Articles by Utopia Support

CIP dismiss Sir Terepai shift

Friday 4 June 2010 | Published in Local

The Opposition Cook Islands Party (CIP) has dismissed suggestions that Sir Terepai Maoate could cross the floor with his nine supporters and join them. Now that Sir Terepai has been voted out as leader of the Democratic Party, speculation is rife about his next move, especially after some open-ended statements the former Deputy Prime Minister […]

Unavailable

Friday 4 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I noticed with surprise that my name was printed in the Cook Islands News dated 3 June 2010 as the Assistant Treasurer for the Democratic Party. As I advised the conference organisers prior to the conference, I was not available to attend the conference and take up any post as I am obligated […]

Govt should ignore court decision

Friday 4 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor What’s going on in paradise? Not another court fiasco? The effect of the Toa saga should have been uppermost in the court’s mind and the people are already squirming at the thought of giving away millions of dollars over the next 10 years for nothing. The next government of the Cook Islands should […]

How high do I jump, sir?

Friday 4 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor In response to the letter from ‘Sickening’ in your newspaper on June 3: Sickening, the moon is green. Yes! Minister Wilkie, Yes! PM, Yes! QR, the moon is green Sickening, the sun is purple. Yes! Minister Wilkie, Yes! PM, Yes! QR, the sun is purple. Sickening, we command you to follow our instructions. […]

Jibba jabba

Friday 4 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Now is a good time to think seriously about harvesting those precious nodules sitting on the seabed now the Cook Islands people are in big debt. I don’t think that I will be coming back to my home country sooner with all this saga and jibba jabba going on. Concerned citizen (Name and […]

Lost the plot

Friday 4 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor It is clear now that my Democratic Party does not care much for loyalty and dedication. Its decision to elect Wilkie Rasmussen as Deputy Leader over Aunty Mau bears this out. A simple comparison of the history of the two names over the recent past will show what I mean. Aunty Mau has […]

Kata - June 4, 2010

Friday 4 June 2010 | Published in Kata

Harnessing the country's energy

Friday 4 June 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“Why is government leading us down a path where our people and businesses are spending so much time, energy and money arguing about ‘Toagate’ and the ‘Demo fight’ when the nation should be using the same energy, time and money to turn our economy around in time of crisis?” a smoke signaller asks.”In other parliamentary […]

Evans excited in new environment role

Thursday 3 June 2010 | Published in Environment

The new program manager for Te Ipukarea Society Inc (TIS), Jacqui Evans, begins work this week at their Maraerenga Office. “I’m really excited to start this job. It’s the kind of work I love to do,” Evans said. “I’ll be coordinating a project aimed at protecting our native and endemic birds and other important species.” […]

Sir Terepai makes threat to party

Thursday 3 June 2010 | Published in Local

Sir Terepai Maoate may have lost his position as Democratic Party leader to Robert Wigmore, but in his address to yesterday’s party conference he zeroed in on new deputy leader Wilkie Rasmussen. “I don’t ever want to work with him again,” Sir Terepai said, referring to Rasmussen, He also issued a threat to the entire […]

Vaka set to sail today

Thursday 3 June 2010 | Published in Local

Four doubled hulled voyaging canoes are expected to depart out shores this afternoon after a whirlwind visit to Rarotonga, while the Cook Islands vaka Marumaru Atua will remain here. Faafaite will sail directly back home to Tahiti while Hine Moana (mixed nations), Aotearoa vaka Te Matau O Maui and Fiji vaka Uto ni Yalo will […]

Wigmore takes over as Demos vote for change

Thursday 3 June 2010 | Published in Local

Robert Wigmore is the new leader of the Democratic Party and will lead the party into the next election. If they win, he will be the Cook Islands’ new prime minister. But change did not stop there at yesterday’s much anticipated party conference. Sean Willis was elected the party’s new president, pushing out Makuiti Tongia, […]

Make the call for the country

Thursday 3 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Is the Cook Island’s Government not embarrassed yet? What is it going to take before they wake up and realise that our Country is a joke and its all due to the people running it? I was once a proud Cook Islander, now I’m embarrassed to say I even once belonged. We elect […]

Questions to think about

Thursday 3 June 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor Did you know that in the world Cook Islanders can make it through the recession with no worries? Did you know that unlike building labourers overseas, Cook Island labourers can build a house from footing foundation to finishing no sweat? Did you know that non-working Cook Islanders can work together, take computer courses […]

Kata - June 3, 2010

Thursday 3 June 2010 | Published in Kata

Environment Week activities on

Wednesday 2 June 2010 | Published in Environment

Judging began yesterday for the photography, arts and performing arts competition held in conjunction with Environment Week t his week. Yesterday afternoon judging was held at BCI for the work by year 1-3 students Today judging will be held at ANZ Bank at 2pm for work by year 4-6 students while tomorrow at 9am judging […]

Priorities discussed

Wednesday 2 June 2010 | Published in Environment

Representatives from 15 member countries and territories of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) met in Nadi, Fiji, on May 24-25, to discuss Pacific environmental priorities for the next five years. Delegates from American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, USA and […]

Tonorio still on the loose

Wednesday 2 June 2010 | Published in Local

Escaped prisoner Andrew Tonorio is still at large. A Matavera resident reported having sighted him in the early hours of yesterday morning. She reported to police that two young males had been loitering on her property, and suspected that Tonorio was one of them but could not confirm the identity of the men. By the […]

Setting it in stone

Wednesday 2 June 2010 | Published in Local

A symbolic stone laying ceremony was held at Avana harbour yesterday in honour of the five voyaging vaka which arrived in the Cook Islands on Saturday. Each stone has been carried across the ocean by the vaka as a gift from their homeland to the people of the Cook Islands. The placing of stones has […]

Demo conference all go

Wednesday 2 June 2010 | Published in Local

Today’s Democratic Party conference is going ahead, despite lack of commitment from the executive led by Sir Terepai Maoate and Makiuti Tongia. Deputy Prime Minister Robert Wigmore said he was pleased that democracy was upheld by the outcome of the injunction appeal. He also urged all Democratic Party members to attend today’s conference. “I would […]