Articles by Utopia Support

Monsieur rouler au pas

Wednesday 18 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, On 27 November 2011, I lodged with the commissioner of police a formal complaint of nuisance driving against an elderly Tahitian man driving a silver and green Mitsubishi double cab and more recently a small delivery van with a blue canopy. On 19 December I sent a second letter seeking police action or […]

Kata - January 18, 2012

Wednesday 18 January 2012 | Published in Kata

PLPG not closing up shop

Wednesday 18 January 2012 | Published in National

Despite rumours of its closure, the Pacific Legislatures for Population and Governance (PLPG) office in Avarua is alive and kicking, coordinator Tangata Vainerere says. PLPG is a regional organisation based in the Cook Islands. Its headquarters, manned by Vainerere, is within the former Philatelic Bureau premises in central Avarua. Vainerere says there has been some […]

Punanga Nui vendors meet with BTIB tomorrow

Wednesday 18 January 2012 | Published in National

Punanga Nui vendors are meeting with the Business Trade and Investment Board (BTIB) for the first time since the government agency took over managing the market. A meeting has been scheduled for 6pm tomorrow at Sinai Hall. BTIB took over the administration of the market from the Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) late last year. […]

2 cruise ships arrive today

Wednesday 18 January 2012 | Published in National

Two cruise ships will deliver 2700 people to the Cook Islands tomorrow when the Seabourn Odyssey and the MS Rotterdam stop by Rarotonga. Both cruise ships will begin disembarking passengers at Rarotonga about 8am tomorrow, with the Rotterdam due to leave about 5pm in the afternoon and the Seabourn Odyssey about 1pm. It is the […]

Industry looks forward to a better year

Wednesday 18 January 2012 | Published in National

It has been a difficult year for the Cook Islands noni industry, but things are looking up. Brad Stafford and Gwen Welland of Cook Islands Noni Marketing Ltd spoke to Cook Islands News yesterday about the status of local noni exports. In the past 12 months Cook Islands Noni Marketing and Rarotonga growers have weathered […]

UNESCO commission accepting applications

Wednesday 18 January 2012 | Published in National

A temporary body has taken control of the Cook Islands UNESCO National Commission and is wasting no time in calling for funding applications. The commission is calling for applicants to make a submission to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) biennial participatory programme. In the programme, member nations can make up to […]

Call for shipping containers

Wednesday 18 January 2012 | Published in National

Anyone who has not returned Reef Shipping containers to the wharf is asked to do so as soon as possible. Customers are usually asked to bring containers back within 14 days. Shippers and agents are asking those who have failed to do so to return the unit to the wharf straight away. Southern Express voyage […]

Drier conditions for north, wetter for southern Cooks

Wednesday 18 January 2012 | Published in National

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and the Cook Islands Meteorological Service predict that the rest of the summer will bring less-than-average rainfall for the northern group, and above-average rainfall for the southern group. NIWA last week released its Island Climate Update (number 136), a monthly summary of the Pacific climate which […]

Best man is a woman

Wednesday 18 January 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

Callers to the newspaper yesterday thought we had made a mistake in the caption and tennis article Tennis star looking to play overseas which stated that Lilian Maui, 17, is the open mens tennis champion. It was mentioned in the article and three or four times before that as the island didn’t have any other […]

Fishermen put concerns to govt

Tuesday 17 January 2012 | Published in Environment

There remains a stalemate of sorts between local fishermen and the Ministry of Marine Resources as to whether fish stocks are in serious decline and why. MMR secretary Ben Ponia, senior fisheries officer Sonny Tatuava and marine resources minister Teina Bishop met with eight fishermen in Bishops Rarotonga office this week. The fishermen recreational and […]

Tennis time!

Tuesday 17 January 2012 | Published in Local

Rarotonga children returned to the courts yesterday for the start of the tennis holiday programme with wide grins and energy to burn. The courts in Nikao were chock-a-block with energetic children learning to play tennis and improving their tennis skills. The programme will run every day from 9 to 10am for beginners and from 10am […]

Follow up for PR applications today

Tuesday 17 January 2012 | Published in Local

Spouses seeking permanent residency (PR) in the Cook Islands are urged to check the status of their applications today before a final list is considered by cabinet tomorrow. In December last year during a parliamentary session Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters who holds the portfolio of foreign affairs and immigration raised the issue of residents […]

Supplementary budget discussions next month

Tuesday 17 January 2012 | Published in Local

Parliament is set to sit for the first time this year in mid February. Wednesday, February 15 is rumoured to be the start date, although parliament clerk Nga Valoa says that has not yet been confirmed. Governments supplementary budget is likely to be the most important agenda item for members of parliament in the upcoming […]

Last words of a wanted man

Tuesday 17 January 2012 | Published in Local

Missing skipper and wanted man showed no sign that he planned to take his own life in his final log taken at Rarotonga. Cook Islands News has been given a copy of his final log entry recorded at Rarotonga, written and sent to a friend two days before he disappeared in calm waters after complaining […]

Passion and concern

Tuesday 17 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In response to the letter to the editor headed TIS should fight fishing, not cars, TIS was responding to a request from media to make a comment on a story about the importation of cars. It is wonderful to read the letter writers passion and concern for over-fishing in our waters there is […]

Licences a national disaster

Tuesday 17 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I’m not sure how the meeting concluded between the Empire (Lord Darth Vader Bishop & MMR) and the local fishermen last week. Tapi Taio and various others who have raised the issue of foreign entities given licence to fish in Cook Islands waters are absolutely correct in their concerns. This is a national […]

In support of name change

Tuesday 17 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Just a short letter to support the idea of a name change. This is not new for the Cook Islands. The name Cook Islands was given to us, I believe in 1915 by a Russian and maybe Shake, Rattle, Roll is not aware of that. Kare tatou i te Kuki Airani mei po […]

Kata - January 17, 2012

Tuesday 17 January 2012 | Published in Kata

Holiday netball programme a hit

Tuesday 17 January 2012 | Published in Netball

Dedicated netball lovers hit the Tupapa court yesterday for the first day of the Netball Cook Islands holiday programme. The netball season doesnt officially start until April. The group of 15 boys and girls that took part in yesterdays programme are keen to get back into the netball groove ahead of the season. Coached by […]