Articles by Utopia Support

Opposition MPs all voted against tax bill

Tuesday 30 August 2011 | Published in National

Dear Editor, I wrote you last Friday correcting what I saw to be an error by your newspaper in reporting the Oppositions vote during the withholding tax second amendment Parliament sitting. I note that there was partial correction in yesterdays paper and thanks for that. However your correction article went on to say no opposition […]

Can we afford 2012 leaders forum?

Tuesday 30 August 2011 | Published in National

The planned hosting of the leaders forum next year by the Cook Islands will cost the taxpayers big time; where do all the $$$s come from? a smoke signaller asks. So Prime Minister Puna is negotiating to host the annual Pacific Islands Forum meeting in 2012; is this a good idea? Why is no other […]

Police approach challenged

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in Local

Cook Islands police are being asked to reconsider their approach to apprehending young offenders. Justices of the peace John Kenning, Tekeu Framhein and Tauei Solomon presided over the Cook Islands High Court at Avarua last week, and heard eight criminal cases involving defendants aged between 20 and 16 years. JP Kenning says he wonders whether […]

Flag bearer humbled

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in Local

Nineteen-year-old Manihiki sailor Helema Williams was the standout candidate for the job of Team Cook Islands flag bearer. Team chef de mission George George said that the 2010 Sportswoman of the Year was the right candidate because of her impressive sports achievement and especially as she is still growing in her discipline of sailing. Williams […]

PM plugs to host Forum

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in Local

Prime Minister Henry Puna is quietly confident the Cook Islands will host next years Pacific Leaders Forum. The annual gathering of political leaders is the largest event of its kind in the regional drawing up to 400 attendees. Puna says as far as he knows no other region nation has made an offer to host […]

Laughing with the Samoans

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in Features

Hundreds of laughing Cook Islanders tripped to the National Auditorium on Saturday night to watch two men and their troupe of characters best known as the Laughing Samoans. The Miss Cook Islands fundraiser event saw comedians Eteuati Ete and Tofiga Fepuleai on stage, sometimes in wigs and other times in drag, acting out scenes in […]

Kata - August 29, 2011

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in Kata

Bronze follows heartbreak

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in National

Cook Islands oe vaka paddlers went from absolute heartbreak to elation in the span of just a few hours on day one of the Pacific Games outrigger canoeing competition. With only six competing womens teams registered for the oe vaka V6 1500m sprints there was not time for the Cook Islands squad to ease into […]

New basic account launched

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in National

Westpac Bank Cook Islands is targeting new customers with the launch of a transaction account called Choice Basic. Choice Basic has been designed to meet the needs of customers who have low transaction volumes and want a simple transaction fee structure. Choice Basic offers customers the protection of a bank account for their money, with […]

Airline not expected to fly here

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in National

While American Eagle Airlines has been granted approval by the US Department of Transportation to operate in the Pacific, it has not yet announced any plans to fly into and out of the Cook Islands. Cook Islands Tourism Corporation chief executive officer Carmel Beattie says she has no knowledge of whether the company actually intends […]

Exploratory fishing, yeah right

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in National

The naivety of our politicians is exceeded only by their inability to take remedial action once they find out that we have had, in my opinion, our pockets picked by offshore sharks, a smoke signaller writes. The Chinese company that has sweet-talked their way into a three year exploratory fishing expedition will have to make […]

For the parliamentary record

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Opposition members of parliament voiced their objection to the withholding tax amendment bill being read a third time in parliament on Thursday, but lost to the majority vote in favour. No opposition to the bill was voiced by any MPs during its reading of principals and merits, nor during any other time of voting at […]

Malicious and cowardly

Monday 29 August 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Dear Editor, I am responding to your Friday report of Norman Georges speech in Parliament. How dare this scoundrel make cowardly and untrue attacks on my wife, my staff, advisers and myself from his pulpit in Parliament, where he is protected by absolute privilege. I totally reject his outrageous assertions and the way in which […]

USP aims to be first green campus in Pacific

Saturday 27 August 2011 | Published in Environment

At last Fridays graduation, the acting vice chancellor of the University of the South Pacific (USP) Dr Esther Williams challenged USP Cook Islands campus to reduce its reliance on non- renewable energy to close to zero. The campus electrical engineer Ngateina Rani believes that this target can be achieved by 2012. USP Cook Islands campus […]

Well keep tax promise: finance minister

Saturday 27 August 2011 | Published in Local

Governments withholding tax is an opportunity for the countrys leaders to prove they can keep a promise, finance minister Mark Brown says. Speaking in parliament on Thursday, Brown answered criticism about an amendment bill to the new tax. He expects the tax will be in place for two years. This is a government of integrity, […]

Mangaia man admits rape

Saturday 27 August 2011 | Published in Local

A 31-year-old Mangaian builder has admitted raping a woman on the southern group island between September 1 and 30 in 2009. The man, whose name is suppressed to protect the identity of the victim, changed his plea to guilty when he appeared before Justice of the Peace Bernice Manarangi in the Cook Islands High Court […]

CI govt to pay McCully departure tax

Saturday 27 August 2011 | Published in Local

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration will pay $3190 in departure tax on behalf of New Zealand foreign minister Murray McCully and his 58-person strong delegation that visited the Cook Islands last month. Paul Lynch, a spokesman for the Deputy Prime Minister and foreign affairs minister Tom Marsters, said the minister could not legally […]

Teavas treehouse makes mums monthly column

Saturday 27 August 2011 | Published in Local

Thirteen-year-old Teava Wichman beneath the tree house in his backyard that has taken him and four of his friends about four weeks of work to build. His mum Vaine Wichman writes about it today in her monthly Economy Column. on page 14. 11082629

Call for talent to come forward

Saturday 27 August 2011 | Published in Features

All local musicians interested in performing alongside major New Zealand artists at an end-of-year concert are welcome to start registering for auditions. A curtain-raiser competition will be held on Saturday, September 17, to determine which local talents will occupy the stage next to the likes of Vince Harder, Young Sid and Pieter T at the […]

4 talents gather for Divas in Paradise

Saturday 27 August 2011 | Published in Features

Local event organisers Motone are bringing four talented songstresses from New Zealand and Rarotonga together for a Divas in Paradise festival in October. Encouraged by the success of Opera in Paradise a Motone-organised event starring Pacific tenors Ben Makisi and Bonaventure Allan Moetaua the company is gearing up for its next gig. Based around the […]