Articles by Utopia Support

'Telemedicine' network under construction

Saturday 31 March 2012 | Published in National

Cook Islanders can expect better and quicker access to specialised health care when a telemedicine network is complete. Facilities to introduce a new online health network that will link New Zealand with the Cook Islands is currently under construction in Rarotonga. Once it is complete, the network will be extended in the Cook Islands to […]

Education ministry 'on track'

Saturday 31 March 2012 | Published in National

An independent evaluation has concluded the Ministry of Education is on track to achieving its goals. Undertaken by evaluator Christine Scott and local counterpart Christina Newport, the evaluation was conducted last year and a subsequent 76-page report was released on March 21. The duo interviewed over 100 people, met with focus groups, reviewed policy and […]

Reward offered for important footage

Saturday 31 March 2012 | Published in National

An international film crew is offering a reward for a misplaced camera, which contains vitally important images. Earlier this month a film crew visited Rarotonga and Aitutaki to shoot footage for a documentary that will catapult the proposed Cook Islands marine park onto the international stage. Renowned cameraman Richard Wollocombe, who has worked for the […]

Time off school worries principal

Saturday 31 March 2012 | Published in National

Students taking time off school has always been a concern, but when students take weeks or even months off school it has unpleasant affect on end of year results. Tereora College principal Bali Haque is concerned about the problem. “My concern is students’ taking time off school. Firstly senior students are old enough to know […]

Understanding hurt and pain

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Church Talk

The condition of our soul matters to God, so as Christians we need a vision for emotional wholeness. The more emotionally whole we are, the more sound and effective our decisions will be. Billions of dollars are spent annually worldwide on counselling sessions, legal costs due to divorce and broken relationships, prisons due to crime, […]

How to fortify your family

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Church Talk

In this world of uncertainty, turmoil and moral decay, living the commandments of God can be a challenge. We are inundated with temptation on a daily basis from the forces of evil. These evil influences attack the most important unit in society, the family. But it’s not all doom and gloom. The scriptures tell us […]

Crush to the rescue!

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Environment

It was like a magic act mounted on the back of a truck – a few metallic crunches, the smallest shake and, hey-presto, a car has disappeared. Well, transformed at least. But it’s not an ace up the sleeve or an invisible wire that makes this trick a reality, instead it was a semi-trailer mounted […]

OPM switches off and saves

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Environment

Assessing power use and offering energy conservation tips to staff in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) has paid off with a decrease in power consumption and an estimated saving of nearly $1000 in its electricity bills for the past month. The OPM Corporate Services Division and the Renewable Energy Development Division undertook an […]

Earthly lessons for schools nationwide

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Environment

Cook Islands schools as far away as Manihiki will be taking part in Earth Hour commemorations today to help raise awareness of the fight against climate change among our students. But it’s not one school in the north that will join the Earth Hour push – almost all schools in the Cook Islands will be […]

Police accused, case dropped

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Local

Following nine court appearances, 56 hours in prison and significant media attention, Cyrus Nielsen has been absolved of his alleged crime. Yesterday in court, the Crown withdrew a possession of a utensil charge that has been hanging over Nielsen’s head for five months. Justice of the peace Carmen Temata recorded the withdrawal, and defence counsel […]

Two tropical depressions

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Local

Two tropical depressions have developed along an active area of cloud band extending southeast to northwest or from the south of Rarotonga, over Fiji to the south of Solomon Islands. The Cook Islands Meteorological Service assures the people of the Cook Islands that no severe weather warnings are in place at this time. The first […]

Reef's new ship bigger, faster

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Local

Reef Shipping has issued a statement defending the quality of its service to the Cook Islands, in light of recent criticism over the withdrawal of MV Forum Pacific from the Cook Islands shipping schedule. MV Forum Pacific is owned by Reef but was being leased to Pacific Direct Line (PDL) and Pacific Forum Line (PFL) […]

Banks should be more careful

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It pleases me to see that the Minister of Finance has brought in an expert to look into the trading banks in the Cook Island though it would have been of far more public relations impact if the banks had volunteered some relief to clients in these tough economic times. When most if […]

Is this bank loan propaganda?

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Is this bank loan propaganda? I used to consider that I was good at maths, but a statement in the article ‘Banking to be reviewed has me at a loss: “The average loan yield in the Cook Islands was 7.3 percent, the lowest in the Pacific”. Now in very rough terms there should […]

Look to NZ for comparisons

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In yesterday’s paper the headline reads ‘Banking to be reviewed’, then the article sets out governments plans for how this will happen and the very well respected person to carry out this review. As the owner of a small business, living and working in the outer island of Aitutaki, this is great news […]

Reef's new ship is bigger and faster

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, We wish to respond to the concerns expressed by the Opposition leader, Hon. Wilkie Rasmussen, as reported in the Cook islands News (Wednesday March 28), and to give some context which we believe should allay those concerns. Firstly, and irrespective of how many ships are engaged in the Cook Islands trades, or indeed […]

Kata - March 30, 2012

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Kata

Czech meet

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in National

Though the Czech Republic and the Cook Islands are far away, there are plenty of ways the European country can help its Pacific partner, according to Czech Ambassador Hynek Kmonicek. After presenting his credentials to Queen’s Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin on Wednesday, Kmonicek said the Czech Republic would happily offer its services in navigating the […]

Flight subsidy 'a liability, not asset'

Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaler writes in response to the government’s $12.5 million subsidy of Air New Zealand’s direct flights to Rarotonga from Los Angeles and Sydney, which Cook Islands Tourism officials say should be viewed as a national strategic asset. “It strikes this reader as a poor business decision to fund flights that are not turning […]

Atiu, Aitutaki 'important bird areas'

Thursday 29 March 2012 | Published in Environment

Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) recently visited the islands of Atiu and Aitutaki to raise awareness in the community about the identification of their islands as Key Biodiversity Areas and Important Bird Areas (KBA/IBA). KBAs and IBAs mark the places on earth that have global importance for conservation. They must meet one or more internationally accepted […]