Articles by Utopia Support

Kata - March 28, 2012

Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Kata

Island pride in Dennise's design

Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in National

Grade five pupil Dennise Nanai has earned the praise of not only her parents and school but the whole of Aitutaki for winning the Cook Islands Golden Tuna label competition. Nanai was last week named as the winner of the art competition over 155 entries from all the schools in the Cook Islands. In her […]

Our pets and animals need attention, too

Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in National

By Gregg Young Esther Honey Foundation With the amount of animals coming into the Esther Honey Foundation with problems related to diet, we have decided that it would be best to address the situation to the public. Many problems with animals can be prevented with the right diet, which goes the same for us humans […]

Strategic partnership is key in progressing youth work

Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in National

Youth from across the Cook Islands are coming together again this week in Rarotonga. The Capacity Building and Leadership Training for the Cook Islands National Youth Council began yesterday and will run for the next two days. The Minister for Youth, Mark Brown, opened the meeting saying that strategic partnership is key in progressing youth […]

Scouts and Cubs a good outlet for boys

Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in National

About 20 members of the Avarua Sea Scout group participated at their quarter one camp at Nikao during the weekend of March 16. The main purpose of the camp was to equip new members with camping skills and knowledge of safety in the water. Currently, there are a number of Scouts and Cubs preparing to […]

Water network 'in reasonable shape'

Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in National

Rarotonga’s water network needs improvements to its ring mains and at its intakes in order to advance the quality and reliability of the island’s water, according to a visiting water engineer. Overall, though, the network is in reasonable shape and would benefit greatly from targeted upgrades, New Zealand Aid Programme principal development manager infrastructure Jonathan […]

Weeds 'needed removing'

Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

In response to Friday’s Smoke Signal complaining about the clean up of the Takuvaine Stream, another smoke signaller writes: “Well, about time they cleaned it up before the growth of this noxious weed overtakes the river completely and does more damage. We had this problem further inland where our bridge was blocked by this Lucerne […]

Big crowd expected at schools soccer comp

Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Football

The CIFA complex will play host to the CITC Coca-Cola Primary School One Day Soccer Tournament tomorrow for grades 4, 5 and 6 students. The Rarotonga Primary School teams battling it out for the 2012 honour will be Papaaroa, Te Uki Ou, Avarua, Takitumu, Avatea, Imanuela Akatemia, St Joseph’s, Rutaki, Arorangi and Nikao. All schools […]

New perspective for advisor

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Environment

Having worked almost exclusively on the donor side of donor projects until now, joining the WATSAN team as communications advisor is giving Catrina McDiarmid a new perspective on her work. McDiarmid has previously worked at the New Zealand ministry of foreign affairs and at the New Zealand Aid Programme in Wellington, both times as a […]

T-shirts for Facebookers

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Environment

In the world of water and sanitation, you know you’re doing right when the shirt hits the fan. And the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning’s Water, Waste and Sanitation unit (WATSAN) is trying to do just that – get some free shirts to its new friends on Facebook. WATSAN is trying to open up as […]

Cows for sale for his education

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Local

A good sale is what Teariki Fanovaha is after to send him off overseas to study. Fanovaha has recently been accepted to study aeronautical engineering at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology in Blenheim, New Zealand. He is selling the bull, cow and calf that he cares for on his family land in Avatiu Valley, […]

Forum Pacific service stops

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Local

The MV Forum Pacific will no longer service the Cook Islands. Pacific Direct Line has formally announced the expiration of the vessel’s charter, adding that management had been unable to negotiate an extension with Reef Shipping. “Our hope was to extend the charter through till August 2012 when the Rarotonga wharf extension was completed and […]

A message to our politicians

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It always seemed to me to that contempt of court proceedings for debt collection seemed improper and I decided to actually look up the Judicature Act 1980-81 as it stands right now. So what a relief to see that section 36 (a) says that contempt of court applies when a judgment or order […]

Congratulations on the marine park process

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Government must be congratulated for its efforts in getting all stakeholders together to draft the proposed Marine Park framework and guiding principles. The key to the Marine Park and seabed mining is sustainable development, working with our traditional leaders and community so that we have a voice in this area of potential development. […]

$8000 adverts 'ludicrous and unaffordable'

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The recent attempts to coerce small and medium sized sightseeing operators into advertising at “over the top” rates in the hotel compendiums that the hotels will get for free is immoral and unfair. The Australian company (not registered here) promoting this scheme has managed to convince some operators that, unless they advertise, they […]

Batman defends its tourism publication

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Recently your newspaper published an article about my company’s (“John Batman Group”) compendium publications. I am concerned that this article may lead local businesses to get a false impression of JBG and of what is being offered to them. Unfortunately this article contained inaccuracies about JBG revenue and I would like to clarify […]

Kata - March 27, 2012

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Kata

Rugby League World Cup fixtures

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in League

(Full list of dates and kick-offs will be confirmed when the broadcast schedule is finalised) Group A (three to qualify): England v Australia – Millennium Stadium, Cardiff; Fiji v Ireland – Spotland Stadium, Rochdale; England v Ireland – the Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield; Australia v Fiji – Langtree Park, St Helens; England v Fiji – KC […]

First NZHC Aitutaki visit enjoyed by all

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in National

Araura Primary School played host to John Carter, New Zealand High Commissioner, and his wife Leoni during their recent visit to Aitutaki. The visit to the school was part of Carter’s first official trip to Aitutaki, which he describes as “a really successful visit”. His day in Aitutaki involved meeting with the Island Council and […]

Te Kukpupa joins forces for fishing patrol

Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in National

Maritime patrol boat Te Kukupa has uncovered a number of minor fishery infringements in Cook Islands waters during an international surveillance patrol this month, but no major infringements or illegal fishing were uncovered during the mission. The Cook Islands maritime surveillance unit teamed up with counterparts from Kiribati and French Polynesia for the week-long mission, […]