Articles by Utopia Support

Kata - November 15, 2013

Friday 15 November 2013 | Published in Kata

Top grade test netball at home

Friday 15 November 2013 | Published in Netball

Excitement is building ahead of the upcoming netball test series between the visiting national Singapore netball team and the newly selected Cook Islands national netball team. A young Cook Islands squad has been selected for the three-match test series with key experienced players in the mix to guide the team through the ranking competition. The […]

We don't know a whole lot about tomorrow

Friday 15 November 2013 | Published in Raro on my mind

A storm is a scary thing. Perhaps the most indisputable evidence of our fragility as humans, natural disaster can render the most well prepared community utterly defenseless. The people of the Cook Islands can appreciate the power of a storm. Any small, vulnerable island nation knows the poignancy of that feeling – that emotional mlange […]

Youth invited to mix with Attitude speakers

Friday 15 November 2013 | Published in National

Young people in Rarotonga are being invited to hang out with a group of presenters from youth education programme Attitude at an informal gathering tonight. The five Kiwi presenters have been in the country this week delivering talks to students at all but three schools in Rarotonga. Attitude comes from a Biblical worldview and aims […]

Mangaians work towards self-reliance

Friday 15 November 2013 | Published in National

The people of Mangaia are taking action to tackle ongoing challenges and become more self-reliant, rather than waiting on help from central government. Mangaia, which is the most southern of the Cook Islands, has less water now than it did a decade ago and struggles with a shrinking workforce. It needs improvements to its roads […]

Water conference focuses on Pacific co-operation

Friday 15 November 2013 | Published in National

Co-operation is the theme of the 6th Pacific Water Conference and Expo, which has been ongoing for the past week in Rarotonga. The conference – based at the National Auditorium – officially got underway on Wednesday with a series of speeches by representatives of various donor groups, including the World Bank, AusAid, New Zealand’s ministry […]

Filipino community, PM respond to typhoon

Friday 15 November 2013 | Published in National

The Filipino community of the Cook Islands is rising to the occasion to help family, friends, and relatives who’ve been affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda – one of the fiercest weather events ever recorded. “The aftermath of the typhoon we saw on TV news, in the newspapers, and on the internet was so disturbing, and […]

College arson suspects down to five

Friday 15 November 2013 | Published in National

The tally of suspects for the Nukutere College fire has been narrowed down to five. The fire on October 20 was declared by investigators to be an act of arson, as was another fire at Avatea School later that day. “The suspects are aged between 14 and 25 and two of them are also linked […]

$10k rewards remain untouched

Friday 15 November 2013 | Published in National

Despite two $10,000 rewards sitting on the table, no one has come forward yet with information about the arsonist responsible for three devastating fires in the past month. Blazes at Nukutere College and Avatea School on October 20, which destroyed 12 classrooms, have been declared as acts of arson. Late yesterday afternoon, police confirmed that […]

'If I was Police Commissioner'

Friday 15 November 2013 | Published in Smoke Signals

“It’s great to hear the Prime Minister has a reward out for the capture of the arsonist,” a smoke signaller writes. “However I would have thought that the $100,000 plus salary the Police Commissioner gets would be incentive enough? If this smoke-signaller was offered that salary he/she wouldn’t sleep till this arsonist was bought to […]

Cooks shares renewable energy targets at global talks

Thursday 14 November 2013 | Published in Environment

According to government targets, 50 per cent of the Cook Islands will be powered by renewable energy in just over a year. Five years later in 2020, this will increase to 100 per cent. These targets set by the Cook Islands government were announced at a special event in Warsaw, Poland on Monday at the […]

House fire suspicious

Thursday 14 November 2013 | Published in Local

While stopping short at calling the fire an act of arson, an official with Rescue Fire Service is saying Tuesday’s house fire in Titikaveka could be the work of an experienced firestarter. An investigation team – including senior fire officer George Nicholls of Rescue Fire Service, rescue fire officer Paul Matapo, senior fire-fighter Amosa Tobia, […]

Crime against tourists 'detrimental'

Thursday 14 November 2013 | Published in Local

Crime against visitors to the Cook Islands is a serious problem and will have a detrimental impact on the local economy if it continues, says the chief executive of the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (CIT). Halatoa Fua said tourism is the Cook Islands’ largest and only sound economic driver, which is why more must be […]

Glassie takes on Internal Affairs

Thursday 14 November 2013 | Published in Local

Cabinet member Nandi Glassie was formally introduced yesterday as the incoming Minster of Internal Affairs. Present at a midday event held at the ministry’s main offices were former minister Mark Brown, Glassie, secretary Bredina Drollet and various members of staff. Drollet said the ministry has accomplished a lot under the leadership of minister Mark Brown. […]

Consults with scientists needed – purse seining

Thursday 14 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, Yes, it’s important to have public consultations and, politically at least, to get the majority on-side. Yes Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) and by-catch are major issues that must be addressed for all fishing methods, not just purse seining – but we still aren’t hearing of any plans in regards to consultations with scientists […]

PM 'removed himself' from private company

Thursday 14 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor As your newspaper decided to make a meal out of the Prime Minister’s private business, I should make this clarification in order for your readers not to be swayed by the apparent negative gloss of your story ‘PM’s company struck off twice’, published November 13. The Prime Minister removed himself from his private […]

Canned tuna linked to obesity

Thursday 14 November 2013 | Published in Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, For the interest of your readers, I would like to refer to a recent study (titled ‘Behavioral risk factors for obesity during health transition in Vanuatu, South Pacific’) from McGill University in Canada on behavioural risk factors for obesity in Vanuatu, which is attracting increasing interest in the New Zealand and international media. […]

Kata - November 14, 2013

Thursday 14 November 2013 | Published in Kata

Related article(s):

Developing the youth of the nation

Thursday 14 November 2013 | Published in National

Thirty two boys aged 13 to 20 are taking part in a three-week leadership course to learn disciplinary skills and organisation. The course will be military style and it officially started on November 11 at the Mitiaro Hostel. The course is being run by New Zealand defence force’s youth development unit and the Blue Light […]

Next year marks 100 years since start of Great War

Thursday 14 November 2013 | Published in National

A record number of people turned out for Remembrance Day on Monday, with next year’s commemorations expected to be even more significant. There were close to 40 people at the Cook Islands Returned and Services Association (RSA) on Monday morning, including local returned servicemen, island officials and tourists. Australian John Brennan, who visits the Cooks […]