Local
Minister due back on diverted flight
Tuesday 2 March 2010 | Published in Local
Finance minister Wilkie Rasmussen is due back in Rarotonga tomorrow after government paid to divert an Air Rarotonga flight yesterday to go to Penrhyn with the intention of bringing back patients for medical care. The plane will overnight on the island so that about nine people can undergo medical assessments. Health minister Apii Piho says […]
Ivaiti ends with a line by Einstein
Tuesday 2 March 2010 | Published in Local
Former financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti ended his three-year term in the country’s top job with words from the late scientist Albert Einstein. In an email to a group of government officials, Ivaiti wrote, “I wish to leave with the following two quotes from Einstein: ‘Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow’ and ‘The […]
Generosity praised
Tuesday 2 March 2010 | Published in Local
How people were alerted to the tsunami warning and where they fled for safety has been the talk of the island since the early morning tsunami warnings on Saturday. Hospital hill, valleys and back roads were choked with people evacuating from the coast. In Arorangi, Mariia and William Heather opened their home to people who […]
New call for compulsory helmets
Monday 1 March 2010 | Published in Local
A spate of serious driving accidents is set to crack open the helmets issue again. In the last couple of weeks, a man died in a motorbike accident, a young boy was airlifted to New Zealand for severe head injuries after he fell off his motorbike and a young woman was injured when a driver […]
Better prepared
Monday 1 March 2010 | Published in Local
Disaster management officials in the Pacific say they were better prepared for Saturday’s tsunami alert after last year’s devastating tsunami off Samoa, which claimed more than 180 lives. This was the universal comment by disaster officials in Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and the Cook Islands. People on the flat island of Tuvalu sought refuge in the […]
Thousands flee tsunami
Monday 1 March 2010 | Published in Local
Police commissioner Maara Tetava is praising the people of the Cook Islands for their quick response to tsunami warnings on Saturday morning. “It was an awesome response by the people here on Rarotonga and the outer islands,” said Tetava. “It was a quick response by everyone who headed to higher ground.” Tetava said that one […]
Slush case 'oppressive' says lawyer
Friday 26 February 2010 | Published in Local
Lawyer Tim Arnold said yesterday that Judge Nicholson’s discharge rulings mark the end of a long, “oppressive” and “burdensome” trial for his client Chris Vaile and for Charles Koronui. “It’s a wonderful result,” he said. “This means effectively that he (Vaile) and Charlie Koronui can get on with their lives with their reputations untainted by […]
Govt requests Hercules to help Penrhyn
Thursday 25 February 2010 | Published in Local
Last night government was anxiously waiting for a response to its request for NZ assistance to get urgent relief supplies to Penrhyn where homes and infrastructure has been damaged in bad weather. On Tuesday national disaster controller and police commissioner Maara Tetava requested an Air Force Hercules flight with relief supplies from the NZ government. […]
'Slush' discharges
Thursday 25 February 2010 | Published in Local
Vaile and Koronui discharged, George partially discharged Two of three defendants in the longest-running criminal trial in Cook Islands court history were fully discharged yesterday. Justice Colin Nicholson discharged former island secretary Charles Koronui from the two corruption charges against him and businessman Christopher Vaile from the seven against him. Lawyer Norman George was discharged […]
Fresh approach by ANZ sales team
Tuesday 23 February 2010 | Published in Local
Fresh air sparks fresh ideas – that’s the idea behind outdoors meetings by the ANZ Bank marketing and service department. The team is pictured during their open air meeting last Thursday morning. Team leader Christian Mani (front right) says that the department holds a meeting at the picnic tables across the road from the bank […]
Mitchell confirmed
Tuesday 23 February 2010 | Published in Local
Mike Mitchell’s nomination as Cook Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand has been accepted as of yesterday by the NZ government. Foreign affairs and immigration minister Robert Wigmore announced that Mitchell will take up the new post in Wellington from mid-March. His new appointment is for one year.
PM on the fence
Tuesday 23 February 2010 | Published in Local
Prime minister and telecommunications minister Jim Marurai says government’s intention to open the telecommunications market remains unchanged but it is considering the alternative – keeping the Telecom monopoly. Judging by Marurai’s statements on Friday, he’s more and more swayed toward seeing if a better service can be created with the status quo. “I’ve seen their […]
Tropical depression downgraded
Tuesday 23 February 2010 | Published in Local
A feeling of relief rippled around the Cook Islands yesterday after special weather bulletins were cancelled for a tropical depression in the north. At 2am on Monday, special weather bulletins for tropical depression 11F were cancelled. At 8am yesterday the depression was downgraded to a tropical disturbance. Earlier on Sunday afternoon, the island of Penrhyn […]
Penrhyn reports damage from tropical depression
Tuesday 23 February 2010 | Published in Local
A government delegation is due to head to Penrhyn today to assess reported damage from tropical depression 11F to homes and government buildings on Sunday night. Cabinet approved an Air Rarotonga charter flight worth $19,720 to take finance minister and Penrhyn MP Wilkie Rasmussen and three officials to the island to carry out an initial […]
New alert
Monday 22 February 2010 | Published in Local
A tropical depression 45 nautical miles from the northern group island of Penrhyn caused flooding in low lying areas yesterday and some roof damage caused by strong winds. Police commissioner Maara Tetava activated the Police Operations Emergency Centre at 11 o’clock on Saturday morning to monitor tropical depression 11F sitting in the Cook Islands northern […]
Rebuild starts
Monday 22 February 2010 | Published in Local
Wilkie Rasmussen, minister responsible for the national cyclone relief efforts for Aitutaki, says government is committed to the reconstruction of buildings and infrastructure on the island. Options being weighed up include whether to provide kitset homes or build basic homes from scratch. Rasmussen says government is also considering how it will fund the reconstruction estimated […]
Mitchell up for diplomatic post
Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Local
Foreign Affairs secretary Mike Mitchell is set to become the new Cook Islands high commissioner to New Zealand after being nominated by cabinet this month. Now the ‘receiving State’ (NZ) must agree to the nomination before an appointment can be finalised. Prime minister Jim Marurai said yesterday that if all goes to plan, Mitchell will […]
QR reappointed
Saturday 20 February 2010 | Published in Local
Queen’s Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin has been reappointed for another three-year term following a cabinet decision on Thursday. His reappointment has come after months of speculation about the post and after allegations by the Opposition Party that Sir Frederick ignored last month’s petition by MPs for parliament to sit because he did not want to […]
League gate money goes to appeal fund
Friday 19 February 2010 | Published in Local
Aitutaki Cyclone Appeal committee chairman George George was thrilled to be given $658 in gate takings from rugby league matches hosted by the Takuvaine-Tutakimoa Warriors Rugby League Club. The money was raised from the gate takings at last Saturday’s league games at the Happy Valley grounds. Warriors president Mark Brown was very happy with the […]
Carr to act as Finsec
Friday 19 February 2010 | Published in Local
Financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti’s contract ends next week. “/> Former financial secretary Kevin Carr will be acting Finsec. “/> Former financial secretary Kevin Carr will return to his old job when current secretary Sholan Ivaiti’s contract comes to an end next week. Carr, who held the position from 1998 until Ivaiti’s appointment two years ago, […]
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