Articles by Utopia Support

Kata - October 23, 2010

Saturday 23 October 2010 | Published in Kata

Working for the 'Economic Games'

Saturday 23 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“I think what they are suggesting is secondment,” writes a smoke signaller on the contentious election issue of how to effectively utilise the country’s large public service. “It’s like we handled the Mini Games: those who could be spared – and there were many – were redirected to other jobs, like drivers, liaison officers, catering […]

CICC highlights youth issues

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk

A Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) youth convention held in Rarotonga recently highlighted prevalent issues for young people in the community. CICC director of youth Rangi Henry said messages about making the right choices in life and building and maintaining healthy relationships were taken to heart by the almost 100 youth in attendance. Crime was […]

How to face an unexpected crisis

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Church Talk

We are living in a time where your situation in life can change suddenly for the worse. That could become an unexpected crisis. It could be in finance or business, it could be in your family relationship, or it could be in any number of areas in your life. And if a crisis is unexpected, […]

Last chance!

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Local

Election candidates – don’t forget your invitation from CI News to share your personal stance on issues. We invite each candidate to tell voters where they stand on the issues they might face if they are elected. This week CI News is inviting all candidates to share their views on issues in their electorate and […]

Arorangi CICC hosts Gospel Day

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Local

Pastor Lelei Patia and the Arorangi Cook Islands Christian Church will host this years Gospel Day commemorations or Nuku on Tuesday. Gospel Day commemorates the arrival of Christianity and is celebrated with island flair. The CICC congregation recalls the pioneering history of the London Missionary Society (LMS) who brought Christianity firstly to Aitutaki in 1821 […]

Hospital job ad amended

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Local

An amended job description for the role of Head of Hospital Services is due to be advertised tomorrow. The changes are the result of a meeting on Monday between the Public Service Commissioner Navy Epati and the Secretary of Health Tupou Faireka. Last week’s advert, which is still running on the Ministry of Health website, […]

Tractor giveaway concerns CIP

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Local

Cook Islands Party leader Henry Puna says he’s concerned at the possible breach of the Electoral Act by the Democratic Party government in ‘dishing out 25 new tractors from China, presumably one for each constituency, three weeks before the elections’. “Publicity about these machines as well as the sight of them both in the media […]

Willis backtracks on 'cuts'

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Local

Demo president says he talked about ‘trimming’ not job losses Democratic Party president Sean Willis is backtracking on comments he made that the party was looking at job cuts to the public service if it continues to govern after next month’s election. Willis says he did say that some government departments needed ‘trimming down’, but […]

Hospital questions

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Suddenly the hospital has an overdue facelift, staff morale is up, all producing the required output despite big cut in their budget, overseas foreign specialist come and serve and the community get back quality of life and out of the blue yonder the current boss is not good enough with no reo Maori. […]

Privatising the market

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Mike Tavioni is joking right? How will privatisation benefit the micro-business people that this market was originally set up for? Over the years, there has been a move away from its original purpose, which is to ‘help’ small Cook Islands business owners. Instead it’s become a major income earner for the Crown through […]

Open letter to candidates

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It was gratifying to note that Teariki Matenga (CI News, Monday) recognises that many senior citizens who should be entitled to receive NZ superannuation by virtue of their NZ citizenship and the years they spent in NZ working and paying taxes, are presently denied the benefit because of two contentious, discriminatory clauses in […]

How solid is Demo front?

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Your issue of October 20 published a photo of the Demo candidates line up on page 7 and clearly it was an attempt by the demoralised Demos to present an apparent ‘solid front’. I wonder whether your readers had a good look at the photo. James Beer looks threatening and as big as […]

The biggest concern

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, With regards to all aspiring politicians CIP, Demo and Independents making policy statements, promise with regards to political reform, water tanks, pension increases, baby bonuses, health, environment etc. They have all missed the main if not the biggest concern – economic reform. What are they going to do about it? How are they […]

Unequal representation a major issue

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, ‘Concerned’s’ letter in Wednesday’s paper suggests one of my ‘chicken carton’ ads is offensive to Outer Islanders. That was not my intention. I apologise to him/her and to any other reader who may have taken offence. I assure readers that before running my ads I have been careful to have others review them […]

Kata - October 22, 2010

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Kata

New business house volleyball league set

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in League

The new BCI business house social volleyball league rolls out today at the Telecom Sports Arena with 30 teams taking part. The league will run for five weeks and will include 15 games a night with three games running on the hour from 5pm. A sausage sizzle fundraiser will also be running every Friday from […]

Battling the Man-of-War

Friday 22 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

Those watching vaka races from the comfort of local watering holes sometimes have small green bottles in their hands, but the paddlers battling it out on the water have another colour of bottle to watch for, the painful stinging bluebottle. The Rarotongan name for the Pacific Portuguese Man-of-War is tu-pakipaki-tai and the type found in […]

New strategy for teachers

Thursday 21 October 2010 | Published in Local

The Ministry of Education is looking to increase the number of local secondary school teachers by offering on-the-job training to people who already have some formal qualifications. Secretary of education Sharyn Paio says the ministry is looking at long term solutions to decrease the number of teachers recruited from overseas. “We really want Cook Islands […]

Big kitesurfing competition here

Thursday 21 October 2010 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands Kitesurfing Association is hosting an international kitesurfing competition next year. The event, to be held in June, promises to attract masses of tourists, and Cook Islands Kitesurfing Association president Teanaroa ‘Paka’ Worthington expects between 35 and 50 competitors to enter. Worthington’s vision to host an international competition here in the Cooks has […]