of members.
Finally, any suggestion that the present government has been ‘seized’ or its status is ‘unconstitutional, undemocratic and illegitimate’ is, in my view, wildly and irresponsibly incorrect and any attempt by unlawful means to overthrow a legitimate government is bordering on the seditious.
John M Scott
Muri
Dangerous goods
Mon
11 Jan
Dear Editor,
Never mind about learning to speak Maori, I think we will have to learn the Indonesian language that is on the labels of goods being ever increasingly imported and sold in the Cook Islands!
My wife purchased from a store here what certainly looks like bathroom cleaner. The pictures on the label certainly indicated that.
But because she does not speak Indonesian, she was unable to read the labels.
The aesthetics of our shower are now destroyed. Terrible streaks down the white shower panelling and the stainless steel shower tray is etched beyond description. Our shower is all but destroyed with respect to looks.
I have since had the instructions translated by one of the Indonesian chefs here, “Ceramics and tiles only”.
Yes, my wife used the wrong product on our shower, but how the hell were she to know that. As said, the advertising pictures certainly indicated otherwise, the instructions are in Bahasa and at the end of the day, how many housewives would know exactly what their shower areas were lined with? Fortunately it was only the shower.
What happens to goods that have to be made up or mixed up for human consumption.
Editor, are there any laws pertaining to label instructions on goods sold in the Cook Islands?
Neil Mitchell
Aitutaki
Leave things as they are
Mon
11 Jan
Dear Editor,
We read with interest that MPs from both sides of the aisle have expressed “complete lack of support for cabinet”.
In as much as cabinet was only recently appointed, what is the basis for their concern? Three of the new ministers have served in cabinet before. We cannot recall when the Cook Islands Party found fault with either Robert Wigmore or Wilkie Rasmussen. Why now?
Both CIP and Demo have had four years to show a lack of confidence in the PM Jim Marurai. Why now? The sole public reason is that the PM sacked the former minister of finance Sir Terepai Maoate, a hugely popular decision in the context of the Toagate scandal.
Indeed, the strongest opposition voice for a no-confidence vote is that of Norman George who famously called Toagate and the Maoate involvement “obscene”. Why the change of heart?
On Thursday, the president of the Demo Party Makiuti Tongia admitted that the PM remains a member in good standing of that party as are three other ministers with only one independent.
Thus, we still have a Demo government, isn’t it so? Why, then, would the Queen’s Representative chose to call for a session of parliament to accommodate a vote of no confidence? He will not.
The more interesting question is why are the CIPs so eager to reinstate their formerly despised adversary Sir Terepai.
There are two reasons: (1) Norman George is slathering for ministerial power and salary; and, (2) the CIPs believe that, once into a coalition, they can arrange for a snap election which will return them at long last to power.
Dream on. A Demo-driven coalition would not support a snap election.
If the QR did act under Article 29(1) to force a session of parliament, what would his excuse be? Surely not because of cabinet losing a weekly - a popularity vote by power-hungry peers!
If that was the case, the 745-year history of parliamentary government would have been a series of shambles instead of a miracle of democratic stability. So, Sir Frederick, you are correct in your cool and unflustered position. Stick with it.
We will all have our say, come September.
Stability first
(Name and address supplied)
Bought but not paid for
Mon
11 Jan
Dear Editor,
Re Cook Islands News, Saturday, January 9 – “Country First: CIP, Demos” should have read “Politicians first and foremost and always”.
The spin and misinformation in their media release shows their basic dishonesty.
They claim that five MPs have seized cabinet. I remember a minister of finance being asked to step down from that portfolio, refusing and then getting fired (let’s not forget Toagate in the frenzy).
Then three other ministers thinking they could blackmail the PM by threatening to resign only to find that he doesn’t respond well to threats – oops!
So who performed the “unconstitutional, undemocratic and illegitimate act”.
Further, do you know anywhere else you can walk off the job and still be paid for three months (politicians write their own rules). Now we have party manipulation and power trading back up to its 10-year high with the same party-hopping players.
Last week the CIP publicly promised the PM support in a vote of supply or confidence. Then Sir Tereapai Maoate offered them a better deal – two ministerial seats instead of one in return for him being PM.
Oops, again, they fell for it!
CIP if you really wanted stability, a bipartisan approach and to listen to the people you should have taken the party chains off of your members and let one of them fill that seat to the respect you sorely need.
For now you are bought, just not paid for yet!
As a point of interest I don’t remember Ms Eggelton and Messrs Tongia, Brown and Nga being elected to decide the nation’s fate. Isn’t that what the MPs are paid to do? Or are they all hiding in the background while being dictated to by their caucus and executive members.
So much for party leadership.
I remain.
Truly Disgusted
(Name and address supplied)
Wanted: sensible decisions
Mon
11 Jan
Dear Editor,
Here they go again -- straight from Toagate to Solargate believing they can legislate everyone’s rights out of existence and create another level of bureaucracy to waste money on consultants, workshops, travel and perks.
Six month durability trials? Hello!
