National

Composers call Cook Islanders home

Biblical messages and songs dedicated to calling Cook Islanders home are the two popular themes new musical compilations have been based on at the 2012 Mire Atu composer’s competition to be held this Thursday, March 1. Of the 12 composers entering new compilations for the 2012 competition, eight are first time composers and three are […]

'We are running out of time'

Government must place greater emphasis on renewable energy, Mitiaro MP Tangata Vavia said in parliament last week. “Time and time again we have been reminded of the increase in the cost of fuel. As of yesterday the cost of a barrel of oil on the world market was $US 105, and the worse thing was, […]

Jetty on track

Although there is not much observable progress at the site of the Arorangi cruise ship jetty, the project’s managers say the development is progressing steadily behind the scenes. Designs for the jetty are currently undergoing a peer-review to test the constraints of the design and safety of the structure being proposed. Included in the testing […]

New unit will 'lift the bar'

While he’s got a heavy workload ahead, Paul Allsworth is moving into his new job with enthusiasm and confidence. Buoyed by government’s appropriation of $40,000 to parliamentary services for the establishment of its new select committee support services unit, he looks forward to ‘cleaning up’ parliamentary procedure. Allsworth is heading parliament’s new governance and oversight […]

Solar desalination recommended

Communities in the pa enua susceptible to experiencing water shortages would benefit from a German innovation that couples solar power with salt removal from ocean water, according to former Te Aponga Uira outer islands director Manfred Foertsch. Foertsch, a German national and Cook Islands permanent resident who is currently back on Rarotonga, said new solar-powered […]

Dallas helps with Marshall Islands project

Cook Islander Dallas Young has been chosen by the government of the Marshall Islands to be part of a peer review programme in Majuro. As director of international affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Young has been part of a team reviewing processes of budgeting, planning and development in the Marshall Islands. […]

Tereora College laughs and listens

The current generation of Cook Islands leaders stopped by Tereora College on Friday to watch the next generation put their stamp on the school. The college welcomed in its new leaders for 2012, taking in 38 students from the year 13 heads all the way through to peace ambassadors from the younger grades. College heads […]

Avatea prefects aim to help improve attitudes

Being a prefect doesn’t mean being the boss of the rest of the students of the school. These were the words of newly appointed Avatea Primary School head boy Michael Wood at the school’s prefect induction ceremony on Friday. “A prefect is a role model – we set a good example by coming to school […]

Aid for parliament

The Cook Islands Parliament has been chosen as one of the priority focus areas for Australia and United Nations aid programmes in coming years. Tangata Vainerere of the Pacific Legislatures for Population and Governance (PLPG) last week explained that a man by the name of Russell Shaffer came from Western Australia to Rarotonga recently for […]

New law 'criminalises debt'

New legislation to alter the rules for contempt of court will be examined by a select committee. The committee will be headed by Prime Minister Henry Puna, with leader of the opposition Wilkie Rasmussen chosen as deputy chairman. Vaipeka-Vaipae-Tautu MP Mona Ioane,Avatiu-Ruatonga-Atupa-Palmerston MP John Henry and Teenui-Mapumai MP Norman George will be on the committee. […]

Space junk splashes down in Muri

On a cloudless Rarotonga night the stars always put on a fantastic show, aided by a streaking meteor or two, but all that was about to be upstaged. To the left it appeared as a bright orange, diamond shaped light in the night sky, approaching from the north of Muri lagoon, heading on a southerly […]

School health check-ups on again

The Ministry of Health has rescheduled its biennial (two-yearly) school physical health examination for all Rarotonga schools. American Global Volunteer Susan Koralek has returned to Rarotonga and will be resuming her free eye-screening programme in coming weeks. Accordingly, the ministry has brought the physical health check dates forward. Health officers did the physical check at […]

'We had no control over circumstances'

Finance minister Mark Brown is adamant that government had no control over the circumstances which forced it into a deficit. In Parliament on Tuesday he said: “I would just like to point out to our members and those of the public that are listening in that this deficit in the budget occurred from an event […]

Norman George criticises Allsworth's salary

Teenui-Mapumai member of parliament Norman George has pointed the finger at former auditor-general Paul Allsworth for continuing to collect a salary equivalent to that which he collected as auditor-general. Allsworth has been appointed head of a new government division – the Governance and Oversight Services Unit. During question-and-answer time in parliament on Tuesday, George queried […]

Big shoes to fill in 2012 pageant

The Miss Cook Islands Pageant dates for 2012 have been confirmed. The final night of the pageant will take place in the National Auditorium on June 7, ending a week of high-stakes competition. The Miss Cook Islands Pageant Association (MCIPA) finalised its pageant dates at its annual general meeting earlier this month, during which Clee […]

George George is mad mad

If it was food, George George wouldn’t be too upset. But because thieves targeted electronic items, iPods, Playstations and other such toys and gadgets when they went through his house, George says he’s left feeling angry, disappointed and, perhaps worst of all, insulted. After years of working with children and teenagers to help promote them […]

Minister's travels for the week

Southern group youth to join forum

At least 20 youth from the southern group of islands will join 100 young adults from Rarotonga to share their views, opinions, concerns and practical solutions with each other at a youth forum next month to help overcome the challenges facing their age group. A steering group charged with organising the forum, which is aiming […]

So what's the 'trigger figure'?

The government and the people of the Cook Islands received a surprising and slightly worrying notice from Air New Zealand this month when it warned that the underwrite being provided by the country to secure flights to Australia and the United States would rise to an estimated $12.5 million for the financial year. Until this […]

NZ 'reneging' on pension promise: Priest

Making New Zealand’s superannuation portable so people living in the Cook Islands can access their pension is a complex issue and will be examined in time, according to New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully. McCully said New Zealand was not breaking a promise made to the Cook Islands when he announced last week that the […]