Articles by Utopia Support

Marketplace to expand

Thursday 1 March 2012 | Published in National

The rule is that history repeats itself, and the case of the Punanga Nui market is no exception. The market was originally built on reclaimed land, dredged from the seabed during the construction of the international seaport at Avatiu in 1975. Funded by New Zealand and Australia government aid, the project was completed in about […]

Health inspectors tackle tobacco

Thursday 1 March 2012 | Published in National

Sixteen health inspectors from around the Cook Islands are meeting in Raratonga this week for a Tobacco Enforcement Training Workshop. Health promotion officer Maina Tairi Mataio organised the workshop with funding provided by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). The aim of the workshop is to provide the 16 health inspectors and eight Ministry […]

Tourism accreditation meeting at Muri

Thursday 1 March 2012 | Published in National

The tourism industry is facing a shake up with the Tourism Industry Council holding a meeting to ratify a new accreditation scheme at Muri Beach Club Hotel today. Destination development director Metua Vaiimene said the scheme will ensure that visitors will get the same level of hospitality no matter where they are in the Cook […]

Rock seawall 'safer' claims Henry

Thursday 1 March 2012 | Published in National

Ports Authority chairman Mike Henry says the Avatiu seawall will improve safety. “In that area we had rock and coral walls. What we will have there will be safer,” he said in a phone interview with CINews. He was responding to claims made by coastal engineer Don Dorrell in CINews on Tuesday that the seawall […]

Consider the landing fees Kia Orana Air will pay

Thursday 1 March 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

In response to yesterday’s front page article ‘International airport land tenders rejected’ a smoke signaller writes: “Joe Ngamata, CEO of the Airport Authority says ‘We are going to negotiate with the interested parties to plot the best way forward’. Let’s hope that the Authority’s ‘bidding war’ for a section of land between the Air New […]

Olympic qualifier duties for 2 soccer refs

Thursday 1 March 2012 | Published in Football

Football match officials Tupou Patia and Terry Piri have been selected to officiate at the men’s and the women’s Olympic football qualifying tournaments next month. The men’s Olympic football tournament qualifiers will take place in Taupo, New Zealand, and Piri will be one of the match officials from the Cook Islands chosen to officiate at […]

CISNOC wants to ban media

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in Local

Today’s Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee special meeting is sure to be a heated one with national federations ready to air their views on the widely publicised financial mismanagement at the national sports office. While the agenda for today’s meeting includes updates on the finances of CISNOC, budget submissions for 2012-2013, reviewing the […]

International airport land tenders rejected

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in Local

Both tenders received for a piece of land at the Rarotonga International Airport have been rejected. The Airport Authority last year advertised a section of land between the Air New Zealand hangar and the airport’s heat treatment plant, inviting companies to place bids. Domestic airline hopefuls Kia Orana Air put in a tender, as did […]

Repeat burglaries worry Inave family

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in Local

It is the same scene that has been playing out across the island over recent months – another home burgled and another family left feeling unsafe. In this case Jules and Katie Maher have taken the step of moving out of their home in Inave “for safety reasons and out of concern for our family,” […]

56 incidents reported in 4 days

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in Local

Burglaries and thefts are still plaguing the community with 56 incidents including common assault, motor vehicle accidents and reckless driving reported to police between February 24 and 27. A Tupapa resident next to the Apostolic Church reported $65 stolen from her home and the suspect is believed to be a male person from Ngatangiia. Tourists […]

Wall allows 'overtopping'

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Don Dorrell is correct in saying that the reports to government from both Australian and New Zealand have recommended that area of the port be left as a sloping beach to reduce wave reflections going back into the harbour. The armour rock slope construction in this area has been designed to reduce wave […]

Go loco registered owner blows steam

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write with outraged surprise and curiosity as the owner of the only steam locomotive within several hundred kilometres of this island, and the registered user of the username “goloco” at Telecom Cook Islands, to note – in what appears to be a blatant example of “passing off” on page 6 of yesterday’s […]

China pursues CI Governmentium

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The CSIRO has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science. It is called Governmentium (Gv). It has one neutron, 23 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 309. These 309 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast […]

Political 'sidetracking' attempt failed

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The Minister of Finance’s and the Prime Minister’s statements in CINews on February 23 really showed the financial incompetence, the lack of acceptance of the CISNOC history and politicians’ attempts to sidetrack the public and sports codes over the CISNOC affair. We had Minister Brown saying “to ensure the financial management is brought […]

Kata - February 29, 2012

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in Kata

H Factor singers at Te Kainga

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in National

Sweet melodies soothed the souls of regular visitors to the Te Kainga Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre in Panama yesterday when the top four H Factor contestants visited with guitars in hand. Top four H Factor talent quest contestants Peter Pokipoki, Joseph Pakitoa, Tia-Maree Takiika and Unarii Tafale entertained regular Te Kainga visitors with classic […]

4 left in H Factor grand final

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in National

The H Factor talent quest show carried on last Saturday despite a no-show by one of the contestants with some stunning performances seen and enjoyed by the crowd at Hidie’s Bar. Despite Emma-Jean not being able to take to the stage, the show went on but meant that only one contestant could be eliminated on […]

Rotary gifts dictionaries

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in National

Rotary Cook Islands is to gift 250 pictorial dictionaries to Cook Islands students. The dictionaries were developed by Rotary in New Zealand and Australia specifically for schools across the Pacific. The project for the Cook Islands was funded by Rotary Bay of Islands in New Zealand, and also Rotary Cook Islands. First to receive the […]

Crown prints of Raro

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in National

The chefs fraternity of Rarotonga have had a new printer served up to them on a platter after giving their old machine the chop last year. For the Cook Islands Chefs Association, part of the World Association of Chefs Societies, printing easily makes up one of its biggest expenses. And printer trouble last year was […]

Life jackets a lifeline for Penrhyn islanders

Wednesday 29 February 2012 | Published in National

The Cook Islands Red Cross has provided Penrhyn islanders with life jackets. Penrhyn chapter president Alex Maretapu said the provision of life jackets was deemed by Red Cross to be an essential safety measure for the islanders who are often using boats to fish or travel between the two settlements of Penrhyn – Omoka and […]