Local

Missing woman inquest

Monday 18 June 2012 | Published in Local

An inquest into the disappearance of 31-year-old handicapped woman Ngatupuna Pokotea is currently taking place at the High Court, six years after she went missing. Pokotea, who suffered from epileptic fits and could not talk, vanished from her Turoa residence on July 11, 2006. Her body was never found and there are still no suspects […]

Deal for $1.6m

Monday 18 June 2012 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands Consulate in Auckland is moving from Newton to South Auckland. It has occupied a building on Symonds Street since 1994, which government purchased for $976,000 at the time. Last year government decided that the consulate should be located in South Auckland, which is closer to the Auckland International Airport and to the […]

Maternity leave to be paid

Monday 18 June 2012 | Published in Local

Government is aiming to fund six weeks’ paid maternity leave for women in the private sector from January 1. The paid leave scheme is in accordance with the government’s commitment to the International Convention on the Eliminating of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). ”This scheme is intended to provide protection for working mothers by requiring employers […]

Arrested in Bali

Monday 18 June 2012 | Published in Local

Kiwi Cook Islander Charlotte Piho been released from police custody in Indonesia, after being detained over the theft of a chocolate bar. Thirty-year-old Piho, a stand-up paddler and yoga instructor, was arrested on Tuesday at Bintang minimarket in Bali’s upmarket Seminyak. She admits putting $17 worth of chocolate in her bag as she strolled through […]

Budget passed

Saturday 16 June 2012 | Published in Local

Budget 2012 has been passed without amendment. Yesterday Speaker of the House Niki Rattle went through each schedule and appropriation, and none was opposed. Parliament dispersed quickly just after 1pm when it was announced that the Appropriation Bill 2012 had passed. The announcement was made not long after the bill was read for the third […]

Workers fear a 'grim future'

Saturday 16 June 2012 | Published in Local

Government has been insistent that a 2 percent cut to the public service budget will not engender job losses, but the Cook Islands Workers Association (CIWA) is not convinced. CIWA president Anthony Turua says he has received a flood of feedback from CIWA executives and members, who are disappointed with the Budget and its ”impact […]

Mermaid Dance Band here to play

Saturday 16 June 2012 | Published in Local

Cooks on brink of harnessing

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in Local

Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters has praised his government for allocating funding in this Budget toward the Cook Islands’ deep sea mining programme. ”It is the first time we’ve had allocation in the Budget for this programme,“ he said. He thanked the former Democratic Party government, in particular Sir Terepai Maoate and his son Junior, […]

Undersea cable on drawing board

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in Local

The possibility of installing an undersea fibre-optic cable to enhance telecommunications services is ”on government’s agenda“, says finance minister Mark Brown. He told a group of about 80 businesspeople at a ‘Budget breakfast’ last Friday that government was considering improving broadband speed by installing an undersea cable. A baseline survey to determine how improved broadband […]

Teatuanui's first communion

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in Local

New shipping venture

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Local

Some local importers are still pushing hard to source a new international shipping vessel for servicing the Cook Islands’ needs, and Minister of Transport Tom Marsters believes they will succeed. Yesterday in Parliament Mangaia MP Winton Pickering asked Marsters to confirm whether Pacific Direct Line (PDL) was being allocated a third shipping licence. At present […]

NZ warship HMNZS Canterbury visits Cook Islands

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in Local

New Zealand naval vessel HMNZS Canterbury (right) arrived at Rarotonga yesterday and was anchored off Avarua last night. The ship may be used to transport fuel to the Northern Group, but this could not be confirmed by maritime police. The multi-role vessel of the Royal New Zealand navy was commissioned in 2007 and cost $130 […]

Minister advocates 'smacking'

Wednesday 13 June 2012 | Published in Local

Cabinet minister Teariki Heather has said that to curb youth crime, government should allow ”parents to smack their children“. During question-and-answer time in Parliament yesterday, Nikao MP Ngamau ‘Aunty Mau’ Munokoa raised the issue of youth crime, directing her comment at the minister of police. ”This is to do with our children who are causing […]

'Rocket' man's return

Wednesday 13 June 2012 | Published in Local

Norman George claims to be back with the Demos. The Teenui-Mapumai MP said in Parliament yesterday that he has been admitted to the Atiu branch of the Democratic Party. ”I’m back home, Mr Deputy Speaker,“ he said, adding that he was also nominated as the Democratic Party candidate for Teenui-Mapumai during the 2014 general elections. […]

'Toagate' back in the limelight

Wednesday 13 June 2012 | Published in Local

Atiu MP Norman George raised the ‘Toagate’ issue – long a thorn in government’s side – in Parliament yesterday. He asked finance minister Mark Brown whether government was still giving Toa an annual payout of up to $1 million, and to explain why. Brown confirmed that government is still paying Toa – or topping up […]

Rasmussen delivers long attack on Budget

Tuesday 12 June 2012 | Published in Local

Twice, the time window was extended for Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen to finish his speech condemning government’s Budget in Parliament yesterday. Tabled last Thursday, the Budget is the subject of debate and discussion for the duration of this week. Rasmussen opened the formal Budget debate, which followed the initial question-and-answer time yesterday. He has been […]

Shortlist for HOMs 'being fine-tuned'

Tuesday 12 June 2012 | Published in Local

A shortlist of new heads of ministries will be presented to the prime minister next week. Public service commissioner Russell Thomas says the report is ”still being fine-tuned“ and has yet to be presented to the prime minister as required by the Public Service Act. Prime Minister Henry Puna, upon receiving the shortlist of applicants, […]

George takes Speaker's seat

Tuesday 12 June 2012 | Published in Local

The first was the Banking Amendment Bill, which will be read for a second time after the passing of the Appropriation Bill. Minister of Finance Mark Brown also tabled the Insurance Amendment Act. Among the other papers tabled were the Public Health Notifiable Conditions paper, Environment Application to Manihiki 2012, and a raft of Audit […]

10 beautification contracts tendered

Monday 11 June 2012 | Published in Local

The Department of Internal Affairs is calling for tenders for its Rarotonga community beautification programme. The scheme, sometimes referred to as the vaka maintenance programme, targets the cleaning and maintenance along the edge of public roads. It is delivered through ten separate contracts for different parts of Rarotonga. Since 2008, the contracts have been solely […]

20 more licences

Saturday 9 June 2012 | Published in Local

The Budget discloses that by the end of this financial year the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) expects to have sold an ”additional“ 20 fishing licences under its big-eye and swordfish exploratory programme. At present 17 Chinese fishing vessels are participating and their licences will be re-negotiated at the end of this year. Thirteen of […]