Cancellation highlights urgency of new jetty

Vendors setting up their stalls at Avatiu Harbor Thursday morning were disappointed to learn that rough seas had once again thwarted efforts to bring to shore passengers from a visiting luxury cruise liner.
If a further example was needed as to the urgency of choosing and approving a site for a new jetty landing, it was evident in the sight of the Paul Gauguin sailing north around 10am without leaving a single dollar on Rarotonga.
“It is a clear signal that we aren’t doing as well as we should,” said Nick Henry, the local agent for the cruise ship line, after the Toa harbour boat made contact with the crew of the Paul Gauguin.
According to Henry, the seagoing tourists were disappointed at not being able to visit Rarotonga, but understood it was due to inclement weather and sea conditions and not a lack of hospitality on behalf of the Cook Islands.
Referring to the proposed construction of new jetty in Arorangi, Henry said, “If that port was open to us, obviously we would have all the passengers coming ashore and everybody would stand to benefit from it. If we are going to take tourism seriously then we’ve got to do it.”

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