Articles by Utopia Support

Quality decisions vital

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in Church Talk

This is Part 3 of a series on knowing and discerning God’s will by Pastor Jonathon Cargill of Celebration on the Rock Church. (Part 1 –Hearing the voice of God; Part 2 – Hearing the voice of God) A brand new year is here with fresh opportunities and challenges that will require us to make […]

Balancing work and family

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in Church Talk

I want to start off by asking a few questions see if you agree or disagree. 1.) Your family usually protect their personal and family times? 2.) Pressures of work often intrude on family and home life? 3.) You are often too busy helping others, you have no time for the family? 4.) Other interests […]

LDS district now under NZ mission

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in Church Talk

Elder F. Michael Watson of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was one of the ecclesiastical leaders that the members of the church were privileged to meet as they attended the churches district conference held at the Arorangi Conference Centre last weekend (January 7-8). Elder Watson, […]

Turangi tip clean-up underway

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in Environment

Cook Islands General Transport is still chipping away at the job of cleaning up the Turangi recycling yard, but recent rains and the delayed arrival of a car baler have postponed the projects date of completion. Last November leaseholder Dave Brown estimated that the clean-up for which he contracted General Transports services would be complete […]

MPs wives share morning tea with Karika Ariki DBE

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in Local

Makea Karika Margaret Ariki DBE was yesterday honoured at a morning tea by Akaiti Puna, wife of Prime Minister Henry Puna, and wives of local members of parliament. The women gathered at Tamarind House to pay homage to Makea Karika Ariki who was made a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British […]

New travel policy for government heads

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in Local

A new set of rules introduced by the Cook Islands government will oversee the rules and requirements for heads of ministries who travel. The Heads of Ministries and Crown Agencies Travel Policy standardises the travel conditions and entitlements for heads of ministries during official international travel. The policy requires all travel to be approved by […]

Fishermen await socio-economic report

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in Local

The first draft of a socio-economic report on local fisheries should be completed by the end of this month. Economist Vaine Wichman is producing the report for the Cook Islands Fishing Association (CIF). She has been interviewing and surveying local fishermen, collecting data on imported fish products and collating information on the value of the […]

Special thank you, Captain Tama

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Last month, over 20 little local children got to have what they said was the Best Day of Their Lives on Captain Tamas Glass Bottom Boat for a birthday celebration for my daughter Mere who has turned 10. We had so much fun aboard the glass bottom boat it was amazing. It gave […]

TIS supports proposed shark sanctuary

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, TIS is in full support of the recent initiative by PICI to establish a shark sanctuary in the Cook Islands. We also know how important shark fins are in Chinese cooking. We would like to know if there are any provisions in any of the foreign fishing licenses issued recently to the Chinese […]

Kata - January 13, 2012

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in Kata

Pacific Resorts win two world awards

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in National

The Pacific Resort Hotel Group scored a double victory at this years World Travel Awards in Qatar. The Cook Islands hotel group won Worlds Leading Boutique Island Resort and Worlds Leading Island Villas at the final event in Doha on January 11 (Tuesday, January 10 Cook Islands time). For the fourth consecutive year Pacific Resort […]

Emergency call justified

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in National

The swift actions of the island administration and public servants at Mangaia prevented the island and its infrastructure from suffering any serious damage during cyclone-like storms that hit late in December, island secretary Helen Henry said. Gusting winds, severe rain and heavy sea swells that soaked Rarotonga shortly after Christmas also battered Mangaia when the […]

MIA not missing in action: Henry

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in National

Mangaia Island Administration workers were not granted two extra public holidays at the end of 2011, though the public services were reduced while staff prepared for adverse weather that had set upon the island, according to island secretary Helen Henry. The public sector at Mangaia came under criticism this week for appearing to grant workers […]

Ministers visit pa enua

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in National

Cabinet ministers Nandi Glassie and Teariki Heather are planning travel to outer islands next week. Glassie minister of health and agriculture says he will depart Rarotonga for Mangaia on Monday January 16 and return on Wednesday January 18. His trip is part of governments ongoing efforts to revitalise agriculture, particularly in the outer islands. Heather […]

CI delegation off to Geneva

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in National

Health and agriculture minister Nandi Glassie is due to lead a Cook Islands delegation to Switzerlands capital Geneva this month. Glassie and at least four other Cook Islands delegates are travelling to attend a conference on the rights of the child. Among them will be internal affairs secretary Bredina Drollet, Crown Law Office lawyer Martha […]

Solicitor general post due

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in National

Prime Minister Henry Puna is considering a recommendation for the appointment of a new Cook Islands Solicitor General. The Office of the Public Service Commissioner (OPSC) facilitated the recruitment process for the post in December 2011, following the appointment of former solicitor general Tingika Elikana as Ministry of Justice secretary in October. Senior Crown Law […]

Fishermen offer to manage FADs

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in National

The Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) looks likely to authorise local fishermen to co-manage fish aggregating devices (FADs) positioned around Rarotonga. MMR secretary Ben Ponia has agreed to stage a series of public meetings in the first quarter of this year with local fishermen and interested parties to determine the best collaborative approach in relation […]

Flights discounted

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in National

Air New Zealand is offering discounts on flights connecting Rarotonga with Australia, but only for inbound flights. Selected fares to Rarotonga from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland have been reduced for travel in periods from January to June this year. The specials apply to some direct flights between Sydney and Rarotonga as well as certain […]

Its Black Friday at Westpac

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in National

Workers in Avarua are claiming back Friday the 13th today and although theyll be dressing in black to mark the occasion, the colour wont have anything to do with bad omens or superstition. Westpac staff will be making this Friday the 13th a day for good luck theyre ditching their usual red and white uniforms […]

Everyone must sell the Cooks

Friday 13 January 2012 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: “I have recently heard that some resorts are demanding a commission, also known as a kickback, for referring tourists to certain service providers such as restaurants, fishing charters and dive operators. I hope this falls flat on its face because it’s everyone’s job in the Cooks to ‘sell the Cook Islands’.” […]