Articles by Utopia Support

An island celebration

Saturday 14 August 2010 | Published in Features

While August 4, Constitution Day, was a quiet day on Rarotonga – it was the complete opposite on the outer island of Mauke when the community came together to celebrate the Cook Islands’ self-governance. And so with the theme ‘No taku ipukarea kia rangatira” and a gift of $2000 from the Ministry of Culture providing […]

CIP leadership a concern

Saturday 14 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The leadership of the CIP in the next general election is a big problem and a cause for great concern. Henry Puna’s election as CIP Leader at their conference back in September 2009 has led many to doubt that the election was fair and the best person was elected to lead the party […]

In defence of soft loans

Saturday 14 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, There has been much said and written in recent days in regard to Jnr Maoate unfairly receiving a soft loan for his business. For the record people of the Cook Islands should understand these very important points. The BSL fund is a “loan” over five years which has all normal securities applied and […]

Kata - August 14, 2010

Saturday 14 August 2010 | Published in Kata

PM Jim's had enough

Saturday 14 August 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

Prime Minister Jim Marurai says he’s had enough of leading the country. In the latest issue of the Fiji-based magazine Islands Business, he’s quoted as saying that come the next general elections in November, he’ll stand for his Ivirua seat on Mangaia and reconnect with his constituents if he wins. “I can’t even trust my […]

Precision and exactness

Friday 13 August 2010 | Published in Church Talk

I am reminded of a karate expert who gave a demonstration of his skill in the use of a samurai sword. After breaking boards with his hands, cement blocks with his head, he asked for a volunteer from the audience. A macho teenage boy accepted the challenge and volunteered, lay down on his back, and […]

Maoate agrees to run-off

Friday 13 August 2010 | Published in Local

Ngatangiia MP Sir Terepai Maoate is now welcoming a run-off for election candidacy for his seat. During yesterday’s Parliament sitting he said he had been asked to call a public meeting to address the plea from Democratic Party supporters for a run-off with other nominees. Sir Terepai made reference to a meeting taking place last […]

Papa Ron remembered

Friday 13 August 2010 | Published in Local

Tata Crocombe, Marjorie Crocombe and Prime Minister Jim Marurai lead family, friends, colleagues and dignitaries into the ‘Conference for Festschrift for Ron Crocombe’ at the USP yesterday.

New faces

Friday 13 August 2010 | Published in Local

Two women have been appointed to the Telecom Cook Islands board of directors. Nadine Newnham takes over the chair duties from Michael Mitchell and Madeilene Sword replaces Liz Wright-Koteka. Telecommunications Minister and Prime Minister Jim Marurai said he is confident that the two new directors have the necessary business acumen and sensibilities required for the […]

No benefit

Friday 13 August 2010 | Published in Local

Former finance minister Sir Terepai Maoate has denied setting up a business support loan fund for struggling outer islands businesses so that he and his son, Aitutaki MP Terepai Maoate Jnr could benefit from it. During Parliament’s one hour question time yesterday, the Ngatangiia MP stated it was not his intention to benefit from the […]

Nov 17 election

Friday 13 August 2010 | Published in Local

The general election will be held on November 17 according to Prime Minister Jim Marurai. Marurai made the announcement as soon as Parliament began its sitting yesterday. The PM said Parliament will be dissolved on September 24 just two days before the current four year term of government expires. The date of the election has […]

Allsworth replies to Maoates

Friday 13 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, There has been a barrage of attacks in Parliament, with some very erroneous, and highly emotional comments and personal remarks directed at me, from both Sir Terepai and Junior Maoate, arising from the Toagate Report and the BTIB, business stimulus loans. Constructive comments and public debate is encouraged and supported in our small […]

Kata - August 13, 2010

Friday 13 August 2010 | Published in Kata

Repatriation of Pacific art

Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in Local

The Pacific Arts Association (PAA) symposium, which brought academics and artists from all over the world to Rarotonga, ended yesterday. Packed into three days, it offered experts to share a bit about their fields of study before other Pacific arts-philes. A number of interesting, accomplished and outspoken people from Polynesia and abroad attended, which made […]

Festschrift on

Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in Local

A two-day conference to dedicate a festschrift – a book honouring the work of a celebrated academic – to Papa Ron Crocombe begins this morning at the University of the South Pacific’s Rarotonga campus. Just before 10am, Tata Crocombe will introduce keynote speaker Albert Wendt, a well-known and widely-celebrated Samoan writer and Emeritus professor. Vereara […]

Youth day fun

Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in Local

Today is World International Youth Day and to mark the event the youth division of Internal Affairs and the Cook Islands Youth Council are having a youth rally today at the bus stop opposite the police station. Internal Affairs youth development officer Sandra Tomokino says that the gathering is to celebrate and recognise the wealth […]

Budgets rushed through

Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in Local

Parliament is likely to guillotine debate on the 2010-11 Budget in the same way it did to approve the amendments to last year’s annual Budget yesterday. The supplementary budget, which reduced the $215.5 million budget to $186.4 million, went through a name change and was amended before being passed after just three days in the […]

Exhibit explores new media

Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in Features

PAA participants on Tuesday night attended The Beachcomber Contemporary Art gallery’s opening of an exhibit by Janet Lilo. Lilo, who is of Maori, Samoan and Niuean descent, is based in Auckland and could not be in Rarotonga for the symposium, so curator Ron Brownson presented her exhibit to the artists and scholars present. The exhibit, […]

Not an Aitutakian

Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have just read Monday’s news. To the gutless person that wrote the letter about our family member and friend, Teina Bishop. You are definitely not an Aitutakian as an Aitutakian would not have written this. “A very concerned Aitutakian” would have shown compassion and would offer help and understanding. You’re even too […]

Keep smiling Teina

Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The recent erratic behaviour of Teina Bishop as printed in your Monday newspaper is nothing new. Many here and afar are prone to these moments of irrationality. But does that make him or any other any less a human being, in this case a Politician? Absolutely not! I’m sure in time Teina will […]