The chair of the Titikaveka Growers Association in the Cook Islands, Teava Iro, is adamant there is a better way to handle the issue of pig pollution in Rarotonga than to simply slap fines on offenders.
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning is to implement fines to ensure pigs are kept at least five metres away from streams and the lagoon in an effort to stop nitrogen-rich effluent contaminating the water.
Despite a promise by the department to knuckle down on such acts, Mr Iro says the issuing fines is a weakness and more needs to be done to encourage people to use their waste in other ways.
