Posted on 08/06/2005 6:23:26 AM PDT by Our_Man_In_Gough_Island
The Cook Islands prime minister says depopulation is one of the biggest challenges facing the country.
The nation has celebrated 40 years of self government in association with New Zealand this week.
Its population has dwindled from over 20,000, 40 years ago, to about 12,000 now, with many Cook Islanders living in Auckland.
The prime minister, Jim Marurai says about 500 people a year are leaving, despite the economy performing well.
Mr Marurai says young people in particular are not interested in traditional work.
Jim Marurai says the country has to work to provide better jobs to keep the young people home.
"In a multitude of people is a king's honor, but in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince." (Proverbs 14:28)
Something we, too, can learn from.
this is very true and the U.S. has contracepted itself about out of the Judeo-Christian vs Moslem race. The later have many children, which lend great strength to their cause. The Christians in America are so divided on issues and few in number that we shall be the first to get out of the way. Look around you. In our neighborhoods more and more Moslems and Asians are moveing in in hoards. My recent visit to D.C. was shocking as to what the ratio was.
Are they creeping in slowly over our boarders and into our country , thinking we are too stupid to notice, just because our government is? We need to pray hard because we are few against many.
Great nations always fall from within.
I can see the day when Osama Bin Laden replaces George Washington on the one dollar bill.
Miss Cook Islands 2002-2003
Miss Cook Islnads 2001-2002-Louisa Maire Browne
Miss Cook Islands 1990-Raema Chitty
As a scuba instructor, it's always been my dream to move there. I'd be more than willing to do my part with thier problem if they'd give me an open-ended visa.
Retirement spot ?
Shhhhh! It's our secret!
All this and a shrinking population too! What more could one ask? Would that the USA were so fortunate as to enjoy a shrinking rather than a metastasizing population.
Great looking babes, but can they cook?
....looks like Hell on Earth!
/ sarcasm off.
In addition, we are also speaking of a rather small absolute population size - 12,000 as of now. That isn't very much on which to base a self-governing political entity in this era of land grabs, globalization, and power geopolitics. Also, it seems to be the young and ambitious future leaders who are most likely to leave the Cook Islands for greener pastures.
Like it or not, we need other people around us to sustain a community. As relatively affluent Westerners we have the privilege of basking in seemingly idyllic, individualistic vacation time-bliss on this " remote Pacific gem", but the reality for those who must raise a family and survive there requires better community stability than a 4% erosion year after dreary year can assure. I believe the Prime Minister has put his finger on a key concern of his own people, which it is his duty to do.
Our population is exploding with criminals kicked out of Mexico.Read the racist ramblings of U.T. professor Jose Angel Gutierrez to get a clear picture of what will happen if the non mestizo population continues to practice rigid population control.
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