Local
Budget not extravagant: opposition
Tuesday 19 April 2011 | Published in Local
After two sittings the supplementary budget has been passed in Parliament with a total appropriation of $144,446,888. Parliament also passed the Insurance Amendment Bill before adjourning sine-die yesterday. Finance Minister Mark Brown said yesterday in parliament that the appropriation amendment bill sets the scene for the main budget and future budgets to come. Brown is […]
The pride and joy of Manihiki
Monday 18 April 2011 | Published in Local
Manihiki MP and Prime Minister Henry Puna and Mrs Akaiti Puna were thrilled to celebrate the top two sports awards of 2010 going to Manihiki sailors Helema Williams (sportswoman of the year) and Taua Eliza (sportsman of the year). Full report, results and photos from the annual sports award dinner, pages 8-9.
Vicious attack on woman in Panama
Monday 18 April 2011 | Published in Local
A woman was hospitalised last Sunday morning (April 10) after she was attacked by a youth who was stealing in her Panama property. According to police, the woman went to her Panama property to check the cause of a power failure when she was assaulted and her personal belongings stolen. Police immediately responded, and conducted […]
Reducing public service not an option
Monday 18 April 2011 | Published in Local
Finance Minister Mark Brown says government won’t be considering reducing the public service to save on costs as suggested by a local economist. Economist and Democratic Party finance administrator Eddie Drollet said earlier this week that government should trim back the public service to free up funds to implement some of the specific actions identified […]
Costs 'disheartening'
Saturday 16 April 2011 | Published in Local
Government is having to spend close to $500,000 to cover court-ordered costs to Apex Agencies and the Operation Slush Fund case. This was revealed by Finance Minister Mark Brown yesterday when he tabled the supplementary budget in parliament yesterday. Apex Agencies owns local fuel distribution company Toa Petroleum. Additional payments to Apex Agencies will total […]
George rejected from House
Saturday 16 April 2011 | Published in Local
Independent MP Norman George is to be hauled before a Privileges Committee which will decide whether he was in contempt of a summons from the Queen’s Representative when he refused to attend the swearing in of MPs. To calls of ‘shame, shame’ and ‘cruelty’ from opposition benches, government MPs voted in parliament yesterday for George […]
Water tanks for all
Friday 15 April 2011 | Published in Local
The government has committed itself to spending up to $4 million on providing every household on Rarotonga with a water tank, says Finance Minister Mark Brown. A consistent supply of good quality water was identified as one of the key infrastructure priorities at this week’s Economic Summit. Brown says with numerous reports done and projects […]
Deal to Toagate
Friday 15 April 2011 | Published in Local
Members of the opposition are holding the new government to its election campaign promise to deal with the Toagate scandal. Democratic Party deputy leader Wilkie Rasmussen says the full opposition caucus met on Monday and decided to pressure the government in respect of Toagate. Rasmussen, who is the party’s spokesperson for law, justice, finance, and […]
George accused of betrayal
Friday 15 April 2011 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands Party is not happy with MP Norman George walking out on the party and declaring himself an independent – and Atiu CIP members want the seat back. “We voted him in as a CIP and not as an independent,” says chairman of the Teenui-Mapumai CIP committee Tereapii Porio “We voted for him […]
'Waste of time and money'
Thursday 14 April 2011 | Published in Local
The National Economic Development Summit is a complete waste of time and money, deputy leader of the Opposition Democratic Party Wilkie Rasmussen says. Rasmussen – who is the Democratic Party’s deputy leader and spokesperson for law, finance, justice and the public service – says 75 percent of those attending the summit are public service employees. […]
Dancer of year starts
Thursday 14 April 2011 | Published in Local
The best Cook Islands dancers from across the country will take to the stage on Monday for the annual Dancer of the Year competition. Junior and intermediate dancers will tonight warm up the stage in the elimination round of the dance division starting at 7 o’clock at the national auditorium. On Monday, April 18, one […]
Biomedical breakthrough
Thursday 14 April 2011 | Published in Local
Biomedical research on traditional Cook Islands medicine is showing extraordinary results that don’t exist anywhere else in the world – including bone regeneration. Innovator and leading the biomedical research is Cook Islander Dr Graham Matheson who was schooled in Rarotonga before gaining a scholarship to pursue medical studies in Australia. Matheson, who holds a masters […]
Missing hats a mystery
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in Local
Twelve beautiful woven rito hats have gone walkabout. Since January, Penrhyn woman Manongi Latham has been carefully weaving a batch of hats to send to her sister on Rarotonga. The 12 shell-studded hats were meant to travel with a Titikaveka group on an upcoming trip to Tahiti. Over a week ago, Manongi loaded the hats […]
'We talk too much'
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in Local
Lawyer Iaveta Short issued a challenge to government at the Economic Development Summit yesterday, and when he concluded his brief speech the National Auditorium burst into applause. “In my view the biggest problem for the Cook Islands is we talk too much,” he said. “If we can convert the discussions in the papers from paper […]
'Be nimble and flexible'
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in Local
Prime Minister Henry Puna believes the smallness of the Cook Islands is a huge advantage as it faces the future. In a rally call at the opening of yesterday’s two-day Economic Summit, Puna said the country must change the way it does business. He said in recent years the Cook Islands economy has contracted by […]
Vaka makes landfall in Tahiti
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in Local
Vaka Marumaru Atua arrived in Tahiti yesterday. Captain Peia Patai emailed an update to Cook Islands Voyaging Society president Ian Karika yesterday at 6.34am, reporting that the vaka was 35 nautical miles from Tahiti and on track to arrive before 2pm. Samoa vaka Matahi and Tahiti vaka Faafaite were expected to greet her and escort […]
Don't trash Punanga Nui!
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in Local
A pile of residential green waste dumped alongside the stream at the Punanga Nui Market is the last straw for market manager Elmah McBirney, who is issuing a final warning to those who use the market place as a rubbish tip. McBirney says the large amount of green waste, which includes hedge clippings and other […]
Pukapuka by-election on June 7
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in Local
The Pukapuka by-election date has been set for June 7. Nominations for candidates close on April 25 and a fee of $500 is payable for each candidate contesting the by-election. Chief Electoral Officer Taggy Tangimetua states the main Pukapuka roll will close April 15 and the supplementary roll on April 29. Cook Islands Party candidate […]
5% growth essential
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in Local
The Economic Task Force believes the Cook Islands’ economic objective to achieve 5%-plus GDP growth a year would result in the country being self-sufficient and leading the Pacific. This will require keeping growth rates above our past economic performance. The country’s ability to pay for public services that people want will be compromised if we […]
'Bootleggers' taking business away
Monday 11 April 2011 | Published in Local
A local real estate agent who says he and others have worked hard to establish professional services isn’t happy about an offshore company selling valuable local properties describing the company as ‘no better than bootleggers’. Real Estate agent John McElhinney says it’s tough to see the cream of the efforts going offshore when he believes […]
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