Articles by Utopia Support

Taakoka Villas case charges dropped

Tuesday 19 July 2011 | Published in National

A total of 41 charges have been withdrawn in a court case between the Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) and Taakoka Island Villas Ltd. The case was called in the Cook Islands High Court at Avarua yesterday before New Zealand high court judge Justice Colin Nicholson. Crown prosecutor Catherine Evans sought leave to withdraw charges […]

Tax a hard choice: PM

Tuesday 19 July 2011 | Published in National

Prime Minister Henry Puna told overseas and local media that negative reactions to the withholding tax are based on ill information. He was asked by an overseas reporter at a media conference on Thursday about the way the Cook Islands people have received the news of the tax on interest. I think its fair to […]

Lend Super funds here

Tuesday 19 July 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Clearly the minister of finance is out of his depth, having come up with that dumb withholding tax concept, and needs some guidance when it comes to raising money, a smoke signaller writes. Lets start with this suggestion: the Super Fund purportedly has well over $33 million in its kitty. Ok, Ok, I know, never […]

New shepherd to guide Catholic flock

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in Church Talk

Hundreds of Catholic worshippers from across the Cook Islands and the Oceania region gathered at the St Josephs Cathedral in Avarua on Saturday for the ordination of the new Cook Islands Catholic shepherd Bishop Paul Donoghue. The special ceremony began with a traditional turou for Bishop Donoghue who was escorted into the church by a […]

Economy expands

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands economy is growing, albeit slowly, and is forecast to continue expanding according to data within the 2011-2012 budget. Tourism and industry performance, measured by growth in visitor numbers, continues to rise. Overall growth in the national economy is estimated at two percent in 2010-2011 and 11 percent in the next 12 months. […]

Pa Ariki calls for urgent action

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in Local

Takitumu paramount chief Pa Marie Ariki is gravely concerned about the rising crime rate on Rarotonga. I have great concerns of whats been happening with all the kikia on the island and especially where our tourists have been the target, she wrote in an email to CINews from Auckland. She says that tourists generate income […]

CI among worst for chlamydia

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in Local

Almost half of the Cook Islands youth population is infected with chlamydia, according to Ministry of Health figures. A 2009 survey of Cook Islanders aged between 15 and 19 years old found 49 percent of the teenagers tested were infected with the sexually transmitted disease. The test sample included 43 individuals aged between 15 and […]

Lifted high

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in Local

Bishop Paul Donoghue is lifted on a paata by joyous Catholic worshippers after he was ordained as the new Catholic Bishop for the Cook Islands by retiring Bishop Stuart OConnell. Hundreds of worshippers from across the Cooks and Archbishops and Bishops from across the Oceania region joined in a celebration of the special occasion Full […]

What will it take?

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I just want to ask a question to the Government about what have they done to improve the black spot accident-prone area on the Nikao back road that claimed another life. I believe this black spot has claimed so many lives in the past and to this day nothing has been done to […]

Your truth is not ours

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Just to ask Ewan a question – does he mean that we the descendants of Te Pa Atua Kino are papaa – not tangata enua of Tumu Te Varovaro? The years of the Boobah was written by papaa, that was an assumption he wrote of who we are as Cook Islanders. Ewan, Ive […]

Donation appreciated

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor May I, through your newspaper, offer my thanks to the people of Aitutaki for their kind donation of many thousands of dollars to our earthquake fund. As someone resident in the middle of the disaster it is comforting and heartening to know that folk far away from our problems are concerned enough about […]

Too much noise for Sunday

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor I am a little peeved off today after losing valuable sleep thanks to party goers during the wee hours of Sunday morning. When I woke up at 2am I heard the thumping of an entertainment system combined with excessive noise from the people themselves. So I decided to call the police to alert […]

Kata - July 18, 2011

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in Kata

Arorangi jetty project manager named

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in National

The Arorangi cruise ship jetty project has found its project manager. The Ports Authority this week announced it would be employing Frame Group Ltd, under company principal Des Eggelton, to manage the $2 million projects construction. Ports Authority general manager Bim Tou said Eggelton and Frame Group was selected for its experience in managing other […]

Plans, problems aired at Arorangi jetty site

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in National

Plans for the Arorangi jetty have continued to progress since last weeks memorandum of understanding was signed, but issues surrounding the jetty are still causing headaches for the projects managers. Members of the New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCullys Pacific mission on Thursday stopped by the site of the Arorangi jetty to hear about the […]

Rugby legend Lomus visit delights

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in National

Locals of all ages made the most of rugby legend Jonah Lomus visit to Rarotonga last week, taking the chance to meet their hero. In a speech on Thursday, Lomu says he follows the development of rugby in Pacific nations with interest. As a Polynesian its something I hold close and watching the development of […]

Mens health takes a male perspective

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in National

Teariki Boaza says one way the Cook Islands can help improve the health of its male population is by following his lead and putting more men in front-line health service roles. The 27-year-old said men were more likely to become shy around female staff and he wanted to see more men in nursing roles and […]

Marine park enthusiasts want more

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in National

Takitumu embraced the marine park proposal at a public meeting on Wednesday evening. Any hesitation to support the project stemmed from a belief that the marine park should encompass the entire exclusive economic zone (EEZ), rather than just the proposed one million square kilometres of it. Most also agreed that the boundary should be moved […]

Excellent progress on cyclone shelter

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in National

Foundations of a multi million-dollar cyclone management centre in Pukapuka are almost completed in what is being hailed as excellent progress of the development. The contract to construct the centre was awarded to Cook Islands company Landholdings Ltd in March. About $3 million was jointly funded by the Cook Islands Government, New Zealand Aid Programme […]

Yes, Cook Islanders are lazy

Monday 18 July 2011 | Published in National

Robert Wigmore hit the nail on the head we are lazy! a smoke signaller writes to TXT188 in response to the leader of the oppositions contentious statement in parliament. I am ashamed of it but it is the truth and it hurts. But people writing in and saying Rob is out of his mind for […]