Articles by Utopia Support

Popular Kiwi band coming to Raro

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Features

New Zealand band the Warratahs are coming to Rarotonga in early August for holiday, and will be playing two shows while they’re here. Barry Saunders on vocals and guitar, Nik Brown on fiddle and mandolin, Sid Limbert on bass and local Maurice (Mo) Newport on drums will perform at Hidie’s and at Sails while they’re […]

DisBin arrives in Raro

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Features

Disposing of sanitary and personal waste just got easier thanks to self-labelled ‘enviropreneur’ Helen Mays from New Zealand who is in Rarotonga promoting the DisBin. DisBin is a waste disposal system designed to make disposing of sanitary and personal waste discreet and inexpensive. Cook Islands distributor Matthew Grierson hopes to see DisBins at all commercial […]

A coin with history

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Features

Twenty-two years ago Malcolm Macquarie bought three silver Cook Islands $25 coins. The coin has ancestral value to his wife Meremaraea Tinirau Macquarie, as Makea Takau Ariki, who is featured on the coin, was her great grand aunt and was the reason the coins were produced. According to the history accompanying the coin, when faced […]

2 new photo books released

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Features

One of the largest and most comprehensive photographic collections of all islands in the Cook group has been built up over two decades by photographer and publisher Noel Bartley. Now the publisher of Escape, the award winning Cook Islands destination magazine, has produced two books on Rarotonga and Aitutaki using some of the stunning images […]

A life well spent

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Features

The last 50 years have gone by rather quickly for Bishop Stuart O’Connell, the Catholic Bishop of Rarotonga. On Tuesday he celebrated his golden jubilee his 50th year since ordination as a priest. Today his milestone will be celebrated with a mass followed by a feast and entertainment. Sitting and talking with the Bishop over […]

Stop wondering

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Before that drama in that courtroom when they were shouting ‘crucify him, crucify him’, a few days before they brought a woman whom they accused of committing adultery according to their law the penalty is death by stoning. He bent to the ground and wrote. Her accusers moved closer to see what was […]

Relax and enjoy

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I, like Doug May, live in Australia with my husband and two children. I, like Doug May, was fortunate to be one of the passengers on the inaugural flight NZ49 from Sydney to Rarotonga on Sunday July 4. I, like No Sunday Flights Supporter, agree that we don’t need people like Doug May […]

Block the budget

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I was somewhat surprised to hear the opposition leader say on TV on Thursday night that the ‘talking point is not so much how long parliament has been in recess’ but that the focus should be on supply for the country. I guess if one earns $80,000 and drives around in a government […]

Kata - July 31, 2010

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Kata

Weet-bix ethics lesson

Saturday 31 July 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“It’s complete and utter nonsense for James Beer and the Solicitor-General to justify issuing five hardship loans to MPs (the Maoates) and even BTIB members on the basis there was ‘no conflict of interest’,” a smoke signaller writes. “Beer’s BTIB board has not properly explained why they changed the criteria, enabling the Maoates to access […]

How do I add value to my life?

Friday 30 July 2010 | Published in Church Talk

In this column, I want to talk about an issue which I believe is absolutely essential in our current cultural, social, political and economic environment. It is something worthwhile for everyone to work on, and not just Christians. The issue is about “How To Add Value To My Life”. The recent negative headlines in the […]

Bishop's golden milestone

Friday 30 July 2010 | Published in Church Talk

On Tuesday Bishop Stuart O’Connell, the Catholic Bishop of Rarotonga, celebrated his golden jubilee – 50 years since he was ordained a priest. He marked this achievement with a special dinner. On Saturday a bigger celebration is planned with a mass involving all priests at 11am at St Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral in Avarua. This will […]

Resignation over Beer decision

Friday 30 July 2010 | Published in Local

Following the Democratic Party decision to allow James Beer to stand as the candidate for Murienua, the constituency committee (puna) chairman has resigned. Kaota Tuariki has resigned from his position citing ‘differences of opinion’. “During the run off of the Democratic candidacy for the Murienua Puna one of the candidates had not paid their financial […]

Boost for infrastructure

Friday 30 July 2010 | Published in Local

From the $157.6 million 2010/11 Budget, which was tabled in Parliament yesterday, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP) has received an increase of $126,656, bringing their budget for this year to $2,844,678. The Government intends the upgrade in water distribution on Rarotonga to be completed by the end of the financial year, with all […]

Cultural extravaganza

Friday 30 July 2010 | Published in Local

Rarotonga school cultural groups and visiting guest artists will open each night of the Te Maeva Nui cultural competitions. Te Maeva Nui will open on Saturday at the Punanga Nui Markets at 9.30am. Teams taking part in the competition are expected to march through Avarua to the markets for the opening. The colourful international spectacle […]

Toa bites into Budget

Friday 30 July 2010 | Published in Local

Supplementary budget labelled a ‘clean up’ by Rasmussen The huge costs related to the Toagate scandal and the decision to abandon the $37.5 million proposed China loan for road and water upgrades are the main changes to be made to the 2009/10 Budget. A much more conservative $157.6 million Budget for 2010/11 was also tabled […]

Deliberate gross misappropriation

Friday 30 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I strongly oppose the comments by Matauri Ruta in his article to the editor dated July 21 in comparing Christ’s crucifixion with the Maoate’s beneficial gain for $60,000 from the stimulus package. As a BTIB member, Mr Ruta’s comments were quite evident, as a recipient of $30,000, of course, he has to be […]

Tribe says enough is enough

Friday 30 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, As titleholders of the Uritaua Tribe in Avatiu Rarotonga, we wish to place on record, our concerns regarding several comments made by Albert Nicholas in a media statement in the CI News recently “ Nicholas alleges dirty tactics”. He made reference to three issues: questioning the Pu Tapere (John Henry) and what has […]

Kata - July 30, 2010

Friday 30 July 2010 | Published in Kata

Parliament sits today

Thursday 29 July 2010 | Published in Local

The 24 Members of Parliament are due to meet today for the first sitting of Parliament this year for the purpose of tabling the annual Budget. The sitting will begin at 10am and is tipped to be adjourned at the end of the day to resume next month. The draft order paper, detailing the business […]