Articles by Utopia Support

Theft meeting tonight

Thursday 28 July 2011 | Published in National

Tourism accommodation owners in Takitumu have been invited to a meeting scheduled for tonight to discuss ways in which the industry can tackle crime against tourists. The meeting will feature members of the Cook Islands Police and will begin at 6pm at the Enua Manea Hall at Titikaveka.Constable Martin Iro of the Takitumu Community Police […]

Preparation key to sounding good

Thursday 28 July 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes: The quality of sound controlled by Robert Ioaba and his team during the Rarotonga Gospel Day programme on Monday at the National Auditorium was just appalling! There was screeching feedback from start to finish. If they cant even ensure quality sound for three hours of one day, how on earth are […]

Water and sanitation meeting opened

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in Environment

A regional Pacific water and sanitation meeting continues in Rarotonga today with participants reporting about their countrys progress on pilot projects. It is the third annual meeting of the regional steering committee for the project Implementing Sustainable Water Resources and Wastewater Management in Pacific Island Countries. That is a joint initiative of the Secretariat of […]

Pacific economic action plan released

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in Environment

Finance minister Mark Brown, secretary Richard Neves and former acting financial secretary Priscilla Maruariki are back in the Cook Islands after attending the 2011 Forum Economic Ministers Meeting in Samoa. A Forum Economic Action Plan 2011 was released at the conclusion of the regional meeting, where Pacific ministers discussed common issues of economic management and […]

Oe vaka advocate honoured

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in Local

Mama paddler Annie Fisher is the woman of the month for July. The friendliest face in oe vaka paddling and mother of three (and anyone else who is hungry) has been honoured for her efforts in the development of oe vaka as well as the tireless community work she is involved in as a volunteer. […]

No truth to prison rumours

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in Local

Rumours that Arorangi prison guards are turning a blind eye to crimes committed by inmates are baseless, superintendant Metuatini Tangaroa says. Cook Islands News has received reports that some prisoners are committing crimes while allowed outside of the prison, such as for work. In the past guards have been prosecuted and fired for helping inmates […]

Sheraton meeting postponed

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in Local

A meeting between government officials and property developers regarding proposed redevelopment work at the Sheraton site at Vaimaanga has been postponed. Minister of Infrastructure and Planning Teariki Heather was scheduled to meet with property developers this week to discuss the future of the abandoned hotel site. Heather expected to be able to make an announcement […]

Ministers, officials in Samoa

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in Local

Prime Minister Henry Puna has returned from Samoa where he attended an environment ministers meeting convened by the United Nations. Punas chief executive Edwin Pittman accompanied the Prime Minister to Samoa, as he does on all official travel. Coincidentally, four of the countrys other top officials were in Samoa last week. Teina Bishop attended a […]

Glassie discloses travel

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in Local

Health and agriculture minister Nandi Glassie is one of the few in parliament happy to disclose his travel arrangements. The Cook Islands News has been asking ministers, including Prime Minister Henry Puna, for their travel schedules to outer islands and overseas, although to date little has been disclosed publicly. Glassie says his next international trip […]

Kata - July 27, 2011

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in Kata

Brisk breezes for sailors

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in National

Thirty sailors from the Cook Islands, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea are churning up the Aitutaki Lagoon. The laser and optimist class sailors are racing in the Oceania Single Handed Youth Championships, which opened on the island on Monday. Team Cook Islands is made up of sailors from Aitutaki, Rarotonga and Manihiki. The sailors […]

Record turnout for fish

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in National

The annual Rarotonga Open Fishing Competition, held over the long weekend, attracted a record entry of 26 boats. The perfect weather with calm seas over the two day competition resulted in fewer than expected fish being landed. 15 boats caught 54 fish with a total weight of 442kg. In the same competition last year a […]

New beginning for CI association

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands Association of Non Governmental Organisations (CIANGO) recently represented local civil societies at a regional meeting in Fiji. After returning from the Nadi workshop on aid and development effectiveness, CIANGO vice president for the northern group, Ngara Katuke, is going on the front foot to call attention to the vital role civil society […]

Visitors and residents walk around island

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in National

After up to 20 years off the island, a group of Cook Islands fitness fanatics have taken some extreme steps to reconnect with Rarotonga walking the whole way around it. A small group of Cook Islanders joined 45 people in walking around Rarotongas main road from 5am yesterday. One Cook Islands woman, who is currently […]

Competition to christen club

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in National

The first fishing competition for the newly opened and blessed Avana Fishing Club is on the horizon for the clubs 83 members. The revived club, located at the Avana harbour, was officially opened and blessed last Friday much to the delight of club president Stephen Kavana. The opening was attended by new and former members […]

Catholic youth embrace grace

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in National

Over 300 Catholic youths from across Rarotonga, the outer islands and Tahiti are sharing their Christian experiences at a special gathering this week. This weeks gathering hosted by the Avarua Catholic youth has been organised to lead up to the World Youth Day the largest gathering of Catholic youth, which will this year be hosted […]

Technical specialist returns to CI roots

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in National

Summerfield Systems is proud to announce the arrival of its new high-level tech in the form of Cook Islander Andrew Paiti. After spending 99.9 percent of his life in Wellington, Paiti has moved back to Rarotonga, his fathers home island, and is about three weeks into his new job as a technical specialist with Summerfield […]

Still room in BTIB free seminars

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in National

Theres still room left in the remaining three workshops organised as part of the Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) Rotary Business week. BTIB business, trade and marketing manager Melina Tuiravakai said the three remaining seminars of the week were filling up, but the board was still accepting participants hoping to come along. An afternoon workshop […]

Pleasure yacht visits Rarotonga

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in National

Exploring Rarotonga is the aim of the eight guests aboard the 37-metre pleasure motor yacht Zeepaard. Boat owner Sietse Koopmans, who is from the Netherlands, and his guests are on a round the world trip and have been exploring the globe for the past two years. He explains that the name of the pleasure boat […]

No new copies of CI dictionary

Wednesday 27 July 2011 | Published in National

Momentum is slowly gaining behind plans to put the Cook Islands Maori dictionary online as the number of physical copies of the out-of-print book available in stores dries up. People looking to buy a new, printed edition of a Cook Islands Maori dictionary will find it a tough task with editions at Rarotongan bookshops completely […]