Local
NZ will give more: McCully
Friday 9 April 2010 | Published in Local
NZ foreign minister Murray McCully says NZ’s $5.5 million Aitutaki cyclone recovery assistance package will be increased if necessary in the efforts to help rebuild homes lost in February. “The $5.5 million contribution should resource most of what we need to do, but I’ve made it clear that if we need to do some more, […]
Bad boy bolts in
Friday 9 April 2010 | Published in Local
Self-confessed bad boy George (Angene) Maggie has stormed in as Cook Islands Party’s latest pick to contest this year’s election – trademark leather waistcoat and all. While his win shocked many, it seems it is the will of the people – that they want a new wind to blow through the Tupapa-Maraerenga electorate. But those […]
Artist in Residence on the island
Thursday 8 April 2010 | Published in Local
Rick Welland, BCA ‘Artist in Residence’, is back on the island with his paintbrushes poised and ready. Welland is preparing for a May 17 exhibit at BCA, which will feature about a dozen of his Polynesia-themed paintings. The artist is originally from California but spent 30 years living and painting locally. He and his former […]
Ministers sacked themselves: Tongia
Thursday 8 April 2010 | Published in Local
The four Democratic Party ministers have sacked themselves from the party by not resigning from their cabinet posts says party president Makiuti Tongia. He issued a media statement in response to questions over the standoff between the two Demo party factions yesterday. “In refusing to resign their ministerial posts, they have terminated their own membership […]
Election jokes with McCully
Wednesday 7 April 2010 | Published in Local
A fair bit of political banter added some humour to yesterday’s meetings on Aitutaki with NZ Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully. Deputy prime minister Robert Wigmore raised the topic of 2010 being election year and more houses needed to be built on Aitutaki before ‘bribery’ was to play its part in the electioneering process. He […]
Kiwibank considers CI investment
Wednesday 7 April 2010 | Published in Local
Possible Kiwibank funding of economic development in the Cook Islands and rule changes enabling NZ superannuation to be collected locally were two surprise announcements yesterday by NZ Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully. Both are a result of ongoing representations to the New Zealand government by Cook Islanders. McCully made these disclosures at a half-hour meeting […]
Tourism board allegations prompt audit
Tuesday 6 April 2010 | Published in Local
A rash of complaints about the tourism board and the recent resignations at CI Tourism has prompted the Audit Office to begin a review. The Audit Office is now acting on various allegations about the tourism board’s performance and activities occurring within the tourism industry. The special review comes after an onslaught of criticism of […]
Demos petition party president
Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Local
A group of Democratic Party electorate executives has petitioned party president Makiuti Tongia to call an urgent conference to address the leadership of the party. The faction of party executives supports the current cabinet and is hoping that a conference will allow the party to put its conflict over leadership to rest. On Thursday the […]
Catholics remember Jesus' final hours
Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Local
The story of Jesus carrying his cross to Calvary to be crucified was retold on Good Friday as the Avarua Catholic congregation gathered at St Joseph’s Cathedral for the Stations of the Cross service. Wet conditions saw the service held in the Cathedral with the symbolic cross of Jesus carried around the church to each […]
Tourism wants more money
Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Local
Government has been asked to double the tourism marketing budget for 2010-11 – bringing it to around $4-5 million, about the same as the current CI Tourism total annual budget. The tourism board presented its submission to the budget committee to cabinet on Tuesday, outlining its vision for the industry. The board recommends government double […]
Te Puna land case drags on
Saturday 3 April 2010 | Published in Local
Te Puna, one of the longest-running and most controversial land court cases of this century, isn’t over yet. Last week, lawyer Ross Holmes, who represented what Judge Kenneth Hingston dubbed the ‘Akearangi claimants’, filed a 45-page appeal and applied for a re-hearing. Earlier this month, Hingston ruled in favour of Tere Carr, who represented what […]
NZ wage hike has no effect here
Thursday 1 April 2010 | Published in Local
Anthony Turua, president of Cook Islands Workers’ Association, says it’s again time for government to consider making some cost-of-living adjustments. This week New Zealand’s minimum wage has increased by $0.25 – from $12.50 to $12.75 – which means anyone working a 40-hour week earns $510 before taxes. The wage hike, however, has no bearing on […]
Easter rark up
Thursday 1 April 2010 | Published in Local
The Demo government is being dealt a hard Easter message – to step down if it is not prepared to govern as a full party. Today’s CI News Churchtalk contribution by Bishop Tutai Pere dishes out this hard line to government and the country. “Some are condoning the overthrowing of a democracy in our country […]
Demo D-Day!
Thursday 1 April 2010 | Published in Local
D-Day came for the four Democratic Party members of cabinet yesterday as they faced the ultimatum to resign from their ministerial posts or face expulsion from the party. Meetings of the two Democratic Party factions were reportedly going on late into the day as the ministers waited to hear news of any action being taken […]
Japanese group befriends Cooks
Wednesday 31 March 2010 | Published in Local
A group of 15 Japanese students arrived in Rarotonga at the weekend and will be performing a series of culture shows this week. They call themselves the Friends of the World Association and they’re here to teach locals about Japanese culture through song, dance and judo. The group hails from Shikoku, an island in Japan […]
Govt urged to release details of Toa settlement
Wednesday 31 March 2010 | Published in Local
CIP leader Henry Puna has asked government to confirm it has made the $1.75 million settlement payment to Toa Petroleum as ordered by the courts. He says now that it is the end of March – the month touted as the deadline for payment as ordered by the court – government should provide answers. “Can […]
Eggelton's exit from party causes a stir
Wednesday 31 March 2010 | Published in Local
Karla Eggelton has left the Democratic Party executive to support her mother’s cabinet appointment this month. Already speculation is growing about the move and Karla’s chances at being appointed the new CI Tourism CEO. Questions are also being asked about whether her mother Cassey Eggelton will get the tourism portfolio as had been tipped just […]
Internet society draws interest
Tuesday 30 March 2010 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands Internet Society held its first meeting recently and will gather again soon. Founder Maureen Hilyard said that the inaugural meeting was “very successful”. She said she’s continued to receive calls from people who are interested in joining the society but weren’t able to make it. The internet society was formed to address […]
Blitzing drunks
Tuesday 30 March 2010 | Published in Local
Police reported yesterday that drunk driving is still their biggest problem. On Friday night, police staged an operation around the island to target drivers under the influence and ended up detaining ten drivers. On Saturday, a 19-year-old girl was stopped on the main road outside Nikao Beach Video and found to be driving over the […]
Judge who toppled Henry government dies
Tuesday 30 March 2010 | Published in Local
Sir Gaven Donne, the Cook Islands first Queen’s Representative, former chief justice and the man whose decision on the 1978 ‘fly-in voters’ case toppled Sir Albert Henry’s government, has died, aged 95. Sir Gaven passed away at Otaramarae, near Rotorua, on Sunday. He had been chief justice in the Cook Islands when the furore erupted […]
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