Articles by Utopia Support

Commitment still there

Friday 12 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I want to clarify to 1Drop2Many (1D2M) and your reporter Helen Greig, on a couple of issues that have gone print. I requested the meeting with the minister and asked Navy Epati to sit in because of his past experience in marine regulations. There was a lengthy debate between Josh Mitchell from marine […]

Aitutaki league match cancelled

Friday 12 February 2010 | Published in League

Today’s scheduled rugby league match between the Aitutaki Sharks/Warriors and the Tupapa-Maraerenga Panthers has been cancelled. It’s all hands on deck in Aitutaki as the island recovers from devastating damages caused by cyclone Pat on Tuesday night. It is not clear if the Sharks will be able to play again as the young men in […]

Incorrect warning causes major panic

Friday 12 February 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

While Aitutaki started picking up the pieces from the tragic battering of cyclone Pat on Wednesday morning, over in Rarotonga a single e-mail was causing a huge amount of panic among locals and visitors when it incorrectly stated that Rarotonga was going to be hit by the cyclone at 2pm. At 10.22am an e-mail from […]

Pat pounds Aitutaki

Thursday 11 February 2010 | Published in Local

Houses were flattened and roofs uplifted as tropical cyclone Pat unleashed its fury on Aitutaki during the early hours of Wednesday morning. According to businessman Mike Henry who reported via a patchy cellphone connection at 9am yesterday, the island experienced winds of up to 100 knots throughout the night. Henry estimated that around 60 percent […]

Kata - February 11, 2010

Thursday 11 February 2010 | Published in Kata

Concern over alcohol: police

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Local

Police made six arrests last weekend, most of which were alcohol-related. Senior sergeant Nga Pouao said that police are still concerned about offences which involve alcohol. “Most people being arrested by police are drinking,” he said. “If you drink alcohol, please know that you are responsible for your actions.” Police arrested a male person for […]

Tropical cyclone Pat looms over Aitutaki

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Local

A satellite photo of tropical cyclone Pat, taken from the US Naval Research Laboratory website – the picture was taken about 4pm yesterday. USNavy Pat “/> Aitutakians were preparing for tropical cyclone Pat which was expected to strike from the north last night. Aitutaki MP Teina Bishop said at 7.30pm last night that the wind […]

Conference will chart direction for Pacific

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Local

Vanuatu prime minister Edward Natapei says despite the pain of the global economic crisis, Pacific island countries can come out of it with better choices and more opportunities. Natapei addressed over 200 delegates gathered for the opening of the UN Pacific Conference on the Human Face of the Global Economic Crisis in Port Vila, Vanuatu […]

Rotten egg

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I am concerned for the country’s future in regards to the proposed manganese mining. Has anyone done any research on the environmental and health effects? From what I have researched so far, if you let the mining in you will not be sitting on a golden egg but a rotten one. Rob Thurnham

It's about open dialogue

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, The comments by Makiuti Tongia in his letter to the editor on Monday is distasteful and dangerously misleading. In other words his comments show the state of mind of a bitter disturbed person wilfully exploiting the courage of the current government and hoping to spin it into dead-end conclusions. In my view he […]

Tap calling Nemo

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, May I try one more time to respond to the ever persistent writer, “Finding Nemo”? Nemo seems to think that somehow I am both the chief scientist and chief engineer of a company that seeks to obtain a seabed exploration license under the new legislation. I am neither. I am a member of […]

Fishing promises come to nothing

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, I read with interest but also with great concern that ‘pressure’ is put on the minister to bend, in many ways, under the thumb of some unscrupulous businessmen who have no regards for what others feel or think about their ways and strategies. The last time the fishing licences were granted, despite the […]

Kata - February 10, 2010

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Kata

League clubs asked to follow rules

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in League

The Cook Islands Rugby League Association is thrilled with the great start to the domestic season. However there were some issues that arose from last week’s games that the association would like to iron out before round two. All clubs are reminded that only two runners are allowed on the field and both must wear […]

Mixed netball comp continues tonight

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Netball

Tai Connal shoots for goal as goal shooter for team Telecom. “/> Round two of the social mixed netball will be played this evening at the Telecom Sports Arena with an early ‘catch up’ game between Black Beauty and Jagar Bombs to kick start the day’s games at 6.30pm. Plenty of laughing and team bonding […]

'No' for a nationally elected PM

Wednesday 10 February 2010 | Published in Smoke Signals

On the subject of political reform, one signaller says in 2006 when prime minister Jim Marurai knew that he did not have the support, he called a snap election. “In 2010 he knows he doesn’t have the support of the MPs in the house but is willing to hold on as long as it takes […]

Regional environmental workshop wraps up

Tuesday 9 February 2010 | Published in Environment

The ecosystem-based management course/workshop wrapped up at the Assemblies of God hall at Takuvaine last Friday. Twenty participants from overseas, as well as four from the outer islands and government agency staff on Rarotonga, attended the two-week course which looked at integrating contemporary and traditional coastal ecosystem management in the Pacific. Henry Muller from the […]

Pat moves southwest

Tuesday 9 February 2010 | Published in Local

Aitutaki is expected to feel the effects of tropical cyclone Pat later today as the category two storm makes its way southwards. At 5pm yesterday Pat was located about 240 nautical miles (440km) north of Aitutaki and moving at nine knots (16kph) in a southeasterly direction. The cyclone was expected to track southwards last night, […]

Better access to aid needed says delegate

Tuesday 9 February 2010 | Published in Local

The impact of the economic crisis and climate change means that it is even more crucial for the Cooks to get better access to aid. According to Liz Koteka, director central policy and planning office at the office of the prime minister, work still has to be done in obtaining access to aid that can […]

Increased pressure for fishing licences

Tuesday 9 February 2010 | Published in Local

Government faces increased pressure to provide more long line fishing licences than its 40 licence limit a year. Cook Islands News asked ministry of marine resources’ (MMR) director of offshore fisheries, Joshua Mitchell to explain the present licence situation and how they are allocated each year. He says right now 26 vessels are licensed to […]