Articles by Utopia Support

37 islanders celebrate

Tuesday 7 August 2012 | Published in National

While the bulk of the population of Penrhyn celebrated the 47th year of Cook Islands self governance on Rarotonga – the remaining 37 resident on the island held their own small celebration singing hymns. Tetautua community on Penrhyn were proud to have Mr Saitu Marsters as the main speaker and leader during the ceremony as […]

Flying wind chime helps Mitiaro win

Tuesday 7 August 2012 | Published in National

Hips were swinging and feet tapping at the national auditorium on Saturday when five Te Maeva Nui drumming teams took the spotlight. As the reigning champions for years – team Manihiki decided to sit this year’s competition out and instead support the budding young talent from the other islands and village drum teams. Vaka Puaikura […]

Call to keep culture alive

Tuesday 7 August 2012 | Published in National

In true Cook Islands style, the nation’s 47th year of self governance was celebrated island style with singing and dancing by the people of the Cook Islands led from the front by Prime Minister Henry Puna. Puna and wife Akaiti were welcomed to the national auditorium for the official commemorations with a traditional turou from […]

Te Tika's model sustainable

Tuesday 7 August 2012 | Published in National

A decade of research on traditional Cook Islands medicine has resulted in a sustainable supply of BioActive Cook Islands Oils being produced on Rarotonga for the new skin care range, Te Tika. Te Tika brand founder and creator Dr Graham Matheson says it was important the production remained true to the literal meaning of Te […]

Back to core business for airport?

Tuesday 7 August 2012 | Published in National

The airport authority could be scrapping its public fire service as attempts to overturn a million-dollar loss were discussed between CEO Joe Ngamata and a New Zealand airport corporation chairman. John Gilks spent last week with Ngamata as part of the Chamber of Commerce’s business mentoring programme and while he has been a member of […]

Reef shipping pool terminated

Tuesday 7 August 2012 | Published in National

One of the joint service arrangements Reef Shipping participates in is disbanding, causing them to review services to customers moving cargo between Australia and the Pacific Islands. For almost 15 years Reef Shipping has operated most of their services out of Australia within the Auspac pool, a joint service arrangement where six partners shared two […]

Raina's responsible rubbishing

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Environment

Mau Raina is disappointed he has to pay for other peoples’ waste but admits there’s nothing more he can do about the problem. It comes after an unofficial rubbish tip ended up on their section this week as cartons of unopened soft drink bottles were complemented by burnt beer bottles and aluminium cans. Raina and […]

Te aroa

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Local

Tearoa Kairua radiated on stage during the Rakahanga kapa rima on Thursday night. 12080337 Related article(s):

Officer discharged

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Local

The on-duty police officer involved in a crash last June has been discharged without conviction. Kris Goodwin fell asleep at the wheel while on night duty on June 4, and crashed into an unoccupied parked vehicle on the main road at Kavera. He appeared in the High Court in front of Justice of the Peace […]

Bail denied

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Local

The lawyer for the three Operation Eagle prisoners this week filed an application to appeal their sentences and get them released on bail. Lawyer Norman George sought leave of the High Court in front of Chief Justice Tom Weston on Thursday to appeal the sentences of prisoners Giavanni Marsters, Inano Matapo and Samuel Tangaroa in […]

Bag ban set

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands will ban the importing of plastic bags from September 19. As well as a ban on non-biodegradable plastic bags, the importing of biodegradable plastic shopping bags will also be monitored through a user-friendly permitting process. A release from the National Environment Service says the ban is of benefit to the community, who […]

Big Olympic weekend

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Features

This weekend is shaping up to be the biggest for the Cook Islands competitors at the London Olympics. Having watched fellow sprinter Patricia Taea race to a season’s best in the women’s 100 metre sprint preliminaries, Patrick Tuara will be looking to do the same in the early hours of this morning (Saturday CIT). Tuara […]

Cookies take on London fashion

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Features

My full name is Stanley Cowan Henry and my brother’s name is Matthew Tinorei Henry. I am 25 and my brother is 23. How long have you been based in London and how old is your company? I have been in London for four months now and Matthew has been here for almost two years. […]

What a joke

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am a rheumatism sufferer and I have been planting marijuana for the last 10 or more years and my whole neighbourhood knows about my little garden. My late wife looks after my garden because my plants are kept at her undercover grave and it is kept alight every night. Marijuana don’t like […]

Sentences over the top

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This is a response to the letter by ‘Justice for all’. I am disappointed the writer chose to make reference regarding the parents and even extended family members of the recently sentenced Giovanni Masters and Inano Matapo. The ‘fuss’ being made over the sentences is in relation to the extremely high terms of […]

Samoan insights

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, ”Even the blind man can still see.“ This is the caption written by my son Tamarii (T2) on one of the art pieces that he did while he was still a student at Tereora College. The art piece itself depicts his fierce pride in his twin heritage of being a Cook Islander and […]

Congratulations to commissioner

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Congratulations to the Commissioner of Police for having the guts to deal with corruption in his police force and drug taking and drug dealing in our country. Commissioners have come and gone. I am sure they knew what was going down but chose to do nothing by putting this problem in the ‘too […]

Loss of Beattie 'a great shame'

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The sudden loss of CEO Carmel Beattie from Cook Islands Tourism last week should raise many questions. When Carmel Beattie first came to Atiu with her team she arrived to a very sceptical tourism community that sat in the meeting with folded arms, eyes on the floor with a mind set of ‘here […]

'Height of naivety, below the belt'

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would not normally respond to such an article as that written by ‘And Justice For All’ published in your column in the August 2 issue. Much as I support the rights of people to free expression, I am saddened by your writer’s totally erroneous insinuations. In this instance, I can only speak […]

Kata - August 4, 2012

Saturday 4 August 2012 | Published in Kata