Solar panels are already proven to last 20 plus years – who got the freebie panels from which promoter? ‘Immediately pass monopolies legislation’ – do I read the chosen few filtering the profits again?
Minister Heather pay close attention.
The government can immediately begin saving imported fuel costs by 1) removing VAT from solar equipment imports (that costs you nothing because no one is importing seriously); 2) sourcing low cost funds from the EU (not China as we don’t want to be forced into buying only their equipment) to establish a revolving loan fund (operated by a bank not a government dept) to make the equipment more affordable.
Then step back, let the public buy it with freedom of choice -- the private sector supplies and the government stays right out of it.
The dreams of 100 percent renewable energy are at the moment just that – right alongside nodule harvesting – the technology simply doesn’t exist yet.
The sun only shines in the day and the wind is intermittent so we are still dependant on Te Aponga Uira for the foreseeable future.
But we can reduce cost and emissions if the government helps us with some sensible decisions so we can get on with it ourselves because it’s in our interest to do so.
Grandfather of 15
(Name and address supplied)
Pulling the PM’s strings?
Tue
12 Jan
Dear Editor,
Clearing my office of accumulated rubbish I came across the Cook Islands News of Wednesday, July 29 2009 and there was a front page story featuring Wilkie Rasmussen.
A quote from the honourable member makes interesting reading now!
“I have raised it directly with the prime minister that he should consider stepping down because of his constant inaction and ineptness.... I want to remove him (PM) because he is totally incompetent.
We have been sheltering and shielding him but this is a gross injustice to the people of the Cook Islands.
I will endeavour to remove him.
I’m not going to give up until he vacates the post as prime minister... He is there by error- a mistake was made in his appointment. He is a puppet and will continue to be one.”
The public is entitled to ask, what’s the difference now honourable member of Penrhyn?
Are things okay now because you are the puppet’s master?
An aspiring puppet master
(Name and address supplied)
Who profited from the APS fuel?
Tue
12 Jan
Dear Editor,
As a not very educated Aitutakian, I was stunned to read your headline on page 7 of the Cook Islands News of November 26, 2009, ‘Borrowing of power fuel discouraged’. Is this not the same as using in an unauthorised manner, taxpayer’s money to help commercial enterprises?
It gets even worse, when power unit charges to the user had to be increased to facilitate this transaction! As in the end more expensive diesel had to be imported from overseas to run the Aitutaki power supply (APS) here.
This sounds very bad and I would have expected from the chairman of APS to have more business-savvy as he himself is the owner of a trading shop and several other Enterprises.
If your reporting is correct, how could Ron Maki allow for Teina Bishop’s petrol station to borrow 20,000 litres of diesel and not replace this huge amount of fuel until 12 months (a year) later? Or the 11 months Maine Traders required before replacing their borrowed fuel.
This does certainly not sound to me like an ‘emergency’ as Ron Maki from APS would like us to believe as per the article in your newspaper.
Based on your article and using a conservative wholesale price of $2 per litre for diesel and an even more conservative interest rate of 15 percent on bank loans to businesses, I have come up with the following (see tables).
As there is no mention in the Audit Report of any monetary interest having been paid on financial savings of up to $32,000 for various periods (as shown above), it looks to me that Maina Traders and Teina Bishop’s store TNM made together fiscal savings of about $2440.
No wonder Sir Terepai Maoate and his son Junior are all smiles in the photo taken with the chairman of the Aitutaki Power Supply in your newspaper. What has happened to the $2440 interest saved?
Has the Aitutaki Power Supply received the $2440-00 which, by their lending their diesel, has saved the two fuel importers in interest otherwise payable to commercial banks.
Have the two fuel importers just pocketed the interest saved? Have the two fuel importers paid income tax on this windfall profit? It would really be interesting to know all this as a considerable unit-price increase for electricity used in Aitutaki occurred during the time APS lent 24,000 litres of diesel (in total) to the two local fuel retailers mentioned.
If the 24,000 litres diesel for the petrol stations had still been in APS’s storage facilities instead of making extra profits for someone else, I am convinced that the electric power-unit increase would not have been that drastic, at the time.
And many poor old pensioners and single mothers would have lived that much more comfortable for the many months APS-owned diesel made profits for the two retailers mentioned.
Stunned Aitutakian
(Name and address supplied)
Out with the old
Wed
13 Jan
Dear Editor,
The rash decision by the Cook Islands Party to team up with the Democratic Party so a caretaker government can be formed with Sir Terepai Maoate as its prime minister, seems to have completely ignored the obvious failings of the former finance minister.
Sadly, cobbling a caretaker government with the Demos until the country’s general elections later this year is nothing short of disgraceful.
It speaks volumes of the shortcomings of the CIP, the poor quality of its current crop of politicians and executive members and its desperation to gain some form of political power.
It also paints a very gloomy picture of a political party that is very much self-serving, inward-looking and lacking in both vision and principles of greater accountability, responsibility and transparency.
For the long term good of this country, I am hoping that the political shenanigans in recent weeks will be the catalyst required to encourage fed-up voters to get rid of the old and support new, fresh faces at the next general elections.
