Articles by Utopia Support

1 Cook Islander born on 11-11-11

Saturday 12 November 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands has its very own 11-11-11 baby. Maternity ward staff helped deliver a baby at Rarotongas hospital yesterday the 11th day of the 11th month of 2011. Details of the newborn and proud parents were difficult to obtain yesterday as staff at the maternity ward which has just opened were too busy to […]

500 war vets remembered

Saturday 12 November 2011 | Published in National

About 500 Cook Islands men enlisted to fight for the Commonwealth in World War One, the biggest contingency of Cook Islanders to fight in any modern war. Of those men, 313 saw active service with the Anzac forces in Europe and the Middle East, fighting at various times from 1915 to the end of the […]

You're the one one one one one one!

Saturday 12 November 2011 | Published in National

Kiwi couple Tania and Michael Dale exchange I dos on the beach at Little Polynesian yesterday. There were a record number of weddings over 25, infact yesterday, as it was 11-11-11 (November 11, 2011). Either an easy date to remember for future anniversaries or a lucky number, depending on who you talk to. This photo […]

Police investigations continue into 2 incidents

Saturday 12 November 2011 | Published in National

Police are still investigating two incidents in which a 10-year-old Takuvaine girl has died and a 16-year-old Arorangi girl has received injuries serious enough to prompt her transferral to New Zealand. The cases are not related. On Sunday the 10-year-old died at Rarotonga Hospital, one day shy of her 11th birthday. Police commissioner Maara Tetava […]

Ministers return from China

Saturday 12 November 2011 | Published in National

Cabinet ministers Teina Bishop and Teariki Heather are back in the Cook Islands, having spent time in China. Bishop has been away three weeks and Heather just over one week. Marine resources secretary Ben Ponia has also returned from China, where he was involved in fisheries discussions alongside Bishop. Heather, as cultural development minister, travelled […]

Puna meets US officials at East-West Center

Saturday 12 November 2011 | Published in National

Prime Minister Henry Puna is participating in high-level meetings with United States officials in Hawaii at present. Puna is part of a wider Pacific leaders gathering, co-organised by the East-West Center. The center is an independent, public, nonprofit organisation with funding from the US government and additional support provided by private agencies, individuals, foundations, corporations, […]

Pretending everything is fine

Saturday 12 November 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes in response to our news reports on the special general meeting of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee: Reading through` the newspaper this morning [Thursday] just shows you or anyone how two faced some people can be, or how loyal they can be to their own leader or friend, […]

Towards a concept of leadership

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in Church Talk

You can not speak of leadership without speaking of leaders, because they are the ones who bring it to life. In the same way, you cannot speak of leaders without mentioning the role their position gives them. Therefore, both concepts are interrelated and are considered side by side. A leader is what we call a […]

Hearing the voice of God

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in Church Talk

(Hearing the voice of God – part 2, Weekending 14 Dec 2011) Many give little thought to the fact that the Creator of the universe may want to speak with us. The God of the Bible and the Creator of the universe has sought communication with humanity from the beginning of time. A way has […]

New book warns of Pacific food shortage

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in Environment

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) has published a new book, highlighting the new challenges posed by climate change in the region. The book, titled Vulnerability of Tropical Pacific Fisheries and Aquaculture to Climate Change claims there will be winners and losers from climate change, and the way Pacific governments react and adapt will […]

Reminder to conserve water despite rainfall

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in Environment

Despite receiving a welcome top-up to its water reserves this week, the people of Rarotonga have been reminded to keep their water use down and not be wasteful just because of a few drops of rain. Water levels rose early this week after hitting lows almost across all of Rarotongas 12 catchments. And while it […]

CISNOC executive plans Monday meeting

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in Local

CISNOCs executive board has scheduled its next meeting for Monday to determine how the organisation can move forward in a positive way. Sir Geoffrey Henry, president of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) says there are a few key recommendations the board will consider, arising from the special general meeting on Tuesday […]

Not a hazard

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in Local

The Taiwanese fishing vessel which sunk in the waters of the northern Cook Islands was reportedly carrying 30,000 kilolitres of diesel fuel for reference, that is about six large water tanks worth but former harbour master Don Silk says that given its position, it does not pose a significant environmental risk. There are many more […]

Making a splash

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in Local

Star jump swim warm up! Local children ward off the chill of the cold water with a couple of star jumps before making a splash at Wednesdays first ANZ Tamariki Sports swimming lesson for the new season. 11111001

Comment sparks controversy at CISNOC

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in Local

Members of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) are disgusted and bemused at racial comments made this week by the organisations president and former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Henry. He told Cook Islands Television, in an interview that aired on Wednesday evening, that mainly papaa members voted in support of a motion […]

Goal reached

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Immediately following the article Help Shannon reach her goal I had two very generous customers come in and do just that. A BIG meitaki maata to Jim Bruce and Les Priest for their generous donations to Te Vaerua Rehabilitation Trust which enabled me to exceed my goal of $2500 before 10am the day […]

Sheraton site: A tale of unfinished business

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As a foreigner who has visited the island seven times during recent years and almost consider myself an islander, I am still puzzled and surprised to keep on reading about the almost endless ongoing plans concerning resurrecting the Sheraton site at Vaimaanga. When I first visited the island in 1996, I came across […]

Kata - November 11, 2011

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in Kata

USP connects to station

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in National

An historic In-Flight Education session between the University of the South Pacific and the students of Suva Sangam School with Dr Satoshi Furukawa, a Japanese astronaut currently staying in the International Space Station (ISS), was an eye opener for regional students. The live question and answer session was jointly organised by USP, the Japan International […]

Australia offers technical assistance

Friday 11 November 2011 | Published in National

Western Australias government has offered to provide technical legislative assistance to the Cook Islands parliament in coming months. The offer was made by Barry House president of the Legislative Council of Western Australia during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters in Perth recently. Marsters and foreign affairs and immigration secretary Jim Gosselin travelled […]