Articles by Utopia Support

RAMSI exhibit travels to NZ

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Features

A photographic exhibition entitled ‘RAMSI: A history in pictures’, which showcases the history and achievements of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), is set to open in Auckland on Monday (CIT). The exhibition charts the progress of Solomon Islands in partnership with RAMSI over the past nine years and the people, places and […]

H Factor grand finals tonight

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Features

The H Factor talent quest grand finals are on tonight at Hidie’s Bar where contestants with the X-factor will be crowned champion. The H Factor grand finalists are Peter Pokipoki, Joseph Pakitoa, Tia-Maree Takiika and Unarii Tafale – all equally talented and deserving of the talent quest crown. Through the week leading up to tonight’s […]

Dad's snores are like thunder storms

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Features

In this week’s Kids Page we feature more fantastic ‘my family’ poems by year 5 and 6 students of Apii Te Uki Ou. Schools wanting to share the work of their children through this weekly column can send them to editor@cookislandsnews.com – we welcome all works from Rarotonga and outer islands schools. In our family […]

Love, passion, suicide in songs

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Features

Andrew George’s rendition of ‘To Taua Koanga’ composed by Kathy George had the national auditorium in roars of cheers as he belted out the song with passion. His beautiful voice and the strong lyrics of the song earned composer Kathy George the 2012 Composers Competition crown. George was one of 12 song writers entered in […]

Starship doctor visiting

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Features

The first paediatric neurologist to visit the Cook Islands since 2007 arrives the week after next. With New Zealand Aid Programme funding, the Ministry of Health is bringing Dr Rakesh Patel of Auckland’s Starship Hospital back. He will be seeing patients from March 12 to 16 at Rarotonga Hospital. Parents whose children are experiencing any […]

Teen spa day introduced

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Features

Escape to the Edgewater Spa & Salon and get pampered by a team of professionals. Whether you’re after a beauty treatment or touch up, massage to rid those knots, haircut and colour, or just looking to have your hair styled – the Edgewater Resort & Spa has it all. The spa and salon provides unisex […]

Eye lady returns to help kids see

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Features

Public health nurses are making vision screening a component of their routine student health check-ups, and Global Volunteer Susan Koralik couldn’t be happier about it. Koralik, who hails from Illinois in the US, volunteers at Rarotonga schools for about a month each year. Four years ago, she noticed that some local students were struggling to […]

Region in partnership

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Features

“Culture is the source of our identity, continuity and creativity” said Akatsuku Takahashi during the first session of the meetings on intangible cultural heritage. Takahashi and Dr Samuel Lee were an important part of the meeting this week, sharing their personal knowledge and that of the groups they represent to assist the Pacific nations. Lee […]

New law will protect traditional knowledge in the Cook Islands

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Features

Protection of our traditional knowledge is not a new concept to the Cook Islands – it is something that is part of all we do in promoting the Pacific way of life. Repeta Puna, policy advisor to the Prime Minister, discussed this in her keynote presentation on “ICH Safeguarding in the Cook Islands” on Wednesday. […]

Safeguarding heritage across the Pacific

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Features

Traditional knowledge is living and is constantly being recreated by the community – it changes through contact with the outside world, which in turn changes ways of life in the region, to the point where some aspects may be in danger of disappearing. Protecting this traditional heritage was the basis of talks this week at […]

Tiny solo plane pops in

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Features

Those watching the skies on Monday may have been lucky enough to spot a tiny plane overhead. Biologist Matevz Lenarcic made a flying visit to Rarotonga in his ultra light Pipistrel to refuel, on his way from Easter Island to Tahiti. The Pipistrel Virus-SW914 weighs only 290kg and is the lightest three-axis aircraft in the […]

Wall an eyesore

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, With regards to the Avatiu wharf western side where the boulders are being laid – to me it is an eyesore. Why didn’t the planners think of other options e.g build a seawall similar to that on the eastern side of the wharf restructured recently and turn it into a scenic reserve where […]

Crunch comes, rabbit runs

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read this morning with utter disgust the manner in which the New Zealand government has treated the plight of Vietman war veteran Bill Framhein. Bill is an injured Cook Islander being forced to live only half a year in the Cook Islands and the other half in New Zealand hundreds of miles […]

Go Danny

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Ki te Etita “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that is the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”Philippians 2: 9-11 Kia Orana koe e […]

Air Raro pays $800,000

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Air Rarotonga managing director Ewan Smith responds to questions raised in letters to the editor and Smoke Signals: Recent comments in the Cook Islands News have questioned whether Air Rarotonga receives government subsidies including the use of local airports. Inter-island airline operations do not receive government subsidies. In 2011 Air Rarotonga paid $800,000 for the […]

'Ferry brings hope'

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I refer to the letter by pseudonym writer Another Ex Skipper in your Friday March 2 edition. He obviously has a beef with his previous employer and the current owner of Corsaire and if so, I respectfully suggest he deals with his problem separately and keep it out of our business. That said, […]

Never offended

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This is a message for Danny Mataroa: I have attended many of your events, I have listened to many of your prayers. I would like to say, your letter reminded me why we keep coming back to the Cook Islands. You stand up in front of God and Country and publicly state your […]

Insane stupidity

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Without diluting the message in the parable printed previously, I would like to apologise to you and Tim Arnold for using go loco as the pseudonym. The term “loco” is commonly used to represent insane stupidity which is what Henry Puna’s Government is doing. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to […]

Good work with the markets, BTIB

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, On Wednesday night I was at the Punanga Nui to see the night market. I was glad to see a big crown turn up, mainly our local people and tourists. The stalls were selling food and crafts. I am pleased to say that the stall owners, our own Cook Islands people, were very […]

Kata - March 3, 2012

Saturday 3 March 2012 | Published in Kata