Articles by Utopia Support

Kata - February 13, 2012

Monday 13 February 2012 | Published in Kata

Church van burns out

Monday 13 February 2012 | Published in National

Congregation members of the Cornerstone Church will have to find an alternate mode of transport to church next Sunday after the congregations van caught fire yesterday afternoon. Fire Service chief Nga Jessie said at 3.10pm yesterday the fire service received a callout to the van fire on the border of Tupapa and Matavera. Jessie says […]

Funds granted for Aitutaki church repairs

Monday 13 February 2012 | Published in National

Reconstruction work on the Arutanga CICC Ekalesia’s Are Pure Atua can now start in earnest, having received a final cash injection for the project. The Aitutaki Island Council last week officially announced it would supply a $50,000 loan and $10,000 grant to purchase new roofing iron for the building. The loan, supplied under the Council […]

Shared services rejected

Monday 13 February 2012 | Published in National

Cabinet has rejected a ‘shared services’ proposal outlined in the functional review report compiled by Asian Development Bank (ADB) consultants. The function of the proposed Shared Services Corporation would be to “negotiate, source and offer professional, cost-effective and efficient administrative services to all of government”. The Shared Services Corporation would control finances and accounting; information, […]

More autonomy in island councils

Monday 13 February 2012 | Published in National

The functional review report prepared by Asian Development Bank (ADB) consultants recommends that government give more autonomy to outer island councils. Cabinet has approved this suggestion. In response to past criticism of outer island administrations – that the visions of the island council were not being reflected in business plans and budgets – the report […]

Reform includes planning with foresight

Monday 13 February 2012 | Published in National

The report prepared last year by Asian Development Bank (ADB) consultants recommends government plan with more foresight. Ministries are moving away from budgeting for the year and are using templates that force them to plan for three years. The Office of the Public Service Commissioner and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management have been […]

Cabinet endorses ministry mergers

Monday 13 February 2012 | Published in National

Cabinet has committed to re-structuring government ministries, but has elected to take a phased approach to mergers. This year government will focus on merging the Ministry of Education with the Department of National Human Resource Development, and the Financial Intelligence Unit with the Financial Supervisory Commission. If successful, it will look to achieve further mergers […]

Ruaau praised for recycling

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Environment

The small Ruaau Tapere in Puaikura was praised at the launch of the Taau Taku Tita campaign on Friday for the district’s proactive approach to minimising waste. The Ruaau community, with financial assistance from the Global Environment Fund and the National Environment Service, has purchased a number of recycle bins for residents in the village. […]

Govt backs Taau Taku Tita

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Environment

Creating a cleaner and greener Cook Islands and putting the onus on the community at large to take responsibility for their rubbish was the main focus at the launch of the Taau Taku Tita campaign at the Rarotonga Waste Facility in Arorangi yesterday. The Taau Taku Tita campaign – loosely translated as ‘our rubbish’ – […]

Showers in the air

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Local

No storm warnings are in place for this weekend, but the Cook Islands Meteorological Service predicts showery weather. Tropical Cyclone Cyril has come and gone, and Tropical Cyclone Jasmine is now located within Wellington’s area of responsibility. The Cook Islands Meteorological Service will continue to keep a watch on Tropical Cyclone Jasmine’s movement and is […]

Court concerned by domestic violence

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Local

Seven men appeared in the high court on Thursday to face charges of assaulting a female. Five defendants entered guilty pleas, and the other two cases were adjourned without plea. Justice of the peace Carmen Temata pointed to the prevalence of the issue in the Cook Islands. She was clear that an apology is not […]

Streamlining, not downsizing

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Local

The government is making a medium-term plan to implement some of the recommendations outlined in a public finance management and public sector performance review report compiled by Asian Development Bank (ADB) consultants and a local steering committee. The former Democratic Party government identified the need for a public finance management and public sector performance review, […]

First 2 H Factor eliminations

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Features

All 10 contestants fighting it out in the H Factor singing contest will again take to the stage tonight in the second round of the competition. By the end of the night, however, two will be heading home based on their performances last Saturday. The bottom three singers as voted by the judges, live viewing […]

Knickers in a Twist in Mararerenga

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Features

Elizabeth Jamison likes to get dolled up. The Wellingtonian performed for years as a Burlesque dancer, and grew accustomed to expressing her femininity and taking pride in being a woman. Six months ago she moved to Rarotonga, and with great disappointment noted the absence of any lingerie shop for women who just “wanted to be […]

Educational text books gifted

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Features

The gift of more 230 science and horticulture text books to Tereora College is set to improve the quality of learning for students at the national college. The donation of new and old science and horticulture text books will go a long way in educating Cook Islands students on the importance of looking after their […]

'Chocolate Boy' wins the day

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Features

‘Chocolate Boy’ has won the first ever Cook Islands News summer photo competition. The smiley chocolate covered face of four-year-old Roimata Laudola enjoying two ice-creams and sporting the biggest and cheesiest grin melted the hearts of the summer photo competition judges. They unanimously picked the photo as the winner of the popular competition. The photo […]

Netball meeting criticism is 'hogwash'

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, A thoughtless and gutless someone, who seemingly may have the capacity to momentarily transform from a ‘she’ to a ‘he’, depending on CINews’s ethical standards to accept misleading persuasions, used the Smoke-Signals column to assassinate a simple, peaceful, netball-meeting at Parliament (edition of February 9). What’s the big deal in pushing this into […]

Bashed by own

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Our hearts go out to the Aitutakians, players, coaches, supporters, sponors, etc. What is the CIRL doing? Do they contribute anything? Haven’t they learnt from previous experiences. The NZRL pulling out of the test game that never happened last year and then jumping up and down about it, they then turn around and […]

Give Sharks a go

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I’m writing about the article that came in the paper yesterday with regards to the Cook Islands League Association deciding to ‘exclude’ the Aitutaki Sharks out of the competition this year due to high expenses. To think of it, Aitutaki is doing the most spending to come over to Rarotonga and play the […]

Kata - February 11, 2012

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Kata