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Australia and Cook Islands to sign MoU, strengthen maritime security partnership

Cook Islands and Australia are in the process of finalising an enhanced Pacific Maritime Security Program (PMSP) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will strengthen Australia’s support for Te Kukupa II operations and bolster regional security efforts.

Local

Punanga Turuturu Itivaine set to make a positive impact

Punanga Turuturu Itivaine (PTI), the women’s counselling and support centre for survivors of gender based violence (GBV) and abuse, responded to 11 calls for assistance during the festive season.

Unity needed for Budget

Minister says national spirit needed to pave way forward National unity in the aftermath of Cyclone Pat was sparked by a ‘flame of inspiration’ that is also needed to pass the 2010-11 Budget says Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen. He has encouraged MPs to agree to a way forward once Parliament passes the $186.4 million budget. […]

National

Academic papers honour Crocombe

A number of academics presented their papers in honour of the late Professor Ron Crocombe at a festschrift yesterday. Professor Peter Larmour of Australian National University talked about Crocombe’s research into the problem of corruption throughout the Pacific. “Ron was a pioneer in the study of corruption in the region, and he paid increasing attention […]

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Remembering a remarkable man

Once in a while remarkable people walk into our lives and they never leave – even when they die. Those were the words of Pacific author and academic Professor Albert Wendt talking at yesterday’s festschrift for Professor Ron Crocombe. Wendt first got to know Papa Ron, as he was fondly known, and his wife Marjorie […]

National

Clarke steps down as chairman

Trevor Clarke has stepped down as chairman of the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) board, a position he has held since it was established in 2003. During this time he has overseen significant change in the financial regulatory environment and was an influential figure in the establishment of the financial services industry in the Cook Islands […]

National

New Pacific media body formed

Cook Islands News managing editor John Woods has been elected an executive of a new Pacific media body. The Pacific Media Association (PacMA) was formed in Apia, Samoa, at a meeting of media representatives from around the Pacific region. In attendance were media operators from Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands and Hawai‘i. Representatives from Vanuatu, Fiji […]

National

New vehicles for police

Australian Federal Police have gifted two brand-new pick-up trucks to the Cook Islands police force. As part of the Pacific Police Development Programme, commissioners of police forces across the Pacific have the opportunity to request assistance when they need it. Police commissioner Maara Tetava noted that a vehicle shortage was impeding police officers’ abilities to […]

National

Graffiti raising its ugly head

The unsightly problem of graffiti has been on the increase in recent times. Though graffiti has been plaguing Rarotonga for years, people are starting to get fed up especially after some recent attacks. A tourist staying at a Tikioki accommodation reported to police last week that his rental car had been spray-painted with the word […]

National

Polynesian art book launched at meeting

The already-extensive collection of Polynesian art and culture books on sale at the Pacific Arts Association (PAA) symposium this week expanded on Tuesday. ‘Polynesia: The Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art’ went public yesterday at a mid-morning book launch. A thick, glossy hardcover, it details, illustrates and explains every Polynesian artefact in Honolulu-based couple Mark and […]

National

Staircase show a big hit

Following Janet Lilo’s exhibit at the Beachcomber Contemporary Art gallery on Tuesday night, Pacific Arts Association (PAA) symposium participants walked next door to Staircase, where the Pacific Sisters had organised a show. The show started rolling just after 9pm, and a number of artists and poets took the stage before guests seated at dinner tables […]

National

An inspired collection

On Monday night, The Art Studio in Arorangi was packed with people, who had come to see Samoan artist Nanette Lela’ulu’s collection of works inspired by her three-month residency on Rarotonga. Lela’ulu was Creative New Zealand’s artist-in-residence in 2006 and painted beautiful portraits of such recognised people as Joan Gragg, Shona Pitt, Paddy Walker and […]

National

BTIB chair defends loans

The Business Trade Investment Board did not consider business support loans granted to two politicians to be a conflict of interest, according to its chairman James Beer. Last week government tabled the Audit Office special review into the loans which alleged that former finance minister Sir Terepai Maoate and former associate minister Terepai Maoate Jnr […]

National

Departure tax drop considered

Reducing departure tax has been the subject of recent budget talks says Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen. During Parliament yesterday the Opposition Party again raised concern about travellers being put off by the $55 tax introduced last April. Akaoa MP Teariki Heather asked government when it would look to reduce the tax. Rasmussen admitted a lot […]

National

Demos force Ngatangiia run-off

A group of Democratic Party supporters in Ngatangiia will attempt to hold a run-off for candidacy despite their plea to the party committee being turned down. Yesterday party president Sean Willis said he received a letter from committee chairman Tutai Purua stating that Sir Terepai Maoate’s candidacy for the election still stands. But candidate-hopefuls Mann […]

National

WHAT BSL RECIPIENTS SAY:

At a time when the Aitutaki business community needed some sort of boost to their businesses to help alleviate the economic downturn which we all had been suffering the past two to three years, the business support loan scheme came as a welcoming sign of support from the government to the outer islands. We as […]

National

BSL FACT BOX:

– The $550,000 fund provided loans to 21 businesses – 20 of them in the outer islands – Maximum loan amount $30,000 – Repayment of soft loan BCI is three per cent interest over five years – 10 tourism, 8 retail and three trade businesses received loans – BSL recipients spent $248,000 on refinancing existing […]

National

Angene in Parliament

Cook Islands Party Tupapa-Maraerenga election candidate George Maggie Angene visited Parliament yesterday to acquaint himself better with the roles of an MP. It’s a rare occurrence for election hopefuls to take such a proactive approach – but even rarer to see Angene in a suit and tie. The local builder, traded in the trademark black […]

National

Law drafted to kill Toa deal

Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen has revealed government actually drafted a law last year which could have been used to ‘legislate out of existence’ the $5.16 million deal to purchase Toa Petroleum. Cabinet had considered taking the law to Parliament before opting instead to enter into settlement negotiations with the company he said. During Parliament on […]

National

Campaign 'blinded people': Sir Terepai

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Sir Terepai Maoate has admitted the extensive public campaign against government by Triad Pacific Petroleum halted plans to nationalise the fuel industry. From December 2008 onwards, Vaile pursued the public campaign, which included full page advertisements in CI News, against the fuel farm scheme. During parliament yesterday, Sir […]

National

No conflict of interest in loans

Two legal opinions obtained by the Audit Office say conflict of interest cannot be substantiated against former finance minister Sir Terepai Maoate and his son, Aitutaki MP Terepai Maoate Junior for receiving business support loans last year. A new audit report tabled just last month alleges the pair had a conflict of interest in their […]

National

Tempers flare over Toa

Tempers flared when the hard questions on Toagate were put to former Deputy Prime Minister Sir Terepai Maoate in Parliament yesterday. Opposition MP Norman George asked the disgraced MP to provide evidence of his claim that the public wanted government to nationalise the fuel industry to bring fuel prices down. Acting speaker John Tangi had […]

National

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