Local
PM speaks for Pacific leaders in Japan
Friday 25 May 2012 | Published in Local
Prime Minister Henry Puna officially opened PALM6 at a reception hosted by Japanese foreign minister Koichiro Gemba on Thursday night. Gemba launched the reception with a brief address, thanking Pacific leaders for extending their support and condolences to his country after it suffered a triple disaster last March and noting in a show of solidarity […]
Dengue containment measures working
Friday 25 May 2012 | Published in Local
Two suspected cases of dengue fever recorded last week have returned negative results, leaving the Cook Islands with just its original three recorded cases of the disease. Another person is now awaiting the second test to confirm whether or not they have been infected with the mosquito-borne disease. That test will confirm whether the person […]
Ariki explains historic koutu
Friday 25 May 2012 | Published in Local
Rutaki Primary School students visited Arai-Te-Tonga Koutu yesterday where Potiki-taua Taunga Tako Ariki Bobby Turua explained the site to the students as part of their culture studies. Turua explained that the site in Ooa, Tupapa, was in fact a koutu and not a marae as the sign reads at the entrance of the site. He […]
Cold snap, windy weather ahead
Thursday 24 May 2012 | Published in Local
Don’t put away your woollies yet – the weather is set to get colder and windier towards the weekend. The Meteorological Service today warns the public to be aware of heavy rain and strong winds which will worsen towards the end of the weekend. An active low pressure system is predicted to develop along a […]
Sopranos in paradise
Thursday 24 May 2012 | Published in Local
Between them opera singers Mere Boynton and Deborah Kapohe have performed in high-country sheep stations in New Zealand, converted woodsheds in the Australian outback, in pine forests, on islands and even while emerging from the mist of a New Zealand geyser. After this weekend, Boynton and Kapohe will be able to say they have also […]
Commercial pharmacies under pressure
Thursday 24 May 2012 | Published in Local
Island pharmacies have noticed an increase in customers over the past couple of weeks – and it’s not just the cold snap. Reports have come to light of the public Rarotonga Hospital’s pharmacy running low on stock due to the Ministry of Health being at the end of the financial year. CITC Pharmacy’s manager Shannon […]
Oyster outages
Wednesday 23 May 2012 | Published in Local
Internet was down across the whole of Rarotonga for half an hour on Monday afternoon, affecting all of Telecom’s customers. The incident occurred around 1.30pm, and affected local businesses and schools before Telecom’s tech support could fix the unexplained fault. Telecom’s servers were also down last weekend, interrupting internet use on the island for an […]
Pacific Voyagers set sail for Samoa
Wednesday 23 May 2012 | Published in Local
Soft rain, seen as a sign of the presence of our ancestors, mixed with tears of joy and sadness at Avatiu harbour yesterday as family and friends farewelled the Pacific Voyagers fleet and their crews on their next journey to Samoa. Mothers of Cook Islands crew on vaka Marumaru Atua urged their sons and daughters […]
Family backs Teuira Napa
Tuesday 22 May 2012 | Published in Local
Miss Tarani Crafts and Pearls Teuira Napa’s pageant campaign is something of a family affair. Tarani Crafts and Pearls will be sponsoring the young Napa, but family members have offered to cover incidental costs like shoes and costumes. With the support of her family behind her, the 19-year-old feels confident in her bid to take […]
Ariki's DBE for women
Monday 21 May 2012 | Published in Local
Makea Karika Margaret Ariki accepted her title of honour as Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (DBE) on behalf of all Cook Islands women. Her investiture in front of hundreds of proud family, friends and government representatives at the national auditorium on Saturday was an emotional one for the 92-year-old, […]
New rules divide fishermen
Saturday 19 May 2012 | Published in Local
The Ministry of Marine Resources is today enacting a set of rules to govern usage of the fishing aggregate devices (FADs) positioned off the coast of Rarotonga. The rules are contentious, and some members of the fishing community are up in arms over them. A FAD committee, chaired by Don Beer and consisting of Wayne […]
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 […]
Voyagers at market
Saturday 19 May 2012 | Published in Local
Pacific Voyagers from the Fiji vaka Uto ni Yalo and the all-women vaka Hine Moana in traditional wear are pictured at the Punanga Nui night market last evening. Today the public will have a chance to taste life aboard a traditional double-hulled vaka. Several of the canoes will make short excursions from Avatiu harbour between […]
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. […]
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