Articles by Utopia Support

Old insurance scheme enforced

Friday 8 April 2011 | Published in Local

The Ministry of Internal Affairs wants to put back on track an employers’ insurance scheme that’s supposed to provide compensation to staff injured in the workplace. The scheme requires employers to contribute to the fund, the amount depending on the risk associated with the job, says Internal Affairs secretary Bredina Drollet. Little has happened to […]

Kata - April 8, 2011

Friday 8 April 2011 | Published in Kata

Cook Islands doctor to be a main speaker

Friday 8 April 2011 | Published in National

One of the keynote speakers at next week’s Economic Summit is Cook Islander Dr Graham Hugh Matheson (above). A former dux of Tereora College, 34-year-old Matheson has a long list of impressive accomplishments in medicine, surgery, biomedical engineering and philosophy. Academic posts include lecturing at the University of Sydney and being conjoin lecturer at the […]

Small Muri businesses at risk

Friday 8 April 2011 | Published in National

Task Force vaka consultations have raised some concerns over how some foreign-owned businesses have driven locally owned companies out of business. The issue was raised at the last Task Force vaka meeting on Wednesday night in Takitumu. A recommendation was made that the Business Trade and Investment Board which licenses foreign-owned businesses should review the […]

Original ideas flow in

Friday 8 April 2011 | Published in National

Some original thinking has been inspired by the Economic Task Force Vaka consultations that ended in Takitumu Wednesday night. Task Force member Ian Karika gave an overview of the focal areas to grow the economy which cover tourism, agriculture, marine resources, culture and creative industries, financial services, trade and commercial industries. With ideas submitted by […]

Mike Pero a keynote speaker at summit

Friday 8 April 2011 | Published in National

Keynote speaker on Tuesday morning at the first day of the Economic Summit will be Mike Pero. Pero is one of New Zealand’s most accomplished keynote business speakers. Today the Cook Islander is still the public face of the nation’s largest and most renowned Mortgage Broking firm, Mike Pero Mortgages. The franchised organisation has arranged […]

Olympic House plans under revision

Friday 8 April 2011 | Published in National

Concept plans for a proposed $1.5 million complex to house the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) are being revised following feedback from various stakeholders. Olympic House plans, by architect Romani Katoa, were first unveiled to sports federations and others with potential use of the facility late last year. Katoa says he has […]

No date for tutaka

Friday 8 April 2011 | Published in National

Community health will be conducting a Rarotonga-wide tutaka, but will not be announcing a specific date. “The idea was for them to clean up for one whole month,” director of community health services Rangi Fariu said. “In the past we’d tell them (when) we’ll be at their place and they’d just tidy up on that […]

Fuel prices going up again

Friday 8 April 2011 | Published in National

Fuel prices are continuing to rise, with a new price order for Triad Pacific Petroleum Ltd now in effect. It equates to an increase in prices of about 5 percent, Triad manager Chris Vaile says. Triad petrol can now be sold for $2.55 per litre on Rarotonga, $2.82 on southern group islands other than Aitutaki, […]

SPREP team helps with waste plan

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in Environment

A South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) waste team is on Rarotonga to learn more about the successful E-Waste Day held on the island in December and to help prepare the National Waste Strategy. The team met with Infrastructure and Planning Minister Teariki Heather to discuss plans and preparations for the National Waste Strategy before […]

$3m waste and sanitation project underway

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in Environment

A $3 million programme aimed at improving lagoon water quality in Rarotonga and Aitutaki is now underway. The Waste Management and Sanitation Improvement Programme is being funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme and has been developed in consultation with Cook Island Government agencies, businesses and civil society. “Effective waste management and sanitation infrastructure and […]

Go Kukis!

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in Local

Local club netballers Odile Pauka (left) and Teiva Joseph model the ‘Go Kukis’ Team Cook Islands supporters t-shirts that are now on sale at the CISNOC office in Taputapuatea. The t-shirts are on sale for $25 each and are part of the Team Cook Islands fundraising initiative for the Pacific Games in Noumea, New Caledonia, […]

Wilkie warns of 'exploitation'

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in Local

It now seems China wants to exploit Cook Islands fisheries and wasn’t just interested in being friends and advancing its ‘One China’ policy, says Penrhyn MP Wilkie Rasmussen. The signing of an exploratory fisheries MOU between government and the Chinese Fisheries Association is proving to be a true a prediction made by the late professor […]

KukiCell network trial stopped

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in Local

Less than a week after setting up a mobile phone base to test its cellphone network, KukiCell has been forced to turn it off it. Parent body Mervin Communications director William Framhein says Telecommunications Minister Mark Brown has told them as minister he can’t be involved because of the Joint Venture Agreement between government and […]

Payback time?

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I totally agree with the Ipukarea Society’s views on protecting fishing stocks in our EEZ. Tuna stocks have plummeted in other oceans across the globe with some species on the brink of collapse. There are plenty of current documentaries highlighting the plight of the world’s oceans being overfished. Spanish fleets are now fishing […]

Airfares went down because of a second airline in market

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to thank Jules Maher from Telecom for his letter in response to my one previously. He is quite right in saying that you can still get a cheaper fare today if you book in advance. Today the fares have gone down a great deal. But really it went down because of […]

Kata - April 7, 2011

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in Kata

Get up and get moving

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in National

A CINews article announcing experienced Ashtanga yoga teacher Dik Bree’s arrival noted incorrect times for the classes he will be offering over the next two weeks. The beginner sessions are on Tuesdays and Thursdays – April 7, 12 and 14 – from midday until 1pm and the intermediate classes are April 8, and then April […]

Mentors returning

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce is offering a third round of business mentoring sessions in conjunction with Business Mentoring New Zealand (BMNZ), starting next week. Five mentors – the same five that conducted both sessions last year – will be on the island from April 11 until April 15. The chamber stopped accepting applications […]

PERC's Allsworth report to be tabled

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in National

Audit director Paul Allsworth is not in the all clear yet on allegations of inappropriately paying himself bonuses and salary increases. While police have completed an investigation and confirmed Allsworth will not to be charged with criminal wrongdoing, the contents of another investigation carried out by the Public Expenditure Review Committee (PERC) have yet to […]