Articles by Utopia Support

Play league or what!

Tuesday 23 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor I’m replying to Carlson’s statement of Saturday. In reply to your question, it sounds like you’re only worried about the well being of those 15 or 20 Shark league boys. What about the rest of their family, specially the old and the very young ones? I think they’re the ones that are really […]

Kata - February 23, 2010

Tuesday 23 February 2010 | Published in Kata

Real appeal accounting

Tuesday 23 February 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

“The letter writer (CINews Mon Feb 22) warning of the need to have a real accounting of ALL Aitutaki fund-raising was spot on,” writes a smoke signaller. “Sorry to you folks on the side of the road selling plates of food or watermelons ‘in aid of Aitutaki’ but history suggests a donor would be better […]

Rebuild starts

Monday 22 February 2010 | Published in Local

Wilkie Rasmussen, minister responsible for the national cyclone relief efforts for Aitutaki, says government is committed to the reconstruction of buildings and infrastructure on the island. Options being weighed up include whether to provide kitset homes or build basic homes from scratch. Rasmussen says government is also considering how it will fund the reconstruction estimated […]

New alert

Monday 22 February 2010 | Published in Local

A tropical depression 45 nautical miles from the northern group island of Penrhyn caused flooding in low lying areas yesterday and some roof damage caused by strong winds. Police commissioner Maara Tetava activated the Police Operations Emergency Centre at 11 o’clock on Saturday morning to monitor tropical depression 11F sitting in the Cook Islands northern […]

Maoate and Marsters in new comedy act

Monday 22 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Now we read the Maoate and Marsters Comedy Act. What a joke for these two hasbeens to challenge funding for cyclone relief and demanding that everything must be done ‘according to the rules’. Is this the same Maoate who ‘followed the rules’ re the Toagate fiasco and preferential treatment on hardship loans to […]

Kata - February 22, 2010

Monday 22 February 2010 | Published in Kata

Storm batters Tongareva

Monday 22 February 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

While the Southern Cook Islands was waiting yesterday to see which direction a new storm would take, the atoll of Penrhyn was getting a hammering from gale winds and heavy rain from the intensifying depression, beginning on Saturday night. The Fiji Met Service said Penrhyn, 1365km north of Rarotonga, received 156mm of rain over a […]

QR reappointed

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Local

Queen’s Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin has been reappointed for another three-year term following a cabinet decision on Thursday. His reappointment has come after months of speculation about the post and after allegations by the Opposition Party that Sir Frederick ignored last month’s petition by MPs for parliament to sit because he did not want to […]

Mitchell up for diplomatic post

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Local

Foreign Affairs secretary Mike Mitchell is set to become the new Cook Islands high commissioner to New Zealand after being nominated by cabinet this month. Now the ‘receiving State’ (NZ) must agree to the nomination before an appointment can be finalised. Prime minister Jim Marurai said yesterday that if all goes to plan, Mitchell will […]

The WeekEnd Crossword

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Features

Living in Liminal Space

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Features

Having resided in Nigeria, Saudia Arabia and Atiu, German-born Andrea Eimke knows what it’s like to live life as a ‘foreign national’. Originally from Dusseldorf, Eimke spent years working around the world as a professional interpreter and then as an embroiderer. The Master of Art and Design course that she’s just finished this week gave […]

Art trail opens up

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Features

Examiners spent yesterday analysing the Master’s of Art and Design final projects. Today, the artists can breathe a sigh of relief and the public can get ready to browse their exhibitions. Last night, Loretta Reynolds unveiled her project at the Beachcomber Contemporary Art Gallery. Hers was the first exhibition to open, and the rest will […]

St Joseph's prefects lead mass

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Features

Twelve St Joseph’s School students were inducted as prefects of the school yesterday at St Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral in Avarua. And just to show that they were capable leaders, the young students led the special mass for their induction ceremony reading the day’s scripture and praying for ill family members. After the mass the students […]

Turtle man helps out

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Features

Guests with positive attitudes and a willingness to help clean up Aitutaki after cyclone Pat have made it easier for accommodators on the island to bounce back into business. After the cyclone, the Popoara Ocean Breeze Villas, like many homes and businesses on Aitutaki, sustained damage to its property. But as villa owners Allen and […]

Endangered bird survival critical

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Features

Just 300 of the already endangered Aitutaki Kuramo’o (Blue Lorikeet) are estimated to have survived Cyclone Pat – which could put the survival of the bird in jeopardy if urgent precautions aren’t taken. The Kuramo’o population was assessed by British students last year at more than 3000 birds, but ornithologist Gerald McCormack of the Cook […]

Give fishing company a fair go

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I would like to give my support to the Northern Cook Islands Fishing Company, because as stated in their letter to you dated February 12, ‘Commitment is there’. There has certainly been a lot of media attention over the past few months regarding the operation and commitment expressed by NCIFC that would benefit […]

T&M puts food on tables

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I fully support the views of ‘Improved roading fan’ that the time has come for government to privatise the future provision of essential public infrastructure services such as road works. No question about it, private companies such as T&M Heather can do a far better job and in much faster time than the […]

Appeal funds warning

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Whilst the salamo ‘Lest We Forget’ was intended for fallen brothers and sisters during previous wars, I use that loosely to highten past faux pas from reoccurring again. During cyclone Martin in November 1997, from memory Manihiki victims were told that the donations due to them by donors from all over came to […]

Carlson justifies Sharks trip to Raro

Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Reading through the Cook Islands News this morning (yesterday) really made me angry with the decision by the president of the rugby league. Can you please tell us what is more important to the Director of Emergency Management who is also the President of Cook Islands Rugby League, to get Aitutaki up again […]