Local
Dame Makea Karika Margaret Ariki honoured today
Saturday 19 May 2012 | Published in Local
A Cook Islands living legend, Makea Karika Margaret Ariki, will add to her lifetime of achievements today when she is invested as a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. The ceremony will begin at 1pm at the National Auditorium and anyone wishing to attend is asked to be seated no […]
Dame's investiture to make history
Friday 18 May 2012 | Published in Local
Dame Makea Karika Margaret Ariki DBE will make history in the Cook Islands when she is officially bestowed with her damehood at a ceremony tomorrow. Dame Margaret, also known as Pauline Margaret Rakera Taripo, will be bestowed as a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) in a special ceremony […]
Turou no Marumaru Atua
Friday 18 May 2012 | Published in Local
Despite a five-hour delay – Pacific Voyagers received a resounding welcome at Avatiu harbour late yesterday afternoon. From midday a large crowd of spectators gathered at both the Western Marina and main Avatiu harbour watching the canoes on the horizon. But the crowds dispersed on learning of the fleet’s delay. As the canoes finally pointed […]
Queen's Jubilee expense criticised
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in Local
Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen believes the $130,000 government spent to send a team to represent the Cook Islands at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee could have been put to ”better use“. ”That’s a huge amount of money for probably a five-minute appearance,“ Rasmussen said. ”I would rather that money had been spent on remedying the problems […]
7 vaka arriving
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in Local
Avatiu harbour will be abuzz today for the welcoming of the seven voyaging canoes that departed Aitutaki early yesterday afternoon. The fleet is expected to arrive at Avatiu harbour at around 2pm where Ngati Uritaua will conduct the traditional welcome for the 120 voyagers including Prime Minister Henry Puna. Pacific islands communities on Rarotonga along […]
Departure tax going up to $65
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands government will increase the pension for pensioners aged over 70, increase the departure tax paid upon leaving the country in 2013 and have it embedded in airline tickets in the next financial year, Minister of Finance and Economic Management Mark Brown said. In a pre-budget press conference held yesterday, Brown announced some […]
Tax take down in Budget
Wednesday 16 May 2012 | Published in Local
The 2012-13 Budget is likely to be tabled in parliament on June 7. While the date is not set in stone, government is treating it as a benchmark. Financial secretary Richard Neves is tight-lipped about budget figures but indicates previous estimates might have been ”a little bit optimistic“, noting that tax revenues for the 2012-13 […]
Marumaru Atua leads Pacific Voyagers fleet into Arutanga
Tuesday 15 May 2012 | Published in Local
Drum beats and traditional chants welcomed six of the seven voyaging vaka into Arutanga harbour in Aitutaki yesterday as the whole island gathered to welcome the 120 voyaging warriors. Long before the canoes arrived in the harbour, Aitutaki islanders flocked to the beaches to watch the majestic double-hulled canoes under full sail across the reef. […]
Jetty design tweaked
Monday 14 May 2012 | Published in Local
A number of minor changes to the Arorangi cruise ship jetty project have been incorporated into the jetty’s design plans, bringing the project another step closer to the start of its construction. The jetty design last month underwent a peer review through companies in New Zealand to ensure it can stand up to the forces […]
Australia proposes $55 departure tax
Monday 14 May 2012 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands government might consider accusing the Australian government of plagiarism after they announced their plans for the nation’s departure tax in last week’s budget announcement. The Australian plans for their so-called passenger movement tax are similar to the Cook Islands’ intentions and financial secretary Richard Neves looked on with interest as the Australian […]
Dredge arrives for Avatiu port project
Monday 14 May 2012 | Published in Local
Ten weeks of 24-hour dredging is due to begin in Avatiu Harbour from today. The backhoe dredge Kimahia has arrived in the port after a two-week tow from Auckland. The 100-tonne, barge-mounted excavator is the largest of its type in New Zealand and will carry out the dredging of the port as part of the […]
Seven vaka set sail
Friday 11 May 2012 | Published in Local
As the people of Aitutaki prepare for the arrival of the Pacific Voyagers fleet of seven vaka, repair and refit work is being carried out on Vaka Te Au O Tonga – the original and mother vaka of the seven new fibreglass voyaging vaka. This refit for Te Au O Tonga is the most extensive […]
Farewell, Sir Geoff
Thursday 10 May 2012 | Published in Local
Two-time prime minister and one of the Cook Islands’ most colourful politicians Sir Geoffrey Henry died at his home in Takuvaine, surrounded by family and friends. Sir Geoffrey succumbed to kidney cancer around 1am on Wednesday, bringing to close a long and vibrant political career that spanned almost 50 years. Sir Geoffrey first entered politics […]
Old uto chopped for safety
Wednesday 9 May 2012 | Published in Local
Road safety was on the minds of Tupapa resident Mereana Hagai and the village’s MP George Maggie yesterday as workers pulled down an uto tree in Maraerenga. The tree, situated on Hagai’s property on the main road near Victoria Park, was a traffic hazard and needed to be removed. Maggie said that the tree was […]
Bedside vigil for Sir Geoff
Wednesday 9 May 2012 | Published in Local
The family of the Speaker of Parliament, Sir Geoffrey Henry, maintained a bedside vigil at his home yesterday afternoon as he lay gravely ill with cancer. Sir Geoffrey, 71, a former prime minister, had been a patient at the Rarotonga Hospital until Saturday, when he was discharged and brought back to the comfort of his […]
Brother versus sister in Titikaveka
Wednesday 9 May 2012 | Published in Local
Brother and sister will face each other in the June 21 Titikaveka by-election with the Democratic Party and Cook Islands Party officially announcing their candidates yesterday. The Demos have pinned their hopes on Selina Matenga-Napa to retain the seat that former opposition leader Robert Wigmore held. The Cook Islands Party, meanwhile, has looked to her […]
Vaka changeovers before leaving Tahiti
Tuesday 8 May 2012 | Published in Local
The Tahiti Voyaging Society has been gifted Vaka Moana Faafaite by Deiter Paullman, the founder of the Pacific Voyagers Society. The gift to the Tahiti Voyaging Society is a result of years of demonstrating their hard work and initiative in preserving the kaupapa and connecting land and sea. It was a powerful and emotional moment, […]
Harbour dredging starts soon
Tuesday 8 May 2012 | Published in Local
Dredging at the Avatiu harbour is expected to begin in about two weeks’ time as the $27 million project enters its final stage of development. Dredges left New Zealand on April 30, bound north for Rarotonga to join the major construction project. They are expected to take two weeks to reach the Cook Islands and […]
60 seek 10 HOM positions
Monday 7 May 2012 | Published in Local
The selection panel responsible for recruiting the Heads of Government Ministries is now preparing to finalise shortlisted applicants ahead of conducting interviews over the next three weeks. The selection panel includes the Public Service Commissioner Russell Thomas as chairman, and other members approved by cabinet including Niki Rattle, Te Aroa Tini and Nga Mataio representing […]
23 youth arrested, plus boy of 9
Monday 7 May 2012 | Published in Local
Rarotonga police have arrested or apprehended 23 people accused of committing burglaries in April in an attempt to curb the “concerning” high number of offences committed during the month. Burglars targeted businesses and the Te Au O Tonga area with a special interest during the month, Cook Islands Police inspector Tere Patia reported, although Puaikura […]
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