Articles by Utopia Support

'Spend money to make money'

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

In defence of the $2.5 million budget deficit, cabinet minister Teina Bishop says the country has to spend money to make money. “I stand to support the supplementary budget before the house,” he said in parliament yesterday. “Despite the fact that it is a deficit budget to me from an economic point of view, it […]

More global action against financial crimes

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global standard-setter in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing, has revised its recommendations booklet after more than two years of efforts by member countries. The FATF is an intergovernmental organisation with 36 members and the participation of over 180 countries through a global network of FATF-style […]

SPC celebrates 65th birthday

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

The Secretariat of the Pacific (SPC) community recently celebrated its 65th birthday. “The SPC mission is to help the Pacific Island people respond effectively to the challenges they face, and make informed decisions about their future and the future they wish to leave for the generations to follow,” SPC director general Dr Jimmie Rodgers said. […]

Leader confirms 'it will be torrid'

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

Tongareva member of parliament Wilkie Rasmussen says that as the leader of the opposition he will “stand up and fight for what matters”. “I believe the opposition team is going to be up to the game, they going to stand up and fight”, he said, noting that the opposition will focus on “matters that need […]

Air NZ subsidy not fair: George

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

Opposition MP Norman George questioned the fairness of the government’s $4.5 million Air New Zealand subsidy as the Budget began its second reading in parliament yesterday. “Are we sharing the profits of this route to North America? I don’t understand that we share in the costs of this but not the income.” This follows statements […]

Govt accused of 'free spending'

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

Opposition Leader Wilkie Rasmussen denounced the Appropriation Amendment Bill – or the supplementary budget – in Parliament yesterday. He accused the government of being a ‘free-spending government’ and alleged that the deficit could have been avoided. “If this governmentdoesn’t change direction and doesn’t wisen up and utilise assistance from overseas or donor countries and divert […]

Island Feast comes to the Cooks!

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

The flavours and curiosities of Cook Islands cuisine will be introduced to an estimated 50 million people in 100 countries though Australian celebrity chef Peter Kuruvita. The chef and a five-man film team have just returned to Australia from the Cook Islands as the final destination for Kuruvita’s upcoming television series Island Feast with Peter […]

Govt 'not running to big daddy'

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

Finance minister Mark Brown says his government will ‘deal with’ the budget blowout rather than running to the New Zealand government for help. He was responding to a question from Teenui-Mapumai member of parliament Norman George – the first parliamentary question of the year. “Minister,” George said, “in view of the additional $4 million that […]

CISNOC 'decrepit, failed, corrupt'

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

Two members of parliament yesterday challenged the supplementary budget’s $30,000 allocation to CISNOC to cover its operating costs. Teenui-Mapumai member of parliament Norman George called CISNOC a ‘decrepit, failed, corrupt organisation’. “Because of their record of mismanagement I have great difficulty supporting any allocation of funds for them and my message to the minister of […]

Costs of flights 'part of the territory'

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

It would be a terrible shame for the Cook Islands to lose its direct links with the United States and Australia and the government should make sure those links are secure in order to best assist growth in the local tourism industry, according to Pacific Resort chief executive officer Greg Stanaway. Stanaway said removing the […]

Suicide forum planners meet today

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

A government committee will today meet to settle on how it can best spend $30,000 in funding it secured to host a youth conference on suicide. The money is predominantly going towards bringing in youth from the pa enua to Rarotonga to join the March 12 forum. The exact details of who will come and […]

Media explores suicide reporting

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in National

The Cook Islands Media Association has begun exploring the ways in which journalists can portray suicide appropriately in news reports. The association met yesterday to discuss a range of issues, although the media’s coverage of suicide dominated its agenda. The meeting brought together freelance journalists, government communication advisors and staff from Cook Islands News, 88FM […]

Tough times, not markets, closing stores

Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Night markets are not responsible for the closures of ma and pa stores,” a smoke signaller writes in response to yesterday’s smokie ‘Markets closing shops?’ “They are indicative of the current tough economic climate experienced by a lot of businesses on the island. The night markets are occurring as a response to customer market demand […]

Airline subsidy blamed for blowout

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Local

The appropriation amendment bill reveals that the country will face a $2.5 million deficit by the end of June – not a $0.03 million surplus as projected last July, when the original Budget was passed. The original Budget appropriated a total of $172,097,116, but the supplementary budget appropriates $178,337,447 for the current financial year (2011-2012) […]

Rasmussen takes over as opposition leader

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Local

Former finance minister Wilkie Rasmussen has been unanimously elected as the leader of the opposition. His promotion was announced yesterday on the 2012 opening day of parliament by Prime Minister Henry Puna. “I am very honoured that the party took a unanimous decision. We will be moving forward and be more proactive,” Rasmussen told Cook […]

Farm stench makes House

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Local

“Take a face mask,” suggested Opposition Leader Wilkie Rasmussen as Health Minister Nandi Glassie tried in parliament yesterday to explain the government’s inactivity over Scott’s Farm. Teenui-Mapumai MP Norman George suggested that a bottle of whisky might also help. The banter followed a proposal from Mitiaro MP Tangata Vavia that the minister should camp three […]

Joint effort to remove whale carcass from lagoon

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Local

The grandchildren of Mike and Kuraono Henry get up close to the sperm whale carcass in Aitutaki’s lagoon. A marine team will today attempt to move the carcass from the lagoon, four days after it washed over the reef and became stuck on some coral.

Bring in competitor airlines

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read in your front page story of Saturday 18 February 2012 that the subsidy paid to Air New Zealand from the Cook Islands taxpayers has risen to $12.5million, to cover losses on the Los Angeles and Sydney flights. I wonder if anyone has looked at the amount of profit Air NZ make […]

Kata - February 21, 2012

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Kata

D-league is a knockout!

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in League

Former All Blacks hooker Hika Reid is one of a handful of international stars supporting the local Turtles Domestic League III cricket tournament. He is pictured here sporting one of the D-league supporter’s dry-fit shirts which are available at the Cook Islands Cricket office in Taputapuatea. This picture of Reid, who was an All Blacks […]