More Top Stories
Charlie-Puna admits to café visit, loses prison privileges
10 September 2024
Browne calls for investigation into prison work release programme
11 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
11 months jail for man caught smuggling 1.176kg of cannabis
13 August 2024
Helmet safety concerns raised amid enforcement challenges
2 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
STI cases on the rise
2 September 2024
Accused rapist admits to 47 charges, suppression lifted
31 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
Diaspora dismayed over lack of Te Maeva Nui livestream
8 August 2024
Everyone is a winner, says Culture
7 August 2024
Local women outshine global peers in business leadership
8 August 2024
Housing crisis hits tourism industry
27 July 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Tapaitau appeal dismissed
17 July 2024
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
TB cases detected
1 June 2024
National
Select committee to table interim report on Constitutional Amendment Bills
The Constitutional Review Special Select Committee will table its Interim Report on its consultation work on the three Constitutional Amendment Bills already completed in Rarotonga (Te-Au-O-Tonga, Puaikura and Takitumu), Aitutaki, Mangaia and Nga-Pu-Toru.
Report on Crypto Bill not Parliament ready: Ama
The chair of the select committee consulting about the Tainted Cryptocurrency Recovery Bill 2023 has revealed that the final report is on hold and needs to be reviewed again.
Orientation concludes for HoMs and SIAs
Wednesday 26: Heads of ministries (HoMs) and island secretaries (SIAs) are into the last day of a two-day orie-ntation workshop on Rarotonga. Office of the public service commissioner CEO Priscilla Maruariki said yesterday that workshop will help new HoMs and island secretaries to better understand their roles and familiarise themselves with the legislation which applies […]
Calling home easy for Opo
Thursday 20: Born in New Zealand with strong family ties to the Cook Islands and Tonga, Aircraftsman Malina Opo is serving with No. 3 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), in Samoa as part of Exercise Tropic Astra 2009. Opo loves his job and says he would encourage Cook Islanders to join the air […]
Demo execs stand behind MP expulsion
Wednesday 26: The Democratic Party executive is sticking to its decision to expel rebel MP Wilkie Rasmussen. The Penrhyn MP issued a 24 hour ultimatum to the party on Monday to withdraw the decision to cancel his membership or face court action. Acting president Makirere Poila said yesterday that the executive will not reconsider its […]
Airline changes flight schedule
Thursday 20: Pacific Blue flight schedules will change slightly during September to cope with increased visitor arrivals. Starting from September 1, Pacific Blue will fly into Rarotonga from Auckland on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday mornings – touching down just after midnight (12.20am). However, the airline will operate extra Sunday morning flights on September 13, 20 […]
DPM's office broken into this month
Wednesday 26: Burglary numbers have dropped last week with five being reported to police. The deputy prime minister’s office behind the Banana Court was broken into on Saturday, August 15 but was only reported last Monday. It was still being determined if anything was taken. Police were notified of a burglary at the Avatea school […]
NGO surveys maternity leave in private sector
Thursday 20: Maternity leave provisions and practices in the private sector are the focus of a new survey launched by Punanga Tauturu Inc (CI Women’s Counselling Centre) this month. The survey is part of valuable research the non-government organisation has devoted a portion of its NZAID core funding to this year. Punanga Tauturu representative Kairangi […]
High Tide granted liquor licence
Wednesday 26: It’s been a long time between drinks for High Tide Bar and Grill but they’re finally been granted a liquor licence. The liquor licence committee came to a unanimous decision last week to allow the Avarua venue to sell alcohol. Previously they have been operating as a BYO establishment. High Tide can now […]
Appeal to help name people
Thursday 20: ‘Captive Images’ is breathtaking new exhibition of images of Rarotongans and Mangaians in the 1950s to be shown for two weeks at the Beachcomber Contemporary Art gallery. The exhibition, which will preview this evening, is courtesy of the University of the South Pacific Cook Islands Campus and an inquiring American anthropologist who inevitably […]
Delegation given royal treatment in Mauke
Wednesday 26: The New Zealand high commissioner Tia Barrett and his wife, Theresa, were carried on a paata upon arrival at Mauke airport on Monday afternoon. The couple were part of minister Kete Ioane’s delegation to formally launch the long-awaited island’s water project. After all guests were greeted with ei, the ‘patu ki runga’ began, […]
Examples of parental leave:
Thursday 20: New Zealand – if you have worked for at least six to 12 months for the same employer immediately before the date of birth or date of adoption of a child, the mother can take up to 14 weeks paid maternity leave. Partners can take 21 days leave before and after the date […]
Rotary shows appreciation to Creative Centre
Tuesday 25: Rarotonga Rotary Club donated $1500 to the Creative Centre recently in appreciation for the use of their main meeting venue. Rotary further indicated to the trustees and management of the Centre its intention to continue to support them and congratulated them on recent expansion of activity. There are now 24 active daily members […]
Paid maternity leave proposed
Thursday 20: Should government pay two weeks of maternity leave to women working in the private sector? This is the question that will soon be posed to cabinet ministers who will have to decide whether a provision for this should remain in the draft Employment Relations Bill. Almost all working men and women will think […]
12 reports since 1976
Monday 17: Penal reform campaigner Gordon Sawtell believes now is the time to deal with problems and conditions at the national jail. He contributed this article at the weekend with the closing comment that we need at all costs to ensure proper containment of prison inmates especially during the Pacific Mini Games to avoid a […]
Bishop says new budget irresponsible
Thursday 13: Aitutaki MP Teina Bishop claims that the budget that has been put together by government is “fiscally irresponsible”. “This budget is nothing but loans and aid – $30 million is in foreign aid,” says Bishop “When I first read the budget, I thought the total appropriation [of $215,537,534] was a typing error. We […]
Behind the Arorangi jail walls
Monday 17: Cook Islands News was allowed behind the doors of Arorangi prison last week. Organised by the secretary of justice Mark Short, along with the acting minister of justice Robert Wigmore, the tour was to expose the conditions housing 37 male prisoners. Among the problems with facilities at the correction institution are corroding bars, […]
Maori King visits for Maeva Nui
Thursday 13: New Zealand Maori king Te Arikinui Tuheitia Paki and his family will arrive on September 13 for a week-long visit to Rarotonga for Maeva Nui celebrations. The Cook Islands government will spend $25,908 to cover the king’s accommodation, meals and transport for the first half of his stay. Cabinet approved the payment on […]
Opera singer returns
Monday 17: One of New Zealand’s foremost professional sopranos, Gina Sanders will return to Rarotonga in September for her fourth trip to the island. Jillian Sobieska, who is a friend of the singer, is excited about Sanders return and says that plans are being put together for an opera evening in September. Sanders last visited […]
Finsec wants performance bonus
Thursday 13: Financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti is among more than 20 senior public servants including other HOMs who are now looking for performance bonuses. Ivaiti is understood to be claiming he should get the maximum 5 percent (of salary) bonus for ‘exceptional performance’ for the year. Since Ivaiti, the highest paid public servant, is on […]
Design starts for Mauke and Mitaro harbours
Monday 17: BECA International has been awarded the NZAID/AusAID funded contract to design the upgrade of Mauke and Mitiaro harbours. New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands Tia Barrett made the announcement this week. “The awarding of the contract to design the upgrade of Taunganui and Omutu harbours is an important first step in […]
Renewed call for prison reform
Saturday 15: Gordon Sawtell, who has past experience in prison administration, has proposed a commission of inquiry be launched on the national prison and its conditions. He met with new secretary of justice Mark Short yesterday to offer his services if a commission is set up following the recent escape of two inmates who claimed […]
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