Articles by Utopia Support

World champion in top form at Aitutaki

Wednesday 29 June 2011 | Published in National

At just 18 years old, kiteboarder Jesse Richman can claim two world championship titles, but he doesnt have an arrogant swagger to match. Mellow and easygoing, Richman is Maui-born and bred and lives in upcountry Haiku. He started kitesurfing in 2002 when he was just nine years old after years of surfing Mauis biggest breaks. […]

Filling the public sector gaps

Wednesday 29 June 2011 | Published in National

The University of the South Pacific (USP) is entering new ground this year with the introduction of a postgraduate diploma in public administration. The university is offering a one-off course beginning from August that has been designed to provide people working in the public sector with the skills and know-how needed to progress into management […]

Experts help BTIB

Wednesday 29 June 2011 | Published in National

New Zealand trade consultants from Tuia International are in the Cook Islands assisting the Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) with the framework for its importation substitution strategy. Tuia specialises in providing advice and services for trade development, investment, tourism and economic development. Director Tim Gibson and senior consultant Alice Sciascia are in Rarotonga for one […]

BTIB probes Bartercard

Wednesday 29 June 2011 | Published in National

A New Zealand company with members in the Cook Islands is being investigated by the Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) to determine whether it requires foreign enterprise registration. Bartercard New Zealand Ltd enables members to trade using credits equivalent to the New Zealand dollar. In some respects it is like a credit card company, although […]

Police get hands-on combat training

Wednesday 29 June 2011 | Published in National

Cook Islands police officers are being trained to better handle violent situations, learning the best empty hand tactics as well as how to correctly use batons and apply handcuffs. During a four-week staff safety tactical training programme every sworn officer, from commissioner Maara Tetava to the newest recruit, will complete the training programme being run […]

Call to clean up ahead of tutaka

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in Environment

Rarotonga residents, business owners and hoteliers are being encouraged to clean their properties ahead of next weeks tutaka. From July 4 to 8 the Ministry of Health, Cook Islands Police, National Environment Service, Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning and Ministry of Finance and Economic Management statistics division will inspect all properties within all areas of […]

Women, families ignored - council

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in Local

The basic needs of women and families continue to be ignored in the Cook Islands despite donor funding, members of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have been told. An ADB delegation to the Cook Islands yesterday met with members of the Cook Islands National Council of Women (CINCW) at its Takuvaine headquarters. CINCW president Vaine […]

Board keeps eye on project promises

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in Local

There is no set programme in place for the Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) to monitor whether contractor McConnell Dowell is honouring an agreement over the $27 million Avatiu harbour upgrade. BTIB initially rejected McConnell Dowells application to operate within the Cook Islands but the parties reached an agreement subject to the delegation of some […]

Hospital work left hanging

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in Local

Work on a $670,000 upgrade of Rarotonga hospitals sewerage system has been stopped, pending an environmental impact assessment (EIA). There has been mounting confusion between stakeholders about whether the project, for which work began in April, required an EIA from the beginning. It appears an EIA was not ordered of engineers by the National Environment […]

Kata - June 28, 2011

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in Kata

Aitutaki picture-perfect location

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in National

The Aitutaki lagoon was yesterday the picture-perfect backdrop for the Cook Islands first-ever kitesurfing competition and festival. It sparkled turquoise under a gray-blue sky as a few boatloads of kitesurfers and supporters unloaded gear and chilly bins onto the sandspit at Maina Iti following a 7.30am turou. At about 10am the wind started to pick […]

Kitesurfers warmly welcomed to Aitutaki

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in National

The aronga mana of Aitutaki extended a warm 7.30am welcome to the kitesurfers who travelled from French Polynesia and Hawaii for the Cook Islands first kitesurfing competition. Outfitted in tapa and traditional garb, a young warrior of the are taunga performed a turou in the morning fog. He invited the competitors and judges a group […]

More tributes to Te Tika Mataiapo

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in National

Cook Islands News readers have sent in more tributes to Te Tika Mataiapo Dorice Reid. Dearly missed When we were building our new vaka in 2009 we were considering several names, and in her wonderful naturally cultural ways, our Te Tika asked if the Aronga Mana could suggest a name, after convening their meeting, Are […]

Marsters confident of PFLs future

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in National

Deputy prime minister Tom Marsters says he is confident that the troubled Pacific Forum Line (PFL) freight company will return to profit and continue servicing the Cook Islands into the future. Marsters, whose portfolio includes shipping, said he was happy with changes being made at the company to stem the financial losses. The chairman of […]

Students speeches give judges tough task

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in National

Powerful and inspiring Maori speeches were heard on Thursday morning when students gathered at the Avatea School hall for the annual primary school Maori speech competition. 47 of the islands top Maori orators took to the stage for their speeches based on this years theme of toku reo e taku peu ko toku ia mana, […]

College students get into literary character

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in National

As part of literacy week at Tereora College this week students took part in reading competitions, listened to addresses by a number of invited guest speakers and took part in a book character dress-up day. Senior students at the college went all out on Thursday to dress-up as their favourite book characters. This was the […]

Shelf extension before UN

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in National

An article in yesterdays Cook Islands News confused two topics from last weeks deputy prime ministers conference. The issues of the Cook Islands-Kiribati border and the extension of the Cook Islands northern continental shelf are not related as it was written yesterday. The Cook Islands and Kiribati are looking to agree on a common border […]

Plane service returns to normal

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in National

Air services at Rarotonga have returned to normal after suffering through a weekend of irritations from cancelled flights to lost luggage due to volcanic ash passing through New Zealand airspace. Pacific Blue cancelled three days of flights in and out of Rarotonga International Airport between Friday and Sunday, with its services returning to normal from […]

ADB delegates learn of CI challenges

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in National

Before coming to the Cook Islands Maurin Sitorus could not understand why it would be difficult to maintain infrastructure in, and govern, a country of about 20,000 people. The Indonesian is an executive director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for Armenia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Kyrgyz Republic, New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga. He arrived […]

Young crowd gets Turtles story

Tuesday 28 June 2011 | Published in National

More than 70 people filled an Avarua cafe last week to hear the story behind Cook Islands surf wear company Turtles Tees. Chris McKinley, one half of the Turtles Tees managing team, featured at the Business Trade Investment Boards monthly After5 business talk event at Cafe Salsa. McKinley spent an hour talking and taking questions […]