Articles by Utopia Support

Henry arrested

Tuesday 24 August 2010 | Published in Local

Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee president Sir Geoffrey Henry is reported to be on his way back to Rarotonga after allegedly being arrested at Auckland Airport. It is understood the former Prime Minister was arrested by two police officers off an Ansett flight bound for Noumea after an incident. Sir Geoffrey and CISNOC […]

Cabinet debates referendum

Tuesday 24 August 2010 | Published in Local

Government’s promised referendum on political reform looks set to coincide with the general election on November 17. Prime Minister Jim Marurai announced in January that there would be a referendum on political reform either before or at the general election. “We recognise that unless there is public support, there won’t be any support in parliament […]

Put the tax in the fare

Tuesday 24 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I write regarding your article about the possibility of reducing the departure tax. Yes, it does cause a lot of complaints, not least on TripAdvisor. But I really wonder why the tax is not incorporated with the air fare. The departure taxes in other countries such as Fiji and Norfolk Island and from […]

SPG Funds diverted for what?

Tuesday 24 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The news that there is a $300,000 dispute between the local sports association known as CISNOC and government comes as no surprise. Sir Geoffrey Henry’s statement in CI News on August 21 that CISNOC was asked to step in by the Pacific Games Council is an incredulous spin on the true happenings. We […]

Setting playground record straight

Tuesday 24 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, “For the record the Cook Islands Investment Corporation was never responsible for the upkeep and care of the Punanganui Market Playground. The timing of events in our minds was therefore as follows. On or about 10am on Tuesday morning last week I received a telephone call from a concerned parent regarding the state […]

Kata - August 24, 2010

Tuesday 24 August 2010 | Published in Kata

Soccer on Thursday

Tuesday 24 August 2010 | Published in Football

The 2010 Rarotonga Football season will kick off on Thursday at the CIFA complex in Matavera and will see Avatiu play Tupapa. On Thursday the first match kicks off at 4.15pm with the under 14 boys. This match will be followed by the senior women’s game at 5pm. In the women’s match last year’s Round […]

Accidents, thefts and domestic violence

Monday 23 August 2010 | Published in Local

Police attended two motor vehicle accidents, made two arrests and attended a domestic violence incident and a theft call-out at the weekend. A 33-year-old disqualified driver who took the back road through Raemaru Park in Arorangi had an accident after he struck a pot hole and fell off the bike on Saturday afternoon. Hospital staff […]

MP not in run-off

Monday 23 August 2010 | Published in Local

A three-man run-off will be held in Ngatangiia on Wednesday to determine the electorate’s Democratic Party candidate for the election. Interim committee chairman Stephen Peyroux along with Mann Short and Iaveta Short will now vie for the majority of votes at the controversial run-off. While the Democratic Party executive have declared that standing MP Sir […]

Talks with Toa

Monday 23 August 2010 | Published in Local

Government has been holding talks with Toa Petroleum on how it will honour its eight-year $1.2 million annual profit guarantee. Representatives from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) were also in Rarotonga last week to assist government in negotiating a way forward with Toa. Acting financial secretary Kevin Carr and Internal Affairs secretary Bredina […]

Father spurns 'drivel'

Monday 23 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I also have no further desire to listen to Norman George’s insults, however I’m pressured to respond to his latest defamatory rant by the dozens of people who have approached me personally, by phone and, dare I say it, email. To simplify matters I shall put Norman’s verbatim comments in capitals. His letter […]

Teina rejects 'attack'

Monday 23 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I returned from two weeks in New Zealand to be advised that Norman George had personally named me in an article – referring to me as a “plastic maori”. I have since read the article in which he made his remarks and read my father’s reply and then Norman’s response to my father. […]

Dangers of dog poo

Monday 23 August 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Why can’t dog owners keep dogs at home, and look after their poo if they are out on a leash?” asks a smoke signaller. “The dogs roam our beaches depositing their poo wherever they please. Why do we have to, in a small island of Rarotonga, be plagued by dogs when we have a paid […]

Mini games funds in dispute

Saturday 21 August 2010 | Published in Local

A dispute is raging between CISNOC and Pacific Mini Games Ltd (PMG) over $300,000 paid to CISNOC by competing nations which have not been given to PMG to cover costs. The money came from per diems paid by competing countries for the bed and board of athletes who competed in last year’s games. It was […]

New fuel giant looks to expand

Saturday 21 August 2010 | Published in Local

Tahiti-based Pacific Petroleum Company (PPC) is looking to expand its operations in the Cook Islands considerably just two months after buying the Juhi aviation fuel depot. PPC’s strategy and development manager Patrick Moux and Pacific Energy SWP Ltd managing director in Fiji, Roko Nabalarua, and another representative have been in the country this week talking […]

CICC news and pictures from the past

Saturday 21 August 2010 | Published in Features

The Cook Islands Christian Church recently released its latest newsletter highlighting some of the events that has been happening in the different CICC churches across the Cook Islands. The newsletter edited by Nga Mataio also included a section ‘history in photos’. The segment included photos of a Boys Brigade trip to Tahiti in 1967 and […]

The Breeze Brothers blow in

Saturday 21 August 2010 | Published in Features

The Breeze Brothers reckon Rarotonga is the perfect place to make music. New Zealand musician Robin Tripp and Yorkshire percussionist Chris Bold are The Breeze Brothers, a newly-formed band that will be playing around the island this month. Chris Musselle of Waterline, co-founder of Open Mic Nite, heard Tripp’s music in a New Zealand bar, […]

Air NZ explains future changes

Saturday 21 August 2010 | Published in Features

Air New Zealand manager Cook Islands David Bridge was the Cook Islands Business and Professional Women’s Association (BPW) guest speaker at its general meeting on Monday. Bridge was invited to talk about the airlines’ history in the Cooks as well as recent changes to its operations. The meeting held at Cafe Salsa was well attended […]

New Plymouth 'old boys' share yarns

Saturday 21 August 2010 | Published in Features

Boarding school memories flooded back from about 40 years ago at a reunion of New Plymouth Boys’ High School ex-pupils recently. Accounts of great rugby games, haka performances by a whole school of boys, army cadet training and corporal punishment in the form of canings were topics that got the group going. The gathering of […]

Shapeshifter news making waves

Saturday 21 August 2010 | Published in Features

News of Shapeshifter’s upcoming Club Raro show is making waves around the island. Heaps of people have already pre-purchased tickets online and are waiting for them to be shipped from New Zealand, and others are anticipating the arrival of Monday morning, when 88FM will put a limited number of tickets up for sale. Nick Henry […]