Articles by Utopia Support

Comedy kings touch down again

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in Local

Pacific comedy kings the Laughing Samoans have touched down on Rarotonga, saying they have brought a few familiar faces with them to help wow the crowds. The Cook Islands is becoming almost like a home away from home for the Laughing Samoans who have performed here six or seven times in the past. Individually theyre […]

McCully party let off tax

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in Local

Audit director Paul Allsworth confirms his office is investigating a complaint about departure tax exemptions totalling $3190. New Zealand foreign affairs minister Murray McCully led a delegation of 58 officials and media professionals to the Cook Islands last month on a Pacific tour to promote the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Allsworth says his office has […]

Deal nearly done for exploratory fishing

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in Local

Chinese longline fishing boats are expected to be operating in the northern Cook Islands exclusive economic zone (EEZ) before the end of the year, undertaking exploratory fishing of bigeye tuna and swordfish. A deal marine resources minister Teina Bishop has developed with Chinas fishing associations will see $800,000 in licence revenue paid to the Cook […]

Most people are still honest

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

On Sunday, August 14, I inadvertently left my backpack containing a lot of personal gear (passport etc) outside a hut at the Punanga Nui market. This was subsequently found, searched for cash and left with my passport, wallet etc spread out over the ground. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the family […]

Kata - August 25, 2011

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in Kata

New police grads

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands Police Service welcomed 10 new officers into its ranks last week. At a graduation ceremony attended by Prime Minister Henry Puna and wife Akaiti, the 10 recruits took the officers oath, officially embarking on their careers in law enforcement. For the young Cook Islanders, the ceremony marked the end of an 11-week […]

Harder returning to play in Raro

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

New Zealand R&B star Vince Harder says he is looking forward to returning to Rarotonga this December, after playing local nightclub Rehab on Friday night. Harder is booked to again perform in the Cook Islands before the year is out, this time as part of the fundraiser On The Rock Fest 2011 in December. The […]

New wharf takes shape

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

People wondering what the new Avatiu harbour will look like when it is finished dont have to leave as much to the imagination now as they have in the past. Harbour workers are progressing steadily on the $25 million redevelopment works and the new wharf is beginning to take shape. Workers can now walk on […]

Young burglar jailed for his crimes

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

Turangi 20-year-old Exham George is in jail for three months on convictions of burglary and being in contempt of court. George appeared in the Cook Islands High Court at Avarua yesterday before Justices of the Peace John Kenning, Tauei Solomon and Tekeu Framhein for sentencing. He previously admitted stealing cash belonging to a tourist from […]

Papa Louis infamous on Facebook

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

What started as a tongue-in-cheek Facebook page has become a widely-supported public awareness campaign for safer driving in the Cook Islands. Mr Miyagis group promoting slower driving in the Cook Islands has almost 700 members and about 45 pages of correspondence. In one 24-hour period the page membership increased from 100 to 400. Brothers Matt […]

Strength in numbers for women MPs

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

As one of 12 women in her South Australian parliament, Gay Thompson says she does encounter male prejudice on occasion. As Reynells member of parliament, she has had to deal with the implications both positive and negative of being a female in a decision-making position. She told a local audience yesterday that whenever she and […]

Dont leave school prematurely

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

South Australia member of parliament Gay Thompson mingled with students and local women and fielded their questions, both personal and political, at a meet-and-greet function in Muri yesterday morning. Thompson is visiting the Cook Islands for the first time with her partner, and took some time out of her holiday to get to know some […]

Put kids to bed on time

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

Speaking to a group of local women and students yesterday, South Australian politician Gay Thompson emphasised the value of education in todays world. A pet issue of hers is transformative education, or lifting uneducated communities out of ignorance. Thompson defined transformative education as the need for people who come from families that traditionally havent had […]

Aussie MP pushes plastic bag ban

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

South Australia member of parliament Gay Thompson talked to a local audience yesterday about her states successful campaign to ban plastic bags from supermarkets. In South Australia, she explained, shoppers can use barrier bags to separate produce, but cashiers are not authorised to provide them with plastic carrying bags. Alternatively they can purchase compostable bags […]

Bloodmobile to join future drives

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

Cook Islands Red Cross has taken on a new van that will become the driving force of its blood donor programme. Telecom Cook Islands donated an out-of-use van from its fleet to the Red Cross which, after taking on a new coat of paint and undergoing a slight refit, is now the organisations bloodmobile. Members […]

CISNOC problems not governments concern

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

Prime Minister Henry Puna maintains the view that CISNOCs problems are not governments concern and will not answer questions on the financially unstable organisation accordingly. At a media conference in Rarotonga on Tuesday, Puna was asked whether it is appropriate for Sir Geoffrey Henry, as president of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee […]

Brown explains CISNOC guarantee

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee asked government for more than $200,000 in light of its inability to meet financial obligations in respect of this months Pacific Games in New Caledonia. Finance minister disclosed details about its financial guarantee of $126,000 to CISNOC during a parliamentary sitting on Tuesday. He says on August […]

Tax worse than we thought

Thursday 25 August 2011 | Published in National

MFEMs fact information sheet about the withholding tax shows that its even worse than everyone thought, a smoke signaller writes as Parliament met last night to make amendments to the much criticised bill before the House. Example B has someone starting a 3-month term deposit (of $10,000 at 5%) after the announcement of the tax […]

Vaka in the California limelight

Wednesday 24 August 2011 | Published in Environment

Cook Islands vaka Marumaru Atua is docked at Dana Point on the California coast and should be in Cabrillo a beach slightly north of her current location before the weekend. Since leaving San Francisco, the vaka has stopped in the California coastal towns of Monterey, Santa Barbara and Malibu. In Monterey, the vaka were greeted […]

Pacific auditors to look at fishing

Wednesday 24 August 2011 | Published in Environment

A Pacific Regional Audit Initiative has been implemented following a meeting of the regions heads of supreme audit institutions in Tonga earlier this month. The Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions (PASAI) includes the Cook Islands audit office and audit director Paul Allsworth represented the country at the Nukualofa conference from August 2 to 5. […]