Articles by Utopia Support

Xbox comes with rules!

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in National

Six-year-old Avana Hagai was told that she had to pick up rubbish first before playing with her brand new Xbox 360 Kinect game console. The Avarua Primary School student was one of three people who won the CITC Powerade promotion. Avana and older sister Tschan (7) were all smiles when CITC Key Brands manager George […]

Harbour work starting

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in National

The $24 million Avatiu harbour project is expected to start early next month and construction will be done by New Zealand company McConnell Dowell. It will be one of the biggest construction projects undertaken on Rarotonga in recent years and will take almost two years to complete. Between 40 to 50 locals will be employed […]

Budget policy calls for 'innovation'

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in National

A constrained economy where current surpluses are small and net worth is outside of what government considers to be prudent, is what the Cook Islands Party administration says it’s inherited. The 2011-12 Budget Policy Statement states the term of the previous government was also constrained and if the country is to achieve its national vision, […]

Woman of the year award back

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands Business and Professional Women’s Association is proudly reinstating the BPW Woman of the Year Award. The 2010-2011 awards function will be held at Muri Beach Club Resort on Friday, June 10. BPW feels it is time to return to “this very special award” recognising one special woman for the achievements they have […]

Tangaroa 'just a statue'

Thursday 7 April 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes in response to Olivia Heather’s letter to the editor yesterday: “I find it questionable to be calling Tangaroa the principal ‘god’ of our people. This may come as a surprise, but the Tangaroa is actually just a wooden statue, with as much power as a piece of plastic. Perhaps you should […]

Message to parents

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in Local

Two minors have been charged with burglary after police found sets of stolen dumbbells and boxing gloves – taken from Te Ara Ora Gym at Tereora last year – at their Nikao homes. George George, chairman of the Avatiu-Nikao Mongoose Golden Oldies Rugby Club, yesterday praised police for recovering what he estimated to be 80% […]

Raro can't ignore sister islands

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in Local

The country is going to have to peel away layers of a them-and-us mindset and adopt a whole new attitude if we want economic growth and successful changes to happen, says Economic Task Force chairman John Tierney. The Task Force is advocating that Rarotonga businesses can no longer leave the outer islands in isolation and […]

The people own the motifs

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Cook Islands traditional motifs belong to Cook Islands people. Neither Cook Islands News nor Turtles own Cook Islands traditional designs, Cook Islands Maori people do. However, we thank you for drawing attention to the worst imitations of Cook Islands traditonal motifs on fabric available in the Cook Islands today. Apart from the ngaru […]

It's a matter of 'national pride'

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I’m appalled after reading your article ‘Rugby gear pulled from sale’ on April 5 for a number of misguided statements and quotes that have been made. 1. “the graphics on the clothing are plagiarized from designs Turtles did for the official rugby jerseys for the national team” I’d like to see proof that […]

Turtles has only one issue: the logo

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This is my response to Yvonne and Olivia Heather of Vonnia’s. Please note that Turtles has had a contract with the Cook Islands Rugby Union for three years and it was just following a process when we rang Ben Koteka yesterday. The only problem is the use of the CI Rugby logo which […]

Vonnia's bought garments 'in good faith'

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am writing in regards to the article in CINews on Tuesday 5 April headed ‘Rugby gear pulled from sale’ which has had direct impact on our business, with absolutely no request to respond to this article from CINews before it went to print. I am disappointed that John Woods has sought legal […]

Kata - April 6, 2011

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in Kata

No decision on league assaults

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in League

Arorangi Bears club president Pare Rongokea and premier grade captain Augustine Heather pleaded guilty to ‘harassing’ a referee at yesterday’s judicial hearing – but no decision was made by the panel due to a pending criminal case against the pair made by referee Simiona Teiotu. Rongokea was cited on Saturday for assaulting referee Simiona Teiotu […]

Sports awards postponed for 'Tuamanator'

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands Sports Awards have been postponed for a week to allow guest speaker heavyweight boxer David ‘Tuamanator’ Tua to tie up some loose ends before coming to Rarotonga. The annual sports awards were scheduled for this Friday, April 8, and have now been pushed back by a week and will be held on […]

Locals fare for kitesurfing comp

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in National

Some of kitesurfing’s top names – names like Cameron Dietrich and Jesse Richman that generate hype in kitesurfing circles – are coming to the Cook Islands in June. And thanks to an Air Rarotonga promotion, people from Rarotonga and overseas will have a chance to watch them go for gold. The airline recently announced a […]

Praying for wind

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in National

The voyagers aboard Marumaru Atua are praying for wind. Cook Islands Voyaging Society president Ian Karika received a brief update from Captain Peia Patai yesterday morning, who reported a ‘frustrating’ lack of wind. The vaka was still tacking to make east and ‘praying for a good southerly or even northerly wind’, Karika reported. Yesterday morning […]

New overseas tourism reps signed up

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in National

Cook Islands Tourism has entered into new two-year contracts with representatives who will market and promote the country in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. The contracts were finalised during a recent trip to those countries by CIT chief executive Carmel Beattie and marketing director Karla Eggelton. The month long trip to Europe […]

Mutual benefits

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in National

A Rarotonga Hospital nurse’s visit to Dunedin’s Mercy Hospital may be the first of many exchanges between the two, Mercy Hospital anaesthetist Dr John Hyndman says. While adding to the skills of poorly resourced Rarotonga Hospital staff was the focus, Mercy staff could probably learn from the Cook Islands, he said. Kirstein Atingakau finishes her […]

CI upholds rights of disabled

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands Government is currently writing its report on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to be presented to the United Nations as part of its obligation since its ratification on May 8, 2009. The convention, which safeguards the world’s 650 million persons with disabilities from discrimination, was passed by the […]

Opposition grows to purse seining in CI waters

Wednesday 6 April 2011 | Published in National

Opposition to purse seining in our waters has gone global with a Facebook page asking people to sign up to demonstrate they’re against it. Yesterday morning 250 people had shown support for “Help Stop These People” created by Polohu Ruapene. A further 1135 people had been invited to sign up. Terii Hagai says the page […]