More Top Stories
Top cop position advertised
7 December 2024
Police need numbers and bigger budget
9 December 2024
Niki Rattle: A call for stronger human rights protections
10 December 2024
Solid and Hazardous Waste Bill referred to Parliament committee
10 December 2024
DPM defends CIIC finance and travel policies
6 December 2024
Cook Islands has its first mosque
14 November 2024
CI Muslim opens up about her faith and journey
16 November 2024
RAC to address mosque legality
19 November 2024
I don’t expect much change: PM Brown on US Elections
6 November 2024
Fifth weekly Sydney flight to Rarotonga announced
23 October 2024
CIIC directors seek $350,000 in damages over defamatory claims
21 October 2024
Man found guilty of rape, burglary
24 September 2024
Tenants face water bill burden
8 October 2024
Concerns over Minister’s role in inmate work releases: PAC
5 October 2024
Tourism contribution set to surpass half-billion dollar mark
25 September 2024
Parliament Clerk sparks outrage over deep sea mining statement
23 September 2024
Deep sea dilemma: Cook Islanders weigh the cost of mineral riches
21 September 2024
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
Cook Islands deep sea mining poll sparks controversy
7 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Rising seas, rising costs: Climate impacts on Cook Islands economy
2 September 2024
Inflation eases but concerns remain
31 August 2024
Prime Minister defends $659,000 MPs travel bill
23 August 2024
Taxpayers foot $659,000 bill for MPs travel and allowance
22 August 2024
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
PM Brown eager to hand over Forum chair role to Tonga
13 August 2024
ICI explains road works delay in front of old Sheraton site
10 August 2024
Housing crisis hits tourism industry
27 July 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
National
Police seek public cooperation for festive security
Cook Islands Police are launching a community policing initiative with volunteer support from each vaka in Rarotonga to enhance safety and security during the festive season.
Families navigate inflation, businesses stock up for festive season
As Christmas approaches, local families and businesses in Rarotonga are feeling the seasonal buzz. While the island’s shops are busy preparing for the influx of shoppers, families are making sure they have everything needed for the festive season.
New quals in healthcare
NZQA certified courses in healthcare are coming to the Cook Islands for the first time. Healthcare workers can now train in caring for people with disabilities, the elderly and those with other health problems in 20 new courses. The first course, which starts on Monday, is an evening course in healthcare and disability. Donna Smith […]
Sweet and savoury crepes a tasty treat
Saturday morning market regulars can look forward to a new stall selling tasty treats – thin crepes either sweet or savoury and ‘pancake lollies’ on a stick. Marisa Summers and Melvin Arbuthnott have this month been manning their stall on Saturdays, churning out thin French pancakes drizzled with chocolate or stuffed with chicken and rukau. […]
Welcoming on Monday morning
A traditional Tahitian vaka is expected to arrive at Avana on Monday morning. The vaka is en route to Shanghai and will be making a number of stops on the way – after Raiatea, Rarotonga is her first stop. Onboard is one of the Cook Islands vaka Marumaru Atua crew. Also onboard is Tahiti’s minister […]
Welfare increases
The level of welfare payments for 2010-11 will be more than $12.1 million dollars, an increase of $0.3 million from the 09-10 level. The cost of welfare payments constitutes more than 10 percent of a national budget of $157.6 million, and takes around 14 percent of the $83.8 million collected in taxes. There are no […]
Slight rise in tourist numbers for June
Overall visitor numbers for June have had a year on year increase of just 0.8%, with 9165 arriving compared to 9091 in June 2009. The most significant increase in number of arrivals is from New Zealand, with an overall increase of more than 400 people. Visitors from NZ are up 7 per cent for the […]
Short parliament sitting considered says Rasmussen
Finance minister Wilkie Rasmussen admitted there had been plans to cut Parliament short after Thursday’s sitting, but Cabinet had reconsidered. The opposition party had been critical through CI News this week of the rumoured plans to adjourn Parliament while Prime Minister Jim Marurai is at the Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Vanuatu and DPM Robert Wigmore […]
No guarantees against Toagate repeat
Finance minister Wilkie Rasmussen focused on the Toagate scandal as a key talking point in his speech on the supplementary budget which declares over $3 million in costs associated with the failed fuel farm scheme. Yesterday he said it would not be surprising for an assurance that such a scandal would not be repeated to […]
Health given a $200,000 boost
