Articles by Utopia Support

Over 10,000 to vote

Wednesday 10 November 2010 | Published in Local

A total of 10,038 people are registered to vote at the November 17 election – about 266 more eligible voters than the last election. While the main and supplementary rolls are closed, those that register late for the elections because they have turned 18 or meet the three month residency requirement can vote by declaration […]

We're tired of your talk

Wednesday 10 November 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This letter isn’t from me. It isn’t from anybody …because this letter is from everybody. Let me explain. Most readers will know I’m running for political office. Since I’m new at this, the only way I could think to approach it was to discuss matters with my potential employers: the people of Murienua. […]

Don't follow the Shiekh

Wednesday 10 November 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Following the news story on One News on Monday night about the Shiekh’s funding proposal to our government, I am asking all cabinet ministers, please don’t follow this guy, don’t be lead by what sounds like a scam. It said on the news that he failed in business payments in Australia and around […]

Telecom critics one-eyed

Wednesday 10 November 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am heartily sick of the regular diatribe by William Framhein and the Economaniac types (CI News Tuesday 9th) criticising Telecom Cook Islands Ltd. William Framhein is just a front man pulling publicity stunts for his would be backers. He knows very little about the telecommunications industry. He has never been a successful […]

Kata - November 10, 2010

Wednesday 10 November 2010 | Published in Kata

Touch players out in force

Wednesday 10 November 2010 | Published in Touch Rugby

There appeared to be a lot of sore bodies after a full on weekend of sevens rugby. Still the diehard touch players were still out there in force to play their games on Monday. As a bonus, the crowd was able to watch the national sevens train-on squad go through a fitness assessment. A few […]

New Tutaka dates

Wednesday 10 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

The change of Tutaka date is NOT another case of ‘You guys got it wrong’, as someone at Public Health tried to say to us on Monday. That was their first response when we asked why the latest date for the Tutaka is a week later than the date given to us by Dr Fariu. […]

Storm stirs up algae invasion

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Environment

Ministry of Marine Resources officers say that there has not been an algal bloom in recent weeks – those typically occur in high summer – and the presence of large quantities of algae on the foreshore is likely the result of recent storms. MMR project officer Angelie Robinson said that rough seas and stormy conditions […]

Adventure on offer

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Local

For those who are looking for a traditional Polynesian experience — and have a bit of cash to spare – vaka Marumaru Atua is sailing this week for five or six days and has passenger spots available. The voyaging canoe leaves tomorrow morning at 9am for a 600 mile adventure – the destination is unknown, […]

Carter tipped

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Local

NZ Civil Defence Minister John Carter has been tipped to be offered a diplomatic posting as High Commissioner to the Cook Islands when he retires from Parliament next year. The NZ Herald has reported Carter’s announcement that he won’t seek re-election in 2011, by which time he would have served eight terms (24 years) in […]

Fishing boat to deliver ballot papers

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Local

Advance voting is set to begin in the northern group island of Palmerston today after long line fishing vessel Gold Country was chartered to transport the ballot papers and boxes to Palmerston, Pukapuka and Nassau. The Electoral Office now looks to have solved transport problems to the north by chartering the vessel owned by Ocean […]

CIP legacies still hurting: Demos

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Local

The Democratic Party has hit back at the CIP calling it sorely lacking when it comes to looking in the ‘mirror of shame’. A statement was issued yesterday in reaction to CIP leader Henry Puna’s comment that the Demos have shamefully distanced themselves from the multimillion dollar Toagate scandal. Democratic Party president Sean Willis says […]

Baby bonus is a bad idea

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

James Beers breaks rank with his party policy – and faces a dilemma Dear Editor, This past while, I have been on the horns of a dilemma … between a rock and a hard place. Three weeks ago, I frowned deeply when the CIP wanted to give $1000 to the parents of every new-born baby. […]

Telecom should be doing all this anyway

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Who on earth does Telecom Cook Islands think we are? The “report” published in your paper is nothing more than a document outlining what we know all ready. If the full report is online (I am not going to waste my precious dial up time to look) complete with financial reporting, then why […]

Policy penalises innocent

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Although I am satisfied that the Ministry of Health has responded to my queries about why they billed an 18-year-old for terrible injuries she sustained as a result of a drunken driver who collided into the motor bike that she was a pilion passenger, I think it disgraceful that Ministry of Health has […]

Shocking design

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, What a shocking design for the new education administration building that was shown in the newspaper last week. A concrete box that relates to absolutely nothing! Whoever designed this tasteless, boring and ugly supposedly “modern” office complex must never be allowed to design another government building ever again. Come on, wake up Works […]

TCI, show us your financials

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, How “enlightened” it is for Telecom Cook Islands (TCI) to belatedly begin “reporting” to the public as the monopoly provider of telecommunications services. The public relations puff piece asserts that it is a report of its “performance”. It is nothing of the sort. If it was, TCI would have made public their financial […]

Kata - November 9, 2010

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Kata

Assessing the wiggly road

Tuesday 9 November 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Robert Wigmore is correct in not responding to those mischievous calls for comment on the Sheraton loop road approved by Cabinet,” a smoke signaller writes. “The mischief makers know what we all know, it would be totally inappropriate for a Member of Parliament, a member of Cabinet and indeed the Deputy Prime Minister to comment […]

New Telecom store, specials

Monday 8 November 2010 | Published in Local

The opening of its new store in the CITC complex and the introduction of new ways to top-up prepaid mobiles are two of the near-term plans announced by Telecom in its Report to the Public (see pages 10-11 for the full report). These are due to happen over the next few weeks and, according to […]