Articles by Utopia Support

Call to share the love

Saturday 10 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to convey my disappointment with the organisers and local representatives of the recent French tourist ship that recently visited Aitutaki on Wednesday March 7. My frustration relates to the appointment of the sole lagoon cruise operator ‘Bishops Lagoon Cruises’ who probably ended the day with thousands of dollars in their pockets. […]

Kata - March 10, 2012

Saturday 10 March 2012 | Published in Kata

Cultural revival at Tupapa Centre

Saturday 10 March 2012 | Published in National

Involving youth in keeping the Cook Islands culture alive was discussed at the Tupapa Maraerenga Cultural Centre annual general meeting last week. At the meeting Tere ‘Johnson’ Strickland officially took on the role of president of the centre. His aim is to encourage the youth of Tupapa to become involved in the cultural group, seeing […]

Women's day knows no political divide

Saturday 10 March 2012 | Published in National

High-profile women of the Cook Islands celebrated International Women’s Day on Thursday with a breakfast meeting at the Aquarius Hotel. The function recognised the country’s political and diplomatic women, including the wives of the prime minister, deputy prime minister and government members. Also attending the breakfast function were Lady Goodwin, Dame Margret Karika Ariki, Lady […]

A time of reflection for Cook Islands women

Saturday 10 March 2012 | Published in National

The women of the Cook Islands plan to keep sewing the symbolic tivaivai that represents the tapestry of their achievements. Cook Islands National Council of Women (CINCW) president Vaine Wichman said a light-hearted celebration of International Women’s Day on Thursday was a chance for women to “take a break, enjoy our company, have a coffee, […]

New radios for more efficient policing

Saturday 10 March 2012 | Published in National

The Cook Islands are already reaping the rewards of new and improved radio technology. Until recently there was a small number of out-dated vehicles radios and some portable radios which only worked in town. There were radio blind spots around Rarotonga, and inclement weather impacted even further on the quality of communications. Police officers relied […]

Parade honours new radio system

Saturday 10 March 2012 | Published in National

In a culmination of two years of hard work, the Cook Islands police were symbolically handed over their upgraded radio communications system yesterday morning. The project was aptly named ‘Te Karere’, or ‘the message’, by attending Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters. Police Commissioner Maara Tetava gratefully accepted the new system in a formal celebration outside […]

Public meeting addresses seawall concerns

Saturday 10 March 2012 | Published in National

Safety concerns were a priority to residents who attended a meeting with the Ports Authority organised by Avatiu-Ruatonga-Atupa-Palmerston member of parliament John Henry at the Ruatonga Meeting house on Thursday evening. “How do we know the rock wall isn’t going to fall down or that waves aren’t going to go over it?” asked Ruatonga resident […]

Cabinet minister's weekly travel diary

Saturday 10 March 2012 | Published in National

Minister travelling to VietNam

Saturday 10 March 2012 | Published in National

Agriculture minister Nandi Glassie will travel to VietNam this week to meet with the new director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The new director-general Jose Graziano da Silva will be attending the 31st FAO Regional Conference for Asia and Pacific being held in Hanoi on March 12-16. Ministers and senior government officials from […]

Chasing millions here

Saturday 10 March 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

An account set up in the Cook Islands designated the Baby Mama Trust was mentioned during the trial of Texas banker Allen Stanford, who this week was convicted of running a US$7 billion Ponzi scheme. The jury’s verdict clears the way for the United States government to seize US$330 million of funds that had been […]

Praying an effective prayer

Friday 9 March 2012 | Published in Church Talk

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced […]

Te au Papa, ka tu, ka aaki – ka rave au

Friday 9 March 2012 | Published in Church Talk

I had the most blessed and awesome week when one of my sons handed me this DVD movie entitled ‘Courageous’ to watch. In support of all the good intentions, efforts, meetings and programmes that many are launching, demonstrating concerns over youth crimes, suicide, alcohol abuse, sex abuse, drug abuse and so forth, I rise to […]

Tetava elected chairman of regional group

Friday 9 March 2012 | Published in Local

Cook Islands Police commissioner Maara Tetava has returned from a meeting in Australia where he was elected chairman of the Pacific Police Training Advisory Group for a two year term. On March 2, a meeting sanctioned by the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Conference and supported by the Australian Federal Police was held in Sydney […]

Opposition alleges political favouritism

Friday 9 March 2012 | Published in Local

Alleging ‘nepotism’ and ‘political favouritism’, the opposition is concerned by the prime minister’s appointment of Russell Thomas as the new public service commissioner. “We’re concerned because as we understand it the prime minister exercised his discretion to overlook the recommendations by the selection panel and appointed his nephew,” leader of the opposition Wilkie Rasmussen said […]

Public service commissioner appointed

Friday 9 March 2012 | Published in Local

Prime Minister and Minister of the Office of the Public Service Commission Henry Puna yesterday announced the appointment of Russell Thomas as the new public service commissioner. A former chief executive of the Office of the Public Service Commission, Thomas’s appointment was unanimously approved by Cabinet this week following a decision by the prime minister […]

Maara mai ia matou te pa enua i vao

Friday 9 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

E te Etita, Kia orana i te aroa nui rava, atupaka, ngao o te Atua. Please tuku atu koe i teia reta naku ki roto i taau nutipepa. Te tata atu nei au i toku tangi, akaaroa i te iti tangata i te pa enua i vao ake ia Rarotonga, no runga i teia tu […]

Kata - March 9, 2012

Friday 9 March 2012 | Published in Kata

Opposition celebrates women's success

Friday 9 March 2012 | Published in National

In honour of International Women’s Day, opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen has called women the ‘backbone of the Cook Islands’. “Women are the backbone of the Cook Islands,” Rasmussen said at a gathering to honour women at the Ruatonga opposition office. “Women bring intelligence and warmth to politics and a dimension that men don’t have,” said […]

Toys brighten children's ward

Friday 9 March 2012 | Published in National

The children’s ward at the Rarotonga Hospital just became a more kid-friendly place. As part of its ongoing community outreach programme, CITC Building Centre donated $1000 worth of toys to the paediatric ward in an effort to make it a more comfortable place for kids. Amongst the boxes and gift-wrapped packages delivered to the ward […]