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Environment

Scientists explore coral heat tolerance in Rarotonga

A group from the University of California is working with Cook Islands marine biologist and chairperson for the environmental NGO, Kōrero o te `Ōrau, Dr Teina Rongo, to discover how corals around Rarotonga respond to high temperatures.

Crime

Vandals target fintech startup

Cook Islands tech entrepreneur Brett Baudinet is disappointed that his recently established business, Smartie, has become a target for vandals.

Marsters back and ahead

Leader of the opposition Tom Marsters has retained his seat with 171 of the 408 votes cast in the Murienua electorate. Closest rival James Beer, of the Democratic Party, received 118 votes according to preliminary results announced last night. Murienua’s result was the last to be counted, giving the Cook Islands Party 15 seats to […]

National

Support but no seats for independents

Some of the independent candidates scored a surprising number of votes at the election, despite not winning any of the 13 seats they were vying for. Nikao independent Philip Nicholas secured the most votes out of the independents with 162 votes. He wasn’t too disappointed with the result. Tupapa-Maraerenga independent Tim Arnold was perhaps the […]

National

Wigmore trumps rivals

Democratic Party leader Robert Wigmore was in a jubilant mood after sweeping back in to the Titikaveka seat with a convincing win. Wigmore polled 293 against the Cook Islands Party’s 204. The independent candidates failed to have an impact in this seat – following the pattern across the nation – with Teariki Matenga polling 80 […]

National

Crushing Demo defeat

2 cabinet ministers dumped, Rasmussen ahead by 2 votes Democratic Party leader Robert Wigmore is not yet accepting defeat saying the battle to win seats is not over yet. The party now holds on to just 8 seats of the 24 seats in parliament. The results seem to mirror the 2006 election results in reverse […]

National

New MP wants to unite electorate

RAPPA CIP candidate John Henry believes that his character was the reason people voted for him and not the party. The mood was relaxed in his camp after he was announced the winner of the Avatiu-Ruatonga-Palmerston seat. Henry had 237 votes – 107 votes more than Party Tumu candidate Albert Peto Nicholas (130 votes) while […]

National

Mark Brown brings 'fresh blood'

The marquee behind FBI erupted in cheers and shrieks of joy as scores of Takuvaine and Tutakimoa residents learned of Cook Islands Party candidate Mark Brown’s victory. Supporters and friends rushed to congratulate Brown, bubbling over with enthusiasm – one supporter couldn’t contain his excitement, repeating the mantra “I’m so happy, I’m so happy, I’m […]

National

Marurai denies he called the Demo defeat

It seems Mangaia MP and outgoing PM Jim Marurai may have called the Democratic Party’s defeat just prior to voters going to the polls. However, he has now claimed he was misquoted in a Radio Australia report yesterday that said he expected the party to be defeated at the election. Marurai won back his seat […]

National

Upbeat start

Winner of the Tupapa seat George Maggie was one of the first people to cast his vote when the polling station at the Aotearoa Centre in Tupapa opened yesterday. Maggie was in buoyant mood as he cast his vote in the seat he went on to win by 145 more votes more than his closest […]

National

Marurai happy with his win

Outgoing PM and Mangaia MP Jim Marurai was happy to be re-elected yesterday despite predicting the Demo Party’s fall from grace. Marurai will now have to pass the prime ministership on to the CIP and not party leader Robert Wigmore as the party had hoped. Meanwhile, Marurai won his seat 60 votes to CIP’s Moe […]

National

Who is eligible to vote today?

To vote in the Cook Islands an elector must have lived in the country for 12 months continuously at any time in their life and meet the three month residency requirement to vote in an electorate. New Zealand citizens and permanent residents who meet the criteria are also eligible to vote. The Electoral Office headquarters […]

National

Vakatini Ariki apologises for proclamation

Makea Joseph Vakatini Ariki officially apologised yesterday for the sovereignty proclamation of June 12, 2008, reaffirming his allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II in order to be reinstated as a member of the House of Ariki. Vakatini led the group of ariki which issued the proclamation in defiance of the government, an act which at the […]

National

A thought for the general election

In the past week or so, it has become obvious that there has been some quiet but hard door-to-door campaigning by political parties and independent candidates alike. As would be expected in Cook Islands politics, there would be some high transient emotions demonstrated as traditional approaches clash with those who desire change and innovative ideas. […]

National

33 Cook Islanders earn MBAs

Thirty-three Cook Islanders recently finished a USP Master’s course and are now have Master’s degrees in Business Administration. They will graduate with a group of about 110 graduates in August next year at the National Auditorium – the delay is to ensure that the whole lot of USP students can formally walk together. Class captain […]

National

Forum team to observe election

A team of six observers representing the Pacific Islands Forum is in the country to observe today’s General Election. The team arrived in the country last Thursday and has been talking to a number of relevant people and stakeholders. The team has already met with senior government officials from the Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign […]

National

Tackle the basics first, please

Dear Editor, Whatever the makeup of the new government once the country’s general elections are held tomorrow, I just hope that more attention and effort will be placed on developing and improving the country’s basic infrastructure. For far too long the country’s basic infrastructure has been ignored and neglected by successive governments, leading to a […]

National

French navy in town

La Railleuse, the French naval vessel currently berthed at Avatiu, is scheduled to leave this weekend – but on the heels of her visit comes Le Prairial, another French naval vessel with the capacity to store a helicopter. Le Prairial (F 731) is a 93-metre light monitoring frigate of the French Marine Nationale that is […]

National

WAR!

The Atiu Island Council has approved the controlled use of shotguns to supplement poisoning and trapping as the myna reduction project moves into eradication mode. The myna reduction project started in May 2009 after mynas were seen harassing nesting lorikeets in 2008. The internationally endangered Rimatara Lorikeets (Kura) had been reintroduced from Rimatara (French Polynesia) […]

National

Outer islands training

The New Zealand police force’s senior sergeant and community policing adviser, Phil Paratene, recently returned from a visit to the outer islands. The purpose of the visit was to educate and train police officers – two on Pukapuka, one on Manihiki, one on Rakahanga and three on Penrhyn. This marks the first time New Zealand […]

National

Frequently asked questions about voting:

What if my name does not appear on the roll? If your name does not appear on the roll, even though you have registered, you may still vote. You must complete a special form for a “Vote by Declaration”. Your completed ballot paper will be placed in an envelope, the declaration attached and sent to […]

National

Eggelton says baby bonus will help

Matavera Democratic Party candidate and cabinet minister Cassey Eggelton says the $1500 baby bonus pledge has been blown out of proportion and taken out of context. The party proposes to increase the new born allowance, which is currently $300, to help families better cope with the costs of a new baby. The pledge and the […]

National

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