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$12.9m approved for solar battery project, NZ confirms
12 March 2025
Crown Law Office on track for record number of lawyers
12 March 2025
‘Nothing to worry about’: Prime Minister Brown on China agreement
16 February 2025
‘Serious questions’: Opposition challenges China partnership
15 February 2025
No-confidence motion against PM and his Cabinet faces delays
15 February 2025
Ruta Mave: People’s Republic of China red flag
10 February 2025
No debt in China deal
8 February 2025
Thomas Wynne: Haka with the taniwha or dance with the dragon?
8 February 2025
‘Paedophile’ gets 13 years in prison
22 January 2025
Thomas Wynne: Where were our leaders while children suffered?
25 January 2025
$541.7m tourism earnings
25 January 2025
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
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
National
Immigration strengthens workforce resilience and service delivery
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI) completed a recruitment round in February 2025 to fill vacancies within the Immigration border team.
Lack of recognition for indigenous women and girls
The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) meets annually to address the widespread inequalities, violence and discrimination women continue to face around the world.
Prison system irresponsible – Glassie
Tuesday 18: Opposition MP Nandi Glassie says the minister of justice must be made responsible for action on penal reform. Glassie describes the current prison system as ‘loose and irresponsible’. He is among a growing number of local people fed up with the management of the prison and the penal system’s failures. Glassie says the […]
Ex-principal ready for new role
Thursday 13: New secretary of education Sharyn Paio has been on the job for just five days and is optimistic about what she can achieve during her three-year term for the future of education. Paio says the ministry must now widen its horizons and have a strategic approach to implementing the new education master plan. […]
It's all been said before!
Monday 17: The Arorangi Prison was completed in August 1954 and the first inmates entered the facility on September 14, 1954. Apart from the more recent addition of the female quarters, little or no renovations have taken place since. The main prison is in many areas falling to bits. It is long past time that […]
Parliament resumes for 2 bills
Thursday 13: Parliament is due to sit again from today, primarily for the reintroduction of the Seabed Minerals Bill which has been under select committee review for the past few months. The bill is seen as one of the most important in terms of new law this year as once it comes into force as […]
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 […]
Jail tour shows conditions
Saturday 15: New justice secretary Mark Short opens prison gates for inspection The doors of Arorangi prison were opened yesterday to the acting minister of justice and media. A tour was organised by the new secretary of justice Mark Short in order for people to see why he had been outspoken about the state of […]
9 dancers perform at Taiwan festival
Friday 14: Nine Cook Island dancers and musicians have returned from the 2009 Yilan International Lan Raining Festival which was held in Taiwan last month. For group leader Ingrid Caffery, it was her fourth trip to Taiwan, with the Yilan City Council footing the bill. Caffery says the group and a few other performing arts […]
Changes ordered for Arorangi jail
Friday 14: New secretary of justice Mark Short says the weekend jail break by two prisoners highlights the urgent need to address problems with the Arorangi prison. Short says since last November around nine escapes were made from the correction facility. “That’s too high, that’s unacceptable,” he says. Since his appointment last week as ministry […]
For safe games
Friday 14: The Safe Games campaign is not just about handing out condoms and leaflets. Volunteers (from left) Ana File, Nukutau Pokura and Dave Pokura are ready and willing to help anyone attending WYNC make the right choices to keep free of HIV/AIDS and STI. The campaign, running during the World Youth Netball Championships and […]
DPM chairs PMG board
Friday 14: Cabinet has appointed a new chairman of the Pacific Mini Games Board following the resignation of MP Wilkie Rasmussen. Deputy prime minister Sir Terepai Maoate has been nominated by cabinet to head the PMG board and ensure all preparations continue. Cabinet felt that with Sir Terepai also holding the portfolio of finance, it […]
Te Hiva dancers a hit in England
Monday 10: Te Hiva Nui cultural dance group member Tekao Herrmann reports that the team is quite a hit with the English crowds at the Billingham International Folklore festival. It’s been almost a week since departing Rarotonga and the group adapted really well to the town and people of Billingham. Billingham is a small town […]
IFNA netball competitions such as the championships starting on Monday.
In fact, Hellen had to bring down the playing uniforms for team Botswana as it was too late for them to be sent to the team before they left for Rarotonga. Hellen says that her main reason for being in Rarotonga is to make sure that the Gilbert sponsored teams, including the IFNA umpires, have […]
Bank granted a domestic licence
Saturday 8: Saturday 8: At least one of the country’s offshore banks will be spared the axe created by the Banking Amendment Bill which awaits its final reading in parliament. Capital Security Bank was this week granted a licence to carry on domestic banking business within the Cook Islands. When the bill is passed, offshore […]
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