Articles by Utopia Support

I support police

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Like many others I have formed certain opinions around the Zac Guildford situation based on what I have read in the media and I am concerned that there appears to be some uninformed members of the public taking a swipe at how the police handled this affair. Having worked with Superintendent Matapo and […]

How sad

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I refer to the letter Who are we to Judge? Wow, that is shocking. Sexual harassment is something that should be taken seriously. I totally agree with Jeff Gunter. Whether Zac Guildford is an All Blacks player, a king or celebrity, doesnt give him the right to harrass Kelly, assault two men and […]

Who opened the gates?

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, So the government is happy with police actions in the Guildford matter. In recent events concerning Zac the man the police said that there was no formal complaint lodged in regards to the first callout from Trader Jacks to the police. My question is: When a person is in a public place and […]

Lets have an athletic muumuu from Tavs!

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read with interest Ms Tavionis letter titled We all have a closet full of regrettable moments. In her letter she makes unfair adverse comments about Ms Picks attire. It is of course a side show. The bigger issue I would have thought was that women are not able to go about their […]

Kata - November 19, 2011

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in Kata

Avatea drums up funds and beats

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in National

The beats of the Cook Islands are this week emanating from Avatea School, which fundraised to purchase a brand-new set of drums. Valued at $4500, Avatea dedicated its new instruments at its assembly yesterday. Purchased using funds raised during a November 11 school gala which raised over $21,000 the drums were blessed by CICC Nikao […]

Vakatini Ariki corrects the record

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in National

Joseph Vakatini Ariki with a famous picture of his ancestor Pa Te Pou Ariki holding his spear and fan. The preserved and framed print is displayed with pride of place at the front entrance to the Vakatini homestead in Tupapa. Papa Vakatini was pleased that his ancestor and the painting of him on the reef […]

Tavs garments clean up in Fiji

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in National

Tavs international profile is on the up, and heightened by a standout performance at Fiji Fashion Week this month. Ellena Tavioni of Tav Ltd clinched two awards for overall Pacific designer and childrens wear at the Suva fashion event last week. Upon entering the fashion show, Tavioni didnt even realise it was a competition she […]

Moments of joy

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands tourism industry will soon have access to a newly-expanded library of photographs to help promote the local trade. Professional author and photographer David Kirkland has now finished his third tour of the Cook Islands to help build up the Cook Islands Tourism Corporations library of shots. The Australian photographer, who has travelled […]

Paio reports on Paris meeting

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in National

The conference, which is held once every two years, consists of representatives from its 194 member states and eight associate member states. Each member country has one vote, irrespective of its size or the extent of its contribution to the budget. As the recently appointed secretary-general of the Cook Islands National Commission, this was a […]

Womens group commends Pick

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in National

Womens counselling group Punanga Tauturu has condemned the public persecution triathlete Kelly Pick has endured in the wake of disgraced All Black Zac Guildfords drunken rampage. In a statement released yesterday, Punanga Tauturu manager Kairangi Samuela praised Pick for having the courage to stand up against the famous rugby star after he allegedly harassed the […]

Fancy a nakation? Come to the Cooks

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in National

Apart from everything else, some people surely had a few laughs this week over All Black Zacs naked, drunken and very public unravelling at Rarotonga. Some people are wondering how we can stop this type of thing happening again. Maybe its time to embrace the disgrace and look to nature for inspiration. With nudie runs […]

All Blacks are role models

Saturday 19 November 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Disappointed Kuki [Thursday letter to the editor titled Isnt it time we left him alone?] talks about us all being young and stupid at some time, a smoke signaller writes. That may be true, but how many of us were All Blacks? Many Cook Islands school students spent last term with the Rugby World Cup […]

Volunteering caring for others

Friday 18 November 2011 | Published in Church Talk

Often when things are going wrong in the country you hear the cry that the government should be doing more. And equally, one hears just as frequently the churches should be doing more. As a church leader I find myself getting a guilty conscience as there is often a gospel element present when the statement […]

Turangi dump finally going

Friday 18 November 2011 | Published in Environment

Acting on instructions from leaseholder Dave Brown, General Transport is aiming to clean up the recycling yard in Turangi dubbed by some the Turangi dump before Christmas. The tenants who ran the recycling operation have vacated the premises. Brown holds the lease to the Turangi section, which legally belongs to landowner Pa Marie Ariki, and […]

Guilty pleas to 11 drug charges

Friday 18 November 2011 | Published in Local

Defendants in the countrys largest ever drugs bust have admitted another 11 criminal charges. Operation Eagle defendants, of which 11 remain, appeared in the Cook Islands High Court at Avarua before senior justice of the peace John Kenning on Wednesday. Of the eight who stood in the dock, four entered guilty pleas to charges relating […]

Govt accepts police action

Friday 18 November 2011 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands government is satisfied with police actions in response to All Black Zac Guildfords drunken excursion around Rarotonga last week. Unless the government receives a complaint about Cook Islands Polices actions, it does not plan to undertake any review at this stage. Police decided not to lay any charges against the disgraced All […]

Establishing status proves difficult

Friday 18 November 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Kia Orana, Here are a few notes on the struggle that can occur when Cook Islands Immigration will not openly recognise Cook Islanders legal status due to typographical errors made generations ago in Land Court entries. I am having extreme difficulty in getting my passport processed for Cook Islands permanent resident status even though I […]

Give the artists credit

Friday 18 November 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As a visitor to Rarotonga it was wonderful to have the privilege of attending the opening of Metamorphsis, the BCA Gallery Group Show, and view the stunning work displayed. It was disappointing, however, not to have the artists acknowledged. I understand there were artists present whose work was on display and it would […]

We arent that selfish

Friday 18 November 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Readers, This is an apology on behalf of decent New Zealanders. I wish to apologise to all the people of the Cook Islands for the behaviour of All Black Zac Guilford. We are not all drunks, we are not all violent, we are not all exponents of sexual harassment. And most of us, when […]