Articles by Utopia Support

One suicide is one too many

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have been a volunteer at Te Kainga Mental Health and Wellbeing Clinic for the past eight years, since its inception in 2004. Over this period I have supported Mereana Taikoko, the founder and chairperson of the clinic, in presentations to three successive ministers of health to try to obtain formal funding for […]

Kata - February 4, 2012

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in Kata

New league season starts today

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in League

The Titikaveka Bulldogs and Takuvaine Warriors under 16 and reserve grade kicked off the 2012 rugby league season yesterday in Titikaveka and today is the first full day of games of the new season. All six clubs on Rarotonga and the Aitutaki Sharks are revved up and ready to hit the field with the Sharks […]

Beach bonding for Avarua kids

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in National

The tamariki of Avarua School gathered at Muri beach on Friday along with their parents and teachers as part of a community-wide bonding session. The beach fun day was aimed at helping the school and community of Avarua get back in touch with each other after the summer holidays. The fun day included plenty of […]

Bonny high and dry after ordeal at sea

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in National

The yacht Bonny was one of a few small boats lifted out of the Avatiu harbour yesterday as heavy tides and high swells assailed Rarotonga’s north coast on Thursday afternoon. The 36-foot sloop has been under police control for a month since the man skippering it went missing in Cook Islands waters in early January. […]

2 new stamp series for 2012

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in National

Already this year the Philatelic Bureau of the Cook Islands has issued two new sets of stamps. The Cook Islands’ stamp bureau was sold in August 2010, and is now owned and operated by New York-based postage stamp agency Philatelic Collector Inc (PCI). PCI was registered with the Companies Office in March last year, procured […]

Another dimension to the aid industry

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in National

The recent round of discussions between the government of the Cook Islands and its development partners prompted me to write this piece as an attempt to show an observable fact in the business of providing and receiving aid. I believe it is a timely reminder to Cook Islanders or readers of the Cook Islands News […]

From developing to developed

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in National

If you thought there was a lot of talk about development going on this week you’d be right – but that’s what this week was all about. The Cook Islands’ major development partners were in country to discuss, debate and deliberate on all things development in the country. But New Zealand High Commissioner John Carter […]

Nukutere College appoints new leaders

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in National

Helena Strickland and Ford Henry have been named the heads of Nukutere College for 2012, officially taking on their leadership roles at an assembly yesterday. The pair is leading a group of 12 prefects for the year as head boy and head girl. Like Henry and Strickland, their deputies Edmund Tupuna and Silveria Wulf were […]

Survey results: no connection

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in National

The Ministry of Health has finished analysing the results of a survey it conducted in the Muri area last month to determine whether residents felt there was a connection between their proximity to Scott’s poultry farm and any health issues they might have experienced. Community health services director Dr Rangi Fariu is currently in Mangaia […]

Pearl authority takes in a gem

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in National

Ever wondered what $1.5 million looks like? It’s actually not as dramatic as you might think. The Cook Islands Pearl Authority happened to take receipt of just that amount this week, the funds from a New Zealand Aid Programme contribution coming through for the agency. And, no, the delivery wasn’t made in one dollar coins […]

Parliament to address odour

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in National

Ngatangiia member of parliament and associate environment minister Atatoa Herman says public complaints around the odour coming from Scott’s Farm are a matter of ‘urgency’ for him. “For me there is urgency to address this issue – the laws need to be amended as soon as possible,” he said yesterday. He says he has met […]

Banking on a good thing

Saturday 4 February 2012 | Published in National

Community murmurings during the festive season reflect a tightening in spending. Evening stories with friends and family gloss over the cuts in family and personal budgets. Some mention the banks revising repayment amounts. The history of banking in the Cook Islands dates back to 1969 when the National Bank of New Zealand opened a branch […]

Let's do more than just talk Rave kare ka tuatua ua

Friday 3 February 2012 | Published in Church Talk

“But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves Ei aronga rave oki kotou i te tuatua nei, auraka ei aronga akarongo ua, i te pikikaa ua anga ia kotou uaorai”–James/Iakobo 1:22 We are barely over our concern with crimes, road death tolls and domestic violence and now suicide […]

Pastor says it's a spiritual war

Friday 3 February 2012 | Published in Church Talk

Pastor Ngarima George applauds Cook Islands National Youth Council president Nukutau Pokura’s intention to form a suicide task force, but believes it is vital that the panel include people who know the word of God. The reason for that, he says, is we are “not fighting a physical war against suicide – it’s a spiritual […]

Yacht owner talks

Friday 3 February 2012 | Published in Local

The owner of the yacht Bonny says he reacted in disbelief when he found out about the fate of his boat, which had gone missing from New Zealand with an accused sex offender late last year. Six weeks later, it turned up in the Cook Islands unannounced with its skipper, who is wanted on 26 […]

MMR looking for Pago Pago office

Friday 3 February 2012 | Published in Local

The Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) is currently searching for office space in American Samoa with plans to establish a long-term presence there. A team of workers from the ministry has been in the US territory’s capital Pago Pago since last week. They were due to return to the Cook Islands yesterday. There they have […]

Summer photo competition - 2

Friday 3 February 2012 | Published in Features

This is the second to last selection of photo entries from our first Memories of Summer photo competition sponsored by CIPS Image & Copy Centre. Next Saturday we’ll announce the overall winner and publish the ‘best of the best’. Thanks to all who have taken the time and interest to enter. Summer photo competition – […]

Good luck to our 7s boys

Friday 3 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the SS (Smoke Signal) in yesterday’s paper. A comprehensive process took place to select our National 7s team who are currently participating in Wellington. This included the National 7s coach Ramsey Tomokino being present at the Sevens In Heaven tournament 3-5 November last year to […]

What we need right now are open minds

Friday 3 February 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am dismayed and saddened, as we all are no doubt, by the rash of recent suicides in the Cook Islands, and I applaud all efforts to find a solution to this catastrophe. Our prayers and thoughts are with those involved. However, and in fear of contradicting myself, I note with some trepidation […]