More Top Stories
‘Nothing to worry about’: Prime Minister Brown on China agreement
16 February 2025
‘Serious questions’: Opposition challenges China partnership
15 February 2025
No-confidence motion against PM and his Cabinet faces delays
15 February 2025
Ruta Mave: People’s Republic of China red flag
10 February 2025
No debt in China deal
8 February 2025
Thomas Wynne: Haka with the taniwha or dance with the dragon?
8 February 2025
‘Paedophile’ gets 13 years in prison
22 January 2025
Thomas Wynne: Where were our leaders while children suffered?
25 January 2025
$541.7m tourism earnings
25 January 2025
Cook Islands passport proposal
6 January 2025
Top cop position advertised
7 December 2024
Police need numbers and bigger budget
9 December 2024
Niki Rattle: A call for stronger human rights protections
10 December 2024
Solid and Hazardous Waste Bill referred to Parliament committee
10 December 2024
DPM defends CIIC finance and travel policies
6 December 2024
Cook Islands has its first mosque
14 November 2024
CI Muslim opens up about her faith and journey
16 November 2024
RAC to address mosque legality
19 November 2024
I don’t expect much change: PM Brown on US Elections
6 November 2024
Fifth weekly Sydney flight to Rarotonga announced
23 October 2024
CIIC directors seek $350,000 in damages over defamatory claims
21 October 2024
Man found guilty of rape, burglary
24 September 2024
Tenants face water bill burden
8 October 2024
Concerns over Minister’s role in inmate work releases: PAC
5 October 2024
Tourism contribution set to surpass half-billion dollar mark
25 September 2024
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Articles by Utopia Support
PSL matter adjourned
Tuesday 7 February 2017 | Published in Local
The court application by Apex Agencies and Porter Groups Holdings to wind up controversial shipping company Pacific Schooners Ltd was adjourned sine die last Friday.
Nurse practitioners can do it!
Tuesday 7 February 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
I share many of the concerns of the Mangaian community expressed in a recent letter to the Cook Islands News
No handouts for shipping service
Tuesday 7 February 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
“IT WAS SAD to see the one professional and dedicated server of shipping to the Pa Enua had their brand new boat stranded on the reef, by accident,
Big welcome home for champions
Tuesday 7 February 2017 | Published in Football
Emotions were in high supply at the Rarotonga International Airport as the successful Puaikura FC men’s team walked out of the arrivals gate on Saturday afternoon.
Holmes signs up for extension with Cronulla
Tuesday 7 February 2017 | Published in League
Young gun Valentine Holmes has signed a contract-extension that will see him remain at the Sharks through until at least the end of the 2019 season.
Concerns over brothel for PNG's Manus
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Regional
Papua New Guinea – Concerns are being raised over a proposed brothel for asylum seekers on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island.
PACIFIC BRIEFS 6/2/2017
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Regional
CHURCH FACES $60 million in payouts
Fiji 'bungled' human rights opportunity
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Regional
FIJI – Fiji has bungled an opportunity to improve its human rights record after it forcibly deported a young refugee seeking asylum according to Amnesty International.
Bishop believes deal is still on
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Regional
Australia – Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says US officials are continuing to interview asylum seekers in Nauru as part of the refugee deal with America, despite lingering uncertainty over the agreement.
Tension over refugee deal mounts
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Regional
Papua New Guinea – Police in Papua New Guinea are requesting extra officers be sent to Manus Island to deal with asylum seekers at Australia’s offshore detention centre.
Roosters win Nines
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in League
The Sydney Roosters have claimed a shock Auckland Nines title after defeating Penrith in a 10-8 nail-biting final at Eden Park.
Puaikura step up contest preparation
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Football
Puaikura are hoping to intensify their preparation for the upcoming OFC Champions League Group Stage competition.
Forced split completely unfair
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Local
A Cook Islands woman says she is devastated by the Immigration department’s push to have her Kiwi partner of almost seven years out of the country.
OPM slams shooting inquiry letter
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Politics
Comments made by letter-writer Papa Williams regarding the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry into last year’s shooting tragedy have been slammed by an Office of the Prime Minister spokesman.
Licence issue clarified
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Local
A Cook Islands drivers licence is valid anywhere in the Cook Islands regardless of where it is issued.
Locals fouling up 'paradise' too
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
I have spent many months on these beautiful islands over the past three years and repeatedly read articles in the paper about how the tourists are being unfairly blamed for the pollution of Muri Beach’s lagoon.
