Articles by Utopia Support

PM heartbroken

Wednesday 1 February 2012 | Published in National

The deaths of two Rarotonga teenagers in the past fortnight has left Prime Minister Henry Puna heartbroken and looking for ways to combat suicide in the community. Puna said the government was committed to helping youth and making the Cook Islands a healthy, fulfilling and encouraging country for young people to live. He said the […]

Suicide an urgent concern: CINYC

Wednesday 1 February 2012 | Published in National

The youth of the Cook Islands consider suicide an urgent concern, and are taking steps to address it in whatever way they can. Cook Islands National Youth Council (CINYC) president Nukutau Pokura says council members started discussing suicide as a priority before Christmas, but in light of recent tragedies have shifted it to the top […]

Chook poop sham

Wednesday 1 February 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

What an absolute sham this survey of the Muri chook poop smell problem has become, a smoke signaller writes. The whole thing is corrupt and ridiculous. The idea of the survey was to test and investigate public complaints about the chicken farm and in particular the smell coming from the farm property. Obviously this survey […]

Illegal dumping the problem

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in Environment

The rubbish collecting at a Betela sand mine underlines a persistent problem plaguing contractors at Rarotonga, says Robert Wichman of G&S Contractors. Wichman said that since the company excavated sand from a Betela property in Arorangi about five months ago, members of the public have been illegally dumping their rubbish at the site. Wichman said […]

Police arrest 2 youths for home raid

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in Local

Cook Islands Police Commissioner Maara Tetava is stressing to Cook Islands youth that crime is not and will never be the answer to earning a living. His comments come after police arrested two young men on Friday and jointly charged them for the burglary last week on the home of Ronnie and Loretta Siulepa in […]

Positive tone for todays talks

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands government yesterday concluded a series of bilateral discussions with its development partners stating the talks had set a very positive tone for todays roundtable meeting. Development partners, including representatives of New Zealand, Australia, the European Union, the Asian Development Bank and China, met separately with Cook Islands government officials throughout the day […]

Slow start

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in Local

Apii Nikao Maori principal Terangi Elika is expecting classrooms at her Nikao school to fill up over the next week after a low turnout on the first day of school yesterday. While numbers were low on day one Elika was thrilled with the 30 pre-school students who were all smiles on their first day of […]

Suicide must NEVER be an option

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Our names are Lara and Elin and we have been best friends since starting school at Tereora College many years ago. We and many of our other friends are saddened at hearing of the passing of so many young people due to suicide. Although we are two people raised in different religious backgrounds, […]

Kata - January 31, 2012

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in Kata

Second Christmas!

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in National

Some CITC shoppers were lucky enough to enjoy a second Christmas last week. The term was coined by shopper Tepori Rongokea, who likened receiving a $1000 prize pack from the CITC Avarua Christmas Campaign to celebrating a second Christmas. We felt it was important to have all the winners receive their prizes personally before the […]

Church service for start of Avarua school year

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in National

The Avarua School community welcomed in the new school year with a packed-out church service on Monday. Young students filled the Avarua Cook Islands Christian Church, sitting alongside their teachers and parents from the school community.

Swing set donated to Blackrock

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in National

Sharing is caring that was the message for students of Blackrock Apii Potiki on their first day back at school on Monday. Students arrived back at school to find a new swing and climbing set donated to the school by Donal and Rachel Campbell of Pacific Cars. The couple rigged up the new plastic swing […]

Graduates and scholars named

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in National

Cook Islands Hospitality Tourism Training Centre (HTTC) graduates Mii Mataio, Witamahame Metuakore certificate in food and beverage level 3, diploma in food and beverage level 4 Xenia Tamara Art Kae, Marthalayne Tuaputa, Deana Paiti – certificate in food and beverage level 1, diploma in food and beverage level 2 Janine Sally Nookura, Rhys Munro-Manu, Gemma […]

Bilateral discussions explained

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in National

Members of the Cook Islands government and representatives from its most important development partners will gather at a roundtable meeting today. The meeting will build on bilateral discussions held one on one yesterday between the government and these organisations. The Office of the Prime Minister today offers a break-down of all the terms and jargon […]

EU funding signed over

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in National

The European Union and the Cook Islands government signed a deal yesterday that has guaranteed the EUs 600,000 euro (NZ$920,000) commitment to the Pukapuka Cyclone Management Centre project. Until now, contractors have been working with a guarantee from the Cook Islands government that underpinned funding for the project, which is 85 percent funded by the […]

What is development assistance?

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in National

The Cook Islands is today hosting a major roundtable meeting with its developmental partners today to discuss the future of the countrys development and reflect on projects completed in recent years. Officials from the government gather with representatives from foreign governments, donor programmes and multi-national organisations, to attempt to bring more development assistance to the […]

Pacific Forum scopes Aitutaki for retreat

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in National

Two high-ranking representatives of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat travelled to Aitutaki yesterday to scope its potential for hosting a leaders retreat during the Pacific Islands Forum in August. Forum secretariat staff, political governance and security programme director Desna Solofa and conference and protocol officer Mele Utoikamanu, accompanied Carl Hunter of the Ministry of Foreign […]

18 more names

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in National

Last week, Cook Islands News published a list of people awarded with permanent residency status that was incomplete. Eighteen people of the 74 that received their certificates of permanent residency at a ceremony at the National Auditorium on Thursday were not included on the list. The error occurred during the production stage of compiling Saturdays […]

Villages new fishing boat blessed

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in National

The Tutakimoa Fishing Association (TFA) blessed its new fishing boat on Saturday naming it Vaine Tutakimoa. And the new owners wasted no time testing out the vessel during a fishing trip that evening. The boat is the culmination of a collaborative effort between the Community Initiative Scheme (New Zealand Aid Programme) and the newly established […]

Trochus harvest yields $83,000

Tuesday 31 January 2012 | Published in National

Teuru Tiraa-Passfield, Richard Story and Kelvin Passfield have compiled a report on the December 2011 harvest of Trochus (Tectus) niloticus in Aitutaki. This is their five-page summary, which includes background and recommendations for future harvests. Aitutaki is one of the better known of the islands that make up the Cook Islands. It is an almost […]