More Top Stories
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
Parliament Clerk sparks outrage over deep sea mining statement
23 September 2024
Deep sea dilemma: Cook Islanders weigh the cost of mineral riches
21 September 2024
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
Cook Islands deep sea mining poll sparks controversy
7 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Rising seas, rising costs: Climate impacts on Cook Islands economy
2 September 2024
Inflation eases but concerns remain
31 August 2024
Prime Minister defends $659,000 MPs travel bill
23 August 2024
Taxpayers foot $659,000 bill for MPs travel and allowance
22 August 2024
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
PM Brown eager to hand over Forum chair role to Tonga
13 August 2024
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
Articles by Utopia Support
Vanuatu youth denied chance to vote
Tuesday 19 January 2016 | Published in Regional
Thousands of first-time voters unable to register
Fire destroys Samoa market
Tuesday 19 January 2016 | Published in Regional
APIA – Thousands of people fear for their livelihoods after a fire burnt down Savalalo market in Samoa.
Grubby grey knight wants to ride to the rescue
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Kia Orana to all your readers.
Lagoon's problems demand immediate action
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, A recent article on the problems associated with Muri Lagoon in the Cook Islands News by Rashneel Kumar last week should provoke a community demand for immediate action.
Muri pollution must be taken seriously
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, The increasing pollution of Muri Lagoon has been obvious over the last 20 years – not only to locals but also to regular visitors like me.
Private sector needs help to prosper
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Local
A local businessman is calling on the government to work more closely with the private sector to help the Cook Islands prosper – and keep more kukis at home.
Politics is not a game of tiddly winks
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Politics
Ever since I was a wee toddler, I was well versed in one thing and that is I am just as important as the next person.
Starving pigs spark outrage
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Local
It appears the New Year is not immune to animal cruelty, with reports of starving pigs in Rarotonga sparking outrage on social media.
Cabinet back to business
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Local
It’s back to work for Cabinet this week with the festive season over and matters of national business stacking up for the six Cabinet ministers.
Offending piggery still open for business
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Local
The National Environment Service seems to be going easy on the second piggery dirtying Ngatangiia’s waterways, which has not been closed down despite assurances from the government agency last year.
Bowie's driver has vivid memories of rock idol
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Local
One island resident who has vivid memories of Bowie’s time on Rarotonga is Gus Meyer.
Unassuming star made big impression on island
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Local
Lawrence Bailey was editor of the then government-owned CI News the year David Bowie came to Rarotonga.
Seaweed stench gets up motorists' noses
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Environment
There’s a bad smell in the air when you drive through Avana, causing motorists to hold their breath along the stretch of road in Ngatangiia.
Poisoning survivor tells his tragic story
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Local
Thankful to still be alive and to be able to tell his story, 49-year-old local man Mataiti Mataiti has produced a book called “Disasters for People with Disabilities in the Cook Islands.”
Night market a hit with food lovers
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Hot on the Rock
Three years ago, the Muri night market housed a couple of stalls a few nights a week and tourists dotted the picnic tables in the heart of Rarotonga’s tourism centre.
PM news drives CI reader to poetry
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Letters to the Editor
News that prime minister Henry Puna has gone overseas yet again, this time to Abu Dhabi, prompted one CI News letter to pen this poem:
Time for women to really step up
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, In Mata Atua McNair letter calling for a fresh look at politicians she forgot to put forward the secret weapon that is women.
Unsightly weed might be useful
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, Of late Cook Islands’ public forums have been littered with news on the growth of algae at Muri beach and it is probably regarded as a menace by many readers of your newspaper.
Fuel prices, labelling under scrutiny
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor, I refer to a letter to your column on prices in the Cook Islands and welcome the opportunity to discuss the two issues raised - the impact of global fuel prices on local prices and price labelling obligations by stores. Both points are valid and I accept accountability to respond to as Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I am happy to say that much effort has been placed in both areas. Since 2010, fuel prices in the Cook Islands have been significantly distorted arising from a substantial profit guarantee to one of the companies supplying fuel. In that time, we have seen this negatively impacting local prices of both petrol and diesel, resulting in companies moving away from bulk supply arrangements, the most efficient supply of fuel to Rarotonga, to inefficient ISO tanktainer supply, raising the cost per litre of fuel. After a review begun in early 2015, the Price Tribunal has put in place new pricing arrangements in July 2015 to ensure that our price setting arrangements forces those companies to look for competitive prices to the consumer, which is more likely to be achieved by adopting bulk supply arrangements over ISO tanktainer supply. Both of the two major fuel importers have undertaken efforts in 2015 to ensure they are now importing in bulk supply. Since the introduction of the new arrangements, prices for fuel and diesel have fallen by up to 20 per cent for petrol and 27 per cent for diesel compared with prices a year ago (when based on the highest maximum retail prices available at the time), and even further by 27 per cent for petrol and 34 per cent for diesel compared with two years ago. The new pricing arrangements also now benchmark local price movements against global price movements. Global price movements assists us in ensuring that there is an independent check to verify the reasonability of changes in the landed cost of petrol and diesel to the Cook Islands. The landed cost, however, represents only 40 per cent of the total price that is charged at the pump. The other costs allowed in that price are levies payable on fuel, an operating allowance and margin for importers as well as a margin for retailers. So changes in global prices affecting landed costs will not be directly passed on to consumers. The Price Tribunal also looks closely at the onshore costs by requiring all fuel importers to supply their audited annual accounts and these are closely scrutinised and questioned if there is anything unusual. The Price Tribunal will be undertaking a further review of the current arrangements in February and will be speaking with fuel importers, retailers and other stakeholders for the primary purpose of ensuring that the best possible price is passed on to consumers. On the second issue regarding price labelling, I can confirm that we have one officer (in a division of two staff) who carries out spot checks each week on Rarotonga when fuel prices are monitored which basically means most shops are covered. Most of those store owners do a reasonable job, however, coverage by one officer means that 100 per cent price inspections at all times are feasibly impossible. We are very appreciative of members of the public reporting such instances to us directly as this enables us to directly target those store non-compliant store owners. Bredina Drollet Secretary, Ministry of Internal Affairs
Ship critics on wrong tack, says artist
Monday 18 January 2016 | Published in Local
It’s time people stopped criticising the Pacific Schooners Ltd vessel Tiare Taporo and started looking at the positives in the controversial operation, says Rarotonga artist and writer Mike Tavioni.
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