Articles by Utopia Support

Tsunami escape routes signposted

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in Local

While residents of the Cook Islands generally knew how to respond to the tsunami warning issued in February of last year, Muri Environment Care Group members raised concerns that some people – particularly tourists – were not adequately informed of evacuation procedures. Muri Environment Care Group spokesperson Mata Hetland said that “quite a number of […]

Old medical rules applied

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in Local

Kave Ringi, Director of Immigration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI), has said that the individual who has HIV came into the country before rules on entry were tightened up. Ringi said, “In relation to the person in question, this person entered the Cook Islands prior to the current very strict medical […]

PM praises new police initiatives

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in Local

Prime Minister Henry Puna has praised two new community policing initiatives which give power back to the community. Police Commissioner Maara Tetava said that the two schemes in Rutaki and Ngatangiia are showing promise. The projects are joint efforts between the police and the Aronga Mana in each of the villages to manage and decrease […]

Nurses' party disturbing

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write to share my frustration towards an unacceptable event which took place at Rarotonga Hospital on December 31, 2010, New Year’s eve, from 4pm onwards. At the maternity ward outside the canteen (I think it is), there was a party held there. They were nursing staff, senior midwives, registered nurses from other […]

Time to kick some butts

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would like to congratulate Minister Teariki Heather for taking a tough stance on the work attitudes of public servants and the need to improve their work effort. As someone who has worked closely with many public servants over a wide range of government ministries and departments for over 20 years, I can […]

Vaikai have grounds for grievance

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, A TV and your news items on the Pa Ariki palace land ceremony invited this opinion. Te Mata O Te Enua, Section 10A1, and adjoining lands in Ngatangiia are some of the lands I am familiar with from research on the Land Court and its works and practice from 1901 to 1954. I […]

Kata - January 11, 2011

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in Kata

Club netball starts February 19

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in Netball

The Rarotonga club netball season is due to start earlier this year to accommodate national and regional tournaments towards the end of the year. February 19 is the planned start date for the 2011 netball season with all games again to be played at the Telecom Sports Arena over the 13-week season. 2010 was the […]

Shipping report

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in National

The Cook Islands can rely on regular cargo shipping services to continue in the post-holiday period. Pacific Forum Line diverts its vessel Forum Pacific to Suva this month, but has arranged for a substitute vessel to do its rounds. Forum Pacific arrives at Avatiu from Vava’u, Tonga, on January 23 or 24. She generally takes […]

Teachers advance themselves

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in National

USP Cook Islands is starting the new year with a full course load. In addition to administering two postgraduate courses, the university’s local branch is offering four undergraduate courses this summer. In an effort to improve the country’s standard of education, over 30 local teachers – from schools on Rarotonga and the outer islands – […]

Imports to grow by 19%

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in National

Imports in 2009-10 cost $349.9 million – a 42 per cent increase on the previous year. Exports for the same period were valued at $5.8 million – a 21 per cent decrease on the previous year. Fuel accounts for 35 per cent of imports. The next largest category is machinery, transport and equipment, which makes […]

Pearl production drops

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in National

Exports of pearls in the last financial year dropped by 10 per cent. The Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update states there is an urgent need to concentrate efforts into the marketing of the Avaiki Brand for premium Cook Islands pearls which would enable pearl farmers to deal directly with wholesalers overseas. The report says, […]

PM agrees with island council critic

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in National

Prime Minister Henry Puna said that he supports Aitutaki Mayor Tai ‘Tango’ Herman over his recent complaints about how island councils are run. Last week Herman said that the outer islands councils had been severely neglected by government. “The system needs overhauling,” Herman said. “The council system was put in place a long, long time […]

First sitting of parliament affected

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in National

Parliament is legally required to sit before February 17 – within three months of the general election. But a date for the sitting of Parliament has not yet been set as four petitions over the outcome of elections have not yet gone to court. All four petitions will be heard between January 31 and February […]

Roasting his own coffee

Tuesday 11 January 2011 | Published in Smoke Signals

One thing this picture says about Neil Dearlove – master coffee roaster, barista and The Caf proprietor – is that he has a keen sense of humour. Not many coffee vendors the world over would be brave enough to advertise ‘rotten food and lousy coffee’, but in Neil’s case it’s just a matter of wearing […]

National debt tops $115m

Monday 10 January 2011 | Published in Local

Government debt is estimated at $114.9 million. The net debt is 19.3 per cent of gross domestic product. The new Fiscal Update states that net debts should not exceed more than 35 per cent – and even though debt levels are currently far below this, the government’s Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update is advising […]

Young mum gets dying wish

Monday 10 January 2011 | Published in Local

A bittersweet wedding was held in Christchurch at the weekend to respect the dying wish of a 19-year-old mother. Cook Islander Maire Taomia, of Ashburton, was diagnosed with gastric cancer in October 2009 and has been in the oncology ward of Christchurch Hospital for the past two months. “Ever since I found out I was […]

Wedding of her dreams

Monday 10 January 2011 | Published in Local

Cook Islanders Maire Toamia and Marouna Tunui married in New Zealand at the weekend after CanTeen and the Cancer Society helped make it possible. 11010723

Apology negated

Monday 10 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Apology accepted from June Hosking (January 8) but why nearly negate it by long-winded introspection and explanation? Why not just accept that some people on the planet do things differently and some people do things without ulterior motive – they do it because they feel happy doing it. Provided it isn’t obscene, or […]

It ain't necessarily so

Monday 10 January 2011 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Regarding June Hosking’s letter in Saturday’s C.I. News, I don’t doubt your sincerity for one moment June, but in the interest of sorting out fact from fiction, I would mention that no less a personage than the leader of the world’s Anglicans, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Robin Williams, has described the Christmas story […]