More Top Stories
Cook Islands passport proposal
6 January 2025
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
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
National
‘Experienced candidates’ apply for Cook Islands top cop role
A selection panel chaired by the Public Service Commissioner Carl Hunter is expected to be finalised to look into the recruitment of the new Police Commissioner.
NGO exceeds target, removes 15k crown-of-thorns starfish
Cook Islands non-governmental organisation Te Kōrero O Te ‘Ōrau has surged past its target of removing 10,000 taramea (crown-of-thorns starfish), a notorious coral predator, from the deep blue of Rarotonga.
Queen's all for it
Friday 27 March: Manarangi Tutai Ariki says she is all for Sunday flights to Aitutaki continuing, without the need for a referendum. Queen Manarangi, as she is known, is an ex-officio member of the island council and the woman who runs Gina’s Garden Lodges and Gina’s Akaiami Beach Lodge. She expressed her views at the […]
Maina Traders avoids winding-up petition
Wednesday 1: The petition to the high court for the wind-up of Aitutaki MP and associate finance minister Terepai Maoate Jnr’s business Maina Traders is set to be withdrawn following payment of the amount owing to one of its creditors. The petition was filed by Raro Aircon Ltd on March 19 and was due to […]
Demos welcome minister's visit
Friday 27 March: Aitutaki DemocraticParty executives who met with minister Wilkie Rasmussen welcomed his friendly approach yesterday. The minister, who is also the deputy leader of the Democratic Party, met with the executives who have been raising concerns about Sunday flights. Some of them are also proudly protesting the flights eight months from when they […]
NZ 'buy back' idea ridiculous says CIP
Wednesday 1: The Opposition Cook Islands Party has released its position on the new $50 million China loan and says government has been reactive instead of proactive in addressing infrastructure needs. Opposition spokesperson for finance and economics Norman George says while the CIP agrees in principle that the loan be spent on road and water […]
WSBC faces exile from Cook Islands
Friday 27 March: The Cook Islands bank named in money laundering investigations is connected to a New Zealand company seeking a listing on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. The National Business Review in New Zealand this week reports that developments in the Cook Islands will have a bearing on the stock exchange listing. WSBC Bank, […]
Official information process comes under public eye
Wednesday 1: Government officials, organisations and community members gained greater understanding of the Official Information Act last week through several meetings and workshops. Organised by the Cook Islands Ombudsman’s Office, consultation meetings were held with the vaka areas in Rarotonga and with special interest groups. Visiting experts Angie Heffernan of the Pacific Centre for Public […]
June's adventure a talking point
Thursday 26: Inspiring women tonight is an environmentalist, former school principal, mother and a proud Maukean. June Hosking will be the guest speaker at Pan Pacific South East Asia Women’s Association meeting held at the Beachcomber. Held monthly, the PPSEAWA gatherings host a wide range of “outstanding” Cook Islands women to inspire fellow women to […]
It's all good at La Bon Vivant
Tuesday 31: As its name suggests, La Bon Vivant is providing all the “good things in life” under one roof. The newly opened Deli Foods store in Avarua is offering the same fresh product and high quality food and wine that has become synonymous with their parent company in Muri. Store manager Tim Tierney says […]
Rasmussen begins talks on Sunday flights in Aitutaki
Thursday 26: Cabinet minister Wilkie Rasmussen will begin two days of meetings in Aitutaki today on the subject of Sunday flights. On arrival at about 9am this morning, Rasmussen will be welcomed by the island council. He will meet with the council at their chambers at 10.30am before meeting with the Aitutaki Democratic Party executive […]
New bike in pageant booty
Tuesday 31: Whoever wins on Friday night will not only be handed the illustrious title of Miss Cook Islands, but will also take home a brand new motorcycle. The Motor Centre in Panama donated a red Daelim City yesterday to be given to the winner. The $3600 motorcycle joins the growing booty of prizes which […]
Importer wants answers to shipping questions
Thursday 26: Emails are doing the rounds in search of answers to questions relating to recent shipping problems being experienced by some of the country’s importers. Importer John Scott has put forward 36 questions to the transport ministry which issues shipping licences. His questions range from the structure of the entities currently running the service […]
Stimulus reviewed
Tuesday 31: Financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti says government is still looking into how the proposed $3 million stimulus package for small businesses will be spent. Last week tourism minister Wilkie Rasmussen announced that government is now looking at scrapping the original plan and putting the funds directly into tourism. Ivaiti says from discussions with finance […]
Reality TV returning
Tuesday 31: New Zealand reality television show Celebrity Treasure Island is set to shoot its next season’s show in Aitutaki this May. Tourism minister Wilkie Rasmussen addressed the Aitutaki island council on Thursday, saying that this is just one of the events the island should benefit from this year. He told the council that tourism […]
Raro switches off and saves
Tuesday 31: Rarotonga residents did take note and ‘switch off’ during Saturday night’s Earth Hour. Te Aponga Uira’s Elma Marurai says that power station staff monitored loadings from between 8.30pm and 9.30pm, and they noted some drops in the feeders. With people being asked to switch their lights off at that time, TAU was hoping […]
We'll be $100m in debt by 2014 says minister
Tuesday 31: National debt seems bound to grow. In meeting with the Democratic Party executive in Aitutaki last week, minister Wilkie Rasmussen revealed that government has been told that by 2014 the country will be in over $100 million in debt – in part due to the new $50 million soft loan from China. Rasmussen […]
Switch off for Earth Hour
Saturday 28 March: Rarotonga residents are being asked to ‘switch off’ tonight as part of Earth Hour 2009. Te Aponga Uira would like to encourage the public and businesses to switch off their lights for one hour, beginning at 8.30pm. Earth Hour 2009 aims to reach more than one billion people in 1000 cities around […]
Wiser about water
Wednesday 1: Paerangi Mataiapo Moetaua Boaza and Puki Mataiapo Paiere Mokoroa are back in Atiu, after attending the 5th World Water Forum in Turkey late last month. The pair were overwhelmed by the forum which was attended by 12,000 people in Istanbul, and say that attitudes shown towards water by other indigenous people around the […]
Dancer of year comp delayed
Tuesday 31: This year’s dancer of the year competition has been delayed because of the number of activities happening over the coming weeks. The national junior and intermediate finals will now be held on April 30, not April 24 as first scheduled, while the senior finals will take place on May 7 – two weeks […]
Trades training shared with Niue
Wednesday 1: Four teachers from Niue High School visited the trade training centre recently to check up on the transition programmes being run at the Arorangi facility. Principal James Poihega says they are interested in carrying out vocational training programmes at their school, and are keen to learn how the TTC operates, along with the […]
Tourism industry says what it wants
Monday 30: Aitutaki operators call for more government backing Tourism minister Wilkie Rasmussen took the time to meet with tourism industry members while in Aitutaki on Friday. In what was the most unemotional meeting of four held by the minister last week to discuss Sunday flights, about 30 members of the tourism industry including members […]