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Their goal of group brainstorming sessions a privilege to live in the Cook doesn’t share the urgency of supporting the country’s key to help the HOMs come up Islands and to work here an the need for a replacement. economic drivers has been with solutions to create new even greater blessing so those One employer said it took sacrificed by Government’s revenue streams instead of the who chose this path were made four months for immigration desperate short sighted cash uninventive fee increases? to pay. Circumstances have to process their application. crabbing schemes to balance Does anyone in government reversed but the fees remain The benefit of an overseas the books at Treasury. consider how the private and in an industry where the contracted worker is he can’t Key economic driver number sector will be impacted by their margins are being squeezed leave like a local employee and one, the tourism sector decision making? The voice of added costs by way of increased take up a new job in another is about to have another the Chamber of Commerce fees will put the destination resort or restaurant at the overhead nail driven into its rose to prominence after the beyond the affordable bracket drop of the hat. “Service is strained operation costs. More 1996 economic meltdown, of the price discerning New everything in tourism and dependent than ever before the government took serious Zealand traveller. when you don’t carry any fat, on imported workers, not by consideration to their With no organisation willing just one key person out of the choice but by poor governance, contributions to governance to take Government to task loop can place strain on the the Secretary of Finance’s and policy decisions. There was over issues contradicting the whole operation.” request Immigration review a time when the Chamber’s intention to reduce the cost One new business venture raising of fees associated with opinion meant something to of doing business, individual said they will need to import employing foreign workers Government. Where is that tourism businesses are six workers. “We need certain will push consumer prices to commercial influence today? reluctant to speak out. Some skills which if advertised for resistant levels. Margins are shrinking and sight Tourism Board Chairman here will only mean someone Immigration has responded cost cutting shavings in tourism Ewan Smith’s close relationship else will lose staff because the by delaying any increases until are reducing efficiency for with Tourism Minister Teina skill pool was depleted. Existing the public have been consulted effectiveness. International Bishop as a concern to whether businesses are struggling to through the likes of the rates are pushed up while their grievances will be treated hold on to their staff as it is.” Chamber of Commerce and our international service with their best interests. The existing fees are high Tourism related Associations. tumbles. Someone has to pay Some employers are annoyed without talk of them going up The Ministry of Finance for the increased cost of doing they have to spend up to $300 they said. points the finger at the Heads business in the Cook Islands advertising for local staff before Six workers at $500 per year of Ministries for the fee raising and it is the tourist, they’ll be they can recruit from overseas. each for their work permits proposal. Given a day to come paying more for less. There is enough common sense is $3000. Immigration’s up with ideas for the Ministries Repeat business will soon to know certain skills essential application fee is $25, Internal to increase revenues, the lazy notice the difference in the for quality service in tourism Affairs vett the contract for a way of increasing fees was prices for the room and the just doesn’t exist locally, so fee of $50, and then there is the the group’s idea. HOMs who services. Repeats will not why the pointless exercise police and medical reports from cannot think creatively in become three peats. Tourists of advertising? Continuity of overseas, the travel costs, initial options to create new money will tolerate the increases but service standards is so crucial accommodation costs and should be questioned on their will resist returning and choose and an imported worker gives cross your fingers they don’t suitability to lead a Ministry. to sample alternatives such as that comfort because there is get sick because the hospital Not one HOM suggested they Fiji, Bali or the very competitive an uncertainty of how long a fees initially set for tourists who take a pay cut. Instead they Gold Coast of Queensland. local worker will last. usually have travel insurance consider increasing an over The Island’s larger Hotels The multi layer process of apply to imported workers. burdened public with more of and Resorts are increasingly importing an overseas worker One gripe over the work the same. dependent on skilled simply to sustain an existing permit fee is it is prepaid for While the University of the imported workers and senior business is a frustration some twelve months and if a worker South Pacific have graduated 60 management. With Cook employers are having difficulty for some reason has their students with an MBA- Masters Islanders being vulnerably with. Local employees generally contract terminated before in Business Administration transient, the inhouse training give little lead time when they that time there is no refund degree, will we ever see the and development of skilled resign and emigrate. With local from Immigration. skills acknowledged by this staff often results in locals skilled staff in short supply an -By George Pitt PB Cook islands Herald 19 June 2013 news 3 PM impresses in Washington DC rime Minister Henry Puna received high praise for Phis keynote speech to an audience of international dignitaries gathered at the New Zealand Embassy in Washington DC, on Monday afternoon. Dignitaries and attendees congratulated the Prime Minister with accolades, reflecting a broad impression on a crowd of about 200 people. Pacific Day was celebrated in the US Capitol with NZ Ambassador Mike Moore co- hosting the annual event along with the Dean of the Pacific Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador Hersey Kyota of Palau. PM Puna described the day as exhilarating and was thrilled at the success of the special event, which was planned and organised by a committee of Pacific diplomats and representatives from Washington DC and New Hersey Kyota of Palau and PM Puna York. Alongside Ambassador and its scope of concerns and Moore was Jim McLay, NZ’s issues, as well as Cook Islands’ Permanent Representative to successes in relating with major SWITCH ON WITH the United Nations. international partners. Also attending the event were As Chair of the Forum, the Te Aponga Uira Congressional representatives Prime Minister was the centre and high level officials from the of attraction for the Pacific Day Keep fridge well stocked Obama Administration. event in Washington DC, and In his speech, the Prime part of a diplomatic push to Minister described a range build more of a policy dimension of policy challenges in the into the annual occasion. This Pacific, also referring to the year’s seminar format was a historical and friendly ties success with encouragement to between the Island nations strengthen its profile into the and the United States and the future. progress in relations following However, the Pacific’s the 2012 Clinton visit and his cultural diversity was also more recent contact with celebrated on the day with Secretary of State John Kerry song and entertainment by over the US Fisheries Treaty expatriate islanders.