Articles by Utopia Support

Man stopped at airport for unpaid tax

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Local

A departing Cook Islander was prevented from boarding his flight at Rarotonga Airport over unpaid tax, which he was then apparently told the next day he did not have to pay. In a letter to the editor, a man says his son was prevented by airport officials from boarding his flight back to Auckland, where […]

Health professionals here for conference

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands’ star health practitioners at the health conference, pictured with World Health Organisation representative Baoping Yang (second from right). From left, Dr Kiki Maoate, Dr Robert Woonton, Dr Joe Williams, minister of health Nandi Glassie and Dr Francis Agnew., 9 and 10. 12071126 Related article(s): Tsunami of NCDs predicted Wear sunnies The airway […]

Show independence

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The Pacific Arts Festival is a very important event for artists and traditional arts and it would have been wonderful if the Cook Islands could have participated. The official reason is that the Ministry of Cultural Development did not have the budget to do so having expended it on the Queen Elizabeth II […]

Nothing has changed

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The passing of government’s budget has come and gone and we ask, what real changes are there for our people? The cost of goods has gone up, the cost of fuel, power and cost of living is still high, so nothing has changed. The weekly wages are still the same but I will […]

Dogs and helmets

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Here is a small poem written to reflect how far the government have not moved on the helmet issue. It is called DOGS & HELMETS On their scooter were Jack and Jill. You know how the how the story goes; Jack fell down and broke his crown, A Mutt on the road some […]

Sadness, shame and humiliation

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was emotionally moved reading Marumarua Atua’s account of their silent welcome in Honiara. I’ve been in a similar situation where I know exactly how our warriors feel when they arrive there to find no welcome from their own people and to witness all the other vakas being embraced by their own kopu […]

Traveller stopped over tax 'debt'

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, My adopted son flew over to Rarotonga for the burial of his cousin and friend two weeks ago. He was advised while at the check-in at the airport that he was not allowed to fly back to New Zealand due to unpaid tax. To his surprised the date and time given was while […]

Kata - July 12, 2012

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Kata

Parry and Palmer still in front

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National

Bryn Parry and Vanessa Palmer continue to lead the way in the cross country series which sets out again today at 5pm from the Takitumu School grounds. Parry clocked 22.54 in the men’s 5km race followed in second place by Roland Neururer in 24.24 while Kevin Henderson took out third in 25.59. In the boys […]

Learning plenty

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National

It has been a rushed three days for AUT director of Pasifika Advancement Paula Winter but she says the education delegation is learning a lot about what affects Cook Islanders. Winter is one of a number of the Auckland Council Trade Mission education delegates representing five institutions in Auckland. The remaining four are Manukau Institute […]

Eye disease less prevalent in northern group

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National

Researchers have found that diabetic retinopathy is markedly less prevalent in the northern group, as compared with Rarotonga. Recently a team of medical professionals travelled to Palmerston, Nassau, Pukapuka, Manihiki, Rakahanga and Penrhyn aboard Te Kukupa. At yesterday’s health conference they discussed their findings. Dr Teariki Faireka presented the results of a study on diabetic […]

Call to change eating habits

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National

Dr Paul Rosser, who has been visiting the Cook Islands to perform eye surgeries for over 20 years, yesterday urged Rarotonga to change its eating habits. Since he started coming to the Cook Islands, he has observed a steep rise in cases of diabetes. ”This disease is very much on the rise school children are […]

Wear sunnies

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National

Dr Mike Webber urges Cook Islanders to wear sunglasses, particularly on the lagoon or the open sea. Dr Webber, who was this week granted honorary permanent residency for his long service to the Cook Islands’ health sector, spoke about pterygium at yesterday’s annual conference. Pterygium refers to a benign growth of the conjunctiva, which is […]

The airway crisis from obesity

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National

For Dr Mary Tuke, the resident anaesthetist at Rarotonga Hospital, obesity is a serious problem. It is remarkably difficult to insert a tube into the airway of an overweight or obese person, and exacerbating Dr Tuke’s problems is the reality that she works in a hospital with limited resources, no intensive care unit and no […]

'Don't be afraid to ask hard questions'

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National

The Cook Islands’ own Alfred Ngaro, National List Member of Parliament in New Zealand, opened this year’s health conference with a rousing call to participants to ask questions and get involved. He started out discussing the identity crisis he experienced growing up, engendered by his New Zealand birth to Cook Islands parents. ”For those of […]

Keep politics out of our market

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National

”Why on earth would government want to give the management of the Punanga Nui Cultural Market to the former manager who left a bad mark and poor management?“ a smoke signaller asks. ”Only political favouritism will steer its ugly head into something that was working well under the Business Trade Investment Board. This market is […]

Perks in ports completion

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National

People can expect price reductions when the Avatiu port development is completed. The dredging operation is nearing completion, and will increase the depth of the harbour to allow larger container ships to enter the port. Ports authority chief executive Bim Tou said there will be a ”flow-on effect“ to the consumers. ”There will be larger […]

Reclamation rolls on

Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National

The land reclamation project at Punanga Nui is continuing to take shape. Areas outside of the market are continuing to surface thanks to the continued supply of dredged material from the Avatiu port development. Ports authority Bim Tou said the land reclamation was ”coming along nicely“. ”The contractors are making space past the eastern side […]

Puna 'walks talk' with solar power

Wednesday 11 July 2012 | Published in Environment

Work has started to convert the prime minister’s office to solar power. Eighty solar panels arrived from New Zealand last week, and now four workers from local company Andersons Ltd – who won the tender – will install the panels over this week and next. The initial work started two weeks ago, when the workers […]

5 doctors rewarded for services

Wednesday 11 July 2012 | Published in Local

Five medical professionals were yesterday awarded honorary permanent residency in recognition of their service to the people of the Cook Islands. They are Dr Andrew MacDiarmid, Dr Robert Eason, Dr John Veale, Dr Michael Webber and Dr Paul Rosser. They join a small, exclusive group of about 30 people who have received honorary residency over […]