Articles by Utopia Support

More women lawmakers

Wednesday 7 July 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller has what Blackadder’s Baldrick might call ‘a cunning plan’… Those frustrated CIPs in Murienua should pay their $2 to the Demo party and make sure Angie Tuara wins the Demo seat over James Beer this Friday. Yes, that’s allowed: how do you think those old fogies have stayed in power for so […]

Police investigate audit director

Tuesday 6 July 2010 | Published in Local

The Criminal Investigation Branch of the police will lead the investigation into the complaint of misconduct against Director of Audit Paul Allsworth. The complaint was lodged with police and cabinet late last month by former financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti. Police Commissioner Maara Tetava told CI News that police have received the complaint and are in […]

Helping keep Te Reo strong

Tuesday 6 July 2010 | Published in Local

Strengthening the quality of Te Reo Maori education in New Zealand is the aim of the Punanga Reo Conference starting today at the Crown Beach Resort. Cook Islands based Maori language teachers are on the island to be part of this conference and more importantly to share their teaching experiences and to learn from Maori […]

George fires at CIP executive

Tuesday 6 July 2010 | Published in Local

Unrest has developed within the Cook Islands Party (CIP) camp from the furore around Albert ‘Peto’ Nicholas and the new Cook Islands Tumu party, with criticism being levelled at the party executive by their own. CIP MP Norman George said the CIP executive is the most difficult he has ever worked with in his political […]

Demos propose national seats

Tuesday 6 July 2010 | Published in Local

Approach seen as first step towards political reform The Democratic Party executive has proposed having four national seats in Parliament. Party president Sean Willis said the proposal is being considered by party MPs and cabinet ministers. Under the proposal, voters would not only vote for the constituency representative, but would cast their vote for national […]

The perfect political candidate

Tuesday 6 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, A friend of mine has repeatedly waggled his finger at me. “James! James!” he says. “You just can’t talk all these people into going to puna meetings – you have to tell them who to vote for, too!” He’s dead wrong. At least mostly dead wrong. It’s none of my business whose name […]

Kata - July 6, 2010

Tuesday 6 July 2010 | Published in Kata

Signaller a mischief maker

Tuesday 6 July 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

There were just two empty seats on the inaugural Air New Zealand Sydney-Rarotonga flight on Sunday, one of our readers says in response to the smoke signaller yesterday who provided a booking screenshot to suggest there was plenty of availability on the flight across all classes. “And yes, Air New Zealand sells whatever they can […]

Tests a success

Monday 5 July 2010 | Published in Local

A seven-minute power cut to part of the island was the only effect of major tests at the Avatiu power station on Saturday. Te Aponga Uira acting Chief Executive Elma Marurai said yesterday TAU thanked all its valued customers and the general public for their participation and cooperation with Saturday’s tests. “We were able to […]

John Henry picked for CIP Avatiu

Monday 5 July 2010 | Published in Local

Avatiu community leader John Henry (above) has been confirmed as the Cook Islands Party candidate for the the RAPPA (Ruatonga, Avatiu, Panama, Palmerston, Atupa) electorate in the general elections. CIP vice-president Mark Brown says the party and all the supporters join together in welcoming John Henry, his wife Nono and their extended families into the […]

CIP plans injunction

Monday 5 July 2010 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands Party will be filing a court injunction against Tupui Ariki Henry and Albert Nicholas to prevent them from using the name Cook Islands Party in any way or form to describe their new political party. This was confirmed in a party statement issued to Cook Islands News yesterday. Early last week Albert […]

New Toa lawsuit against Triad

Monday 5 July 2010 | Published in Local

Toa Petroleum wants Te Aponga fuel contract Toa Petroleum wants its competitor’s operations shut down, claiming in a new lawsuit that Triad Pacific Petroleum is in breach of safety standards and laws. If successful the case could result in the termination of Triad’s multi-million dollar fuel supply contract with power utility Te Aponga Uira. Toa […]

Fun and games

Monday 5 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, More fun and games in Avatiu. Peto needs to know that behind the executive committee there is a ‘master puppeteer’ who would rather another ‘Henry’ stands in your stead. As for the other independents, I hope splitting the votes is just the beginning of your attempt to end party politics. Murienua is long […]

Allsworth's last comment

Monday 5 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, This will be my last public comment and reply to Sholan Ivaiti’s letter to the editor, concerning matters surrounding his ‘alleged criminal’ accusation against me. Firstly, let me just thank all my colleagues, friends and families both here and abroad for your calls of support and bewilderment. I can personally assure you all, […]

Plea to mend CIP problems

Monday 5 July 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am pleading with the Cook Islands Party to be of one mind. I know you, Papa Rau Nga, president of the Cook Islands Party, you are a person that does not bend down to nonsense or to manipulation causing splits to happen in constituencies. But news has been made known to me […]

Kata - July 5, 2010

Monday 5 July 2010 | Published in Kata

Seats still available

Monday 5 July 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

Attached is a screenshot from the Air New Zealand website taken by a smoke signaller this past Saturday and e-mailed to us showing availability across all fare classes on the inaugural Sydney to Rarotonga flight which touched down here early yesterday morning. It is definitely not fully booked as claimed by Tourism CEO Carmel Beattie, […]

Man jailed for rape

Saturday 3 July 2010 | Published in Local

A man was remanded to jail this week after appearing in court on a rape charge. The 41-year-old unemployed Ngatangiia male, originally from Mangaia, was arrested this week for forcing his partner to have sex with him. He appeared before the court on Wednesday but entered no plea. He will remain in prison with name […]

New party from CIP fallout

Saturday 3 July 2010 | Published in Local

A new political party called Cook Islands Party Tumu has been born out of the recent Cook Islands Party ‘Avatiu controversy’. Avatiu-Ruatonga-Palmerston MP Albert ‘Peto’ Nicholas is now declaring himself the new party’s first candidate. One of the most influential founders of the CIP, 81-year-old Tupui Ariki Henry, has helped bring the new party into […]

Down memory lane after 36 years

Saturday 3 July 2010 | Published in Features

Former Rarotonga resident Mark Holland returned recently after 36 years to show off the island to his family. Holland moved to Rarotonga with his parents Jack and Beverly Holland over 50 years ago and attended the Nikao Side School from 1959 to 1961. His father was the Director of Primary School Education and his mother […]