Articles by Utopia Support

Netball visitors win first game

Thursday 12 April 2012 | Published in Netball

The visiting Paeroa College netball team coached by former Silver Fern head coach Ruth Aitken showed their stamina and patience when they fought back to take out their first game of netball in the Cooks against Tereora College yesterday. Both sides started the match in shaky form as players tried to shed the nerves in […]

Toa 'excited' about its move

Thursday 12 April 2012 | Published in National

As he talks about his vision for Toa Petroleum, company principal Brett Porter is visibly excited. “We’re really excited about the move,” he said yesterday, as the deep rumbling of T&M Heather trucks sounded outside his office window. “There are a couple of hurdles we have to get past – the main one is the […]

Toa's move subject to EIA

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Environment

In anticipation of Toa Petroleum’s lease on its Avatiu property expiring, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been prepared detailing the risks of the depot relocating to Nikao. To all intents and purposes, the report deems the relocation safe and says it poses “negligible environmental and social risks”. “In general, the proposed bulk fuel storage […]

Hundreds of dolphins sighted

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Environment

A pod of between 200 and 300 dolphins was sighted off the Muri coast on Saturday. Fisherman Wayne Barclay of Reel Time and his two South African passengers noticed a line of splashing about two miles off Muri Beach. “We thought it was a school of fish feeding but we came closer and it was […]

CIP voters pick new Atiu candidate

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Local

The Teenui-Mapumai contingent of the Cook Islands Party has designated Taoro Brown its candidate for the 2014 general elections. “I feel this provides some stability here,” Brown said yesterday. “I think the people feel they are not being represented in Parliament at all and feel left out. They want to have their opinions heard.” The […]

Vehicle imports cost $500 more

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Local

A new $500 surcharge will apply to all vehicles being shipped to or from the Cook Islands on upcoming voyages. Reef Shipping announced yesterday that following a directive from Maritime New Zealand, it is no longer permitted to load cars on top of containers. This has been the traditional way to ship vehicles to the […]

Toa starts relocating to Nikao

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Local

As the expiry of its lease draws near, Toa Petroleum is preparing to relocate. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) report detailing its proposed relocation was published at the weekend for public viewing. Members of the public have 30 days – until May 7 – to file complaints or objections to the proposed relocation of Toa […]

Empty can makes most noise

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I had a feeling a person of high calibre that lives in Matavera wrote the article about the tree butchering. Judging by your comments, you are a person that doesn’t do much for your oire or even take part in any community initiative and, why not just come out of your nutshell and […]

Compendium advertising is a no brainer!

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As a marketing person with no affiliation to any publication I want to point out the marketing options available to large and small tour operators here in the Cook Islands. Spend $8100 per year for a full page in the new John Batman compendium in 40 hotels – 853 actual rooms Versus: Spend […]

Women encouraged to be in control of their health

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I understand the doctor’s response to my letter, and I do understand what he explained in his letter. However, my concerns stem from my personal experiences, and that of my extended family and friends. I find it hard to comprehend how receiving a Pap Smear can potentially cause a person harm. I was […]

What's BTIB doing about closing 'trade gap'?

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, How ironic is it for CINews to highlight on Tuesday’s front page WIDEST TRADE GAP IN REGION and then at the bottom of the page shows BTIB in assisting with fundraising for outer island youth activities. Here we have a government state-owned enterprise (BTIB) whose focus should be on strengthening trade sectors and […]

Kata - April 11, 2012

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Kata

New netball season opens today

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in Netball

The 2012 domestic netball season starts with a bang tonight with the open grades taking to the courts plus games through the week between local clubs and the visiting Paeroa College netball team. Led by former New Zealand international level player and Silver Fern head coach Ruth Aitken, the visiting school will play four games […]

Culture show a big act to beat

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in National

Rarotonga school children are still swinging their hips and singing songs after the highly successful Rarotonga Schools Cultural Festival last Thursday night drawing possibly the biggest ever crowd to the national auditorium. In fact, parents are still gushing over the outstanding performances by all the schools from the wee babes to the college students. Stunning […]

Pukapuka welcomes PM despite food shortages

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in National

Despite facing worrying shortages of fuel and food, the people of Pukapuka were in celebration mode yesterday in anti- cipation of their first visit from Prime Minister Henry Puna who travelled to the island to officially open the new cyclone shelter. The $3 million Pukapuka cyclone shelter, which has been rebranded as a community centre […]

Alcohol and accidents annoy police

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in National

Motor vehicle accidents and alcohol-fuelled misbehaviour kept Cook Islands Police busy over the Easter long weekend, though police are reporting it as a relatively uneventful period. Police attended the scenes of three crashes during the weekend, but no serious injuries were reported as occurring as a result. On Friday, a motorcyclist suffered minor injuries after […]

Business mentors seeking new clients

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in National

Struggling businesses in need of direction, take heart. The Pacific Business Mentors Programme continues to service Rarotonga and Aitutaki, and is sending another group of business mentors to the Cook Islands on the week of April 30. The Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce, the in-country administrator of the programme, is seeking a new intake of […]

Cooks seen as seabed minerals leader

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in National

The Cook Islands’ development of seabed mining legislation is leading the region and the world, according to Deep Sea Minerals Project managers from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). Half-way into a series of meetings across 15 Pacific countries and territories, team leader Akuila Tawake and legal adviser Hannah Lilly says there is a […]

Growth to accelerate and then slow

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in National

Economic growth in the Pacific region is expected to slow to six percent in 2012, decelerating further to four percent in 2013, while inflation is expected to hold at moderate levels in much of the Pacific, according to the Asian Development Outlook 2012, a report released yesterday by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Economic uncertainty […]

Marching for Maui

Wednesday 11 April 2012 | Published in National

Tehani Ngapare Buchanan and Kayley Ngawati both had their bodies painted to make a bold statement at the march for Maui on Parliament earlier this month (Tuesday NZ). Tehani was interviewed by TV3 and the photos of her and Kayley went viral on Facebook. “She is a brave, passionate girl who has made her family […]