The Ministry of Health has received an increase of 1.9 per cent, which amounts to $201,430, in the 2010/11 Budget which was tabled in Parliament yesterday. The budget for healthcare goes up from $10,818,871 in 2009 to $11,020,301. In the 2009/10 Budget, the ministry’s budget was cut by 1.9 per cent or $133,431. The nation’s […]
Changes to 2009/10 Budget
Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen yesterday presented a supplementary budget that takes the 2009/10 $215.5 million annual Budget to a new total of $184.6 million. Aitutaki and Penrhyn Emergency Relief and Recovery Funds to the value of $2.5 million were also been declared in the supplementary budget. After talking about the support both locally and internationally […]
Bowling rolls along nicely
Light drizzle through the week did little to dampen the competitive spirit and hot action of Cook Islands bowlers at the Rarotonga Bowling Club in Parekura. Over 100 players are competing in the Cook Islands Lawn Bowls Championships which began with a parade and exhibition matches by junior bowlers on Saturday. The men’s and women’s […]
26% increase for pearl industry
The Pearl Authority has received a 26 per cent uplift despite a massive slump in the value of the industry last year. The increase was justified by projections that that there will be a 45 per cent increase in pearl production in 2010/11. Out of the new national Budget of $157.6 million which was tabled […]
Tourism funding up in Budget
The Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (CIT) has received a 3.2 per cent increase in the 2010/11 Budget. A rather conservative $157.6 million Budget was tabled in Parliament yesterday and is due to be debated when Parliament resumes on Monday. In 2009/10 CIT received $4,449,153. This has increased to $4,592,193 – an increase of $143,040. In […]
Budgets now public documents
The two national budgets presented in Parliament are now public documents – but they were almost held back for release to media despite becoming public information the moment they were tabled yesterday. Cook Islands News was to receive copies of the budget documents when they had been tabled, but when Parliament broke for morning tea […]
Demo faction's silent protest
Divide rears its head again in Parliament sitting The governing Democratic Party revealed it is still divided when its MPs went to Parliament for the tabling of the two budget bills yesterday. The faction led by Sir Terepai Maoate staged a silent protest against the tabling of the budgets when only cabinet ministers agreed to […]
New database will speed up disaster response
Emergency Management Cook Islands (EMCI) is creating a software database that will speed and fine-tune its response to future natural disasters. The brainchild of EMCI director Charles Carlson, FERN (Frontline Emergency Response Network) is an information management system that will ensure a coordinated disaster response from EMCI, police, meteorological services and other government departments. The […]
PM to attend his fourth Forum
Prime Minister Jim Marurai believes the Forum Island countries can work together to overcome challenges such as fisheries management, trade links, renewable energy and climate change. He hopes to contribute to high level talks on these issues at the annual gathering of Forum leaders next week in Port Vila, Vanuatu for the 41st Pacific Islands […]
Gearing up for cyclone season Akapapa no te tuatau uriia
Red Cross prepares Penrhyn as northern group stock room The Red Cross team has sent emergency supplies to Penrhyn in preparation for the coming cyclone season. They were due to arrive this week. The team has painted a 10-foot container which will stay on the island as storage for emergency supplies including blankets, tarpaulins, kitchen […]
Students loving the experience
Cook Islands secondary school students, including senior students from Mangaia, Atiu, Mitiaro, Aitutaki and Mauke, began work experience at various businesses on Rarotonga yesterday. A group of eight chose to learn more about the police force under the instruction of Sgt Kura Taere who is keen on recruiting some of her trainees in the near […]
Girl Guides gather in Maldives
Girl Guides Cook Islands this month sent three delegates to the Maldives to attend the 10th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference – they recently returned to share their experience with Girl Guides sisters. Treasurer Tepaeru Kokaua Hagai, Mangaia youth Jannet Ruatoe and national commissioner Ngara Katuke attended the conference, which drew 95 Girl Guides from 20 member […]
Golden Oldies test Sydney team
Last Friday’s Golden Oldies game at Takuvaine went well with all the Sydney people in one team against the rest. But it did not last long before everybody was anywhere, which was quite enjoyable. Dasher Wilkie was asked to replace a person in Gold shorts, so that he may put up a good show against […]
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