Articles by Utopia Support

Praise for Tereora and teachers

Tuesday 28 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, In reply to some of the implicit concerns raised about our schools in the Cook Islands, I would like to state my experience. My son came to Tereora College in 2008, after completing his Level 1 NCEA Certificate with Merit in New Zealand. At Tereora he completed his Level 2 Certificate with Merit, […]

Kata - September 28, 2010

Tuesday 28 September 2010 | Published in Kata

Are they all Demo members?

Tuesday 28 September 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

There’s been a flurry of activity in Ngatangiia in the past weeks as the two contenders vying for the Democratic Party candidacy and their committees have been chasing as many potential voters as possible to ensure they are fully paid-up members of the party. The $2 membership fee (closes at 12 noon today apparently) means […]

New Aust marketer

Monday 27 September 2010 | Published in Local

Cook Islands Tourism (CIT) has appointed New Earth Tourism (NET) to market the destination in Australia. The team will start work immediately. The plan is for NET to do trade and consumer marketing for CIT, including increasing the Cook Islands’ online presence. “We are excited to be working with the NET team,” CIT chief executive […]

Business survey starts

Monday 27 September 2010 | Published in Local

The Business Trade Investment Board is carrying out a business survey to record the number of businesses in operation in the country. The three-week survey began last week as part of BTIB’s aim to add all businesses to its new database and provide facts for its ‘business information kit’. One of BTIB’s core functions is […]

Welfare rise predicted

Monday 27 September 2010 | Published in Local

System to be improved as rapid cost increase likely The Ministry of Internal Affairs is predicting a rapid increase in welfare system costs due to the rising number of pensioners and a decline in the working age population. Despite this, and after a recently completing the consultation phase of the review of the welfare system, […]

Taking the happy from valley

Monday 27 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, It’s a Sunday morning in the valley and the peaceful tranquility of our quiet neighbourhood is broken by the ranting and ravings of the ‘cult’ next door. Prior to this ‘cult’ moving into our neighbourhood we used to enjoy the peace and quiet. They have taken to annoying us even during the week […]

Take referendum seriously

Monday 27 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Your news item ‘Referendum is on’ published September 10, 2010, must have pierced the hearts of many Cook Islanders. They would have asked themselves too, why the Government stooped to the lobbyists whose ravings-on about referendum are opined not only to be erroneous, but also unmeritorious. A referendum of the kind announced is […]

Kata - September 27, 2010

Monday 27 September 2010 | Published in Kata

Where does the fat batch go?

Monday 27 September 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes in response to the article ‘Palm apologises for fat batch’ in last week’s CINews: “McCallum Industries (Palm Corned Beef) states ‘Regular Palm Corned Beef is not a mass produced product and specific recipes are applied to our various markets. The product we produce for the Cook Islands has a lower fat […]

Katikati College on soccer tour

Monday 27 September 2010 | Published in Football

A strong First XI soccer team from Katikati College, in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand arrived at the weekend for a week long football tour on Rarotonga. They have scheduled their tour during the New Zealand school holidays. The Katikati College XI will play three matches on their short visit here in Rarotonga. The […]

Wilson to capture Delhi

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Local

CI News photojournalist Matariki Wilson aims to capture the excitement of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and bring a taste of India to our readers over the next three weeks. Her adventure begins tomorrow as Team Cook Islands departs for the games and as the team’s press attach she will be as close as you […]

BTIB raids Raro business

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Local

Government carried out a raid on a local business this week, hunting for documents as part of an investigation on foreign investment compliance. The Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) plans to take Taakoka Island Villas Ltd to court over alleged breaches of the Development Investment Act 1995-96. But the raid has left the company’s local […]

Raro Idol starts tonight

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Features

The official Raro Idol competition begins today. Staircase held auditions last week, and 15 vocalists went into the running to be Raro’s newest singing sensation. The competition proper starts at 8.30pm today at Staircase. For 10 weeks afterward, the competition will be at the same time, same place. To watch the live show at Staircase, […]

OM Nite at Raviz

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Features

It’s Open Mic Nite time again, so dust off your guitars and prepare to perform at Raviz Indian restaurant on Monday night. OM Nite kicks off at 7pm, and all aspiring and established musicians are welcome to come along. “Use it as an opportunity to try out that new song you’ve been working on, or […]

Kikau Hut a work in progress

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Features

For Cathy Pearman and Kevin Simkin, 2010 has been about change. The couple moved to Rarotonga in December, and assumed ownership of Kikau Hut in January. Since then, they’ve been revamping the restaurant’s look, and they’re not quite finished. Kikau Hut has new gardens, and Cathy and Kevin plan to have a mural painted on […]

A step up in sausages

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Features

Dan Forsyth and his team at Prime Foods are working hard to offer people the best sausages possible. Now they have a new machine and around a hundred tried and tested sausage recipes, the team are keen to make sure everyone knows what’s on offer. “When we first opened Prime Foods I wanted to make […]

Edgewater lays it on for lucky guests

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Features

Even arriving after midnight on Thursday night’s delayed flight hasn’t dampened the thrill of being the 300,000th guests at Edgewater. If the flight had come in on time, Ronald and Debra Adams would have been serenaded by the resort’s musicians and greeted by three members of staff. As it was, a team effort from the […]

Local link to Niagara sinking

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Features

In June 1940, Keith Tombleson was a fresh-faced 15-year-old, a deck boy on the RMS Niagara. Following in the footsteps of his older brother Geoff (who at the time was working alongside deck boy Stan Dearlove), he’d swapped life on a South Taranaki farm for life at sea – “from way down in the bush […]

49 Cook Islanders fly our flag at the Delhi Commonwealth Games

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Features

If more teams and athletes pull out of the Delhi Commonwealth Games – the Cook Islands are sure to win medals! That’s just one of the light hearted comments being bandied around as Team Cook Islands prepares to fly out to the games being branded the ‘Delhi dilemma’ by international media. Jokes aside – chef […]