Articles by Utopia Support

Burglary concerns

Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Local

Police are becoming increasingly alarmed by the frequency of incidences of burglars entering a house while its occupants are sleeping. Burglars struck seven properties within a span of three days this week. Five tourist accommodation units were burgled and two guest houses were ransacked and cleaned out of money, electronic equipment and alcohol. In one […]

Candidates to be named

Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Local

Election candidates have until noon today to officially register. The Electoral Office has been busy this week processing registrations for candidate nominations. Each candidate must be nominated by two electors from the roll where they are standing. A candidate must be on one of the country’s electoral rolls but is not required to be on […]

Libel claim thrown out

Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Local

High Court dismisses George’s claim against CI News The High Court struck out the criminal libel charges laid by Norman George against Cook Islands News yesterday. Justice Patrick Savage granted the CI News strike out application and dismissed George’s claim after finding that the charges and summons made on September 29 were in breach of […]

Feeding the masses

Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Features

More than 1000 people enjoyed a traditional umu feast in Tupapa-Maraerenga yesterday, to celebrate the centennial anniversary and official re-opening of the village’s refurbished meeting house. Tupapa-Maraerenga residents were divided into three catering groups for the event, to which 2000 people were invited. Each group had to cater for about 750 people. All week food […]

Colonial hangover remains

Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read with interest the Carr vs Rasmussen spat. Both parties seem to have a point, in that Mr Carr was never a long term solution for the job as he had really stepped in to help the Cook Islands out when one of their own failed them badly. Rasmussen is right with […]

Disappointed with Bishop's behaviour

Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Ki te Etita, Kia orana, ko te putuputu anga teia o Te Kura O Te Au e tata atu nei i to matou marekakore i te au mea tei tupu. No runga ia Teina Bishop, te Mema Paramani o te Arenikau, Aitutaki tana i rave. Kua kite mata ia aia e te tangata i teia […]

Voodoo economics and foot dragging

Friday 15 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Where do we get these turkeys from? The CIP has been opposition for years, so you would think that after all that time warming the Opposition benches they would have an alternative, coherent and rational economic policy. Instead they offer little more than a child’s Christmas wish list which amounts to the worst […]

Roll objection time extended

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Local

Objections to names which appear on the main electoral rolls have been extended to tomorrow following requests from the outer islands that they needed more time. Chief electoral officer Taggy Tangimetua says a lack of communication between the electoral office and the outer islands meant they couldn’t close the objections period on Tuesday as planned. […]

Manifesto to Mangaia

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Local

Cook Islands Party leader Henry Puna says the party’s policy on water tanks, the extension of the child benefit age and the baby bonus have captured the Mangaia community’s interest. At a public meeting in Oneroa on Tuesday night, Puna and deputy party leader Teina Bishop outlined the party’s election promises. The party manifesto includes […]

Crew interviewed

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Local

Crew on board the cargo vessel MV Te Kou Maru II when it hit Mauke’s reef last Monday night are being interviewed by marine authorities. Taio Shipping director Tapi Taio declined to name the person captaining the ship at the time of the incident, and said he was waiting for interviews to finish before considering […]

Demos pledge allegiance

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Local

The Democratic Party has announced that any candidate running for the party will have to pledge loyalty to guarantee they won’t change allegiances once elected. Prime Minister Jim Marurai’s office confirmed that he has issued the call for candidates to sign a contract pledging loyalty to the party for the next four year term of […]

An open letter to all election candidates

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Candidate, We are inviting all of you to share your views on key political issues with the public. Each week, from now until the election, Cook Islands News is inviting all election candidates – from both major parties, other parties and independents – to state their personal stance on the issues. The questions and […]

Taxi driver responds

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I wish to respond to the’ Disgraceful Raro taxi service’ comments made in Cook Islands News on October 7. Like everyone else who read the comments by Steve Whitta, it concerned me greatly that one of our fellow drivers had done this, and more importantly, who he was. After several investigative phone calls, […]

Who is the next Demo PM?

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The general election is almost a month away and this Demo government is demonstrating that whatever promises it is making in the run up to the general election, nothing will change in its ineffective decision making which has got the country into the current mess. The last two weeks has the beach abuzz […]

Vicious cycle must be broken

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

This is the vicious cycle that must be broken. The MP’s function is to pass legislation and budget, nothing else. So before you go to see your MP you should first ask yourself: What legislation do we want to amend? Or. How can our MP help us to allocate more money into a particular area […]

Change with the times

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Te Kura O Te Au (Cook Islands News, October 13) says my recent ad featuring an old car “belittles” past governments and implies they were responsible for the “mess” in which the country finds itself. In fact, Tim Tepaki’s comment in your newspaper is exactly the message I wished to convey. Self Government […]

Kata - October 14, 2010

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Kata

Restoring the economy

Thursday 14 October 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Is there more than one Tepaki (Tim)?” asks a smoke signaller. “Or is the Tim Tepaki quoted in your newspaper as backing the political movement that is going to restore the economy of the Cook Islands and bring local wages up to New Zealand wages the same Tim Tepaki who said the Hilton was going […]

Don't forget!

Wednesday 13 October 2010 | Published in Local

Election candidates – don’t forget your invitation from CI News to share your personal stance on issues. ‘On the issues’ will test each candidate’s courage 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 political […]

Chill out time in Delhi

Wednesday 13 October 2010 | Published in Local

So what do athletes do when they’ve finished their competition? Chill out, that’s what! Sprinter Patricia Taea (left) and weightlifter Luisa Peters, both 17, hang out at the International Zone of the games village in Delhi – where the fun happens. Team Cook Islands athletes have signed a code which stops them from going into […]