Articles by Utopia Support

Why not print photos of youth offenders?

Friday 27 April 2012 | Published in National

Cook Islands Police say suggestions to publish the photographs of repeat youth offenders in the media face a number of legal and ethical obstacles. Cook Islands News was last week contacted by a member of the public who suggested that the newspaper should include a series of photos of youths who are known to police […]

Aeronautical charges won't be so dramatic

Friday 27 April 2012 | Published in National

Proposed increases to aeronautical charges are not likely to be as dramatic as early drafts suggested because the Airport Authority will receive a share of the departure tax collected at Rarotonga, according to financial secretary Richard Neves. The authority had created its proposals, which included increases of up to 300 percent over three years on […]

'Internet doomsday' gets closer

Friday 27 April 2012 | Published in National

Computers across the Cook Islands are at risk of a virus which has infected hundreds of thousands of computers world wide. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning that those with the virus will simultaneously lose access to the internet on what is being called ‘internet doomsday’ on July 9. The virus […]

Rain-fed agriculture a risk

Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in Environment

Rarotonga features in a new report warning of the unique freshwater challenges facing many small islands in the Pacific. Released this week by the UN Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the Pacific Communities (SPC), the report was written by David Duncan, regional environmental engineer at SPC SOPAC’s Water and Sanitation Programme. He concludes that […]

Toa's relocation up to authority

Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in Environment

This story is a response to a reader’s request for the names of officials who will be responsible for dealing with the TOA Environmental Impact Assessment. The reader wrote: “They need to know the public is watching and counting on them to protect this island.” The public has until one week from Monday (May 7) […]

Loss of comradeship lamented

Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in Local

A moderate crowd gathered at the Cenotaph for the dawn parade in Avarua early yesterday to remember the fallen men and women who fought for the freedom we enjoy today. In his address, Returned Services Association president Dennis Dwane told the gathered that Anzac Day was a day commonly regarded as a time for New […]

Anzac spirit links Pacific people

Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in Local

The weather often has a way of reflecting the mood of a day and it was certainly the case at Rarotonga’s Anzac Day commemorations. As hundreds of people gathered in front of the Avarua Cenotaph for the Anzac Day morning service, the weather switched from sun to spitting rain, the ceremony all the while being […]

Kata - April 26, 2012

Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in Kata

Student says aloha

Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in National

Meeting other exchange students and learning the Hawaiian language were highlights for Hanamarie Koteka who recently returned from Hawai’i after an eight month student exchange programme. The 15-year-old Arorangi girl was chosen as the 2011-2012 exchange student to Kamehameha School in Honolulu, Hawaii. “I was sitting in class one day and Mrs Herman came in […]

Red Cross trains peer educators

Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in National

To help train up new peer educators, the Cook Islands Red Cross hosted a youth peer education camp at its base in Tupapa during the school holidays. The camp had a turnout of over 35 young people and ran for a full week ending on Sunday. These camps are held every two years. The previous […]

Vaka fleet reaches Tahiti

Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in National

The voyagers aboard Cook Islands vaka Marumaru Atua have reached Tahiti. Together with her six sister vakas, Marumaru Atua made landfall at Tahiti on Monday. Now anchored inside Passe d’Aiurua, her coordinates are S17 48.5 W149 07.8. She is joined by Haunui, Te Matau a Maui, Uto Ni Yalo, Gaualofa, Faafaite and Hine Moana. (Faafaite […]

Liquor lock-up rule laid down

Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in National

The Liquor Licensing Authority is giving alcohol retailers until May 1 to ensure their liquor cabinets are lockable. Following a meeting of the authority on March 23, secretary Harriet Williams sent a letter to all alcohol retailers to advise them of stricter enforcement of the terms and conditions on which their licences are contingent. “You […]

Samoa vessel completes first voyage to north

Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in National

The MV Samoa Express’s first voyage to the northern group islands has now finished, providing organisers and the islands’ inhabitants with a few headaches and plenty of useful knowledge along the way. The ship stopped by Nassau on Saturday as the final destination in its five-island shipping route that looped around all of the Cook […]

Departure tax changes floated

Thursday 26 April 2012 | Published in National

The days of standing in line to pay your departure tax before leaving Rarotonga could soon be numbered as the government aims to have the tariff embedded in airfares by December this year. But once that happens, air passengers could also be asked to pay more in departure tax if government plans to increase it […]

New wharf proposed for Manihiki

Tuesday 24 April 2012 | Published in Local

Developmental prospects in Manihiki and Rakahanga – including a possible $4 million upgrade to Tauhunu wharf – will be put on show this week when New Zealand High Commissioner John Carter travels north for his first official visit to the atolls. Prime Minister Henry Puna and Minister for Finance and Economic Management Mark Brown will […]

Merchant navy flag flies for Anzac Day

Tuesday 24 April 2012 | Published in Local

The ‘red duster’will fly for the first time as part of the Anzac Day commemorations in Rarotonga, marking the sacrifices and service of the merchant navy during wartime movements. Merchant seaman Mervin Martin has travelled to Rarotonga to join this year’s Anzac Day celebrations, bringing with him the Merchant Navy’s flag more affectionately known as […]

No paper

Tuesday 24 April 2012 | Published in Local

There will be two parades and services in Rarotonga tomorrow to mark Anzac Day. The dawn parade starts at 5.30am and the bigger public ceremony starts at 9.30am. Members of the public are invited to join veterans and uniformed personnel at both parades, and afterwards at the Returned Services Association premises in Nikao. There will […]

Brilliant colour, costume and dance

Tuesday 24 April 2012 | Published in Features

Rarotonga youth set the tone for the 2012 Dancer of the Year competitions with stunning performances on the Are Karioi stage last Thursday night. Beautifully crafted costumes and well choreographed dancers made judging the event a tough one but in the end all 22 dancers in the junior and intermediate show received fantastic feedback for […]

Response 'shocking'

Tuesday 24 April 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am writing to follow-up on my belongings being stolen on March 14 and the lack of police follow-up. I am so disappointed to find so little being done here in Rarotonga to curb youth crime. The police response (or lack of response) has been shocking. I reported the incident on 14/4 and […]

Stop thrashing life out of our oceans!

Tuesday 24 April 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This week from Wednesday April 25, Alotau Milne Bay province will play host to the fisheries ministers of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) where they will talk about the future of our tuna fisheries and ways to conserve this precious gift which is being thrashed by greedy foreign fishing companies. Last […]