Minister for Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) and Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) Albert Nicholas says they are surveying the Rutaki foreshore area.

Nicholas made this comment in response to opposition MP Teariki Heather’s question on the Rutaki foreshore facing huge waves that bring sand onto the roadside.

Heather said that he was informed that ICI did not have the funding to look into the works at Rutaki foreshore.

Nicholas said this is a specific area that they have been surveying in the past weeks.

“It’s true ICI doesn't have the money. So I went to the CIIC allocation in regards to protection of the cable that comes to the land, and have had meetings with CIIC and ensured they will look for the assistance and proper aggregate we can use for coastal protection.”

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Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chair Teokotai (Tango) Herman said the Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) has been asked to prepare a full report on the Arutanga Harbour project, detailing all expenditures and costs from the project’s inception to the present date

Herman made this comment while responding to a question from Opposition MP Vaitoti Tupa who asked if there was an allocation of $1.2 million made for this project.

He said PAC requested CIIC chief executive Allan Jensen to meet the Committee during their scrutiny of the 2024/25 Appropriation Bill to answer some questions which included the Arutanga Harbour.

Herman said they have asked for a full report on the spending and cost of the development.

He said the Committee would present the report to Parliament once it is completed.

The Arutanga Harbour project is part of the Aitutaki Island Plan, aiming to provide safe passage for small sea vessels and allowing for a continuous flow of cargo ships to the island.