Articles by Utopia Support

Avid angler backs bonefishery

Saturday 22 January 2011 | Published in National

Avid fly angler Carl McNeil is eager to spread the word about Aitutaki’s bonefishery. His company, On The Fly Productions, has started work on a film called Itu’s Bones, featuring bonefishing guide Itu Davey, and expects to finish producing the documentary later this year. McNeil said he chose Davey as the subject of his film […]

Bonefishing management planned

Saturday 22 January 2011 | Published in National

To protect and conserve the Aitutaki and Manuae bonefish stocks, the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) last year drafted a set of regulations that the Queen’s Representative signed into force on October 27. The bonefish management plan goes into effect next month, and MMR plans to launch a public awareness campaign in the weeks leading […]

Heather to tour NZ waste facilities

Saturday 22 January 2011 | Published in National

Infrastructure Minister Teariki Heather will launch a new waste management initiative next week in the lead up to his NZ funded tour of waste and sanitation schemes that could be used as models for Rarotonga and Aitutaki. Heather’s delegation will visit NZ officials and tour waste facilities in Rotorua, Wairoa, Opotiki and Gisborne in the […]

Minister seeks top man for Finsec job

Saturday 22 January 2011 | Published in National

Government hopes to appoint a new Financial Secretary by the end of February, according to the new Minister of Finance Mark Brown. He says there have been ongoing discussions with NZ government following its offer to assist government in the appointment of a new Finsec. As part of this assistance, NZ may be prepared to […]

Representation without taxation

Saturday 22 January 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

“The American Revolution was founded on the principle of ‘no taxation without representation and no representation without taxation’,” a smoke signaller writes. “What is now proposed by the Cook Islands Government is that 14 non-taxed constituencies are supported by 10 taxed constituencies and we are going to be faced with the weird proposition that a […]

Preacher returns to teach on 'end times'

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in Church Talk

Local pastor Teremoana Tauira has been preaching to the people of Wellington for 19 years, but this month is enjoying his home island. At the request of Bishop Tutai Pere, he came without hesitating to Rarotonga to deliver a sermon series on ‘The End Times’. Tauira’s trip started with four days’ preaching in Atiu, and […]

Actions symbolise our attitude

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in Church Talk

God’s first message through Malachi was “I have loved you”. Although this message applied specifically to Israel, it is a message of hope for all people in all times. Unfortunately, many people are cynical about God’s love, using political and economic progress as a measure of success. Because the government was corrupt and the economy […]

Legality of elections still questioned

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in Local

Penryhn MP Wilkie Rasmussen is still waiting for a response from the solicitor general on the legality of the outer island elections. He says that the government “seriously neglected its duty” to ensure that Cook Islanders who are eligible to vote, and whose names appear on the rolls, could cast their votes. No voting booths […]

Task force invites public input

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in Local

The public has been invited to make submissions and suggestions for the National Economic Development Summit government plans to host in March. Yesterday the new Economic Development Summit Task force issued its first press release after meeting for the first time on Tuesday with Prime Minister Henry Puna and Minister of Finance Mark Brown to […]

Supplementary budget in March

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in Local

Finance Minister Mark Brown says a supplementary budget bill for an increase to government’s annual budget is expected to go to parliament for approval in March. A supplementary budget to the current financial year’s budget passed last August is now being prepared by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management. Brown says a draft budget […]

Art and surf appeal

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in Features

Practicing artist and avid surfer Jason Green is on Rarotonga and ready to start his job as Tereora’s new art teacher. Green hails from Gisborne and is coming off a seven-year stint as an art teacher at Gisborne Girls High School. He jumped at the chance to teach at Tereora when he saw the position […]

Kata - January 21, 2011

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in Kata

High calibre applicants for netball jobs

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in Netball

High-calibre netball applicants for the new netball development manager and development officer positions have made selecting people into these positions very tough. Netball New Zealand development manager and Oceania liaison officer Briar Martindale was on Rarotonga for a week interviewing the applicants for the two new netball positions. Applicants were shortlisted and interviewed by Martindale […]

Teaching life skills

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in National

Life skills programmes run by Kevin Iro are still taking enrolments. While the Cook Islands Sports Academy programme on Rarotonga is full – the trade based Tu Manava course for youth aged 15 to 20 and the life skills course Te Rakei Toa for boys between 11 and 13 are still taking enrolments. The Te […]

Nukutere back to school first

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in National

Nukutere College students will get straight into their studies when school starts for them this Monday – while the majority of schools across the Cooks return on Wednesday. School principal Donna Nahu says that starting school on Monday rather than Wednesday mean’s that students get straight back into the routine of a full week of […]

Recycling 'a labour of love'

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in National

Caryn Chilwell and Brian Freeth sustain Rarotonga Recyclers as a “labour of love”, they said yesterday – and labour it is, as it can take up to 500 hours to load a container bound for New Zealand with scrap metal. The enterprise is privately funded, and Caryn and Brian keep the venture going because they […]

USP Cook Islands campus targets 30 PhDs by 2015

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in National

A major focus for USP Cook Islands in 2011 will be the enrolment of more and more Cook Islanders, from all walks of life, into university education. This includes students who left school early, new school leavers, and people who have been away from studies for a very long time. So if you’re interested in […]

New travel course

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in National

The Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre (HTTC) is gearing up for another academic year, and will be offering a number of courses for those hoping to further their careers in the nation’s number-one industry. Head of school Tony Tou said HTTC will run the same courses it did last year – The City & Guilds […]

'Mr Beer' returns to Tereora

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in National

Just five years after graduating from Tereora College, Don Beer Jnr is preparing for his first day at school as Mister Beer, an accounting, business studies and junior social studies teacher at his alma mater. Beer returned to Rarotonga in November after studying on a scholarship for his Bachelor’s in management studies and a graduate […]

DP loves his sports

Friday 21 January 2011 | Published in National

Dale Wells is taking up the role of Deputy Principal and Head of Maths at Titikaveka College. He has spent the last eight years as Deputy Principal Huntly College, which is close to Hamilton in New Zealand. He has 20 years experience as a teacher, and has spent a lot of his time working with […]