Articles by Utopia Support

Trials underway for age group netballers

Friday 31 August 2012 | Published in Netball

Excitement is growing amongst age grade netballers on the island as trials for the under 15 and under 17 national teams for the inaugural Netball in Paradise tournament got underway this week. Thirty-six under 15 and under 17 players turned out at the Telecom Sports Arena on Wednesday to take part in the first trials […]

Cook Islands mamas in the finals

Friday 31 August 2012 | Published in National

In an annual competition to select the best PR photo in Germany, an iconic Cook Islands image has placed among the top ten images in the tourism category. The Cook Islands tourism corporation photo, taken by Australian photographer David Kirkland, was one of 1530 images submitted. News Aktuell, a subsidiary of the leading German newswire […]

Attacker caught

Friday 31 August 2012 | Published in National

The man who brutally attacked Cook Islands News employee Zeb Autaua a couple of weeks ago has been caught and charged by police. Richard Vainerere pleaded guilty in the High Court yesterday to the assault, which happened on the Avarua main street in the early hours of August 18. The case was adjourned to September […]

Tahiti: what's the hold up?

Friday 31 August 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

“We have recently heard of fears that Moruroa atoll may collapse releasing buried radiation that could head west straight for the Cook Islands, Samoa, Fiji and other innocent island nations,” a smoke signaller writes. “The nuclear testing performed against the will of the peaceful Pacific Island people is surely the worst ‘act of terrorism’ the […]

Copy the Marshalls

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Mr Tony DeBrum of the Marshall Islands needs to be congratulated for the excellent views he presented in CINews yesterday. His concerns are exactly the same as ours here in the Cooks, and we all need to assist our PM Henry Puna, to bring about the same hardhitting legislation which will cause errant […]

Stop the bad behaviour, it's damaging us

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write in support of Florence Syme-Buchanan’s letter dated August 28. It saddens me that such behaviour is happening on our small island we call paradise. This kind of publicity is so damaging to us, so something really needs to be done NOW. I work in the tourism sector like many Cook Islanders; […]

O3b will be online late 2013

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Yesterday’s article headed ‘Fibre optic proposed’ includes a reference to O3b ”which Telecom proposes to introduce early next year“. This is incorrect, and I’d be obliged if you could please rectify this in case it causes confusion. Telecom signed a contract with O3b in June 2010, confirming an order for delivery of their […]

No need for regional regulation

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This is a reply to the opinion piece by Dr Paul G Buchanan headed ‘FOCs need regulatory body’. Dr Buchanan obviously has absolutely no knowledge of the international nature of shipping or the international nature of how shipping is regulated or how ships are registered, surveyed and certified. He seems to suggest that […]

Kata - August 30, 2012

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in Kata

Internet on lockdown

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in National

Telecom Cook Islands is confident their wireless network is coping with the rigours of the Pacific Islands Forum despite a network outage in the lead-up to the event. One of the broadband remote access routers failed completely last Wednesday night that affected broadband customers throughout the island. There have also been complaints of minor outages […]

PACP supports Fiji

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in National

Tokelau Premier Toke Talagi has backed Fiji’s return to being involved in Pacific division of the African, Carribean and Pacific Group of States (ACP). Formed in 1975, the ACP comprises 80 countries from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific that are separated into seven areas. Aside from the Caribbean and Pacific groups, the other five […]

USP campus extensions unveiled

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in National

University of the South Pacific’s vice chancellor Rajesh Chandra vowed to ”transform“ the institution at the official opening of the new extensions to the local campus on Monday afternoon. Construction of an administration area, computer laboratory, lecture room and student kitchen by contractor Landholdings Ltd in March was completed within five months. AUSAid provided funding […]

Teachers sought for 2013 influx of new staff

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in National

Another influx of new teachers is expected to the Cook Islands next year, with the Ministry of Education currently advertising for positions available for 2013. A range of positions are to be filled, with a large number of these at Tereora College. The college is seeking applicants for a deputy principal position, head of faculty […]

Questions over prisoner's mental health

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in National

The chief justice is worried about sex offender Japhet Manuel’s mental state and the probability of continued offending on his release from prison if he does not receive medical treatment. Chief Justice Tom Weston yesterday sentenced Manuel to three and a half years in prison for six offences – including the indecent assault of a […]

Sex offender jailed

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in National

Serial sex offender Japhet Manuel was sentenced yesterday to three and a half years in prison. Chief Justice Tom Weston sent him to prison for six offences committed over four days in March, including sexually assaulting a sleeping pregnant woman. Manuel’s offending spree started on March 14, when he walked onto a woman’s property and […]

The last straw

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in National

Aucklander Nick Diggle has had a rough few months. First his yacht, Bonny, was stolen by suspected paedophile David Peppiatt last December as he fled New Zealand before his trial. Then Diggle discovered Bonny had been found on January 4 drifting 20 nautical miles from Rarotonga, after Peppiatt mysteriously disappeared. Now he has to pay […]

Police too busy to return money

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in National

Police Commissioner Maara Tetava says the investigation into the theft of $20,000 from police custody by police officers is still ongoing. He apologised yesterday for not providing more information, saying he was ”very busy“ with the Forum security operations. The commissioner, along with Minister of Police Teariki Heather, flew to a week-long conference in the […]

'We don't speed'

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in National

Motorcade coordinator Robert Graham claims the motorcade carrying foreign leaders around the Forum does not speed – despite the public alleging otherwise. Volunteer drivers, who practised for weeks, were trained to observe strict traffic regulations and all speed limits. ”We don’t speed,“ says Graham, before saying he has been ”sacking guys every day“ for that […]

Looking for new military bases?

Thursday 30 August 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: ”I was wondering why the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was going to visit such an unassuming group of islands and then I saw the answer in the New Zealand Herald online: ‘Security’. The South Pacific is an area lacking in United States bases and troops. To fend off […]

Let sharks go!

Wednesday 29 August 2012 | Published in Local

The shark sanctuary’s message is plain and simple – let sharks go. Banning the retention of sharks on board commercial longline vessels lessens the workload for Te Kukupa and even offers the country revenue from fines. The Marshall Islands, who established their shark sanctuary in October last year, has already realised $235,000 in shark sanctuary […]