Articles by Utopia Support

House gutted in Turangi fire

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in National

A vacant house in Turangi was completely burnt out before four fire trucks from the Rescue Fire Service and Puaikura Volunteer Fire Brigade arrived on the scene 10 minutes after the fire was reported. Deputy fire chief Willie Hagai says that a witness to the fire in the area contacted the fire service at 8.56 […]

Roadhouse burgled

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in National

A cash register filled with money has been stolen from an Arorangi nightspot during a weekend burglary that netted the thieves about $3000 in goods. Burglars also stole a laptop and some alcohol from the Roadhouse in Arorangi after smashing through a rear door of the building. The burglary occurred overnight on Friday and Cook […]

Budget blowout detailed

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in National

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) – reflecting a variance of $6.2 million. The bill suggests an overall increase of $5.1 million in payments on behalf of the crown (POBOC), bringing the total amount appropriated for POBOC this financial year to […]

Govt to review tourism strategy

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in National

During the first parliamentary sitting of the year yesterday, finance minister Mark Brown tabled the Appropriation Amendment, or the supplementary budget that amends figures set out in the principal budget passed in July of last year. He opened the session with a speech explaining the most significant variations to the original budget that the bill […]

Self-help training for Mangaia youth

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in National

Mangaia’s unemployed youth and upcoming school leavers are being told to look to their surroundings and be creative to help put some cash in their wallets. The island’s tourism and community development division, under Tangimama Vavia, held a workshop this month for Mangaia’s youth. Students currently completing seventh form at Mangaia College were invited to […]

Govt grants $30,000 for suicide summit

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in National

A youth summit to tackle suicide in the Cook Islands, scheduled to be held in March, received the government’s backing at parliament yesterday – about $30,000 worth. In presenting the supplementary budget to parliament yesterday, Prime Minister Henry Puna announced the government would contribute $30,000 to a host a youth conference planned for March 12. […]

McCully inspects Forum Leaders venues

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in National

A New Zealand government delegation that included Foreign Minister Murray McCully has returned home impressed with the Cook Islands’ progress in preparing for the Pacific Islands Forum, according to High Commissioner John Carter. Carter said the two-day stopover was useful for the New Zealand government, which used the opportunity to examine New Zealand Aid Programme […]

Tribute to Dame Margaret

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in National

Takuvaine Member of Parliament Mark Brown paid tribute to Pauline Margaret Rakera Taripo – Dame Makea Karika Margaret Ariki – in Parliament yesterday. He noted that she was this year made a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) – the second highest rank in the Most Excellent Order of […]

What's the Air New Zealand deal?

Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

Saturday’s somewhat depressing news headline ‘Airline subsidy rises to $12.5m’ prompted one smoke signaller to ask government to reveal what exactly is in the contract deal with Air New Zealand. “And is there a ceiling or limit to the actual monetary level of exposure?” Another signaller writes: “After reading your airline subsidy story on Saturday, […]

Rubbish issues tackled on Mauke

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Environment

Mauke’s Environment Officer Basilio Kaokao is pleased to finally see a dream coming true as Mayor George Samuela and Island Secretary Teariki Rongo support his efforts to take Mauke’s waste management to new levels. The clearly marked mesh bins designated for aluminium, glass, plastic, and general waste are being distributed around the villages, thus making […]

Marine park target is August

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Environment

To accommodate the prime minister’s desire to formally launch the marine park in August, the steering committee in charge of determining its scope and size is working double-time. The committee originally agreed to meet on a ‘need-to’ basis, but chair Liz Koteka says that’s turning out to be ‘quite often’. Comprising the steering committee are […]

Turtle team heads to Palmerston

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Environment

An eight-person team from Rarotonga is headed to Palmerston in April to research the island’s sea turtle population. The Cook Islands Turtle Project (CITP) – a subsidiary of Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative (PICI) – recently received a grant from the Rufford Small Grounds Foundation to conduct sea turtle research on Palmerston. The funding has been […]

Produce export problems 'not new'

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Local

Payment issues confronting the Aitutaki Growers Association are all too common and represent an ongoing problem for producers across the Cook Islands, Minister for Agriculture Nandi Glassie says. When growers go outside official channels of trade, there is very little government can do to help protect their interests and enforce guarantees, Glassie said. But he […]

Heroes idea 'fantastic'

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Local

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully has thanked the people of the Cook Islands along with the government for hosting victims of the Christchurch earthquake as part of the Christchurch heroes initiative. McCully yesterday thanked Prime Minister Henry Puna for the government’s contribution to the scheme and asked that he pass on the gratitude to […]

Tuna label design comp

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Local

Design a label for the soon to be launched Cook Islands Golden Tuna and win cash. Schools across the Cook Islands are invited to take part in the competition and enter a design for the label before February 29. All designs must include the brand name ‘Cook Islands Golden Tuna’ plus 15 golden stars representing […]

Just bee happy

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Local

Dressed in a cute bumble bee outfit, baby Lebron Anthony tumbled and rolled around in the grass at the Avatiu Swamp while his family watched the action between the Avatiu Eels and Ngatangiia-Sea Eagles unfold. When there wasn’t any action on the field out would come bumble bee Lebron to entertain the crowd encouraged by […]

Traditional titles are 'family formations'

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was at an Ariki title family meeting last night here in Auckland. A woman, who spoke, quoted extracts from a letter by Mr Joseph Ka, which she said was published in your newspaper. Everything she said aroused my interest to know more and learn what Mr Ka wrote. I vividly recalled my […]

Kata - February 20, 2012

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Kata

Mauke farewells Teau Marae Tapu Ariki

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in National

On Friday afternoon Mauke lost Teau Marae Tapu Ariki, one of three Ariki o Akatokamanava. Born 19th September 1943, Marae Turaki, of Ngaputoru descent, spent his formative years in Mauke, continuing schooling in Rarotonga before training as an electrician in New Zealand. His years with Te Aponga Uira saw him working in Rarotonga and Aitutaki […]

Sharing the romance at Te Papa

Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in National

The romance of the Cook Islands is being exported to New Zealand’s national museum and art gallery over a series of events held until April. The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa will undergo a partial transformation over the coming months, when it adopts the ambience and experience of romance in the Cook Islands. […]