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
Geogas prioritises ‘loyal customers’ amidst supply delays
Geogas Cook Islands Limited says its first obligation is to fulfil its commitments to loyal customers, after a rival company, TOA Gas, accused them of refusing to sell them gas during ongoing shipping delays earlier this month, threatening legal action.
TTV defends water tariffs, denies targeting businesses
To Tatou Vai has denied claims of unfair treatment towards businesses regarding the new water tariffs, stating that all properties likely to consume more than 50,000 litres per month have been metered.
NZ Tepaki Group in liquidation
Thursday 9: Two New Zealand companies associated with property developer Tim Tepaki were put into liquidation for tax debts last week. Wellington’s Dominion Post reported last Saturday that Tepaki Group Ltd and Tim Holdings Ltd were not represented when Inland Revenue’s case against them were called in the Wellington High Court last week. Liquidation orders […]
PFL's new 'Forum Avarua'
Thursday 9: Pacific Forum Line has announced that it has secured its new vessel, the Forum Avarua. Forum Avarua is fully container-fitted for over 160 TEU (20 foot containers) of which 18 are reefer slots. She has two cranes each at 35 tonnes and is strengthened for heavy lifts. At this stage the Forum Avarua […]
Meningitis info
Thursday 9: Meningococcal (meningitis) disease symptoms may include a high fever, headache, vomiting or refusal of feeds, sleepiness, a stiff neck and dislike of bright lights, joint and muscle pains and a rash. It causes meningitis (an infection of the brain membranes). Meningococcal disease is most common in children under the age of five years, […]
CISNOC meets to elect president
Wednesday 15: The Cook Islands Sports & National Olympic Committee’s 2008 annual report, which was tabled at the organisation’s annual general assembly last night, is full and comprehensive. In his address, president Tiki Matapo says the country’s participation at the Olympics, the Manea Games in Aitutaki, the success of the annual Vaka Eiva, and the […]
85 checked for disease in Aitutaki
Thursday 9: Emergency response team working hard to prevent meningitis spread in Aitutaki The Ministry of Health has activated a rapid and extensive response to three cases of bacterial meningitis in Aitutaki. A ministry emergency response team of seven has been on the island this week to examine and provide antibiotic medication to over 100 […]
DPM lodges UN bid
Wednesday 15: Deputy prime minister Sir Terepai Maoate has left for New York where he will be lodging the Cook Islands submission for its extended continental shelf claim of over 400,000 square kilometres, at the United Nations headquarters. This is in preparation for the formal presentation of the Cook Islands claim to the United Nations […]
Big dengue clean up gets started as cases increase
Thursday 9: Today public servants will be out in force taking part in a dengue tutaka clean up of Rarotonga. To date there have been over 70 reported cases of probable dengue. Seven more were reported yesterday, two of which appear to be people who have been re-infected with dengue fever. Acting director of public […]
'Independent' Peua says he is still CIP
Wednesday 15: Pukapuka-Nassau MP Vai Peua says that he doesn’t understand the action being taken by the Opposition against him, because he hasn’t left the Cook Islands Party. “Kare au i te Demo – I’m a CIP,” says Peua. “I haven’t left the CIP.” Peua says he has received comments from constituents, friends, church ministers […]
Sail fish wins Salsa
Wednesday 15: Team Café Salsa has once again taken out the Easter fishing competition which it has sponsored for the past three years. They won the same competition in 2007 with a 194kg marlin and this year the team hooked a 57.6kg sail fish (of the marlin family). The team was aboard fishing charter Akura […]
DPM says Bainimarama feels 'bullied'
Wednesday 15: Some leaders in Pacific nations are calling for more dialogue with Fiji’s interim government, reports Radio New Zealand International. But they say input from New Zealand and Australia won’t be helpful, and the failure of the two countries’ foreign policies in bringing about a return to democracy needs to be taken into account. […]
Tender period extended
Wednesday 15: Contractors thinking of tendering for road and drainage cleaning on Rarotonga will now get an extra week to put in their tenders. Tenders were supposed to have closed off yesterday but will now close on Tuesday April 21. Rarotonga community beautification programme coordinator Nga Teao says that the third meeting for prospective contractors […]
Fraud case adjourned
Wednesday 15: Former Auckland CI Tourism office manager Albert Numanga is due to appear in the Auckland District court on May 22 to face four charges relating to an alleged fraud totalling just over $1 million. Numanga’s case was adjourned in February and then again last month due to him needing to obtain a new […]
Atiu war memorial monument built
Wednesday 8: Years of hoping and dreaming paid off last month when Atiu completed a war monument or cenotaph to remember the Atiuans who served during the 1914-18 and the 1940-45 conflicts as well as later years. Their efforts and service to King and country can now be recognised and commemorated for years to come. […]
Travel costs disclosed in part
Saturday 4: Infrastructure and Planning ministry secretary Taukea Raui had no problem when contacted this week in revealing that government spent $2058 on his recent trip as part of a delegation to Wellington. Raui says the ministry paid the amount for his four days in New Zealand as part of the four member delegation which […]
Increasing capacity
Wednesday 8: Air New Zealand has announced capacity upgrades on its Auckland-Rarotonga-Auckland route from May to October. A number of A320 airbuses will be replaced with B767 and B777 aircraft adding up to an extra 2854 seats over the six month period. Air NZ Cook Islands manager David Bridge said the airline was pleased to […]
Tax concession explained
Saturday 4: The 200 percent tax concession for sponsors of the Pacific Mini Games and the World Youth Netball Championships will apply to all those who spend over $50,000 on supporting the events. This week financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti explained just how it will work in response to CINews questions. The conditions of the tax […]
Outer island cops arrive
Wednesday 8: Seven northern police officers arrived in Rarotonga on Te Kukupa on Monday. They arrived with police commissioner Pat Tasker who spent 11 days on the patrol boat touring the northern group as part of a police exchange programme. “The trip was uneventful but the hospitality received from the outer islands was excellent,” Tasker […]
Little time blamed for few submissions on Seabed Bill
Saturday 4: Only three public submissions were received on the Seabed Bill during the two weeks the select committee was tasked with reviewing the proposed legislation. Government hopes to pass the bill that sets out how the country’s manganese nodule resource and the mining of it will be managed. The committee had been set up […]
WSBC denies ruining CI reputation
Wednesday 8: WSBC Bank denies ruining the financial reputation of the Cook Islands. And it reckons it would have won the high-profile court case against the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC). In a press release issued last week – though not to Cook Islands News – WSBC Bank confirms it will leave at the end of […]
Cooks heed call of G20 on tax info
Saturday 4: Deputy prime minister Sir Terepai Maoate has responded to the communiqué issued this week by the Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (G20) calling for more cooperation between nations in sharing of information relevant to tax matters. Sir Terepai said that he welcomes this call for more transparency in the […]