Articles by Utopia Support

Rutaki prefects told to lead like captains of a vaka

Saturday 18 February 2012 | Published in National

Rutaki School welcomed in its new prefects and peace ambassadors yesterday, telling them to look to the vaka captains for inspiration on how they can be good leaders for the community. Tuiate Tuariki was named the school’s head prefect, with five other prefects or kauano puapii and two peace ambassadors or mata o te au […]

14 prefects inducted at St Joseph's

Saturday 18 February 2012 | Published in National

The St Joseph’s Cathedral in Avarua was bursting with pride when 14 students from St Joseph’s School were inducted as prefects. The special mass at the cathedral also included the naming of the schools two peace ambassadors. Families, friends and wider Catholic community gathered at the cathedral to witness the induction of the prefects and […]

Muso couple shoot for Fresh TV

Saturday 18 February 2012 | Published in National

Hip-hop icon Bill ‘King Kapisi’ Urale and partner, rapper Teremoana Rapley, made a quick visit to Rarotonga last week to shoot footage for Fresh TV and for a soon-to-be-released music video. Rapley is a Cook Islander and she and Urale are regular visitors to the Cook Islands. This time around, the duo was on Rarotonga […]

Footpath and ducts part of road works

Saturday 18 February 2012 | Published in National

Preparatory work for the upgrade of the road from Pokoinu to the Aquarius Hotel in Nikao is progressing steadily under the eyes of Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP). Part of the upgrade is to construct a footpath on the seaward side of the road and power poles on that side are being moved two […]

Mangaia people air views on education

Saturday 18 February 2012 | Published in National

Members of the Cook Islands ministry of education including Minister Teina Bishop travelled to Mangaia this week to examine the issues that contributed to Mangaia School’s poor NCEA results recorded last year. The trip took in all Mangaia’s schools, meetings with island councillors, school associations and school communities before culminating in one of the largest […]

Education master plan under review

Saturday 18 February 2012 | Published in National

Two independent consultants are evaluating the Cook Islands Ministry of Education to ensure it is on track to achieving the goals outlined in its master plan. The Education Master Plan was written in 2008, and is a projection of the ministry’s outputs from then until 2023. Kiwi Christine Scott and local Tina Newport have been […]

Govt 'not rushing out of deal'

Saturday 18 February 2012 | Published in National

Tourists visiting the Cook Islands from the Northern Hemisphere have a positive impact on the economy and maintaining the Los Angeles connection is important for the tourism industry, according to Minister of Tourism Teina Bishop. The government yesterday announced that it would be pushed into deficit for the current financial year thanks to a higher-than-expected […]

If suicide is the answer, what is the question?

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Church Talk

The word “suicide” comes from the Latin roots, Sui (“of oneself”) and Cidium (“killing” or “slaying”). A number of ‘suicidologists’ have criticised news coverage of suicides, citing that reading about suicide victims in the news often triggers copycat or “contagion” suicides. So do we go into denial hoping the problem goes away, or should we […]

Get out of the junk business!

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Church Talk

In the greatest sermon that was ever preached, the greatest man who ever lived gave what was probably the wisest counsel that has ever been given when he said that we should lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven. And that is probably our most profitable idea. However, the thing that we spend more time […]

Problem 'swept under carpet'

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Environment

Contractors who mined a property in Betela of its sand which was later filled with illegally dumped rubbish have been instructed to remove the waste and properly secure the edges of the pit. The National Environment Service (NES) has instructed G&S Contractors, the company that mined the Betela property, to cease operations on the site, […]

Parliament expected to sit for two weeks

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Local

One paper and one bill will be tabled in Parliament from Monday. Parliament clerk Nga Valoa says the session is likely to last about two weeks, and starts at 1pm on February 20. Just two items occupy the agenda and order paper. The supplementary budget will be the focus of the sitting, as Parliament considers […]

McCully reaffirms support to Cooks

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Local

Renewables, sanitation, depopulation and the Pacific Islands Forum were all open for discussion yesterday when New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully met with Prime Minister Henry Puna and other ministers of the Cook Islands government. McCully is currently in the Cook Islands on his first visit since the National Party was re-elected into government in […]

NZ pension portability off the table

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Local

Pensioners who have waited 19 years for a New Zealand government decision on superannuation portability will now have to wait even longer, with Foreign Minister Murray McCully yesterday saying the proposal would be off the table indefinitely. McCully, who is currently in the Cook Islands on government business, told Cook Islands News that the superannuation […]

Internet issues 'authentic'

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am writing out of concern that the article in your Wednesday edition titled ‘Internet speed issues perceived’ may cause additional problems for the people of the Cook Islands. It would appear that Telecom Cook Islands (TCI) are attempting to blame (correct) perceptions of poor DSL service on the user and their systems. […]

Pole dancing, what's next?

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Mr Editor, Just watching pole dancing being advertised on TV and to be introduced into our country and on a public stage for the first time as far as I know causes me concern and reason to comment. A half naked woman doing acrobatic moves up and down the pole and in between her […]

Pointed questions on CISNOC accounts

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The following letter poses a number of questions for the CISNOC treasurer, Dan O’Brien, to answer. It is acknowledged that the current financial crisis at CISNOC happened before his appointment and thus, he has no culpability for the current mess. That said, the sports codes and indeed the long suffering taxpayer (who are […]

Kata - February 17, 2012

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in Kata

There is no health without mental health

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in National

The definition of health according to the World Health Organisation Constitution of 1946 is: “Health is a complete state of physical, mental and social well being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. We believe that spiritual well-being has since been added to this definition. So ‘total health’ is a combination of physical, mental, […]

Mental health versus mental illness

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in National

For Mereana Taikoko and Richard McQuillen, the director and a long time volunteer with Te Kainga Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre, there is a high amount of misperception surrounding mental health and who it affects in the Cook Islands. They say there is a need to lift the fog that surrounds the topic and warn […]

Adventures in Mexico

Friday 17 February 2012 | Published in National

Marumaru Atua crew member Alex Olah has dispatched another blog update from Cabo San Lucas. Here is the amended version: It has been a busy few days here in Cabo San Lucas. We have been out and about exploring the town and seeing the sights, as well as making preparations and adjustments to our vaka […]