With Banana Court now closed a smoke signaller wonders how long it has been since Friday-night revellers on Rarotonga didn’t have the option of a drink at the famous nightspot. Can anyone remember a time (apart from during cyclones) when the historic building was closed?

JUST LIKE US…

Sticky, humid conditions were set to continue in much of New Zealand as a band of warm, wet weather originating in the tropics hovered over the country, said the NZ Herald at the weekend. In fact, the Kiwis were feeling the heat so much, the New Zealand MetService lead meteorologist, Mark Todd, was prompted to comment that the country felt more like the Cook Islands than New Zealand. Yeah, right.

SHANTY-TOWN VIBE

When will the police free up much needed parking space and stop businesses taking over the public roadway for their own use with shanty-town awnings? Just along from them, Vonnia’s use concrete flower pots to prevent people parking on the public roadway too.

KNIFE CHECK NEEDED

In view of recent events, perhaps the police could check people entering nightclubs to make sure they aren’t carrying knives. At the rate we’re going, more people are going to be killed or seriously hurt as a result of stabbings, than they are for failing to wear a safety helmet.

BLUE SKIES NEEDED

Moana TV viewers were advised when phoning the Bluesky helpline that channels were down due to the cyclone in Samoa. However, viewers on social media including myself are asking if Blue Sky is offering a refund for the time we had no TV coverage or only part TV coverage. Apparently Moana TV only works when there is a blue sky!

POTHOLE FILLED

The mega-pothole at Kavera has been filled with stone chips, though the road either side of it is still badly rutted and there’s not much road actually left. We’re very grateful for the temporary repair, but it’s probably thanks to a local person who has taken matters into his own hands, rather than the slow-moving folks at ICI. Sadly, the repair has come too late for one local driver, whose car’s steering has been expensively damaged after running into the water-filled hole at night.

AT THE TAXPAYERS’ EXPENSE

Most mornings it is common to observe the working habits of support staff of a minister of the Crown’s office that is based in town. They keep their own working hours during the morning and at times their boss, the Minister himself, opens the office for them and his staff come in late. It seems they are not regarded as public servants as they have their own working rules - at their pace and with an obvious “who cares” attitude. But this isn’t fair on the taxpayers who pay their wages. Come on guys it’s not your parents who are paying you but all of us hard workers out there who play by the rules. Please be mindful of that.

RIDING FLAT OUT

What does it say about the state of the back roads that it took me about 2 kilometres to realise I had a flat tyre on my motorbike? Driving over a particularly large pot hole punctured it, but I put the bumpy ride down to the rocky road!