Articles by Utopia Support

BJ passes away

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in Local

BJ Oaariki was an identity on Mauke. The young disabled man died last week after a short illness, leaving a big gap in the island community where he was loved and looked after by people of all ages. On page 10 today, June Hosking’s obituary and photos are a small tribute to a popular person […]

Red Cross still counting

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in Local

Red and black day appeal money, being collated by the Cook Islands Red Cross Society, for those affected by the 6.3 magnitude Christchurch earthquake is expected to exceed $8000. Cook Islands Red Cross Society disaster management coordinator Charlie Numanga today expects to have a final tally of money generated by Cook Islanders during the Friday […]

MP quitting 'sad' and 'selfish'

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in Local

Prime Minister Henry Puna has hinted his government could be visiting anti-party hopping legislation to possibly fix existing loopholes during its term in office following MP Norman George’s resignation from Cook Islands Party ranks this week. Puna says it’s clear Cook Islanders don’t accept how individual MPs continue to shift alliances after being elected – […]

Aere ra e Papa OJ Joseph

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in Features

On Thursday evening Papa Ota Joseph, 73, passed away at home in the arms of his beloved wife of 49 years, Ngatangata Puapii Rongo and granddaughter Nicole. Tama Parei Joseph, better known as Papa Ota or OJ, was born on 23 December 1937, the 11th child of 14 children in Aitutaki. Although many people called […]

Thanks for shopping spree

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As the winner of the $500 shopping spree for the Valentine’s Day draw at the T-Shirt Factory, I would personally like to thank everyone involved. It was great fun, and it took me three trips to complete shopping for this very generous prize. Thank you for treating me so wonderfully. It was the […]

PSC should write a public service manual

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It has become standard practice for incoming Governments to launch attacks on their inherited (and supposedly bloated) public service as a means of quickly shifting expenditure to their own programmes. However, in the Cook Islands it is not supported by the facts. This past financial year the public service under-spent. In some ministries […]

Poor sound at auditorium

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I speak in regards to the Composers Competition held last week at the National Auditorium. I have been a regular to this event for the last four years and somehow the quality of the sound this year was terrible. I feel for the composers and singers, for their restless nights to prepare for […]

Kata - March 9, 2011

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in Kata

League midweek

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in League

Week six of rugby league action kicks off today at Raemaru park in Arorangi when the under 19 Bears take on the Bulldogs. The Bears and Bulldogs games will be played out today and tomorrow due to a wedding in the Puaikura district. After the under 19 game starting at 4pm, the reserve grade will […]

Handycards made here

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in National

Westpac has introduced technology to the Cooks Islands that allows it to produce local Handycards for customers in a matter of days. “We have an agenda to make banking easier for our customers and now we’re also making it much faster,” Westpac Cook Islands general manager Rob Buick said. “The turnaround time from the date […]

BJ's obituary

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in National

On March 4, Teokotai Benjamin Alexander Oaariki (aka BJ) passed away after a flu had him down for two weeks. BJ will be very much missed by family, friends and the team at Te Ata o te Ra. The following is a story BJ wrote about his life until he moved to Mauke – a […]

New wheelchairs for Creative Centre

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in National

Two new wheelchairs donated to the Creative Centre last Thursday will go a long way to improving the quality of lives for the centre members who need wheelchairs. The chairs were donated to the centre by visitors to Rarotonga from the Probus Club of Taringa in Queensland and presented to the centre by Air New […]

Quake reflection brings tears

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in National

A moment of silence for victims of the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch brought emotions to the fore, both in New Zealand and the Cook Islands. Christchurch resident Edna Allan says she was moved to tears during the event on March 1 (NZT). “I found it to be a moving experience. I was cleaning up […]

Counting potential Chinese tourists

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

Responding to yesterday’s CI News article about our country looking to progress a memorandum of understanding on travel with China – which recognises the Cooks as a preferred destination for Chinese travellers – a smoke signaller writes: “If the population of China is 1.5 billion and 0.5% travel and ‘we only need 0.001% of that’, […]

28 goals in first round of soccer

Wednesday 9 March 2011 | Published in Football

The second round of games will take place today in the annual Primary Schools Soccer Tournament at the CIFA complex in Matavera with the girls kicking off first at 2.45pm. Last Wednesday, the first round of the Primary School senior round robin soccer tournament action brought plenty of goalmouth drama as the net was bulged […]

Boy of 13 arrested for machete assault

Tuesday 8 March 2011 | Published in Local

Police have apprehended a 13-year-old Ngatangiia boy in relation to an assault case last weekend on a female tourist. The female visitor to the island was out for a jog heading towards Rutaki from her Ngatangiia accommodation when she was assaulted by a local male carrying a bush knife. The woman was able to escape […]

CIP executive to review George walkout today

Tuesday 8 March 2011 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands Party executive was to meet today to go over MP Norman George’s resignation and most likely do a quick stock-take of its position. CIP secretary-general Temu Okotai said yesterday the party would be in a position today to release an official statement in connection to George’s resignation. With the Pukapuka by-election yet […]

Short report ready

Tuesday 8 March 2011 | Published in Local

PSC commissioner Navy Epati as Short’s employer will decide his future employment. “/> The Public Service Commission has completed its investigation into allegations of over-spending and possible misuse of public funds by suspended justice secretary Mark Short. As required by the public service act, the report had to be completed within four weeks of Shorts’ […]

George resigns with no remorse

Tuesday 8 March 2011 | Published in Local

Teenui-Mapumai MP Norman George has resigned from the Cook Islands Party and says he leaves with no remorse. George has opted to continue his parliamentary career spanning 28 years as an independent MP. He stresses that by going independent he is not the opposition. Since the November general elections, George has been vocal over his […]

Strong demand for new broadband plans

Tuesday 8 March 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The interest generated by the introduction of our new Broadband Plans and lower prices has exceeded my expectations. Despite the letters to CINews, in the first four days since launching our new plans, we have processed over 100 service orders from customers taking advantage of the changes we have introduced. This confirms just […]