Articles by Utopia Support

Fabric painting turns a profit for Annafaye

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

What started out as a hobby for a bit of ‘time out’ has turned into a money making venture for Annafaye Tatuava Newbigging. With her salary from working two jobs mostly going on the mortgage, Newbigging discovered that she could earn extra cash to pay for daily living costs through her passion for fabric painting. […]

Sewing on the side

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

Learning to sew at school and watching her mother gave Nane Tepai the skills to earn extra money to support her family. To supplement her salary from working for prison services, Tepai has turned to her sewing machine where she makes men’s and boys’ shirts including school shirts, formal island wear and staff uniforms. “What […]

Demand growing for Matutu's skirts

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

A church group women’s activity day opened up a door of opportunity for Fiona Matutu to create her own at-home business and earn extra income. Through the church based women’s activity Matutu learned to hand paint clothes and make skirts – a side business that has taken off resulting in her leaving one of her […]

Woman turns hobby into money-maker

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

Discovering her passion for fabric painting and dyeing led Avatiu resident Joanna Manuela to quick money. The mother of five discovered a love for dyeing and painting fabrics when she watched her uncle Piritau Nga and his daughter Teata painting fabrics at home. “I admired my uncle and Teata with their fabric painting skills and […]

Fashion a passion for seamstress

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

Fashion is a passion for Marion Howard who comes from a long line of seamstresses. Her passion for designing and creating beautiful garments began as a little girl watching her grandmother and Tutakimoa seamstress Koiatahi Howard at work on her machine. “I used to love looking at the pieces my grandmother created and they inspired […]

Mother-daughter team aims high

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

At just 18 years old Kimberly Vakapora knows exactly what she wants to do – run her family business. Vakapora looks up to her entrepreneurial mother Tereapii Vahua Vakapora as her business role model and together the women run their family business ‘Roteek’. Roteek is a business that deals in Cook Islands crafts through sourcing […]

Reflecting on the situation of local women

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

International Women’s Day is a day for reflection and to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women. Some of these achievements include the right to vote, to be educated, to have access to safe quality health care, to have access to justice, to be gainfully employed and to participate in decision-making processes. But […]

Govt should prioritise employment bill

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

Over the last three months women in the Cook Islands community have been bringing their concerns about maternity leave and employment protection to Punanga Tauturu. The organisation has received enquiries from women in the community in relation to their rights to maternity leave, asking as to whether the six-week paid leave provisions have been passed […]

Scheme to support female caregivers

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

Vital Voices and AusAID have approved a project proposal submitted by a contingent of Cook Islands women. Just in time for International Women’s Day, four women learned that their proposal to empower female caregivers had been accepted. Global non-government organisation Vital Voices last year selected Teina Mackenzie, Nukutau Pokura, Vaine Nooana-Arioka and Helen Maunga as […]

NZ and CI police working together

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

In a show of its partnership with Pacific countries, members of the New Zealand police force have been visiting the Cook Islands this week. Kim Perks, communications manager for central districts, is in the country to share her knowledge on media and communications with the Cook Islands police. Her visit is part of an advisory […]

Meeting endorses accreditation scheme

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

The tourism industry council is aiming to get its newly-introduced accreditation scheme off the ground within the next few weeks, ahead of its official launch in June. About 35 people met last Thursday to discuss the accreditation scheme, which will replace an outmoded system that has been labelled ‘toothless’. “People were concerned that the scheme […]

Cabinet talks tobacco with WHO reps

Thursday 8 March 2012 | Published in National

Tobacco control featured heavily in Cabinet discussions this week. A team from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) secretariat is on Rarotonga at the request of the Ministry of Health, and has been in discussions about tobacco use and control with Cabinet ministers. Headed by convention secretariat Guangyuan Liu, the […]

Airlines to pay income tax

Wednesday 7 March 2012 | Published in Local

For the first time in Cook Islands history, foreign airlines have lost their income tax exemption. A new executive order, tabled in parliament recently, could potentially generate hundreds of thousands of extra dollars for Cook Islands government coffers. “Previous governments have promised foreign airlines exemptions but have never put in place the legal framework for […]

Pokoinu hearing delayed

Wednesday 7 March 2012 | Published in Local

A major land court hearing scheduled to begin today has been pushed to October. The hearing involves five family groups, who are vying for 60.57 hectares (149.67 acres) of Pokoinu land. It was expected to start this morning and last through Friday afternoon, but visiting land court Justice Wilson Isaac has excused himself from presiding […]

LPG filling station proposed in Aitutaki

Wednesday 7 March 2012 | Published in Local

Aitutaki MP Teina Bishop has a vision to build a liquid petroleum gas filling station in Amuri as a means of alleviating frequent fuel shortages on Aitutaki. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report has been prepared to point out the potential risks of said project, copies of which are available for public viewing until March […]

Triggerfish EP ready for Pasifika

Wednesday 7 March 2012 | Published in Local

Two-piece band Triggerfish is the only Cook Islands-based act performing at Pasifika this weekend. Set for Saturday New Zealand time – or Friday Cook Islands time – the festival is expected to attract over 120,000 Aucklanders. Triggerfish, made up of local musicians Kura Happ and Maurice ‘Mo’ Newport, takes the stage at midday for half […]

'That is a whole lot of taxes'

Wednesday 7 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Thank you for the opportunity to bring this to the attention of all. It seems that we mostly overlook the situation and as obedient citizens just work and pay the outcome of our tax return at the end. These are tough times and with mortgages to pay, one has to look for other […]

Kata - March 7, 2012

Wednesday 7 March 2012 | Published in Kata

Cocos Island does conservation right

Wednesday 7 March 2012 | Published in National

A log from the journey of Vaka Marumaru Atua, which as of this weekend is anchored at Cocos Island, south of Costa Rica in Central America. Crew member Alex Olah reports. We have only had short bursts of slight wind for only an hour or so since Wednesday! To make it worse the days have […]

New internet cafe on the rock

Wednesday 7 March 2012 | Published in National

Panama’s new internet caf is an internet gamer’s delight. Annie’s Internet Caf, which opened three weeks ago, has been specifically designed to keep gamers happy from its large screen XP terminals to their brand new comfortable chairs. LAN internet gaming is just one of the range of facilities on offer – they provide internet access, […]