Articles by Utopia Support

How to correct someone, part two

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in Church Talk

(Part 1 What to do when someone you love is making poor choices) If your heart is in the right place, how can God use you in this kind of situation? I want us to look at 2 Samuel 12 for some practical steps you can take. Step 1: Get very clear about the issue. […]

Nauru follows Cooks in accessing PEC fund

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in Environment

Nauru has joined the Cook Islands in investing in solar power generation with its share of US$66 million promised to island nations from the Pacific Environment Community (PEC) Fund. Each Pacific nation linked to the PEC has been allocated $4 million through the fund, which is being backed by the Japanese government and the Pacific […]

Variety key for deep sea mining operations: NIWA

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in Environment

The stated principle of the National Seabed Minerals Policy of the Cook Islands: To ensure that the conservation, protection and management of the marine and coastal environment of the Cook Islands is not compromised by seabed mineral activity and is guaranteed by the formulation, enactment and application of environmental laws and regulations reflective of the […]

Stay hydrated

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in Local

Rarotonga has been experiencing a hot spell this week, but Cook Islands Meteorological Services director Arona Ngari says temperatures are normal for the summer period. Temperatures this week have been averaging about 29 or 30 degrees. Its up there, but I think whats getting people thinking its over 30 is the humidity, which has been […]

Consumer price index statistics out

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in Local

The latest Cook Islands Consumer Price Index (CPI) statistics have been released publicly, posted on the internet through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) and its statistics division. CPI relates to the cost of living and inflation. It is an indicator or measure of price change. The latest CPI figures released are for […]

This is a case of a missing person

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in Local

Cook Islands police are working in contact with New Zealand Police and Interpol as they continue their investigations into the case of missing skipper and wanted man. Inspector John Strickland yesterday said police had made contact with his next of kin and were waiting for them to make their way to the Cook Islands. Strickland […]

The advantages of deep-litter production

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Scotts chicken farm is in a residential district of the tropical region of our central South Pacific capital island which is now increasingly sub-divided into encroaching neighbouring sections. The acrid stench of collected raw chicken manure in the tropics is too concentrated. This is especially so in egg-producing intensive cage/battery farms. This writer, […]

Whats the big rush?

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to comment on Mr Kevin Wards letter of Wednesday Jan 18, 2012. Considering that Rarotonga’s road is only 32 kilometres around, for heavens sake, whats the big rush? Travellers from around the world have been praising our islands peacefulness and the peoples gentleness, so why such aggressiveness towards someone who, because […]

Kata - January 20, 2012

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in Kata

Mongoose honours Nikao village elderly

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in National

The Mongoose golden oldies club are giving back to the community tomorrow when they host Nikao village elders for a kaikai at the Nikao CICC hall at 5pm. Mongoose club chairman George George is thrilled with the support shown by businesses in the village in contributing goods and cash to run the kaikai. He is […]

Government reporting on treaty to be webcast

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in National

Government reporting on the Convention on the Rights of the Child will be available live online for those interested in following it. Non-government group Childs Rights will be webcasting all government reporting. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is an international treaty that recognises the human rights of children, defined as persons up […]

Graduation ceremony next week

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in National

The Department of National Human Resource Development (DNHRD) is finalising details of a graduation ceremony to be held next Friday. It will acknowledge graduates of the DNHRDs various scholarship schemes, and include the announcement of scholarship recipients for 2012. In addition, the DNHRD has extended an invitation to all Cook Islanders who privately pursued post […]

DPM meets maritime officers

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in National

Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters has met with outgoing Maritime Surveillance Adviser Chris Cooper to thank him for his years of service to the patrol boat programme in the Cook Islands. Marsters, the minister of foreign affairs, presented Cooper with a traditional rito hat as a gesture of appreciation and thanked him for his services […]

Development partners meet for roundtable

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in National

Representatives of development partners from New Zealand, Australia, the European Union and China as well as regional and international organisations will gather for the annual roundtable meeting in Rarotonga later this month. The meeting includes a series of bilateral discussions, facilitated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, with key development partners on Monday […]

MOIP focusing efforts on Mangaia

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in National

Projects to reduce the Cook Islands vulnerability to the effects of climate change and sea level rise continues to be an important priority for the government, says the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP). The government has been carrying out a number of projects under the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) programme, which was […]

2 in 1 day

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in National

Two cruise ships made stops in Rarotonga yesterday, dropping off some 1700 passengers mostly from the United States on the island for the day. The Seabourn Odyssey and the MS Rotterdam both stopped by Rarotonga, the first time the island has had two cruise ships visit on the same day in four years. Tour operators […]

Pearl plan gets the green light

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in National

A plan to give the pearl industry a major boost has been signed into action. On the heels of an announcement Prime Minister Henry Puna and New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully made last year, two agreements have been signed which give pearl farmers and local technicians access to $1.5 million in New Zealand […]

CI killer loses deportation appeal

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in National

A Cook Islands man who killed a Baptist priest has failed in his Federal Court bid to block his imminent deportation from Australia. Charlie Maurangi is about to complete his 11-year non-parole period for the 1999 manslaughter of priest Svetislav Zegarac. Armed with a shotgun and accompanied by another man, Adelaide Now reported, he killed […]

Harbour master dismisses allegations as rubbish

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in National

Harbour Master John Cornwell has described allegations levelled at him in a letter to the editor published in yesterdays Cook Islands News as completely unfounded and absolute rubbish. Cornwell said he was disappointed to read the letter (Shocking stuff, January 19, 2012) accusing him of not performing in his role properly when the skipper of […]

OJ to NZ, not noni to China

Friday 20 January 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

How disappointing to read minister Teina Bishops comments in Wednesdays CI News [Major noni deal sours] in respect of the noni juice to China debacle with Mr Chen, the well documented, apparently rather unsavoury character, a smoke signaller writes. Minister Bishop stated: Nothing has happened. I think Ill just go back and keep hassling them, […]