More Top Stories
$12.9m approved for solar battery project, NZ confirms
12 March 2025
Crown Law Office on track for record number of lawyers
12 March 2025
‘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
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
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
National
MFEM reforms aim to prevent repeat of costly Sheraton project
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) has taken valuable lessons from the controversial Sheraton deal, reinforcing its financial policies and procedures to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.
Facebook group admin responds to police caution on posting personal IDs
The administrator of the private Facebook group, Rarotonga Community and Beyond, has clarified the group’s stance on posting personal identification items online, following a police caution about the potential risks of such posts.
“Happy” to be back to school
The air at St Joseph’s primary school was filled with joyful laughter and chatter as children eagerly returned to school yesterday for a brand new year.
Ombudsman Office engages community in decision making
Te Mato Akamoeau/Office of the Ombudsman is implementing two projects focused on engaging the community in decision making, and to ensure the Ombudsman Office is more accessible.
'Paedophile' gets 13 years in prison
A 57-year-old man, labelled a paedophile by his lawyer, has been sentenced to 13 years and three months imprisonment for 47 charges of sexual offence, rape being the lead offence.
Two women rescue lost tourist after six-hour mountain search
A male tourist was safely rescued early Sunday morning after a six-hour search, having become lost during a mountain trek on Rarotonga.
Police investigate weekend incidents
A series of incidents were attended to by the Cook Islands Police Service over the weekend, including two motorbike crashes, menacing dogs and stolen money.
Telecom company celebrates anniversary with giveaways
Vodafone Cook Islands is celebrating its fifth birthday with a week of instore activities starting at 10am, featuring groovy sounds by popular local DJ GDub George Williams, enticing instore specials and sweet cupcakes.
Peñahermos achieves NCEA success despite challenges
Tereora College’s second-best student from 2024, Ferdane Peñahermos, is among those who made the cut in the NCEA exams, having passed all of his subjects following the release of the results last week.
‘Careless’ driver ordered to pay victims $10k and serve probation
A 45-year-old man was sentenced to 18 months of probation and ordered to pay over $10,000 in compensation to two motorcycle victims after being convicted of careless driving causing injury and refusing a breathalyser test.
66 per cent pass rate: NCEA Level 1 success rate lower than previous years
The preliminary 2024 NCEA results for the Cook Islands show a 66 per cent pass rate across all levels, with the Ministry of Education remaining silent on the Level 1 pass rate.
Cook Islands pastor dies in Australian floodwaters
The search for a man swept from a flooded causeway in northern New South Wales has ended, with his body discovered downstream.
TePOM expands services to address growing demand
Cook Islands men’s counselling centre Te Punanga Ora’anga Matutu (TePOM) is looking at another year of growth and aims to support more men and women through counselling and support services.
Road sealing and drainage works top Infrastructure’s 2025 agenda
The Ministry of Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) will prioritise road sealing and drainage works this year.
Bank to reissue debit cards following attempted fraudulent transactions
Bank of South Pacific (BSP) will be reissuing new Visa debit cards to its customers following a recent attempt of fraudulent transactions.
Government seeks funding boost for ‘critical priorities’
Government will be tabling a supplementary budget in Parliament next month, seeking a top up to the $328 million 2024/25 budget to fund ‘critical priorities’ in the remaining half of the financial year.
Vogel brings passion for education and culture to Apii Rutaki
Apii Rutaki is entering a new chapter with the appointment of Renall Vogel, from Matavera, as its new principal.
Police urge for community support following alleged knife-point robbery
Cook Islands Police Service is calling for community support following a concerning incident in which a Rarotonga resident was robbed at knife-point in front of an ATM at night.
Atiu cannabis cultivator remanded in custody pending psychiatric assessment
Chris-Mayne Paiere Mokoroa, the man arrested last week in Atiu for alleged cannabis cultivation, possession of cannabis, and possession of drug utensils, has been remanded into custody following a court appearance on Thursday.
Court briefs
A number of cases were heard before Justice of the Peace Tangi Taoro on Thursday this week.
Cook Islander returns home to lead Aitutaki’s Araura College
James Kora, the newly appointed principal of Araura College in Aitutaki, is excited to return home to the Cook Islands after spending most of his life and career in New Zealand.
‘No longer dead Ministry’: Agriculture head Anguna-Kamana plots third term growth
In 2018, on her first day as Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture, Temarama Anguna-Kamana was told that this was a ‘dead ministry’. Now in her third term at the helm, Anguna-Kamana still sees potential in the agriculture sector and envisions leaving the industry in a much better position than she inherited.
