Dilemmas facing our people in Kiwiland!

Visiting our shores last week was Chairman of the Hastings Cook Islands community Mokoenga Kavana who has just returned from Aitutaki following the death of his mother. “This is my second trip to the Cook Islands in the last 3 months and each time I come back, I’m homesick to return for good,” said Kavana.
Unfortunately, when I look at the life here compared to NZ, I think I’m better off there because they have all the services available and prices are much cheaper. What I have noticed here is while some products are cheaper than in NZ, some are very expensive and when you compare that with the cost of living and comparative wages and salaries, I can’t believe people are able to survive.
In Aitutaki, it seems that people do have money because they’re always buying from the shops and the market which is good for the tangata rikiriki but on the other hand, I’ve also noticed that people have become lazy, not wanting to plant and relying on others to provide for them.
Life in NZ is no different. In Hastings, the downturn in the Industrial areas particularly in horticulture and agriculture has seen many of our people leave for better jobs and better money. There is approximately 4000 Cook Islands people living in the Hawkes Bay area but like other rural communities, we have our own problems.
For instance in Hastings, our community is only just pulling itself together after several years of infighting and personality clashes which split our community. We had to drag our domestic issues through the courts to enable our community to take possession of the Cook Islands Community Hall which was once the centre point of our community but had been taken over by people who did not have the interests of our people at heart.
We have now taken the hall back under our wings and this has brought back a level of confidence in our people who are slowly coming back and supporting our own local initiatives.
Hastings unfortunately is one of those communities who has worked in isolation of other mainstream areas. Our people are still divided, there is very little community interaction other than sports and social occasions and access to educational, health and welfare resources are limited to a few groups. Our youth really have nothing within our own Cook Islands community to attract them and more worrying, is the fact that we really don’t know who our own people are because of inter marriage, isolation and lack of community get togethers.
I know there is a lot of talent amongst our people but they are involved in other activities instead of getting involved with the community. As Chairman of our community, my role is to co-ordinate our activities such as church, social, sports, cultural and education related events. We have even been hosting increased numbers of visiting tere parties and it is my intention to continue to foster that relationship and goodwill with our people here and overseas.
Returning home for the second time gave me the opportunity to really look around and observe what is happening firsthand because we only hear things through the media, on TV or through the “coconut wireless.”
While tourism seems ok, I’ve noticed that a lot of our people are silent on political issues and many can’t wait to leave because of the political influence and personal patronage going on. I think this is sad because I do know, there are some families wanting to return home but are fearful of the uncertainties and the lack of good jobs available for them.
I think it is important for government to start listening to our people and to refocus their priorities on activities that will engage our people in employment and education. I would also encourage government to take over unused lands for development purposes so that everyone benefits.
It is only a matter of time before industries in Hastings are transferred to Asia where it is cheaper to produce. This will have a huge impact on our people and who knows, we may see the reverse effect with more and more of our people coming home to live, concluded Kavana.

Herald Issue 463 10 June
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