Articles by Utopia Support

Pa enua funding 'a waste'

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Oneroa MP Winton Pickering commends the government for maintaining the appropriation levels for the pa enua, but says it was the ”wrong move“. ”I encourage government in terms of support for the outer islands (but) I can see from this Budget there is a substantial amount of money that this government is going to throw […]

Demo caucus budget boycott 'disappointing'

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Finance minister Mark Brown says it is ”disappointing“ that the Opposition chose to boycott a presentation his team hosted for members of Parliament last week to explain the nuts and bolts of the Budget. ”As I read in the newspaper the words of the leader of the Opposition that ‘we will deliberately boycott this presentation […]

'Missing out' on fish

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters has indicated that he supports the Cook Islands’ association with ”those who have the capacity to harvest“ the country’s fishing resources. He addressed the issue of overfishing in Parliament yesterday. ”One (issue I’d like to discuss) is the question of overfishing or the fear of overfishing and also the possibility […]

'Deal with the best, forget the rest'

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Cabinet minister Teina Bishop said in Parliament that Budget 2012 is the ”best Budget“ he has ”ever seen“. ”I stand to support this Budget 1000 percent,“ he said. ”Madam Speaker, since my entry into this House in June 1999 this is the best Budget I’ve ever seen tabled into this House and presented to this […]

PM slams George for party-hopping

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Atiu MP Norman George asked Prime Minister Henry Puna in Parliament yesterday to confirm whether government was intending to bring a ”guillotine motion“ to cut the Budget debate in half this morning. If brought, the motion ”would mean again like today sacrificing standing order 307 which says that a total of 10 sitting days shall […]

Will purse seiners fish here?

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes in response to a Tuesday CINews item: ”Regarding that article ‘Extra 20 fishing licences questioned’, how come other countries forbid purse seining and cancel renewing licences because they realised how bad it was for their own resources, and here in the Cook Islands we’re giving away our ocean to pillagers?“ SS: […]

Shark finning alleged

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Environment

In Parliament Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen asked marine resources minister Teina Bishop to comment on allegations that vessels licensed under the exploratory programme are finning sharks illegally. ”Is the minister aware that under the exploratory licences scheme or regime…people who are fishing in our waters, particularly Asian fishermen fishing in our waters, are finning sharks?“ […]

NZ warship HMNZS Canterbury visits Cook Islands

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Local

New Zealand naval vessel HMNZS Canterbury (right) arrived at Rarotonga yesterday and was anchored off Avarua last night. The ship may be used to transport fuel to the Northern Group, but this could not be confirmed by maritime police. The multi-role vessel of the Royal New Zealand navy was commissioned in 2007 and cost $130 […]

New shipping venture

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Local

Some local importers are still pushing hard to source a new international shipping vessel for servicing the Cook Islands’ needs, and Minister of Transport Tom Marsters believes they will succeed. Yesterday in Parliament Mangaia MP Winton Pickering asked Marsters to confirm whether Pacific Direct Line (PDL) was being allocated a third shipping licence. At present […]

Who wants cheap fish?

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This is a response to Tuesday’s letter to the editor headed ‘Go local, fish local’ signed by Tamariki Kuki Airani. I guess you are one of those people who sit around and whinge all day while the world goes by. You may feel free to use my name when it suits you but […]

Dismayed to see smacking suggested

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have just opened the Cook Islands News website for June 13 and to my dismay I see smacking suggested as a response to crimes committed by young children. Research has been done all over the world for over 100 years, not only Euro-Western research but non-Western and indigenous research, and the causes […]

Shambles in parliament

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, When I read that the Western Australia Parliament had invited several MPs to attend a workshop on how parliamentary business is conducted, I initially thought it was overdoing it. However, in light of this week’s shambles at Parliament, I have changed my mind, and would propose that they ALL attend including the new […]

Tax too much for family of four

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We have just returned from a visit to the Cook Islands. Our 14th in nine years and have noticed quite a few changes on the tourist front, but was dismayed to read about the increased departure tax proposed by the government. Just how much is reasonable? A Boeing 777-200ER carries 304 passengers. At […]

Arrogant, ignorant

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The response from Telecom Cook Islands in relation to the damage caused to the main road in Aroko as a result of a recent project undertaken by TCI to install a new telecommunications tower is insulting to say the least and reeks of a monopoly business that is both arrogant and ignorant. TCI’s […]

Kata - June 14, 2012

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Kata

HIV Bill in first stages

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in National

A human rights based HIV Bill has been drafted for the Cook Islands by the United Nations Development Programme, and is now in its first stage of consultations. The HIV Care and Support Bill was officially handed over last week to the National HIV, STI, and TB committee (NHSTC) and Ministry of Health by the […]

Congrats to Speaker

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in National

Each Parliamentarian that rose to debate about the strengths and weaknesses of Budget 2012 yesterday started his speech with a message of congratulations. The congratulations were extended to Speaker of the House, Niki Rattle, who was absent from Parliament on Monday and Tuesday because she was with her daughter Josephine, who was giving birth to […]

Govt urged to licence PDL

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in National

Oneroa MP Winton Pickering has urged government to issue Pacific Direct Line a licence to operate a shipping service to and from the Cook Islands. In Parliament he raised the issue of the company’s request for a shipping licence, and asked government whether it was considering granting it. He said that while he does not […]

Call to cut taxes

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in National

Rakahanga MP Taunga Toka has urged government to reduce its tax rates. ”We are also increasing taxes right left and centre – we shouldn’t be trying to encourage our people (to leave) overseas,“ he said. ”Because in the past it was the monarch who imposed taxes in England, in Great Britain, in Russia and it […]

No tax windfall says Brown

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in National

Finance minister Mark Brown has denied rumours that the government has made a $2 million windfall from the withholding tax in the last several days. Atiu MP Norman George asked Brown yesterday to confirm whether he had been advised – formally or informally – of the windfall. Brown said he had ”yet to receive any […]