Local
'Trust me' says telecommunications minister
Thursday 10 February 2011 | Published in Local
Telecommunications minister Mark Brown says if legislative changes are needed to again put the Cook Islands at the forefront of regional telecommunications, he will make those law changes. The Cook Islands was once a regional leader in telecommunications and now the country has lagged behind, says Brown. While past administrations have relied on Telecom Cook […]
Ivaiti says there is a way out of 'Toa thing'
Thursday 10 February 2011 | Published in Local
Former financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti says he knows how government can extricate itself from the Toa deal but it’s up to officials and cabinet to work out for themselves how to do this. “There is a way out of the Toa thing, but it’s up to the government to give it serious thought how they […]
Release of MP travel figures uncertain
Thursday 10 February 2011 | Published in Local
Parliamentary staff are uncertain whether a ban on the release of ministerial and MP’s travel figures imposed over 20 years ago will be lifted by the new government. According to Parliament, releasing official travel figures was prohibited by the late speaker of parliament David Hosking on the instruction of the then Cook Islands Party Government. […]
Police will review boat safety
Thursday 10 February 2011 | Published in Local
In the wake of Tuesday’s search and rescue mission, police commissioner Maara Tetava plans to call a meeting with local fishermen and boat owners to discuss maritime safety procedures. Te Ina Tapurau Jnr, Augustine Heather and Johnny George were fishing on Monday evening when their boat was hit by a rogue wave. Tapurau swam ashore […]
3 men survive ordeal
Wednesday 9 February 2011 | Published in Local
Twenty-eight-year-old Arorangi resident Te Ina Tapurau Jnr was hailed a hero yesterday after swimming for more than six hours to shore to raise the alarm after the fishing boat he was on with two friends capsized at sea on Monday afternoon. Cook Islands News caught up with an anxious and still shocked Tapurau yesterday morning […]
Pharmacist warns against overuse
Tuesday 8 February 2011 | Published in Local
The recently diagnosed case of MRSA at Rarotonga hospital raises important questions about the use – and overuse – of antibiotics. MRSA – or Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus – is a ‘super bug’, or a bacterium that has developed a resistance to antibiotics. Initial symptoms of MRSA are small red bumps resembling pimples or boils, often […]
Govt promises 'overly ambitious'
Tuesday 8 February 2011 | Published in Local
Government is promising “far too much” and will have trouble finding the funds, according to former finance minister Wilkie Rasmussen. The Democratic Party deputy leader said yesterday he expects government will take to parliament a supplementary budget with a deficit of $3 million to $5 million. He said the Democratic Party Government faced a deficit […]
Minister wants to open TCI books
Tuesday 8 February 2011 | Published in Local
Finance Minister Mark Brown wants to open the books of Telecom Cook Islands Limited. As minister of State Owned Entperises, he says the annual accounts of Telecom Cook Islands have never been publicly disclosed, but he would like to change that to achieve greater transparency from a company which is 40 percent owned by the […]
Wellington Sevens support team
Monday 7 February 2011 | Published in Local
Local sevens rugby fans Odile Pauka (centre) and Luisa Peters (far left) were in the thick of the supporter’s action at the weekend’s Wellington Sevens tournament. The local supporters cheered on the Cook Islands side despite the team’s disappointing performance. Disappointing end to sevens campaign story, page 11. 11020606
First trip by PM Henry Puna
Monday 7 February 2011 | Published in Local
Prime minister Henry Puna is scheduled to leave for his Manihiki constituency this morning accompanied by his wife Akaiti for a four day official visit. This is the first outer islands trip made by Puna and he is accompanied by MPs Atatoa Herman and John Henry. Herman, a civil engineer, will be examining Tauhunu harbour […]
Scrapping of budget committee a 'grave mistake'
Monday 7 February 2011 | Published in Local
Government’s abolition of the Budget Committee is a grave mistake and a slap in the face of public accountability and input in the country’s governance, according to former minister of finance and deputy leader of the Democratic Party Wilkie Rasmussen. “This is a clear statement by the government that its partnership with the public is […]
Secretary of justice suspended
Monday 7 February 2011 | Published in Local
A source within government reports that Secretary of Justice Mark Short has been suspended, effective last Friday. The source also verifies that Short had a meeting with Prime Minister Henry Puna on Friday afternoon. For over a week now, the Office of the Public Service Commissioner (PSC) has been conducting an investigation into the management […]
CIP retains the Vaipae-Tautu seat in Aitutaki
Saturday 5 February 2011 | Published in Local
Cook Islands Party Member of Parliament for Vaipae-Tautu Mona Ioane Kake will retain his seat in Parliament. After a two-day hearing that ended yesterday, Chief Justice Tom Weston rejected Demo candidate Kete Ioane’s petition challenging the general election results. Of the five issues Ioane’s petition raised, Weston upheld two – altering the final vote count […]
Fuel firm plans expansion
Saturday 5 February 2011 | Published in Local
Regional fuel giant, Pacific Petroleum Company (PPC), has indicated that government can expect to receive a formal proposal on plans to expand their operation even further in the Cook Islands. Tahiti-based PPC has been holding talks with Cook Islands governments since 2009 in its ambition to gain a foothold here. Last year the company acquired […]
Budget committee scrapped
Saturday 5 February 2011 | Published in Local
Finance minister Mark Brown has announced that private sector involvement in the budget process is to be done away with. This comes ten years after the previous administration introduced the practice of using a budget committee comprised of private sector individuals to make final decisions on what a government ministry should get each financial year. […]
Parliament opening a mystery
Friday 4 February 2011 | Published in Local
Parliament is expecting prime minister Henry Puna to advise before the end of next week when parliament will sit, provided that all electoral petitions have been dealt with. At the time of going to print the Vaipae/Tautu petition was still being heard yesterday in Aitutaki. The Pukapuka petition has also to be dealt with. Clerk […]
No news
Friday 4 February 2011 | Published in Local
CINews was not aware of the outcome of the Aitutaki electoral petition hearing at press time. The two-day hearing was set to end yesterday, and sources on Aitutaki say that the Arutanga courthouse was overflowing with people. Chief Justice Tom Weston’s decision determines whether Cook Islands Party MP Mona Ioane Kake will retain the Vaipae-Tautu […]
PSC investigates over-expenditures
Friday 4 February 2011 | Published in Local
The office of the Public Service Commissioner (PSC) is in the process of investigating fund management and over-expenditures related to last year’s general elections. “Obviously we can’t comment on that until it (the investigation) is completed,” PSC Navy Epati said in an email. The electoral committee had initially requested $300,000, but $200,000 was appropriated in […]
2000 flu shots
Friday 4 February 2011 | Published in Local
Director of Community Health Services Dr Rangi Fariu has issued a release advising the general public of a forthcoming H1N1 vaccination at the Tupapa health clinic. He said that pregnant mothers, anyone with a chronic heart or lung condition including hypertension and asthma, and border control workers are at special risk and should take advantage […]
Parliament pleads for more funding
Friday 4 February 2011 | Published in Local
The country’s highest legislative authority is plagued with financial troubles and is struggling to make ends meet. Parliament may not be able to maintain operations to the end of the financial year if rescue doesn’t come in the proposed Supplementary Budget, says clerk Nga Valoa. Valoa has taken the matter up with Parliamentary Services minister […]
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