Articles by Utopia Support

Cast and crew prepare for Once Upon a Reef

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in Features

Production director Thomas Peyroux and his team have been busy this month preparing for Once Upon a Reef, a theatrical version of the legend of Pipirima. The tragic story is a tribute to a pair of stars who were once inseparable twins that committed suicide when their parents neglected to feed them during a famine. […]

Pacific tenors to perform in Raro

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in Features

Local company Motone Productions has secured funding from Creative New Zealand to bring back award winning Samoan Tongan Tenor Benjamin Fifitia Makisi, who performed last December at the Crown Beach Resort & Spa before a sold-out crowd. Ben will be performing with the Cook Islands very own tenor Bonaventure Allan Moetaua, who is a rising […]

Free eye checks

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in Features

Mauke islanders have been taking advantage of free eye checkups by visiting optometrist Dr John Veale. Dr Veale is back on Rarotonga after a week of providing free eye checks and care on Mauke. People on the island took advantage of the service and those who needed prescription reading glasses were also able to purchase […]

Shes on a mission to find the perfect wave

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in Features

The search for the perfect wave has brought Australian-based Cook Islander and surfer Charlotte Piho home to turn her passion for surfing into her life. Piho, 26, daughter of Rakahanga man Tuhe Piho, is on a mission to find the perfect wave in 14 days, starting on May 14. The mission is called The Awakening […]

Ex-cop writes book on crime mysteries

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in Features

In the 11 years Australian ex-cop Rod Henderson spent living on Rarotonga, he satiated his curiosity for interesting crimes by researching some of the islands intrigues. He compiled a collection of local unsolved mysteries, which hes using as fodder for a book hes started writing. Im just going to pose the questions if I could […]

Affordable Telecom plans to offer more

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in Features

Telecom Cook Islands (TCI) chief executive Jules Maher maintains that while TCI faces a myriad of challenges providing telecommunications services to a small population spread over a vast area, it is committed to being number one in the Pacific for cheap, fast service. Though its revenues have grown slightly since 2006, the rising costs of […]

Good on BTIB

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Congratulations to the BTIB! I read with interest yesterdays CINews article on the BTIB refusal to approve a foreign company registration application due to the lack of local involvement in their harbour works contract. What a ray of sunshine! We must now all carefully watch our new look Government to ensure they do […]

Money waiting for landowners

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, For the sake of reassuring the 242 landowners who have right of claim to their money being held in their land trust account at this office, I wish to note that your article is misleading where it states that the Registrar is not paying the money to the landowners. That is incorrect. The […]

Guard our precious marine resources

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

I expressed my concerns at the proposal to issue exploratory licences for purse seining when it was first announced. Since then we have had the benefit of further explanations from Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) both in the newspaper and at public meetings, Ipukarea Societys TV programme on the poor state of Pacific fishing resources, […]

Kata - May 7, 2011

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in Kata

Eels tackle Panthers in final league round

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in League

This weekend is the final round of games in the current rugby league season, which heads into the top-four playoff next Friday and Saturday. Today, top of the premier grade points table the Avatiu Eels will head to Tupapa to meet the Panthers in what should be a bruising encounter. The Panthers are currently sitting […]

Singing an old tune

Saturday 7 May 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A month ago on being appointed chairman of the board of Cook Islands Investment Corporation, Julian Dashwood said politics will not be part of his game in office, a smoke signaller writes. Now hes singing a different tune and is back to square one singing the age-old national tune of the Cook Islands: Me e […]

How to overcome worry

Friday 6 May 2011 | Published in Church Talk

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your lifeBut seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6: 25-33 NIV How many of us waste precious time worrying, when things arent going our way, about things we cant do anything about, and for […]

Pacific called to pray

Friday 6 May 2011 | Published in Church Talk

The Pacific Conference of Churches has deemed today Pacific Day of Prayer, and the women of Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) Nikao will be hosting a service to commemorate it. Orometua Tereora Tereoras wife Kura will be delivering the message, and the women of her congregation will be helping to conduct the service, which starts […]

Interest grows in organics

Friday 6 May 2011 | Published in Environment

Organic growing advocate Teava Iro continues to spread the word about biological and ecological agriculture throughout the Cook Islands. Iro, a director of Cook Islands Noni Marketing Ltd and chairman of the Titikaveka Growers Association, gave a presentation on organic growing to about 40 people at a public meeting in Muri this week. The meeting, […]

Lagoon Day focuses on wetlands

Friday 6 May 2011 | Published in Environment

The spotlight is on wetlands for this years annual Lagoon Day education and awareness programme, now in its fourth year. Lagoon Day, on June 1 and 2, brings together experts in environment issues to raise awareness of the problems facing the lagoon environment and the possible solutions. Lagoon Day aims for positive change through hands-on […]

Port contractor stopped

Friday 6 May 2011 | Published in Local

The main contractor for the $27 million Avatiu harbour upgrade was yesterday stopped suddenly from working here throwing the projects immediate future into doubt. The Business Trade Investment Board (BIBT) refused to grant McConnell Dowell permission to work in the Cook Islands at a special all-day meeting, declining its foreign enterprise application. Board chairman Grant […]

13 arrests in drug bust

Friday 6 May 2011 | Published in Local

A year-long police investigation into the importation and distribution of drugs in the Cook Islands has resulted in the arrest of 13 men and women including two current and one former public servants. Today six of those arrested will appear in the Cook Islands High Court at Avarua to face charges. Collectively the 13 arrested […]

Whats going on?

Friday 6 May 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wait with baited breath for the next gripping episode of the long running soap opera to appear on our media screens The rise and fall and rise of the short hom. What is going on in this longrunning saga ….or have we just lost the plot? Isnt it time that the Police […]

Well done team

Friday 6 May 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As a cataract patient I write to express my appreciation of the splendid work being done by the volunteer eye specialist team from New Zealand. Not only are their dedication and skills apparent, but their informal, cheerful approach on a first name basis immediately puts apprehensive patients at ease. The local population should […]