Articles by Utopia Support

Teen's death not suspicious

Tuesday 20 December 2011 | Published in National

Police do not consider the death of a teenager over the weekend to be suspicious and officials have cleared his body to be released. The teen was found dead at an Arorangi property about 2am on Saturday. Cook Islands Police attended the scene and the teens body was taken to Rarotonga Hospital for examination. The […]

$6000 for Te Vaerua

Tuesday 20 December 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands Disability Societys housie group has made a very generous donation of $6000 to the Te Vaerua Community Rehabilitation Service. The money will be used by Te Vaerua to continue to provide physical therapy, care giving services and therapeutic equipment to people with serious injuries and disabilities in the Cook Islands. With no […]

No suspicious circumstances

Tuesday 20 December 2011 | Published in National

Police confirm there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding an elderly mans death on an Air New Zealand flight between Rarotonga and New Zealand on Saturday. Tavai Puia a Cook Islander who had been living in Porirua travelled to Rarotonga for a holiday recently. He was returning home to New Zealand with his daughter and three […]

Elder abuse comes in many guises

Tuesday 20 December 2011 | Published in National

Elder abuse can be committed by anyone, including family, friends and caretakers, and more community awareness is needed on the topic, the Returned Services Association (RSA) has said. While they believe the Cook Islands people and culture is providing adequate care for its elders in the large majority of cases, RSA president Denis Dwane and […]

Holiday to honour ui ariki

Tuesday 20 December 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands three pillars of society will be recognised with public holidays for the first time next year, finally bringing the ariki in from the wilderness according to Cook Islands Party minister Teariki Heather. Heather yesterday confirmed that a new public holiday commemorating the ariki will be held on July 6 each year. The […]

Choir welcoming carollers

Tuesday 20 December 2011 | Published in National

The Hospital Comforts choir is ready to take its carolling ways to the Rarotonga wards and has put out a call to anyone who wants to lend their voice to the cause. The group is planning to head to the Rarotonga Hospital this afternoon with Christmas cheer at full gear and would welcome anyone wanting […]

Compliance unit formally established

Tuesday 20 December 2011 | Published in National

After completing a training programme with the New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries, the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) has now formally established a compliance unit to enforce fisheries laws in the Cook Islands. The Marine Resources Act 2005 provides broad powers for authorised officers to search premises, vehicles or vessels and to question and arrest […]

Online registry goes live

Tuesday 20 December 2011 | Published in National

Christmas came early for the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) this year on December 12, the online registry system it had been working for 12 months to implement went live. This system will provide a modern and efficient mechanism in which to conduct registry activity, which can only serve to improve the potential for growth in […]

Te Maeva Nui locked in for 2012

Tuesday 20 December 2011 | Published in National

Te Maeva Nui cultural celebrations will be held from Thursday, July 26 next year, the government has announced. Major organisers from this years festival will again take control of next years festival, bringing together the efforts of the Ministry of Cultural Development and the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation to refine and improve on the celebrations […]

Globetrotting attitude change needed

Tuesday 20 December 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: I see many good programmes on CITV sponsored by the Prime Ministers Department, many being about climate change and renewable energy. The Iti tangata of the Cook Islands can learn a lot from these programmes its just a real pity that the Prime Minister himself is never here to watch and […]

Refunds for concert tickets

Monday 19 December 2011 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands On The Rock Fest 2011 has been postponed. The concert was scheduled for Saturday night and has been advertised for over six months. Organisers sent out a postponement notice on Friday. They apologised for the inconvenience, but noted that it was brought about by reasons beyond (their) control. The concert was organised […]

Death forces plane to return to Raro

Monday 19 December 2011 | Published in Local

Air New Zealands early morning service on Saturday between Rarotonga and New Zealand was forced to return to Rarotonga after a passenger died on board. Air New Zealand Cook Islands manager David Bridge confirmed flight NZ 749 bound for Auckland returned to Rarotonga 30 minutes after takeoff. The plane returned to Rarotonga International Airport where […]

Puna secures support for marine park

Monday 19 December 2011 | Published in Local

Prime Minister Henry Puna has been drumming up support for the Cook Islands marine park while attending an international environment summit in Abu Dhabi. Puna was a keynote speaker at the Eye on Earth summit and used the opportunity to announce internationally his governments commitment to establishing a one million square kilometre marine park within […]

Lady Panthers roar!

Monday 19 December 2011 | Published in Local

The Tupapa senior womens team celebrate edging out Arorangi to win the knock-out soccer cup for the second year in a row. More soccer action photos and stories: Crowds flock for thriller KO soccer and Sokattak win KO Cup

The art of rito hats

Monday 19 December 2011 | Published in Features

They adorn heads across the Cook Islands, the intricate and beautifully woven rito hats. Every Sunday in churches they are proudly worn by women and sometimes men, in a multitude of patterns, colours and styles. It is an art form that is unique to the Cook Islands and they are most commonly made in the […]

What is police practice for complaints?

Monday 19 December 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Listening to the song E Ara by Alex Tell made me write this letter. I am a Cook Islands Maori and male living in New Zealand. However during the first two weeks of November I was holidaying in Rarotonga, a time I will never forget because the night of November 10 was the […]

Kata - December 19, 2011

Monday 19 December 2011 | Published in Kata

War stories include Cook Islanders

Monday 19 December 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands Library & Museum at Takamoa is a goldmine when it comes to books on military history and the most recent acquisition is a book that has close links to the Cook Islands. A Soldiers View of the Vietnam War: The Story of Victor 4: V Coy, 6 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) Battalion was only […]

Graduation ceremony being planned

Monday 19 December 2011 | Published in National

The Department of National Human Resource Development (DNHRD) is organising a graduation ceremony to be held on Friday January 27 next year. It will acknowledge graduates of the DNHRDs various scholarship schemes, and include the announcement of scholarship recipients for 2012. In addition, the DNHRD is extending an invitation to all Cook Islanders who have […]

Chasing the solar rainbow

Monday 19 December 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

The power utility Te Aponga Uira says Solar, its the way to go, a smoke signaller writes. Then TAU says, we can only handle so much solar. Then TAU buys all kinds of solar for government buildings. Then TAU says, Sorry people, you cant put up any more solar. You have to continue to pay […]