Articles by Utopia Support

School health checks underway

Monday 26 March 2012 | Published in National

Checking the health of the students across the country has begun for the year. The Ministry of Health carried out school physical health examinations at Avarua and Arorangi Schools in late February, timed to coincide with the eye screening programme. Child health coordinator Mamatoranga John said overall the health checks were a success and there […]

Climate change appointment

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Environment

Rerekura Teaurere has been appointed climate change co-coordinator within the climate change division of the Office of the Prime Minster. Though she grew up in New Zealand, Rerekura is of Penryhn descent, and recently completed a master of science honours degree at the University of Auckland. Her thesis focused on exploring inter-organisational influences on sustainable […]

Tuna stocks worth millions: MMR

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Environment

A stock assessment carried out by the French Space Agency (CSL) for the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) has estimated there is 190,000 tonnes of skipjack tuna in Cook Islands waters. According to the report most of skipjack (au’opu) are found in the northern Cook Islands, north of 15 degree latitude above Suwarrow with the […]

New survey reveals rich tuna stocks

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Local

Revised estimates of the stocks of skipjack tuna in Cook Islands waters have revealed that possibly hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the fish could be available. Previous counts have underestimated the amount of skipjack tuna that live in the Cook Islands’ exclusive economic zone, the Ministry for Marine Resources revealed yesterday. New counts […]

New Samoa service delayed

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Local

Plans to send a Samoan shipping vessel to the Cook Islands’ northern group have been pushed back by a week to allow bad weather to pass and more cargo to be added to the voyage. The Samoan Shipping Company has not yet set a specific date for the first voyage from Apia, but the office […]

Shipping service stopping?

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Local

The future of shipping seems to again be in dire straits – with news that the next sailing of Pacific Forum will be its last. An information paper concerning the future of shipping in the Cook Islands is being prepared for tabling at Cabinet on Tuesday. This week, Reef Shipping representatives flew to Rarotonga to […]

It was a beautiful day for our school

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Features

Beautiful day The blessing of the Takitumu School Road Crossing last week Friday on the top field, was a beautiful day for our school. Papa Orometua started off with a long prayer. After that we were singing lovely songs from the church. The people that came to the blessing was Papa Kiriau, Papa Orometua, Papa […]

New printer loves his work

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Features

The newest member of the Cook Islands News team had “no idea what to expect from Rarotonga” before arriving last month. A printer at the Wellington-based Dominion Post, Mike Lees was looking for a change of pace and scenery. Eight months ago he applied for a job printing the Cook Islands’ daily newspaper, though he […]

New clothing line named after Vara

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Features

T-Shirt Factory proprietor Don Carlaw uses the same words to describe Vara Hunter, the namesake of Te Vara Nui Cultural Village, and his shop’s new clothing line – words like ‘classy’, ‘fashionable’ and ‘elegant’. Sure enough, T-Shirt Factory’s new line of clothing is being marketed under the Vara’s label. “We wanted to launch our own […]

Over-zealous law enforcement

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to add my voice to others who over the past three months have been closely watching coverage of court proceedings relating to a friend on a charge of possession of a utensil in the Cook Islands. To put it bluntly we have been dismayed at the number of times (at least […]

Law spin

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The spin sent out by the Law Society raises more issues of due process and remedies available in court. Why are the bankers and lawyers so determined to apply for rulings of contempt of court just so a debtor will pay up an account? There are other avenues in contract law so what […]

Stop rubbishing Raro league clubs

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, ‘Disgusted Aitutaki’ all sports supporter letter in Thursday newspaper, please get off the backs of the Rarotonga rugby league clubs. Sick and tired of reading their tantrums. All the teams here in Rarotonga are struggling just as much as you are in Aitutaki. You the sharks have only one team to look after, […]

Pension problems still not resolved

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Mr Geoff Porter, you really have revealed a lot of valuable information on the NZ pension in your letter to the editor. I left Raro to live in NZ in December 2005 aged 62 years after receiving a reply to my letter from the Head Office of WINZ in Wellington that I have […]

Kata - March 24, 2012

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Kata

Netball forms high performance team

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Netball

As part of its restructuring, Netball Cook Islands has set up a high performance committee to manage the development of its high performance athletes, technical officials, coaches and managers. This is a new development for NCI and a “work in progress” as it activates the committee for the first time. The high performance committee comprises […]

What is Tuberculosis?

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in National

What are the symptoms of TB? In general, feelings of sickness or weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. The symptoms of TB disease of the lungs also include coughing, chest pain, and the coughing up of blood. How is TB Spread? TB germs are put into the air when a person with TB disease […]

Today is World Tuberculosis Day

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in National

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has used World Tuberculosis Day to remind the world that the global fight against the tuberculosis is still continuing and that 1.4 million died from the disease in 2010. World Tuberculosis Day is marked every year on March 24 and is used to raise awareness about the global epidemic […]

'Patterns of the Past' comes home

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in National

Therese Mangos and John Utanga have brought their book ‘Patterns of the Past: Tattoo Revival in the Cook Islands’ home. The book was formally launched in Auckland last December, but this week about 100 gathered at the Ruatonga meeting house to mark its homecoming. Traditional leaders Pa Marie Ariki and Joe Vakatini and local tattoo […]

Tuna brand design chosen from 155

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in National

Three entries from 155 have been selected to provide inspiration to the branding of Cook Island Golden Tuna, with a design created by an Aitutaki student named the top choice of the lot. Tekaaroa Adventist School’s grade five student Dennise Nanai won the competition with a design that combined the 15 stars, a yellow tuna […]

2 ministers abroad

Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in National

Ministers Tom Marsters and Teina Bishop are the only members of cabinet who will be outside the Cook Islands this week as they attend two different official functions in the Pacific. Deputy Prime Minister Marsters will spend most of the week in Tonga to attend the funeral of King George Tupou V. Marsters and his […]