Articles by Utopia Support

WHO helps Cooks tackle health

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands has signed an agreement with the World Health Organisation that will help the country combat health problems. Yesterday afternoon, WHO Western Pacific region director-general Dr Shin Young-soo signed a country cooperation strategy with health minister Nandi Glassie. Twenty-one other Pacific countries and territories have also signed the five-year plan, which supports the […]

Tivaivai and crafts intrigue visitors

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in Features

Vainetini from across the Cook Islands took time out from their National Council of Women meeting on Tuesday to enjoy visitors admiring their handcrafts and tivaivai creations on display at the BCA Gallery in Taputapuatea. Vainetini from the outer islands have joined their counterparts on Rarotonga for a three-day meeting on gender and governance. The […]

Cartoon draws disappointment and anger

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I feel compelled to express my disappointment and anger in the Kata cartoon that appeared in last Thursday’s Cook Islands News. Quite apart from insulting the people of the Solomon Islands, this cartoon associates Tav with this insult. I find this very disturbing to myself personally and to all that are associated with […]

Kata - October 3, 2012

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in Kata

CINews apologises for unintentional offence

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in Kata

Cook Islands News has apologised for any unintended offence caused by a KATA cartoon it printed depicting a Solomon Islands woman throwing a tantrum over the Duchess of Cambridge’s attire. The cartoon depicts a topless woman looking annoyed, and features a caption noting that “she’s upset Kate chose a Tavs dress over her stink t-shirt”. […]

Island neighbours eschew Cooks

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in National

The total visitor arrivals during July – 13,760 – are up very slightly from last year by 0.9 percent. Asian visitors accounted for the biggest increase at 67 percent – their arrivals jumped from 63 last July to 105 this year. Numbers from the USA also see a positive increase, up by 20 percent to […]

Tourism development plan underway

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in National

Work on a new regional tourism development plan is underway, with field work carried out in the Cook Islands. The South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) says work on the development of a Pacific regional tourism and hospitality human resources development plan (HRD) has started and is progressing well. The work was tendered and won by […]

Small fishing grants available

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in National

A funding scheme in its second year is looking to reel in more people interested in fishing. Formally known as the Fisheries Development Facility Small Grant Fund (FDFSGF), the funding is being stumped up by the government with the intention of helping develop small scale private fisheries sector as well as supporting those in already […]

Government 'buying' rules changing

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in National

Consultations concerning the Cook Islands’ procurement system have finished, and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) is drafting recommendations to cabinet. First the ministry consulted with the chamber of commerce, then with heads of ministries, and its last round of meetings will be with civil society organisations. The focus of the meeting series […]

Banking review examined

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in National

By implementing the recommendations contained within Sam Knowles’ banking review, government could effect significant changes within the Cook Islands economy. That’s why the University of the South Pacific encourages all members of the public who want to understand the banking review to attend a seminar at its MBA conference room from 7.30 this evening. Petero […]

WHO director acknowledges history

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in National

World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director Dr Shin Young-soo re-emphasised the important relationship between the Cook Islands and the organisation at a historic meeting of the Ui Ariki at Atupare yesterday. Earlier, Young-soo – who represents 37 countries in the Western Pacific Region that includes New Zealand and China – was formally welcomed on to […]

Toa's petrol price drops by 13 cents

Wednesday 3 October 2012 | Published in National

Toa Petroleum petrol costs to the Cook Islands consumer have dropped 13 cents a litre. The Price Tribunal’s latest price order came into effect on September 28 and reflects the maximum that Toa can charge. The Toa price order before the latest one was made on September 22 last year and reduced maximum petrol prices […]

Art show

Tuesday 2 October 2012 | Published in Local

The very best of tivaivai quilts, handcrafted baskets and local shell and seed jewellery created by Cook Islands women will go on display for three days starting today at the BCA Gallery in Taputapuatea. Pictured here are (from left) Mokopuna Smith, Mavis Brown, Fiona Broadbent, Tungane Broadbent and Teina Etches with some of the crafts […]

Lucky to be alive after sea wall crash

Tuesday 2 October 2012 | Published in Local

An underage male motorist is lucky to be alive after he crashed his scooter into the concrete sea wall in Nikao early on Sunday morning. The accident was one of six motorbike accidents attended to by police at the weekend and while there were no fatalities on the road – the number of accidents is […]

New govt leave policy

Tuesday 2 October 2012 | Published in Local

Greater flexibility around maternity leave and more assistance for those who suffer a miscarriage highlight the streamlined leave policy for ministries, crown agencies and ministerial support staff. The changes came into effect yesterday and are the third streamlined policy to be implemented by the Office of the Public Service Commissioner. The previous two were the […]

Finsec's response 'unsatisfactory'

Tuesday 2 October 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Firstly thank you for printing my letter in respect of unanswered questions put to our Finsec in yesterday’s CINews. Secondly thank you to Mr Neves for responding to my letter but the response was totally unsatisfactory. I took Mr Neves’ advice when he said that future practices would be on the MFEM website. […]

'No merit in tax review' refuted

Tuesday 2 October 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In his latest confusing attempt to answer questions posed by Mr Framhein, the Financial Secretary says his letter is about “MFEM’s practice in the past of splitting soft drink imports into separate import entry classifications”. In fact, this was not an MFEM practice at all but instead a long running CITC exploitation of […]

Entertained and appalled by the news

Tuesday 2 October 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was recently a second-time visitor to Rarotonga and once again an avid reader of Cook Islands News. A daily dose of CINews is one way a short term Kiwi visitor can try to get a little beyond the surface of charming Cook Islands’ life. Over my morning coffee I found myself by […]

Name with-held for fear of retaliation

Tuesday 2 October 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In response to Ben Ponia’s letter of Saturday 29, Ben I respect MMR’s operational premise and responsibility however Webster’s Dictionary describes TRANSPARENCY as “free from pretence or deceit and readily understood” therefore I have to question your statistics. First let’s ignore anything prior to 2011 – it’s immaterial. We are told we have […]

Kata - October 2, 2012

Tuesday 2 October 2012 | Published in Kata