Articles by Utopia Support

Free business workshops held

Tuesday 26 July 2011 | Published in National

A travelling group of businesspeople are stopping by the Cook Islands next week to host a series of free seminars on all things business. The Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) and Rotary Australia have joined forces to host four workshops next week, with an invitation out to all interested. An afternoon workshop on customer service […]

Queens award a surprise

Tuesday 26 July 2011 | Published in National

Doctor Joseph Williams has attracted many accolades during his long career in medicine and politics. From his involvement in the World Health Organisation (WHO), to his role in introducing modern medicine to the Cook Islands and his brief tenure as Cook Islands prime minister, Dr Williams is still working as hard as ever at an […]

No support for another Delhi

Tuesday 26 July 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

It appears from a newspaper report that the Cook Islands and the other 11 Commonwealth countries in Oceania have based their decision not to support the bid by Sri Lanka to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, on the performance of neighbouring Indias hosting of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Weve been to Delhi and we really […]

Dugout canoes free for locals

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Environment

Three new wood-bottomed boats have joined Captain Tamas fleet of glass-bottomed boats at Muri lagoon. These dugout or carved outrigger canoes havent been built with the visiting crowds in mind. Instead, they are for the local families and fishermen and women in Muri. Captain Tama Tamaiva Tuavera and his crew spent about two months helping […]

Last holiday for Rarotonga Gospel Day

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Local

This Monday will be the last public holiday to commemorate Rarotonga Gospel Day. From next year, each islands Gospel Day will be observed on the closest Sunday to the date of the arrival of Christianity to that island. The Cook Islands will observe Ra O Te Ui Ariki on July 6 out of respect for […]

Chamber hits tax

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Local

The Chamber of Commerce has registered its opposition to the Cook Islands governments new withholding tax, describing it as containing serious and expensive lapses in judgement. Chamber of Commerce president Steve Anderson described the new 15 percent tax on interest accrued in the Cook Islands as being extremely ill advised and an unfortunate way to […]

Whale of a party

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Local

Cook Islands Whale and Wildlife Centre director Nan Hauser prepares to cut a fluke-shaped cake to mark the reopening of the Atupa centre yesterday. The cake was also to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the day government decided to turn Cook Islands waters into a whale sanctuary. Story and photos, page 16. 11072209

Bieber takes time to grow up

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Features

Justin Bieber is taking a month off from his busy schedule to "grow up". The 17-year-old Canadian sensation is soon going to start work on his new album, but says he is going to take some time out to do the normal things in life that he hasn’t managed to do yet. Bieber, who is […]

Rapper Tyree gets kids moving

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Features

Young Cook Islanders who missed out on Tyrees Rehab performance last year had a chance to hear the Auckland rapper drop his rhymes at the Careers Expo on Thursday afternoon and again at BCI Stadium that evening. Tyree makes up one-third of the popular South Auckland hip-hop group Smashproof. He performed in Rarotonga last year, […]

Pacific writers memory honoured

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Features

Over 70 artists, writers and poets from around the region flocked to the Cook Islands Library & Museum last Friday to honour the life and work of the late Alistair Te Ariki Campbell. The Friday night function marked the launch of a month-long exhibition in commemoration of Campbell. The exhibition, which will run until August […]

New CI playing cards sell out

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Features

Local artist Joan Gragg started selling her original Cook Islands-themed decks of playing cards on Monday night, which proved so popular that not 24 hours later she was sold out. Dozens of people poured into the BCA Gallery to celebrate the launch of the exhibition on Monday. Over wine, conversation and fast-paced games of Uka, […]

All things whale on show

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Features

Herds of people both tourists and locals flocked to the grand reopening of the Cook Islands Whale and Wildlife Centre in Atupa yesterday. For about a year the centres doors have remained closed, as director Nan Hauser and new management team Sheryl and Huw John put together new displays and sourced new artefacts from Trademe […]

Business people take advantage of expertise

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Features

Twenty-six local businesspeople representing about 20 businesses attended a free-of-charge training session this week with two of New Zealands top business trainers. Chris Elphick, director of Kirkham & Elphick Limited, has over 30 years experience as a business trainer and mentor. He and Lorraine Hoggard, of Business Mentors New Zealand, arrived this week to deliver […]

Visiting physiotherapists swamped with patients

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Features

Over the past three weeks, word on Rarotonga has spread about the American physiotherapist team operating out of the Creative Centre and their Kiikii Motel room. Kathleen Yasumura and Peggy Satterfield came to Rarotonga with Global Volunteers, and not long after theyd arrived word got around that the licensed physiotherapists were willing to see patients. […]

University so worth it

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Features

Armed with a university degree, Cook Islander Krystina Kauvai (above) is back on Rarotonga and ready to hit the job market. Kauvai, 24, last month completed a Bachelor of Commerce after three years at Auckland University. After she finished college, Kauvai scored a full university scholarship through the Department of National Human Resource Development. In […]

Trash to fashion celebration

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Features

Tereora College students ditched their school uniforms last week in exchange for plastic and newspaper ensembles for the schools first wearable arts award. The fun event organised by the schools art department as part of celebrating arts at Tereora College and to support art week. The event also seconded as a fundraising effort for the […]

Prepping the fine print

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Features

Delivering a 13-tonne printing press to Cook Islands News Building in Maraerenga came with a number of challenges unique to the site. Just one man has prior experience in the job and, luckily enough, he happens to be the man in charge of the operation. Engineer Steve Russell of The Printdoc Company said the moving […]

A stupid statement

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor The so-called leader who labelled Cook Islanders as lazy is only exhibiting his ignorance of human races around the world. There are lazy people in every country of the world. However, those who migrate to other countries are normally people who are more motivated to improve themselves hence they are harder working than […]

Flight schedule convenient and perfect

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor After travelling on the inaugural return flight between Sydney and Rarotonga last year I had a bit to say in a letter to you displaying concern at the very early arrival time in to Rarotonga and the dark early morning time delay before being able to connect with the Aitutaki flight. I have […]

Kata - July 23, 2011

Saturday 23 July 2011 | Published in Kata