National

Cocos a breath of fresh air

As of yesterday Cook Islands vaka Marumaru Atua was one day’s sail away from Cocos Island, headed toward the Galapagos Islands. Below is a blog update written by crew member Alex Olah. We are now a day’s sail away from Cocos Island and we are all still recovering our energy after all the activities we […]

Pasifika crowds flock to CI village

The Cook Islands village at Auckland’s Pasifika festival was reportedly brimming with visitors, who flocked there to buy local arts, crafts and food from vendors – both Auckland-based Cook Islanders and Cook Islanders who, with the support of the Business Trade and Investment Board, were able to set up shop at the wildly popular festival. […]

Neves explains deficit

In light of the government’s recent announcement that the country is saddled with a $2.9 million deficit, financial secretary Richard Neves has opened up about debt and what it comprises. Neves responded to questions on the county’s debt in a radio interview with William Framhein on Matariki FM last week. He said the December quarterly […]

PM visits South Islanders

Prime minister Henry Puna will spend three days this week visiting Cook Islanders on New Zealand’s South Island. The prime minister’s chief executive officer Edwin Pittman said the PM had promised to see them last year and would like to see how they are doing. “If possible he would try to persuade them to return […]

Youth gather to discuss suicide

The highly-anticipated one-day youth suicide prevention forum gets underway this morning. Based at the Youth With A Mission building in Vaimaanga, the forum will involve over 100 Rarotonga youth and 26 young people from the outer islands – 10 from Aitutaki, six from Mangaia, six from Atiu, two from Mauke and two from Mitiaro. One […]

No more room at the inn – homes wanted

With the next kitten season just around the corner, the Esther Honey Foundation are looking for homes for their cute and cuddly friends at the clinic. The clinic is nearly full with 40 adorable stray cats and kittens in residence – all desperate for love and attention. The foundation does a wonderful job of caring […]

Students hone leadership skills

Tereora College student leaders learned how to be role models during a leadership training programme at the Edgewater Resort and Spa. School prefects, counsellors and peace ambassadors attended the half-day workshop conducted by Tereora principal Bali Haque, deputy principal Andrea Panther and school counsellor, Thomas Wynne. Haque started the session off by introducing and explaining […]

Communication difficulties eased with new radio system

Communication was the keyword at the official handover of the emergency services upgraded radio-communications system on Friday. Acting Prime Minister Tom Marsters spoke at the ceremony outside the police station in Avarua, noting that communication is of prime importance to the Cook Islands. As the Cook Islands is a large ocean state with remote island […]

Tuara reinstated as president of CIRA

For the first time in two years the Cook Islands Research Association (CIRA) has held an annual general meeting. President Makiuti Tongia was not present at the meeting – something anticipated by the CIRA as he has been out of contact for some time. Previous president Angie Tuara was reinstated, with full support from the […]

Church songs 'strictly non-dirge'

Global Volunteer Carol Russell came to Rarotonga to volunteer her time in the second half of last year. This week a story she wrote about her experience ran in the Bismarck Tribune, a newspaper based in North Dakota in the United States. Here we have printed parts of it. When I first got to Rarotonga […]

Bonefisherman on new mission

American fly fisherman Jon Hall has devoted the last two months to helping bonefish guide Itu Davey and his brothers get their guiding business off the ground. Hall left the Cook Islands at the weekend, but plans to take his bonefish campaign further afield – and to keep spreading the word until he returns in […]

First asphalt roadway laid

Work started on Saturday on the Cook Islands’ first asphalt roadway. “It’s quite an exciting moment,” said Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP) acting secretary Donye Numa. The main Rarotonga road at Panama was closed from 8am to 12pm while MOIP contractor teams laid the first 500 metres of asphalt on both sides of the […]

DPM to attend Brussels meetings

The Cook Islands will be represented at the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) meetings in March in Brussels by Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters. He will attend the meetings in Brussels from March 19 to 22. Relations between the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the European Union (EU) take place within […]

Hero dreads return to quake city

Warren Wisneski isn’t looking forward to his return to Christchurch. The earthquake hero has spent the last week enjoying the Cook Islands’ lifestyle and has promised to return. “They’ve looked after us tremendously well,” he said. Wisneski is one of 50 ‘heroes’ and their partners given an all expenses paid holiday to the Cook Islands […]

Port dredging to start next month

The Ports Authority is gearing up to remove 70,000 to 90,000 cubic metres from Avatiu harbour as part of its $27 million redevelopment. “We are looking at bringing in bigger vessels. The greater the carrying capacity, the cheaper the freight,” said Ports Authority general manager Bim Tou. At present the port can only receive vessels […]

New radios for more efficient policing

The Cook Islands are already reaping the rewards of new and improved radio technology. Until recently there was a small number of out-dated vehicles radios and some portable radios which only worked in town. There were radio blind spots around Rarotonga, and inclement weather impacted even further on the quality of communications. Police officers relied […]

Parade honours new radio system

In a culmination of two years of hard work, the Cook Islands police were symbolically handed over their upgraded radio communications system yesterday morning. The project was aptly named ‘Te Karere’, or ‘the message’, by attending Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters. Police Commissioner Maara Tetava gratefully accepted the new system in a formal celebration outside […]

Public meeting addresses seawall concerns

Safety concerns were a priority to residents who attended a meeting with the Ports Authority organised by Avatiu-Ruatonga-Atupa-Palmerston member of parliament John Henry at the Ruatonga Meeting house on Thursday evening. “How do we know the rock wall isn’t going to fall down or that waves aren’t going to go over it?” asked Ruatonga resident […]

Cabinet minister's weekly travel diary

Minister travelling to VietNam

Agriculture minister Nandi Glassie will travel to VietNam this week to meet with the new director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The new director-general Jose Graziano da Silva will be attending the 31st FAO Regional Conference for Asia and Pacific being held in Hanoi on March 12-16. Ministers and senior government officials from […]