Local
Call for action on 'blood flow'
Saturday 31 March 2012 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands government should urgently call a session of parliament to allow for a national discussion on financial reform and how it can be used to fight depopulation, says Leader of the Opposition Wilkie Rasmussen. The Democratic Party caucus met yesterday to discuss the banking reform proposed by the Cook Islands Party Government this […]
Switching off nationwide
Saturday 31 March 2012 | Published in Local
Schools, offices and homes across Rarotonga sat in the dark for an hour yesterday, switching off their lights and unneeded electrical appliances during Earth Hour to help raise awareness of the impacts of climate change. Year 2 and 3 students at Apii Nikao Maori used the hour to move away from typical school work and […]
Police accused, case dropped
Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Local
Following nine court appearances, 56 hours in prison and significant media attention, Cyrus Nielsen has been absolved of his alleged crime. Yesterday in court, the Crown withdrew a possession of a utensil charge that has been hanging over Nielsen’s head for five months. Justice of the peace Carmen Temata recorded the withdrawal, and defence counsel […]
Two tropical depressions
Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Local
Two tropical depressions have developed along an active area of cloud band extending southeast to northwest or from the south of Rarotonga, over Fiji to the south of Solomon Islands. The Cook Islands Meteorological Service assures the people of the Cook Islands that no severe weather warnings are in place at this time. The first […]
Reef's new ship bigger, faster
Friday 30 March 2012 | Published in Local
Reef Shipping has issued a statement defending the quality of its service to the Cook Islands, in light of recent criticism over the withdrawal of MV Forum Pacific from the Cook Islands shipping schedule. MV Forum Pacific is owned by Reef but was being leased to Pacific Direct Line (PDL) and Pacific Forum Line (PFL) […]
Banking to be reviewed
Thursday 29 March 2012 | Published in Local
The government is planning a special review of banking in the Cook Islands. This is with a view to producing a long term strategy for the provision of banking services for the country’s economy. Minister of Finance and Economic Management Mark Brown said in a media statement yesterday that on a sustained basis the long […]
Tepuka lands remain with church
Thursday 29 March 2012 | Published in Local
For the time being the Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) will retain its hold on Tepuka 106C, the Nikao section near Tereora College which has been the subject of recent litigation and media attention. On behalf of the kopu ariki of Ngati Makea, Ellena Tavioni appeared in court yesterday to support an application she had […]
Pirates still at it
Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Local
The public continues to report the circulation of pirated DVDs on Rarotonga. Chief censor Alfred Morris says he plans to carry out raids in conjunction with police, but declines to divulge details so as not to compromise the operation. Inspector John Strickland says police are in the planning stages of a piracy sweep. Empire Theatre […]
Tour operator wants hill road upgraded
Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Local
A four-wheel-drive tour operator has approached the Cook Islands government to upgrade the hospital hill track –claiming that it is part of crown land. Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Teariki Heather this week met with Raro Safari Tours operator Sam Crocombe to discuss the hospital hill trail and plans to have it developed for public […]
One company 'a real concern'
Wednesday 28 March 2012 | Published in Local
Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen is gravely concerned about the discontinuation of shipping vessel Forum Pacific’s services. “It is a real concern. It is not something that should be taken lightly,” Rasmussen said yesterday. “Our view is the government should act immediately and try to do something because we’re down to one ship domestically and one […]
Cows for sale for his education
Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Local
A good sale is what Teariki Fanovaha is after to send him off overseas to study. Fanovaha has recently been accepted to study aeronautical engineering at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology in Blenheim, New Zealand. He is selling the bull, cow and calf that he cares for on his family land in Avatiu Valley, […]
Forum Pacific service stops
Tuesday 27 March 2012 | Published in Local
The MV Forum Pacific will no longer service the Cook Islands. Pacific Direct Line has formally announced the expiration of the vessel’s charter, adding that management had been unable to negotiate an extension with Reef Shipping. “Our hope was to extend the charter through till August 2012 when the Rarotonga wharf extension was completed and […]
Czeching into Cooks
Monday 26 March 2012 | Published in Local
Hynek Kmonicek, Ambassador of the Czech Republic, will visit the Cook Islands this week to present his letters of credentials to the Cook Islands government. The ambassador, resident in Canberra, Australia, is concurrently accredited to New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. This will be the second Czech Ambassador to visit the Cook […]
First jewellery manufacturer certified
Monday 26 March 2012 | Published in Local
Take a dozen years, 8000 hours of work, a smattering of custom-made jewellery and a pinch of the unknown and you’ll get the story of how Brent Fisher has become the Cook Islands’first certified jeweller manufacturer. Fisher was lucky enough to put an official end to a 12-year long goal of his last week when […]
Marine park 'framework' allows multi-use
Monday 26 March 2012 | Published in Local
A three-day workshop led by the Cook Islands marine park interim steering committee, and attended by regional and international conservation experts, has led to the drafting of an overarching framework to guide the ongoing planning and management of the marine park. The steering committee has been tasked with providing recommendations to cabinet for final decision […]
New survey reveals rich tuna stocks
Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Local
Revised estimates of the stocks of skipjack tuna in Cook Islands waters have revealed that possibly hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the fish could be available. Previous counts have underestimated the amount of skipjack tuna that live in the Cook Islands’ exclusive economic zone, the Ministry for Marine Resources revealed yesterday. New counts […]
New Samoa service delayed
Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Local
Plans to send a Samoan shipping vessel to the Cook Islands’ northern group have been pushed back by a week to allow bad weather to pass and more cargo to be added to the voyage. The Samoan Shipping Company has not yet set a specific date for the first voyage from Apia, but the office […]
Shipping service stopping?
Saturday 24 March 2012 | Published in Local
The future of shipping seems to again be in dire straits – with news that the next sailing of Pacific Forum will be its last. An information paper concerning the future of shipping in the Cook Islands is being prepared for tabling at Cabinet on Tuesday. This week, Reef Shipping representatives flew to Rarotonga to […]
Grocery grab worth $3967.95
Friday 23 March 2012 | Published in Local
It took just three minutes and 30 seconds for an aunty and her niece to create $3967.95 of damage at the CITC Supermarket yesterday. The supermarket was well and truly behind Tai Matenga and her niece Luciana in their isle-by-isle sweep of the store – Tai was the third and final winner of the grocery […]
DPM attends funeral
Friday 23 March 2012 | Published in Local
Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters and his wife Tuaine Marsters will join New Zealand dignitaries on an Air Force Boeing 757 flight on Tuesday to attend the funeral of King Tupou V of Tonga. The deputy prime minister is currently away in Brussels and on his way back will stop in New Zealand where he […]
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