Articles by Utopia Support

41-strong CI team to London

Thursday 3 May 2012 | Published in National

Forty-one Cook Islanders depart Rarotonga today for London, where they will represent the country at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration. Organised in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II’s 60-year reign, the Jubilee will comprise performances and parades put on by all countries affiliated with the British Commonwealth. The Cook Islands was the only Pacific Island country […]

Total pitching for fuel supply

Thursday 3 May 2012 | Published in National

Multinational energy company Total Ltd considers the Cook Islands part of its long-term plan to increase its presence in the Pacific. Two executives from the company’s Fiji office were this week on Rarotonga to meet with government officials and with Brett Porter, director of Apex Agencies, operators of Toa Petroleum, in anticipation of the government’s […]

Indian envoy keeps the tie

Thursday 3 May 2012 | Published in National

The Cook Islands has watched on with keen interest at the economic advances and growth of India in recent years, Queen’s Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin said while accepting the credentials of Indian High Commissioner to the Cook Islands Vinod Kumar. Sir Frederick said the Asian giant, which is home to $1.2 billion people, had shown […]

Temporary licence has strict conditions

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in Environment

The Ministry of Internal Affairs yesterday approved Toa’s application for a temporary licence to store dangerous goods for three months at a new site in Nikao with conditions. In its inspection of the site and review of the proposed plans, the ministry concluded that Toa meets the public safety requirements to temporarily store petrol and […]

Toa gains provisional licence

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in Environment

The Ministry of Internal Affairs yesterday issued Toa Petroleum a provisional and conditional dangerous goods licence to operate from Nikao. The ministry issues dangerous goods licences for sites, not companies. Accordingly, Toa’s former licence – which was also provisional, a full licence being contingent on forthcoming upgrades – was rendered invalid by the expiration of […]

Barbados aims for 'sustainable energy for all'

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in Environment

Small Islands Developing States such as Barbados and the Cook Islands can make a meaningful contribution to their nations’ future wealth and the global community through changing their energy sectors, says Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart. Speaking ahead of a conference to be held in Barbados next week on the hopes and ambitions of Small […]

Kia orana, Jerome Kaino and Webb Ellis Cup!

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in Local

All Black flanker Jerome Kaino’s side-stepping moves were handy on Monday night when the 196-centimetre star showcased his Cook Islands dancing at a special World Cup dinner hosted by Prime Minister Henry Puna. Kaino hadn’t expected to pull out his dancing moves so early into his trip to Rarotonga but the persuasive crowd and pulsating […]

Golden oldies in spotlight tonight

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in Features

Hidie’s Bar at Cooks Corner will be the scene of the popular golden oldies and papa’a dancer of the year competition tonight. Emcee extraordinaire Papatua Papatua will control the show which is sure to be a great and entertaining night out. The show gives visitors to the island and expatriates the opportunity to put their […]

Kata - May 2, 2012

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in Kata

Top netballers on trial

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in Netball

Cook Islands netball head coach Marg Foster arrives on the island tomorrow to conduct the Rarotonga based national netball trials to be held at the Telecom Sports Arena from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. Today, Foster will run similar trials for New Zealand based players before arriving on the island to put the local girls through their […]

Head students represent Cook Islands in Taiwan

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in National

For head boy Robert Heather and head girl Maruia Willie of Tereora College, learning about eco-friendly sports was the highlight of the sports and leadership forum they recently attended in Taipei, Taiwan. University students, sports and physical education students from over 200 countries joined them at the forum. The forum was funded by FISU (International […]

Tribute to Sobati Solomona

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in National

The minister responsible for the Office of the Public Service Commission, Henry Puna, today paid tribute to the life and work of Aitutaki Island Secretary Sabati Solomona who passed away on the weekend after a long illness. “Sabati had a long and unblemished career in the public service having worked in various positions in the […]

'Social impact fund' created

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in National

A new fund is being created to support civil society in the Cook Islands. Current support from the New Zealand government has been delivered by the New Zealand Aid Programme through core funding to non-government organisations (NGOs) and through the Community Initiatives Scheme (CIS). The Ministry of Internal Affairs also manages support to civil society […]

Brown presses ADB for support

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in National

Just hours after landing in Manila yesterday, Finance Minister Mark Brown met with the president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Haruhiko Kuroda to discuss a number of issues of mutual interest to both the ADB and the Cook Islands. The discussion centred around a number of themes: Consolidating the debt portfolio of the Cook […]

India renews diplomatic ties with Cook Islands

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in National

India and the Cook Islands will renew their political relations today when the High Commissioner designate of India Vinod Kumar presents his credentials to the Queen’s Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin. The Cook Islands established relations with India in 1998 and will use the Fiji-based Indian High Commission as its main port of call in the […]

MP calls for Atiu mayor to quit

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in National

Teenui-Mapumai member of Parliament Norman George has accused Atiu mayor Taoro Strickland Brown of obtaining the mayoralty “through the back window”. George explains the basis of his allegation here: “On my recent visit to Atiu, I received information that Atiu mayor Taoro Strickland Brown had resigned from the position of mayor for Atiu, in writing […]

T&M Heather accused of 'unfair priority'

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in National

Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen has raised concerns that government is giving infrastructure company T&M Heather – infrastructure minister Teariki Heather’s family business – unfair priority over other contractors. Rasmussen says T&M rivals have filed complaints with the Office of the Opposition, alleging that contracts are being awarded to T&M without being publicly advertised first. Such […]

PM takes renewables call to UN

Wednesday 2 May 2012 | Published in National

Prime Minister Henry Puna will bring the Cook Islands’ renewable energy and sustainable development priorities to the United Nations via a conference in the Caribbean next week. Puna, the champion and Minister of Renewable Energy and Environment, will represent the Cook Islands at two high-level meetings in Barbados next week. The Cook Islands and other […]

Palmerston's turtles under study

Tuesday 1 May 2012 | Published in Environment

The Cook Islands Turtle Project (CITP) has been working six days a week on Palmerston, where a team is undertaking the first sea turtle research in over a decade. Dr Michael White and his team have been performing extensive beach and in-water surveys to help understand the distribution, population and status of sea turtles in […]

Toa in limbo as lease expires

Tuesday 1 May 2012 | Published in Local

Toa’s lease for its Panama site – which it acquired from Mobil in 2006 – expired today when the clock struck 12. Yesterday landowners were counting down the hours to midnight, reporting that they were “so happy to get our land back”. “We the landowners have warned the contractors working onsite that from 12 there […]