Ex-CIP
(Name and address supplied)
Paradise no more
Wed
13 Jan
Dear Editor,
Stealing from tourists and from the public at large is becoming a major embarrassment.
The Cook Islands should be known as Thieves Paradise.
Shame on you Cook Islanders who are doing this to our paradise!
Stop tip-toeing around thieves and the police should be doing some positive intervention to stop this nonsense.
As for the hotels, you should be upgrading your security measures and protecting the tourists and not depending on the police who are already stressed-out and underpaid.
I am really starting to dislike reading the news which I pay $100 for, to be faced with these poor tourists being robbed senseless and not to mention the verbal diarrhoea from the likes of Wilkie Rasmussen and his cronies.
Oh by the way Wilkie, you leave my nephew alone and put the blame where is should be, the sacked deputy prime minister, who gives the orders. Sholan is only the ‘little Injun’.
There will be direct flights from Australia later this year. But you know what. I wouldn’t blame the Australians if they don’t come to the Cook Islands.
To the politicians, stop your bickering and get off your butts and start governing our country with dignity and some common sense.
Believe me, when tourists start staying away from the Cook Islands, it ain’t going to be paradise any more.
A very angry and
disgruntled Cook Islander
(Name and address supplied)
We’ve got the people
Wed
13 Jan
Dear Editor,
I note that the Minister of Finance advises that there may be no one available to hold the Financial Secretary reins.
I realise he wasn’t around during the economic reform, but there are still a group of high calibre people on the island working and investing and willing to help whichever government if called to do so.
You have the likes of Teresa Manarangi-Trott, Vaine Wichman, Tata Crocombe and Geoff Stoddart. Highly qualified and respected economic and financial experts who gave their time back then for our country, and who I’m sure would be willing to do so now in these weird times.
Finance Secretary
(Name and address supplied)
Police admit failure, act on complaint
Wed
13 Jan
Dear Editor,
I am writing to record a major systems failure involving the Police.
Yesterday morning (January 12), while on my routine morning walk to the Wigmore waterfall at 6:20am, I came across three young suspects trying to extract some metallic object from the Sheraton Hotel building site.
There was loud metallic hammering, they were obviously trying to prise a metal tank or object from the unit closest to the road to the waterfall near an evergreen tree.
When the suspects, two boys and a one girl, saw me, they absconded on a rental car.
When I got home, I allowed the Police time to settle in for the morning, so I rang the Police Headquarters at 8.10am.
The details I now give are also a part of my neighbourhood watch responsibilities, which I will treat as my official report and complaint to the Police.
08.10 hrs – Constable Teinaki answers my phone call, I asked to be connected to the Criminal Investigation Branch.
Result – no response, no monitory of no response.
08.12 hrs – back to Constable Teinaki, advised of no response, he tries another number.
08.14 hrs – still no response and no monitory of whether the call is answered or not.
08.15 hrs – call Teinaki again, he then advises they are all having a briefing, but he will take my message and get a Sergeant or Senior Sergeant to call me back.
08.16 hrs to 10:00 hrs: no call back – finally gave up.
Here are the suspects:
Two males, polynesians (locals) about 5’5” height, medium build, long curly black hair, dark copper complexion wearing singlets and shorts, aged 18 to 19 yrs.
1 female, medium to plumb build, olive complexion, round face, shoulder length brown hair, local Polynesian wearing T-shirt and denim shorts high up above the knees, 5’4” tall, aged 17 to 18 years.
I may be able to identify them again.
Driving – a rental car (Suzuki?) registration no. RA975, purple-pink colour late model.
The girl acted as a lookout and must have warned the other two when they saw me coming.
Police briefings? When I was Senior Sergeant in Auckland Central Police station, my briefings of 30 Police personnel usually took 5 minutes, sometimes 10 minutes at the latest.
When I was a Detective in the Auckland C.I.B. handling Homicides, robbery and rape, briefings took 20–30 minutes.
In the Cook Islands it would appear it takes forever. I call that gossip, not briefings. As an ex-cop, it concerns me when the system fails....
You can do better than that fellows, and I will speak out if you fail again.
Norman George
Proud Ex. NZ Police
Editor: Police Commissioner Maara Tetava’s responds
The concern about the delay in police response is a valid one.
The officer who answered the telephone should have taken the complaint and immediately passed it on to the officer running the tasking meeting for action.
There was no need for a detective to answer the call as this matter could have been handled by a mobile patrol close to the area at the time. Unfortunately this did not happen and I apologise for that.
The officer concerned who has just returned from leave and reassigned to work in communications is undergoing re-training.
The police tasking meetings are certainly not gossip sessions but more an opportunity to update all officers on crime over the previous 24hrs.
Issues of concern
are identified and officers are tasked to address those issues on top of their normal tasks including attending to complaints or incidents reported during the shift.
Since this matter was brought to the attention of the commissioner, it has been followed up and the persons concerned are helping police.
We would like to thank the letter writer for raising his concern.
We urge other members of the public who are dissatisfied with police service to contact the Commissioner of Police on the following email address: maara.tetava@police.gov.ck Or telephone 22499.
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