Articles by Utopia Support

Water conservation a priority

Monday 13 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, During the last week of November the island of Rarotonga experienced what was likely one of its heaviest downpours in years, with probably billions of litres of water filling all the streams and flooding the entire island. Three weeks later and Rarotonga is quickly drying up under the sweltering heat, with many water […]

Just have faith in our Lord

Monday 13 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read with interest, Tutai Pere’s message in the paper on Friday. It is interesting that he chose Jude 3 as the basis for his message as Jude was specifically written to deal with false teachers. The beginning of verse 3 starts, “while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our […]

Uniform of a bygone era

Monday 13 December 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“I note that air conditioning costs in the very inferior Ministry of Justice building [see Justice secretary Mark Short’s letter in Saturday’s CINews] are around $50,000 a year – disgraceful!” writes a smoke signaller. “While we wait for the honorable gentlemen from Asia to fix the system, why not revert to days gone by? Allow […]

Tupapa, Nikao in soccer final

Monday 13 December 2010 | Published in Football

A place beckons for the Premier Men’s teams, Tupapa and Nikao Sokattak who will meet in the knockout soccer final of the CIFA Cup for 2010 this coming weekend. The classy two Premier Men’s teams have flown through to the final, smashing in four goals each to secure their place and giving away nothing to […]

Holidays ahead

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Local

Get ready for some long weekends over the festive season thanks to the public holidays being observed on Monday and Tuesday of the week after the weekends that Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on. Because Christmas Day is on a Saturday this year, Monday December 27 will be observed as a public holiday. Another […]

Slush costs awarded

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Local

The High Court has awarded a total of $231,431 in costs to the defendants acquitted on corruption charges this year in the controversial case dubbed the ‘Slush Trial’. The costs judgement of Justice Colin Nicholson issued on Thursday orders government to pay costs towards the legal fees and other expenses of lawyer and MP Norman […]

Te Vara Nui a top experience

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Features

CI News held its annual Christmas function at Te Vara Nui Village last month, and was thrilled with the service, the venue and the over-water dance show. We socialised over drinks and unwrapped our ‘secret Sant’a gifts in the Are Moana, which lines the water’s edge. Our meal was buffet style and the menu included […]

And then there were two

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Features

Tonight’s the night that the Raro Idol winner is chosen Marama Terekia and Emile Rima – the last contenders standing – are today doing do-re-mi voice exercises in the complimentary beachside rooms Club Raro opened to Raro Idol’s final two. Tonight is the big night, when judges decide whether Marama or Emile will be Raro’s […]

Hands-on culture

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Features

As part of their commitment to preserving Cook Islands cultural heritage, Te Vara Nui Cultural Village offers educators an alternate way to expose their students to Cook Islands history, traditions, and culture. Engaging, educational, participatory and interactive are key ingredients of the village tour that allows educators and students to immerse in a cultural village […]

Students learn to appreciate themselves

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Features

Avatea Primary School students learned to love themselves this year. Form two students wrote short stories about what they liked about themselves the most. Their stories were based on the Virtue’s programme. Some children were appreciative of their family and friends while others appreciated their own talents. Things I appreciate about myself I don’t really […]

'Anything's possible' Meyer tells students

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Features

“Anything is possible” was the message Miss South Pacific 2010 Joyana Meyer’s was trying to get across to eager listeners at the Tereora junior prize giving on Thursday. Held at the Princess Anne Hall the year nine and ten students were recognised for their hard work and efforts throughout the year. The ceremony kicked off […]

Donut delight

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Features

It’s not a Dunkin’ Donut but it sure is a close second – the famous Mama’s chocolate donut is no doubt the best chocolate smothered donut this reporter has ever tasted. It’s the perfect donut, made greater with the chocolately goodness it’s covered in. The donut is named after store owners, Piltz and Tarani Napa’s […]

Young food lover heading to London

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Features

Eighteen-year-old food enthusiast Teraitua Cuthers-Boxhoorn is heading off to study cooking with top UK chef Gordon Ramsey. Cuthers-Boxhoorn has won a place at the Tante Marie School of cooking in Woking, London which is owned by the infamously foul-mouthed celebrity chef. “I decided that if I was going to learn, I wanted to learn from […]

Thrust into the limelight

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Features

Akaiti Puna takes suddenly being married to the PM in her stride 8.15am: From the verandah of their modest Nikao home, first lady of the Cook Islands Akaiti Puna is trying to hem a pair of black shorts she is wearing, but in between phone calls, a journalist and becoming animated during conversations, is having […]

Testament to tivaivai

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Features

Each tivaivai on display at Beachcomber Contemporary Art Gallery this month has a story to tell. The brightly-coloured floral-patterned patchwork pieces speak about the lives of the women whose hands sewed them. As a collection they urge the public to appreciate the craft itself – the art form which, for decades, has been sewing groups […]

Another year – same old issues

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Features

The foreshore and seabed will be high up in many peoples thoughts over the next few weeks, no not the legislation that most people credit with the formation of the Maori Party; but what the weather’s going to be like when they want to go to the beach and for Maori – what time’s low […]

CIP ministers a puzzle

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Reading through the names of the CIP’s first Cabinet ministers for 2010, I was, and still am so puzzled with the composition of Henry’s team. To me, some of these cabinet ministers look like robots that have just come off the assembly line. I cannot foresee any hope for our future, and that’s […]

Hot court house explanation

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The public has a right to know what is happening with the air conditioning that hasn’t been working at the court house so I will respond to hot house (smoke signals) in Thursday’s paper. CIIC has been working closely with us to find a cheaper operating option to reduce the cost of power […]

Kata - December 11, 2010

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Kata

Island casinos a gamble

Saturday 11 December 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“China is building a 40 unit tourist accommodation on our neighbouring island state of Niue,” a smoke signaller writes. “I read in the Cook Islands News that Niue is apparently also building a casino – how dumb is this? Never mind what quality the tourist accommodation will be: Chinese gamblers go to Macau in the […]