Articles by Utopia Support

Roads and health

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I’m a frequent visitor to your beautiful island country who regularly keeps up with the Cook Islands news online. I’ve read of two seemingly different topics, roading upgrades and health concerns about obesity, and would like to suggest that these two issues actually are related. The beauty of the scenery driving around the […]

Punch a 'cheap shot'

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, To the Avatiu Premiers rugby player ‘A much closer eyewitness’, I can only say nonsense. You saw what you wanted to see, not what happened. We have a video of the event. We know what happened. We know Emile Mamanu was legally rucking at a player who was playing the ball, not “nowhere […]

Carr's removal, last nail in coffin

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Since his appointment in March it is common knowledge that Kevin Carr has been doing a very good job as acting financial secretary, making big strides to improve the overall accountability and transparency of public financial management and, in the process, ensuring that the country’s financial situation is improved for the long term […]

Kata - September 25, 2010

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Kata

Vancouver flight dreamin'

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A Canadian writing from the capital of the province of British Columbia says one of his dreams will come true if a direct flight operates between Vancouver and the Cook Islands. Ray Powell from Victoria, BC (“near Vancouver!”) says travelling to Rarotonga via Los Angeles in the United States “is a royal pain!” Cook Islands […]

Clash of the soccer titans

Saturday 25 September 2010 | Published in Football

Today’s main match in the Lotto Premier men’s soccer competition is between Nikao Sokattak and Tupapa at the Nikao grounds. Both teams are undefeated in this round so this match should decide the competition leader. This match is the clash of the titans in the Rarotonga round cup competition. Tupapa was last year’s knockout winner, […]

On a green mission

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Local

Titikaveka independent candidate Teariki Matenga looks like being the only candidate on a ‘green’ platform in the forthcoming elections. The lagoon campaigner wants the next generation to enjoy the benefits of a clean, green environment. He says the only way to make this possible is for the country’s waste management issues to be addressed now, […]

Parliament dissolved

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Local

Countdown to election begins Parliament will be dissolved at 4pm today, ending government’s term just two days before it was due to expire, and kick-starting the countdown to the 2010 general election. Prime minister Jim Marurai is currently in Mangaia so no official notification of the dissolution from government was issued yesterday. Marurai’s office has […]

300,000th guests arrive at Edgewater

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Local

The late arrival of flight NZ46 from New Zealand yesterday afternoon put paid to the plans of Edgewater resort to put on a grand welcome for their 300,000th guest(s). Resort staff were planning a fancy reception at the airport for couple Ronald and Debra Adams. General manager Chris McGeown, front office manager Engara Gosselin and […]

Finsec dismissed

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Local

Kevin Carr shocked by Rasmussen’s letter Kevin Carr, the Acting Financial Secretary and most senior civil servant in the country, has been dismissed. His shock sacking by Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen was announced yesterday by Public Service Commissioner Navy Epati. Carr, who has been acting Finsec since March 1, is upset by his termination because […]

Advance voting goes ahead

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

After much opposition from the Ngatangiia Democratic Party committee, advance voting for next week’s Short-Maoate candidate run-off has finally been given the green light. Despite strong lobbying from Mann Short’s team to permit advance voting, the Ngatangiia committee was against it on the grounds that it would complicate the run-off. Short is of the view […]

Electronic edition under change

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I look forward to reading your on line edition on a weekly basis, however over the past two weeks the standard of electronic publication has slipped. I could understand if this was a deliberate effort to encourage payments by reducing service, but I suspect it is not that, but just poor service by […]

Supporter hits back

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I think it’s very unfair of you to print the letter from ‘Ngatangiia Local’ in your newspaper dated 23 September 2010, especially when Sir Terepai and Mann Short are just about to go through a run off. I hope you would give me the same opportunity to set the record straight with the […]

Wall has health benefits

Friday 24 September 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller writes tongue-in-cheek: “The Small Wall of China recently installed in the courthouse has two admirable qualities, clearly designed to enhance the health of us all. When a member of the public rings to speak with someone, the receptionist cannot see if the person is at their desk. This means that the receptionist […]

Candidate night

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Local

The Ngatangiia Democratic Party committee is inviting voters and the public to a ‘candidate night’ this evening at the Muri clubhouse. The event is to allow the two run-off nominees – standing MP Sir Terepai Maoate and Mann Short to share their election policies with the constituency. Yesterday Short indicated he has decided to turn […]

Maori threat

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Local

Cook Islands Maori and Niuean languages will disappear from New Zealand within a generation unless urgent action is taken to start specialist schools warn researchers. Auckland University Faculty of Education senior lecturer John McCaffery and his wife postgraduate research student Judy Taligalu McFall-McCaffery have just unveiled the results of two years’ research into Pacific languages […]

Youth views

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Local

Tim Arnold, Independent candidate for Tupapa-Maraerenga is inviting young people, voters and election candidates to a public meeting tonight to brainstorm ‘the big issues’. Arnold hopes to gather feedback on the hopes, dreams and wishes of the next generation of Cook Islanders. He wants candidates to get together with members of the public to talk […]

Govt powerless over fuel

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Local

Government is powerless to prevent a repeat of this month’s petrol shortage, leaving the country at the mercy of the two fuel distribution companies, Triad and Toa Petroleum. Both companies have issued warnings against panic-buying fuel and say they are confident they can avoid running out of petrol again. But there are no legal requirements […]

Arnold quality needed

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Since the day you published my recent letter, I received numerous phone and skype calls and emails from readers there and abroad. Some, especially from the Tupapa electorate, admonished me that the MP for Teenui-Mapumai, Mr Norman George was not the only person who has made ‘informed and sensible’ views on the ills […]

Amid the noise and haste

Thursday 23 September 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, After reading June Hosking’s letter on the qualities that make exemplary leaders, I am prompted to mention Mike Tavioni’s excellent translation of Desiderata on the TV the other night, which also has a message on leadership. In Maori Desiderata makes fine poetry. Desiderata also serves as a guide for living a fulfilling life […]