Local
Leader of the house sacked
Saturday 1 May 2010 | Published in Local
Demo Party secretary and Tupapa-Maraerenga MP John Tangi has been sacked as leader of the house by Prime Minister Jim Marurai this week. Tangi has been outspoken against Marurai’s cabinet and is supporting party leader and former deputy prime minister Sir Terepai Maoate in his stance that all members of cabinet have now had their […]
Industry council asks for tourism budget increase
Friday 30 April 2010 | Published in Local
The Tourism Industry Council says the country is at risk of losing the direct Air New Zealand Sydney-Rarotonga flight before it has begun due to a lack of budget for marketing. On Tuesday the council issued an open letter to government on what it considers the most crucial decision ever the allocation of appropriate funding […]
Resort GM predicts job losses across sector
Friday 30 April 2010 | Published in Local
Sixteen staff at Crown Beach Resort were laid off this week as part of drastic restructuring brought on by the general decline in the performance of the tourism industry. General manager Rohan Ellis predicts other large hotels in Rarotonga will soon be forced to follow suit. “The Crown Beach has 36 rooms but we had […]
Two year's jail for fatal crash
Thursday 29 April 2010 | Published in Local
Eighteen-year-old sentenced for dangerous driving causing death Eighteen year-old Danny Cook was sentenced to two years imprisonment yesterday for the tragic car crash that killed 19-year-old TV presenter Tamarii Pierre last month. Justice Colin Nicholson made it clear that the prison term imposed by the court must send a message to all people that if […]
Student parliament has its first official sitting
Thursday 29 April 2010 | Published in Local
Parliament was called to session yesterday morning to debate on a new bill. The ‘reduction of the voting age’ bill was on the table all day and finally passed at the end of the day’s sitting. In student parliament that is. Twenty four secondary school students are currently taking part in the mock parliament sessions. […]
Court to issue verdict on Slush charges this week
Wednesday 28 April 2010 | Published in Local
The High Court is due to issue a verdict on the seven corruption charges faced by Atiu member of parliament Norman George on Friday as the country’s longest, and possibly most expensive, criminal trial comes to an end. Yesterday, the Operation Slush trial closed before Justice Colin Nicholson with defence attorney Tim Arnold’s final submissions […]
Driver swerves to avoid youngster
Wednesday 28 April 2010 | Published in Local
A young boy narrowly missed more serious injury after being hit by a car on Monday, thanks to the quick reaction of the driver. At 9.56am on Monday in front of the Matavera CICC church the five-year-old was hit by a car while crossing the road. Police say that according to eye witnesses the child […]
Community to decide site for alternative jetty
Wednesday 28 April 2010 | Published in Local
The Puaikura community has been asked to agree on a site for a proposed $2 million tender boat landing for visiting cruise ships. Initial talks for the NZAID funded alternative port began with NZ foreign minister Murray McCully last year. During his most recent visit last month, McCully reportedly told government that the project could […]
Rainy weather hangs around
Tuesday 27 April 2010 | Published in Local
Despite promises of clearer skies this week the island is still experiencing rainy weather. According to the Cook Islands Metrological Office, a more recent forecast expects the weather to start clearing up by tomorrow with less rain and a hint of sunshine. The reason for the continued weather is the South Pacific Convergence Zone is […]
Four islands keen to revive agriculture
Tuesday 27 April 2010 | Published in Local
Agriculture minister Robert Wigmore is keen to see the $3.5 million Te One Kura project take off after holding initial talks with the four islands taking up the challenge. The people of the Nga Pu Toru islands of Atiu, Mitiaro and Mauke along with Mangaia are all keen to take up the offer of assistance […]
Teachers invited to fun music training
Tuesday 27 April 2010 | Published in Local
Teachers Eitiare Vano, Merle Pukerua and Maara Scheel with an NZ teacher combining ukulele with keyboards during their Orff music in education workshop in Christchurch. “/> Three local performing arts lead teachers are hoping to share their knowledge of the Orff music system with other teachers this week through a fun workshop. The two day […]
Wigmore can't represent Demos says secretary
Tuesday 27 April 2010 | Published in Local
Democratic Party secretary John Tangi has declared that deputy prime minister Robert Wigmore is no longer a member of the party and can’t represent it at the next election. Last week Wigmore’s office issued a press release saying he had been confirmed once more as the Demo Party nomination for the Titikaveka seat. Yesterday Tangi […]
$200,000 prison renovations finished
Monday 26 April 2010 | Published in Local
Government officials, justice staff and honoured guests celebrated the renovation of the Arorangi prison at a ceremony on Friday. After ten inmates escaped from custody last year, government and Cook Islands Investment Corporation decided to re-vamp the facility and allocated $200,000 to the project. It was the first time since 1953 that the prison had […]
Wigmore confirms as candidate
Monday 26 April 2010 | Published in Local
Deputy prime minister and Titikaveka MP Robert Wigmore (above) is hoping to be re-elected for a second consecutive term in parliament – as a Demo Party MP – at this year’s election. Despite the Democratic Party split and the question of whether Wigmore is still a member of the party, given prime minister Jim Marurai’s […]
Sun on the horizon
Saturday 24 April 2010 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands can expect some sunshine after the weekend. The country has been experiencing above average rainfall over the past few days due to the South Pacific Convergence Zone passing over the islands. The convergence zone is a reverse-oriented monsoon trough which is a band of low-level convergence made up of clouds and rain. […]
Tourist trap
Saturday 24 April 2010 | Published in Local
Four young men appeared in court yesterday after executing a plan to steal a tourist’s handbag off her shoulder. On Wednesday night, they stopped to talk to a group of women on the side of the road, and in the process grabbed a handbag from one of them. Esaki Fimone pleaded guilty to having stolen […]
Toagate a soap opera at the expense of taxpayers
Saturday 24 April 2010 | Published in Local
The gloomy fiasco of Toagate is becoming a soap opera at the expense of every tax payer in the country, says Cook Islands Workers’ Association (CIWA) president Anthony Turua. “The whole judiciary and constitutional system of our country is becoming a cricket match of 20/20 to the extent that every civilian of our country is […]
Fox to speak at dawn service
Friday 23 April 2010 | Published in Local
This year’s Anzac Day dawn service guest speaker will be Derek Fox. Fox is a veteran New Zealand broadcaster, commentator, publisher, journalist and a Maori Party candidate in several elections. His father, Dudu Fox, served in the 28th Maori Battalion. Fox was the mayor of Wairoa from 1995 to 2001 and is of Ngati Kahungunu […]
What about Sydney marketing?
Friday 23 April 2010 | Published in Local
The outspoken critic of Cook Islands Tourism board chair Tata Crocombe says the most important issue right now is a lack of marketing and promotion of the new direct Sydney flight to Rarotonga. Christopher de Doby, a director and part owner of Unique Tourism Collection, which was terminated yesterday as the Cook Islands Australian marketing […]
Judgment reserved
Friday 23 April 2010 | Published in Local
Judgment has been reserved on the high profile Apex Agencies case heard before the court this week. Yesterday Justice Tom Weston reserved his judgment indicating that it will likely be issued in the second week of May. The court has been asked to determine whether government must honour the full settlement agreement it made with […]
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