Articles by Utopia Support

I am sickened

Saturday 22 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am a Cook Islander, a citizen, a tax payer, a land owner, a mortgage payer, a mother, a grandmother, amongst many others, sweating day by day to make ends meet. Of course there are many other Cook Islanders in the same boat like myself. I am most sickened by the outcome of […]

Kata - May 22, 2010

Saturday 22 May 2010 | Published in Kata

Netball battles on cards today

Saturday 22 May 2010 | Published in Netball

The club netball season heads into round two this week with those teams that lost in the first round of games sure to want to show some improvements today. This week the Titikaveka Pearls will take on the Avatiu Dragonflies while the Takuvaine Red Divas will do battle with the Ngatangiia Dolphins. When Titikaveka played […]

Here we go again

Saturday 22 May 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

A smoke signaller sent us this fax: The outrage shown by a number of our citizens in regards to the Toagate financial disaster is justified. The utter arrogance and cheek of these so-called leaders is unbelievable, but you get what you deserve when you give them the mandate to govern in the first place. Now […]

Justification by faith

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Church Talk

Paul is dealing with people caught in hypocrisy at the time. But the words he speaks can be so easily put to us today! We compel others to live in a way which we do not live ourselves. We change what we believe because of sin in our lives. If the Word says something, we […]

'Passing the torch'

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Church Talk

Passing of the Torch before the opening of the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games or even the South Pacific Games is becoming a familiar sight. The spectacular pageantry of the opening ceremonies cannot begin until the final carrier of the torch arrives in the stadium. The torch symbolically links the modern games to their 2700 years […]

CICC follows up seminar

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Church Talk

In response to positive feedback from a Walk Thru the Bible seminar conducted in March, CICC is hosting another Walk Thru. The Avarua Cook Islands Christian Church will be hosting a follow-up seminar at Sinai Hall sometime in June. Those who registered for and attended the first seminar are free to re-use the same manual […]

It's Biodiversity Day tomorrow

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Environment

Plant a tree or a garden tomorrow in commemoration of Biodiversity Day. 2010 is the international Year of Biodiversity. The Cook Islands theme is ‘E tango Maori te ao ora natura – our biodiversity, our foundations’. Deyna Marsh of the National Environment Service says that while there is no planned activity for tomorrow – she […]

Cabinet anticipates negotiations with Toa

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Local

Attorney General Wilkie Rasmussen issued a press release yesterday on behalf of Cabinet, explaining that government intends to open negotiations with Toa lawyers which he hopes will mitigate the effects of Tuesday’s court ruling. Under clause 6(b) of the settlement agreement that binds government to a particular payment plan, “the parties (Toa and government) shall […]

Scores apply for tourism jobs

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Local

Shortlists have been drawn up for the key executive roles at Tourism Cook Islands. Acting chief executive Halatoa Fua said yesterday there are 20 applications for the position of Director of Sales and Marketing, 40 applications for the job of NZ Manager and 20 for the post of Australia Manager. Chris Ingram resigned from his […]

Porter looks to negotiate with landowners

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Local

Apex Agencies director Brett Porter addressed the issue of Toa’s lease expiration yesterday. Tuesday’s court ruling granted Toa a yearly income top-up for the next eight years, but Toa’s lease on its land expires in 2012. Porter said that because the government has technically owned the fuel farm since December of 2008, when it entered […]

Sir Terepai 'selected'

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Local

Sacked deputy prime minister Sir Terepai Maoate, who led the team which secured the disastrous Toa deal, has been nominated as Democratic Party candidate for Ngatangiia in the next general election. A meeting was called two weeks ago at Maoate’s own home and was attended by members of the committee and close family members. The […]

Stupid, greedy old men

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I have just read this morning’s newpaper. No words can adequately describe how absolutely sickened and gutted I feel at this moment. How can Brett Porter and Tereapii Maoate look in the mirror each morning. You stupid, greedy old men. How dare you put us into more debt, and please, please just shut […]

It's totally unfair say Avatea kids

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am a student at Avatea School, Form 2. My class at present is studying about the government. We read the newspaper of today, Thursday 20th May 2010, and were dismayed at the current issues on the government of today. My class and I feel that this is totally unfair! The Cook Islands […]

You meet the nicest islanders when someone steals your bag!

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Since 1988 we have been regular and happy visitors to Rarotonga. Right up until today that is. On the beach, opposite Raina Lodges, just down from Fruits of Rarotonga, we had just entered the water for a swim when a young fella sprang from the bushes, grabbed my wife’s beach bag and took […]

Now it's a question of morals and ethics

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Regarding ‘Porter’s response to Toa judgement’ (CI News February 20). Perhaps there is a parallel here. The Government’s fuel policy scheme involved not only the purchase of the Toa facility but the Juhi depot as well, which it saw as the only way to achieve its stated policy of “consolidating the country’s fuel […]

Kata - May 21, 2010

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Kata

Double netball action

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Netball

The Titikaveka and Takuvaine premier grade netball teams have a huge load this week with the teams playing two tough matches. The Titikaveka versus Takuvaine match will be played tonight after the scheduled open one and two games. This match was meant to be played last week but because three of the Titikaveka players were […]

Trying to do a man's job

Friday 21 May 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

An irate smoke signaller writes in to TXT188: “Well we can thank the arrogance of Terepai Maoate and the nodders or yes men in cabinet at the time: Tangata Vavia, Ngamau Munokoa, Kete Ioane and Jim Marurai. All girls and boys trying to do a man’s job but just costing the country millions over Toagate. […]

Nation to work to fill Toa's coffers

Thursday 20 May 2010 | Published in Local

Steve Anderson’s statement on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce says that grave errors on the Toa deal will have Cook Islanders paying taxes straight to Toa for years to come, as well as slashing budgets for health and education. “The Toa Deal is an abomination,” Anderson says. “That this deal should have been struck […]