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SPC resource mobilisation and service delivery 

The Pacific Community (SPC) recently held its annual meeting in Pape’ete, where 25 member countries, including the Cook Islands, came together to discuss progress and set priorities for the future.

Local

TAU appoints engineering professional

Barbara Elliston has been appointed as an engineering professional for Rarotonga’s power authority Te Aponga Uira (TAUU) by the Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) Board of Directors.

Penrhyn fisherman alleges torture

A Penrhyn fisherman says the way he was treated by police, prison and probation services amounted to torture and is a breach of the Cook Islands constitution and international law. Arumia Robert Samatua is suing the attorney-general for over $970,000 on behalf of the police, prison and probation services for treatment he alleges was a […]

National

Community respond to smacking comments

How to discipline children is always a contentious issue, and minister Teariki Heather stirred up the debate on the subject in Parliament on Tuesday. During question and answer time, Heather responded to Nikao MP Ngamau ‘Aunty Mau’ Munokoa’s query on how to deal with youth crime by saying the government needed to allow ”parents to […]

National

Current debt of $93.6m 'manageable'

Crown debt is expected to increase over the long-term. Total gross debt is estimated to reach $93.6 million by the end of this month. The figure has been reduced from last year’s balance on account of a favourable movement in the US to New Zealand dollar exchange rate. At present 80 percent of Crown debt […]

National

PM praises vaka crew

Prime Minister Henry Puna made mention of the sailors aboard Cook Islands vaka Marumaru Atua in Parliament yesterday. ”I am very proud of these young people,“ he said. ”First they went to the United States, the continent, they landed over there, came back and went to Samoa and also to Fiji. And I came on […]

National

Customs legislation passes easily

A 600-page bill listing goods that are imported to and exported from the Cook Islands, and their accompanying duties and preferential rates, has passed through Parliament without amendment. The Customs Tariff Bill 2012 passed without objection yesterday. The legislation replaced its 32-year-old predecessor, directly following the passage of the Customs Revenue and Border Protection Bill. […]

National

Licences restrict by-catch: Bishop

Minister of marine resources Teina Bishop has said that exploratory fishing licences expressly restrict by-catch – or the accidental netting of a species not being targeted, like shark. Last week in Parliament Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen asked Bishop to confirm or deny allegations that foreign vessels licenced under the exploratory regime were finning sharks. Bishop […]

National

BTIB learns to help small business

Two officials from the Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) recently came back from a workshop in Fiji that taught them how to coach struggling small businesses. Melina Tuiravakai, BTIB’s business, trade and marketing manager, and Ratu Mato, the finance and administration manager, attended the week-long workshop run by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s (SPC) […]

National

Banks 'failing the people'

Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen has said that local banks are ”failing“ the Cook Islands people. ”Failing in the sense that the interest rates are so high in the Cook Islands – from our perspective they are very high – and the interest rates are so high on mortgages (that they are) difficult for Cook Islanders […]

National

Banking 'tidy up' law passed

The Banking Amendment Bill was passed in Parliament yesterday. The Bill amends the Banking Act, which was passed in December of last year and which received royal assent from the Queen’s Representative on December 13. Finance minister Mark Brown read the amendment bill’s explanatory note in Parliament yesterday. ”This bill is to make an amendment […]

National

Going public

Finance minister Mark Brown says government is keen to publicise a forthcoming report analysing Cook Islands banking institutions, which is currently being drafted by the founding chief executive of Kiwibank Sam Knowles. ”He (Knowles) has provided some initial explanations to myself, however his final report will be due very shortly and it will be a […]

National

Slow down and watch those animals

Here at the Esther Honey Foundation our number one case seems to be vehicular in nature – animals being hit by cars, bikes, jumping out of cars, trucks or being run over from sleeping under cars. At this point we have four dogs and three cats which all have serious injuries from being in vehicular […]

National

Sunset Road portrays life of local artist

A play based on the life of local artist Ian George – and written and directed by his daughter Miria – premieres today (June 20) in Wellington. While her theatre experience is extensive, ‘Sunset Road’ is the first play Miria has both written and directed. ”It is inspired by my Dad’s life – but has […]

National

'Go green'

Associate minister of agriculture Kiriau Turepu has said that Titikaveka Growers Association deserves more financial support. ”I am happy with what the Titikaveka Growers are doing today,“ he said in Parliament on Friday. ”They are looking at various options of how to use their own soil rather than bringing soil from abroad. I fully support […]

National

Tongareva gives thanks

Penrhyn MP Wilkie Rasmussen has extended his sincerest thanks to New Zealand High Commissioner John Carter and his team for supplying Penrhyn with fuel. In Parliament yesterday Rasmussen made special mention of the three warships that travelled to Tongareva bearing 60,000 litres of diesel – 30,000 litres for the island and 30,000 for Te Kukupa […]

National

Retrospective tender waiver not granted

A Cook Islands Tourism Corporation request to retrospectively waive the tender process for four of its marketing campaigns was not granted, meaning funding was not given. After realising they might not be complying with the proper tender process, the corporation met with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM), which then requested a Public […]

National

Heather answers contracting questions

Infrastructure minister Teariki Heather has said that T&M Heather has secured all its contracts legally and fairly. In Parliament yesterday Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen asked Heather to address concerns voiced by members of the public pertaining to T&M contracts. ”Some time ago the opposition through me raised concerns in the media about the company T&M […]

National

Look after your cows!

Dear Editor, To the owners of the cows/bulls tied up in Kavera: You are causing harm to your animals by not attending to them regularly. They are tied up on vacant land and left for days and it appears no one checks them so our village has to put up with their constant bellowing and […]

National

Fresh tagging

Fresh tagging on buildings through the Avarua township is a concern for both community leaders and local police. Sports and community leader George George has noticed an increase in the number of buildings through Avarua with fresh tags by delinquent youth using spray cans. He says that this is the time to raise the awareness […]

National

Southpac sued for maternity dismissal

A senior trust manager is suing her former workplace Southpac Trust after they dismissed her when she was on maternity leave. In the case, which is being heard in the High Court on June 29, Serena Hunter seeks $141,000 in damages including lost earnings and humiliation for her dismissal from Southpac in March this year. […]

National

Nurse sues health ministry

A case is due to be heard in the High Court next week for the unfair dismissal of a senior nurse from Rarotonga Hospital. Philomena Henry is seeking $50,000 from the health ministry secretary after being unfairly dismissed by the Ministry of Health after 30 years of working as a nurse. Henry had been a […]

National

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