Some advice for people of Pa Enua
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
To the people of the Pa Enua with no doctors on your island and with no-one listening to your calls for basic hospital supplies and services, here is my advice:
Forgiveness works in mysterious ways
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Letters to the Editor
If the PM can demonstrate so much forgiveness for convicted drug dealers Arlander and Marsters by making them welcome in his office and work with them on a community project, perhaps he can show the same degree of forgiveness for Mark Franklin
Cruel people turn blind eye to dogs
Monday 6 February 2017 | Published in Smoke Signals
“How many starving thin skin and bone pictures of animals do we have to report and see before anything gets done about it?” a smoke signaller asks. “The land the animals that featured in CI News recently were found on belongs to someone, so report them. Charge them, put their names in the paper and shame them. A woman found the dogs because they were barking. Didn’t the neighbours hear the dogs? Someone must have known they were there, so why didn’t they help or report? It is pathetic how these people can get away with such cruelty on such a small island and no one sees or knows anything. It is time to give police the power to arrest for cruelty to animals. and as harsh as it sounds, culling may be kinder in the long run. The poor bitch dogs left to have puppies constantly should be removed from the owners and desexed immediately. And for repeat animal cruelty human owners should be offered castration or imprisonment.” LOCAL WORDS “Just to help Jaewynn McKay out in her letter on the Chamber of Commerce, the word we use in the Cook Islands is “papaanga”, not “whakapapa,” a smoke signaller says. “That would make the letter more, ahhh, “local.” TURN IT DOWN, PLEASE! Can the CIRU lovers and haters please keep it down, the leagues on. BENEFITS FOR SOME… “In the March 2000 Economic Gazette, under the heading ‘Current Court Actions’, it is recorded that MFEM was taking action against a certain retailer for the sum of $103,784.64,” a smoke signaller says. Eleven years later, on June 9, 2011, a CI News article recorded that the amount owed to MFEM from that same company was now $237,216.05. You can only wonder what the amount is today. And now the government wants to write off the penalty tax. So effectively the company will receive an interest free loan for over 17 years from the taxpayers. Is that what the Minister of Finance means by saying ‘all Cook Islanders will benefit from this’?” REDS UNDER THE BED What reds under the bed are scaring Papa Williams, a smoke signaller ponders? His attack on an Australian heading the inquiry into the multiple shootings near Titikaveka in October is bewildering, a smoke signaller says. “Williams whinges that it should have been a New Zealander heading the inquiry and that by not picking one it is a slap in the face for the Cook Islands relationship with the former colonial ruler. What is he on? Australian police have had a long relationship with Cook Islands Police and Australia’s Federal Police fund many training programmes here and through the Pacific. And his thought that the government’s choice is done purely to cover up issues is an outrageous slur upon the integrity of Dennis McDermott, a man who is a former AFP Assistant Commissioner. If Williams wants to slam the government he should make sure it is the politicians he targets, not experts who come here to help Cook Islanders.”
PACIFIC BRIEFS 4/2/2016
Sunday 5 February 2017 | Published in Regional
POHIVA BELIEVES HE HAS THE NUMBERS TONGA – Tonga’s Prime Minister says he believes he has the numbers to easily defeat a proposed motion of no-confidence. The motion was submitted this week and signed by seven Noble Representatives and three People’s MPs including former Deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu and sacked Internal Affairs Minister Fe’ao Vakata. ‘Akilisi Pohiva said he continued to have the majority support of the 26-member parliament. The motion is currently before the Parliamentary Privileges Standing Committee before a date for the motion is announced. Pohiva said he wanted to know on what basis the motion had been submitted. “The most interesting element of the motion is to see, to know the grounds for the motion. What are the allegations provided in the motion? These are the things we are waiting for.” REPORTER ATTACKED OUTSIDE COURT FIJI – The Fijian Media Association says people need to respect, appreciate and understand the hard work of journalists. Its general secretary Stanley Simpson made the comment after a Fiji Sun reporter was attacked by a relative of an accused person at the Suva Magistrates Court. The reporter was taking videos of the three accused persons when the man walked towards her, grabbed and threatened her. Simpson said the association strongly condemned such acts committed against journalists. He said Fiji was a democratic country and people needed to know how hard journalists worked to get the news out under trying circumstances. RALLY CALLS FOR SEIZURE OF WEAPONS NEW CALEDONIA – Two hundred people rallied outside the French High Commission in New Caledonia yesterday over the lack of security south of Noumea. The road past St Louis has been repeatedly closed by police in recent months after people travelling on the road were targeted by gunmen. A delegation from a residents’ association was received by the High Commission and assured that the curfew to close the road at night will be lifted next week if the situation remains calm. The demonstrators also called for arms in circulation in St Louis to be seized. In the latest attacks last Sunday, bullets pierced the armour of police vehicles and injured two officers. SAMOA LAUNCHES CYBER SECURITY PLAN SAMOA – Samoa has launched a five-year national cyber security plan. The minister of communication and information technology Afamasaga Rico Tupa’i said government and the business sector should work together to protect the development of the country’s economy from cyber attacks. He is challenging the country to volunteer to help government to protect and fight against cyber crimes. Tupa’i said the plan was to help Samoa innovate online.“It’s a concrete step towards a safer Samoa. It’s an initiative to ensure that your information is safely guarded and that your privacy and security is top priority of government,” he said.
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