Local

Two ambassadors present credentials

Wednesday 12 September 2012 | Published in Local

Italian ambassador Alessandro Levi Sandri (left) and Dutch representative Arie Van der Wiel presented their credentials at Government House yesterday. It was the first time two national representatives have presented credentials to Queen’s Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin on the same day. 12091105

Too early to predict cyclone pattern

Wednesday 12 September 2012 | Published in Local

The cyclone season is approaching – but the Meteorological Service says it is too early to predict whether it will be a bad one or not. “We have not yet issued any projections,” says Met Service director Maara Vaiimene, “but we will have a better idea of what is coming by early October.” There are […]

$1.2m not paid in Coca-Cola levies

Tuesday 11 September 2012 | Published in Local

A damning Audit report reveals that for over 20 years, CITC avoided paying full levies on Coca Cola, thereby depriving government of millions in taxation revenue. Owing to an arrangement with Customs, CITC routinely separated contents from packaging on invoice sheets – paying a 10 percent levy on packaging and a 40 percent levy on […]

Maintenance workers back at work

Tuesday 11 September 2012 | Published in Local

A poorly worded and interpreted Budget Policy Directive is being blamed for the misunderstanding that had five Cook Islands Investment Corporation maintenance workers thinking they had lost their jobs. The CIIC work gang of five men were yesterday assured they are still employed – resulting in broad smiles and handshakes all round. Yesterday minister of […]

'CIIC workers not terminated'

Monday 10 September 2012 | Published in Local

It’s work as usual for the five maintenance workers who believed they were ‘laid off’ following intervention by minister for the Cook Islands Investment Corporation Mark Brown. The minister issued a media statement yesterday explaining his views of the issue. Referring to statements by Tupapa Maraerenga MP George Maggie and Cook Islands Workers Association president […]

Police pays revealed

Monday 10 September 2012 | Published in Local

The oath is not the only thing trainee police officers should be swearing over after the force’s salary bands were revealed last week. Figures released by the Public Service Commission (PSC) show that trainee policemen and women earn between $12,765 and $17,269, the same as the staff member who is hired to issue the general […]

Competitive first aid test

Monday 10 September 2012 | Published in Local

CISA students Sirla Pera (top), Maeva Smith (centre), and Pearse Numanga (bottom) apply bandages to an actor from Titikaveka College as part of Friday’s first aid competition marking International Red Cross Day. 12090702 Related article(s):

5 workers laid off, CIWA complains

Thursday 6 September 2012 | Published in Local

While minister of finance Mark Brown is adamant that the government’s policy on no downsizing of staff still stands, five maintenance workers from the Cook Islands Investment Corporation claim their positions with the corporation have been terminated. The five men have taken their case to the Cook Islands Workers Association and informed association president Anthony […]

'Culture of excessive spending' slammed

Thursday 6 September 2012 | Published in Local

Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen wants the “culture of excessive spending” to end. Rasmussen has taken issue with Cabinet ministers and their support staff travelling to Aitutaki last week, and to Atiu this week. “The opposition is questioning the logic and seeks explanations as to why the government feels it has to travel first of all […]

Not 'evasion'

Tuesday 4 September 2012 | Published in Local

MP and lawyer Norman George did not face tax evasion charges, as stated in Saturday’s headline – his charges were the lesser charges of failing to furnish tax returns. Norman George had pleaded guilty in the High Court to 12 charges against him and his company Norman George and Associates. The Teenui-Mapumai (Atiu) MP was […]

Big hype in meeting Hillary Clinton

Tuesday 4 September 2012 | Published in Local

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s historic visit to the Cook Islands caused a huge amount of buzz on the island with many locals still talking about their meet with the famous woman. One such person is local woman Vania Kenning who still can’t believe her luck in being photographed with Clinton. Even more exciting […]

'Tying a noose around our necks'

Tuesday 4 September 2012 | Published in Local

Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen is openly suspicious of government’s tripartite agreement with New Zealand and China to administer the biggest-ever water project undertaken in the Cook Islands. Rasmussen has issued the following statement: “The announcement by the government that it has signed a loan of $32 million from the government on the Republic of China […]

Undersea cable 'urgent'

Monday 3 September 2012 | Published in Local

Talk of a new undersea cable in the region was rampant last week. Within the Forum communiqu released on Thursday, leaders acknowledged an “urgent need to implement submarine cable connectivity in the Pacific Islands region”. They asked that the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and University of the South Pacific conduct “further urgent analysis of […]

Clean water for Raro: $65m

Monday 3 September 2012 | Published in Local

Rarotonga’s dirty drinking water is set to be a thing of the past, with a tri-lateral agreement promising potable water by 2015. The water partnership agreement – signed by the Cook Islands, China and New Zealand last week – aims to deliver clean drinking water to all buildings connected on Rarotonga’s existing water network. The […]

Kia Orana, Aunty Hillary!

Saturday 1 September 2012 | Published in Local

A strand of Cook Islands Avaiki black pearls will soon become one of the most photographed pieces of jewellery on the planet – as it will be worn by the globetrotting diplomat, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The beautiful strand of pearls was gifted by Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna to commemorate Clinton’s […]

Vaka retreat

Friday 31 August 2012 | Published in Local

Let sharks go!

Wednesday 29 August 2012 | Published in Local

The shark sanctuary’s message is plain and simple – let sharks go. Banning the retention of sharks on board commercial longline vessels lessens the workload for Te Kukupa and even offers the country revenue from fines. The Marshall Islands, who established their shark sanctuary in October last year, has already realised $235,000 in shark sanctuary […]

Fishermen support shark protection

Wednesday 29 August 2012 | Published in Local

Terrence Nightingale, Captain of Cook Islands longline boat FV Viking Spirit, says, ”We don’t have any interest in catching sharks. We set them free.“ Terry’s testimony resonated as the Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative (PICI) proposed regulations for the creation of a shark sanctuary that would ban all retention of sharks on commercial longline vessels. In […]

Cook Islanders rally for shark sanctuary

Wednesday 29 August 2012 | Published in Local

Sharks are more important to Cook Islanders than many people think. ”For a lot of us and a lot of Cook Islands people, the shark has always been in our families. A lot of our families use the shark, use the mango, as a protector, a family guardian, which makes it even more important for […]

Trade issues on agenda

Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Local

Forum leaders will this week be paying particular attention to regional trade agreements that govern the flow of goods and services between their nations. The Forum Secretariat gave Pacific media a breakdown on Saturday of the regional agreements that will feature in this week’s plenary discussions, and while it was heavy on acronyms and light […]