More Top Stories

Local

Top cop position advertised

7 December 2024

Culture
Church Talk
Court
Economy
Economy
Economy
Economy
Education

National

Local

Social Impact Fund awards $199,825 to 14 community projects

The Cook Islands Social Impact Fund approved 14 proposals totalling $199,825.20 from 21 applications, supporting community initiatives across Rarotonga and the Pa Enua, with a focus on sports, wellness and youth development.

Entertainment

Christmas in the Park brings festive cheer to Rarotonga

Hundreds of locals, visiting families, and tourists gathered at the National Auditorium and Domes on Thursday evening for the annual Christmas in the Park event, hosted by Rotaract Rarotonga.

Ministry to investigate complaint

The ministry of health will investigate a complaint against Aitutaki Hospital alleging it was burning toxic waste on its grounds. Senior members from the ministry, including Minister for Health Nandi Glassie, will visit Aitutaki next week as part of the annual Cook Islands health conference. Glassie said the ministry could not make specific comments regarding […]

National

Study links soft drinks with gout

Pacific island men who consume four cans of sugar-sweetened drinks or more each day are four times more likely to suffer from gout than men who drink none. Findings from a New Zealand study presented at the ministry of healths Te Marae Ora health conference this week showed that Pacific island Maori men who regularly […]

National

Roundtable on renewables with Kiwis

The Cook Islands state-owned energy provider Te Aponga Uira (TAU) faces a fine balancing act in the coming decade. On the one hand, the company faces the task of facilitating the Cook Islands move to becoming a nation 100 percent reliant on renewable energy for its electricity needs. And on the other, it must find […]

National

China billion for lower interest

How much mortgage debt is there in the Cook Islands? a smoke signaller ponders. One billion dollars? Two billion? A government with a bit of vision would not be raiding the savings of children and pensioners but cutting a commercial loan with China for a billion or two, handing that money to the local bank […]

National

Money transfer to Australia gets cheaper

Westpac has reduced its surcharge on fees sent from Australia to the Cook Islands. The bank announced today it would be reducing its AU$30 (NZ$38) surcharge to AU$10 for customers in Australia sending less than AU$500 from any Westpac branch in Australia to family or friends in the Pacific. Recipients will no longer have to […]

National

New Catholic Bishop for CI

In April of this year, Pope Benedict XVI appointed the Reverend Paul Patrick Donoghue,S.M., as the new Catholic Bishop of the Cook Islands. In the Catholic tradition, Bishops are appointed by the Pope after much consultation. The Catholic Church has only been in the Cook Islands since 1894 so it has not had a long […]

National

Rasmussen criticises government spending

Soft expenditure could be hurting the governments rapport with Cook Islanders, deputy opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen says. In analysing the 2011-2012 budget, tabled and adopted in parliament this week, Rasmussen says money could be better allocated. He cites the baby bonus, ministerial support appropriation increases and parliamentary travel and service costs as soft expenditure. These […]

National

Joy and jest as priests home blessed

July 2 was a full on day of celebrations on Mauke as Catholic Bishop OConnell blessed Father Johns new house. Words were spoken, songs sung, doors opened by Father John, Bishop OConnell, building supplier Arama Wichman and landowner representative Dyer Tamaka. As the Bishop blessed the exterior and then interior Father John, in jovial spirit, […]

National

Kevin Iro one of Lomus heroes

Rugby legend Jonah Lomu counts Cook Islander Kevin Iro among his heroes. A lot of people dont know my background but I played league first, and one of my heroes is sitting right here, Lomu said at a luncheon yesterday. Kevin had a huge influence on my career. Lomu played for the Manukau Magpies, and […]

National

Aitutaki donates $25,000 to Christchurch

The people of Aitutaki have raised $25,000 for those affected by the Christchurch earthquakes. Aitutaki mayor John Baxter, House of Ariki minister Teariki Heather and Aitutaki MPs Teina Bishop, Mona Ione and Toanui Isamaela presented a cheque for that amount to New Zealand foreign minister Murray McCully and his delegation yesterday. To formally welcome McCully, […]

National

NZ, CI renew vow of commitment

The governments of the Cook Islands and New Zealand have renewed their dedication to one another on paper, in a Joint Commitment for Development. Following what Prime Minister Henry Puna called a refreshing and constructive closed-door meeting yesterday morning, representatives of both governments met to reaffirm their special relationship in a public signing of the […]

National

World Cup carries Pacific flavour

Rugby World Cup chief executive Martin Snedden yesterday made a tongue-in-cheek promise that if the All Blacks win the Rugby World Cup, theyll bring their trophy to Rarotonga. Whilst you dont have a team we know damn well legally you are obliged to support the All Blacks, and (if they win) the All Blacks are […]

National

No promises on superannuation

New Zealand foreign minister Murray McCully says he cannot confirm when his government will have worked out how to make superannuation portable, or accessible to Kiwis living in the Cook Islands. He says he cannot predict how long it will take to make the promise a reality. Id never put a date on workings of […]

National

$3m for industry revival

The Cook Islands pearl industry is preparing to make a comeback thanks to a $3 million boost from NZAid. Rarotonga yesterday celebrated Cook Islands Pearl Day to mark the launch of the $3 million aid package, and to thank NZ foreign minister Murray McCully for releasing it. Pearl vendors set up stalls showcasing their best […]

National

McCullys touchdown low key

The arrival of New Zealand Foreign Affairs minister Murray McCully and his 75 strong Pacific mission delegation landed in Rarotonga on Wednesday to a low key welcome. Not a chanting Cook Islands warrior or a maiden with ei was in sight for the arrival of the minister and the much anticipated touchdown and return of […]

National

Bomb types banned

It is now specifically illegal to use, develop, produce, possess, or transfer to another person cluster munitions and explosive bomblets in the Cook Islands. Parliament this week considered and passed into law the Cluster Munitions Bill, which prohibits any activity in respect of cluster munitions and explosive bomblets, other than by those who in their […]

National

Govt makes green move

The Office of the Prime Minister is searching for a new project developer to help steer the country towards becoming 100 percent reliant on renewable energy. The renewable energy project developer will help the PMs office develop and coordinate green energy projects throughout the country. Prime Minister Henry Puna, minister for the environment, last week […]

National

Mock crash response analysed

A full debrief of how emergency response agencies handled Tuesdays mock trauma exercise will be conducted to help improve the response of emergency and rescue personnel. A mock head-on car crash was staged on the main road in Maraerenga to assess the coordinated efforts of emergency agencies including health, Red Cross, airport authority, crash fire […]

National

Coming to grips with good governance

New members of parliament are benefitting from the expertise of auditors following a good governance workshop in Arorangi yesterday. MPs including Ngamau Munokoa, Atatoa Herman, Tekii Lazaro, John Henry and Kiriau Turepu attended the half-day workshop. Long time MP and deputy opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen also refreshed his governance knowledge, along with finance minister Mark […]

National

Banks bring tax concerns to govt

The Cook Islands Bankers Association (CIBA) met with the Minister of Finance and representatives of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) on Monday morning. This was the first opportunity for the association to discuss the proposed withholding tax with government. The purpose was therefore to gain clarity about the exact intentions for the […]

National

« Previous  1    613  614  615  616  617  618  619  620  621    798  Next »