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7 December 2024

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National

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Jewels of the Cook Islands ready to shine at Dine and Dance event

A New Zealand-based Cook Islands entertainment group is on the island and is set to perform tonight in what they say will be a magical night of dining and dancing in Rarotonga.

Environment

Aitutaki community re-establishes traditional ra’ui to protect marine

The Aitutaki community has re-established a traditional ra’ui, a temporary fishing ban, in their lagoon to protect marine life and ensure sustainable resource management, with support from the National Environment Service.

Tradesmen upskilling at workshops

Rarotonga tradesmen had the opportunity to upskill this week at a series of workshops run through the Cook Islands Trades Training Centre. Eighteen participants were invited to take part in the workshops that were organised by the Trades Training Centre and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP). These included 10 staff from MOIP and […]

National

Food festival fundraiser

Tereora College is holding a food festival at the Punanga Nui marketplace this Friday to fundraise for new school equipment. Students from all form classes will cook the food, which includes a barbeque, umu food, curried chicken and home baking. They are also manning the stalls, with help from parents and teachers. Proceeds from the […]

National

Follow the flags for food, craft

Food and craft markets across Rarotonga have been given a marketing boost by the Business Trade and Investment Board (BTIB) who this week provided brightly coloured flags and banners for the various market initiatives. BITB minister Mark Brown enthusiastically presented the flags to the various market organisers saying that the promotional equipment was a fantastic […]

National

Jewellery class inspiring participants

Follow the sounds of hammering and laughter at Tereora College on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening, and you will find the community education jewellery class in session. The class has been meeting for some weeks now, with the group of seven budding artists having already produced a number of pieces. They began with simple black […]

National

Lady Naomi doing Te Maeva Nui run

Samoan ship Lady Naomi is likely to transport northern group islanders to Rarotonga for Te Maeva Nui. Next week a representative from a Samoan shipping company arrives in the Cook Islands to discuss with government the logistics of hiring the vessel to transport dance teams from the north to Rarotonga for the Constitution celebrations. Culture […]

National

PICI asks: Whose side is Ponia on?

The Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative is concerned that Ministry of Marine Resources secretary Ben Ponia seems to support the interests of foreign fishing vessels over local ones. During last week’s consultation on the draft National Plan of Action (NPOA) for sharks, Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative (PICI) became concerned that Ponia was supporting the right of […]

National

Shark action plan criticised

The Ministry of Marine Resources’ (MMR) proposed changes to the National Plan of Action for sharks, the key policy document for shark conservation and management in the Cooks, have been met with a skeptical response from conservationists. A two-day public consultation last week on revising the National Plan of Action (NPOA) for sharks was attended […]

National

'Reluctance' to progress marine park

Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen said in Parliament this week he feels there has been ”reluctance“ on behalf of government to progress the marine park initiative. ”It appears to me there’s been some reluctance to progress with this idea. Maybe because it conflicts with two other things happening in our waters – one of them is […]

National

TIS calls for wire trace ban

Te Ipukarea Society is disappointed the Ministry of Marine Resources ignored calls for a ban on wire trace fishing at a public consultation last week on the draft national plan of action for sharks. Members of Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) said there was ”very strong support“ at the consultation, held on Thursday and Friday last […]

National

Kukupa out of service

Te Kukupa is in dry dock, but Prime Minister Henry Puna has said that his government is negotiating for the use of a substitute vessel in her absence. In Parliament on Tuesday Puna mentioned he has been discussing the issue of a replacement vessel with New Zealand foreign minister Murray McCully. He declined to discuss […]

National

HMNZS Otago in port after patrolling Cooks waters

The HMNZS Otago berthed at Avatiu Harbour yesterday afternoon and will stay in port until Saturday morning. The offshore patrol vessel, captained by Commander David McEwan, has spent the past week patrolling the Cooks’ exclusive economic zone as part of major maritime surveillance operation Tui Moana, run by the Forum Fisheries Agency. A Cook Islands […]

National

Water bottles sent north

Thanks to the Rotary Club of Rarotonga and Air Raro, new water bottles are on their way to Omoka School on Penrhyn. Tyronne Weerasinghe, principal of the Penrhyn school, approached Rotary to provide a water bottle for each classroom. Weerasinghe’s request was based on concerns about dehydration for students and the effect this may be […]

National

Students unveil products at Winter Fest

Tereora College students involved in a young entrepreneurs programme launched their products at the new Winter Fest night market at Punanga Nui marketplace last night. Year 10 students involved in the young entrepreneurs programme (YEP), run by the Business Trade and Investment Board (BTIB), worked for 18 weeks to develop a viable product to sell. […]

National

New life for CISPCA

The Cook Islands Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CISPCA) is starting afresh this year with a new president and renovation of their property in Vaimaanga. A new committee was formed in January, with Kura Hoff-Tansley as president. Hoff-Tansley says her main concerns are for dogs and to ensure that dogs have rights. […]

National

House passes energy legislation

Parliament passed both the Te Aponga Uira O Tumutevarovaro Amendment Bill and its counterpart, the Energy Act Amendment Bill, yesterday. Both are legislative mechanisms by which the prime minister can legally appoint an energy commissioner, a person to coordinate all government’s renewable energy policies, whose salary is being funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme. […]

National

MMR logic 'not necessarily sound'

Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen is encouraging government to shift its focus from licencing foreign boats to fish in Cook Islands waters to supporting local fishermen. In speaking on a bill to amend the Territorial Seas and Exclusive Economic Zone Act 1977 during Parliament this week, Rasmussen took the opportunity to voice his views on government’s […]

National

Opposition warns govt to limit licences

Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen is warning the government to curb its issuing of fishing licences to foreign companies. Pressed to explain his actions during his tenure as minister of marine resources, Rasmussen said in Parliament this week that he regrets the ”terrible mistake“ of issuing 30 licences to foreign boats. ”If I have to say […]

National

Queen honours two local men

Two additional Cook Islanders have been selected for the Queen’s birthday honours award, due to their outstanding services to the community. The Queen’s representative Sir Frederick Goodwin has announced that Daniel Apii will become a member of the civil division of the most excellent order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the public […]

National

Private schools funding increased

Budget 2012 makes provision for an increase in public funding to private schools. The increase is reflective of an increase in the number of students attending private schools this year. Last financial year, private schools received $1.6 million – $111,000 of which was taken from the Ministry of Education’s own budget to cover a funding […]

National

Roads closed

Maintenance work on the Maire Nui Drive in Avarua is expected to be completed this Friday. Before then motorists are urged to be patient and drive carefully on the one-lane road through the main town. A new chip seal is being laid on parts of the Maire Nui Drive especially on the stretch of road […]

National

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