Local
Social welfare system under review
Friday 5 February 2010 | Published in Local
Public views are being sought as government carries out a review of the nation’s social welfare system. This year more than a third of the population will receive welfare payments – there were about 5600 or about 40 percent of the resident population (about 13,000) on a welfare benefit as of December last year. In […]
Te Aponga reduce tariffs
Friday 5 February 2010 | Published in Local
Households will soon be saving $40 to $60 a month on their power bill in a new tariff restructure, Te Aponga Uira announced. The electricity company held a media conference yesterday to reveal the new prices which was attended by acting TAU minister and prime minister Jim Marurai, chief executive Apii Timoti, chairman Piltz Napa […]
Inmate escapes from vehicle
Friday 5 February 2010 | Published in Local
Prison inmate Daniel Taura, also known as Daniel Hewitt, escaped from custody yesterday after appearing in court for theft, unlawful taking and threatening to kill. Taura attended a hearing yesterday morning at the Avarua courthouse. At around 11.40am he appeared before justice of the peace Dorice Reid, who ruled that he be remanded in custody […]
90 grads honoured
Thursday 4 February 2010 | Published in Local
Marguerite Dean and friends celebrate her diploma in food preparation and cooking yesterday. “/> The national brains trust grew yesterday. The Department of National Human Resources Development (DNHRD) honoured the Association of Cook Islands Tertiary Institutes (ACITI) graduates at a ceremony in the auditorium. Seventy-seven Rarotonga students and 13 outer islands students graduated, and 17 […]
Pressure for fishing licences
Thursday 4 February 2010 | Published in Local
Rising demand for long line fishery vessel licences continues to put pressure on the ministry of marine resources (MMR) to review its limit of 40 licences per year. This has been highlighted by the recent lobbying of a local fishing company to the minister of marine resources Robert Wigmore. CINews understands Northern Cook Islands Fishing […]
Water tank project runs out of money
Thursday 4 February 2010 | Published in Local
The water tank subsidy scheme has run out of money. When government launched the operation in early December, it allocated $50,000 in subsidy funds to the ministry of infrastructure and planning. MOIP has received 139 applications for subsidies, 82 of which have been approved and granted. The ministry can not afford to dispense many more. […]
New audit probe
Thursday 4 February 2010 | Published in Local
Sir Terepai and son accused of unfairly receiving business funds Former finance minister Sir Terepai Maoate and his son and MP Terepai Maoate Jnr are alleged to have unfairly benefited from around $90,000 in outer island business support loans from a government fund set up last year. The audit office is now investigating the serious […]
Porter grocery business still under wraps
Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in Local
Shareholders in a new grocery company set to open this year at the former Meatco premises are still silent on the venture. The Cold Store Ltd was formed last July and its shareholders are the children of former Meatco owners Brett and Cavelle Porter, who have already tried to distance themselves from the venture. Brett […]
Public views wanted on new labour law
Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in Local
Public views are being sought on the country’s proposed new labour law this month. When the bill is passed by parliament, it will introduce rights and obligations for employees and employers in the private sector. This extends to such provisions as hours of work, wages, rest and meal breaks. Part of the proposed law sets […]
Tourism people want Crocombe to explain new marketing group
Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in Local
Tourism board chairman Tata Crocombe may have to reassure the industry that the new destination sales and marketing (DSM) committee he also heads is of value to smaller operators. The Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council met with members on Monday to discuss the controversial government initiative to appoint the separate marketing committee under the tourism […]
No early deals
Tuesday 2 February 2010 | Published in Local
GOVERNMENT will not work to an ‘Endeavour pressured’ timetable in setting up the new seabed minerals authority, ac¬cording to prime minister Jim Marurai’s office. Marurai, acting mineral and natural resource minister, held a meeting with key government officials yesterday to plan the set up of the seabed minerals authority. To discuss the issue, he and […]
Wilkie seeks 'true facts'
Tuesday 2 February 2010 | Published in Local
FINANCE minister Wilkie Ras¬mussen yesterday deflected criticism and demands for dis¬closure of secret sums in the Toagate scandal. He issued a statement to Cook Islands News that did not reveal figures but said the government of today is diligently working its way through the contents of the settlement agreed with Toa Petroleum Limited. “It is […]
Cyclone Oli passes through 2 ships wait
Tuesday 2 February 2010 | Published in Local
ANOTHER cyclone travelled through the Cook Islands yes¬terday. The tropical depression had been monitored since last Friday and was officially named tropi¬cal cyclone Oli early yesterday morning. By the afternoon it had passed through the northern group and was heading towards the southern islands. Acting Cook Islands met service director Maara Vaiimene said Oli came […]
New storm hits north
Monday 1 February 2010 | Published in Local
A tropical depression had Pukapuka, Nassau and Suwarrow on alert for a cyclone yesterday. By yesterday afternoon police had re-opened their emergency response operation centre – just days after the threat of cyclone Nisha passed – to monitor and update the Northern islands on tropical depression 07F. The Fiji Meteorological Service released the first bulletin […]
'Come clean'
Monday 1 February 2010 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands Party is stunned and alarmed at the latest revelations in the Toagate debacle. “The startling new allegation that the agreement with Toa Petroleum includes a guarantee of $1.2m profit for the next eight years is a scandalous burden that the taxpayer is expected to carry,” party leader Henry Puna said yesterday. “The […]
Wing man
Monday 1 February 2010 | Published in Local
Local kitesurfer Pauro Arnold just couldn’t wait to rig up and hit the high winds and choppy waves on Muri lagoon, with winds up to 28 knots making for a spectacular day of high speed action on Saturday.
New plan for Sheraton property
Saturday 30 January 2010 | Published in Local
New developers are in the wings saying they want to develop the famous ‘Sheraton’ ruins in Vaimaanga. New Zealand based development company Mirage Group Ltd hopes to complete the construction of the ill-fated Sheraton – which amounts to a complex of derelict buildings on the ten-hectare Vaimaanga property owned by Takitumu paramount chief Pa Marie […]
Toa payments 'top secret'
Saturday 30 January 2010 | Published in Local
A new outcry and legal action are brewing over ‘top secret’ costs still not revealed in the Toagate scandal. Prime minister Jim Marurai continues to claim he does not know when and how the $1.75 million settlement that government made with fuel company Toa Petroleum is due to be paid. The details remain a secret […]
Trader Jack awaits Nisha
Friday 29 January 2010 | Published in Local
As local businesses boarded up yesterday and got ready for cyclone Nisha, Trader Jack was quietly sitting at his Avarua harbour bar sipping on a gin and watching the waves and clouds roll in. Jack Cooper knows more than most the devastation of a cyclone having rebuilt his harbour side restaurant and bar three times […]
Nisha still a threat
Friday 29 January 2010 | Published in Local
Tropical cyclone Nisha could approach Rarotonga within the next 24 to 48 hours, after slowing down yesterday. Senior meteorological service officer Maara Vaiimene said Nisha will continue to head in a south or south easterly direction but today will prove critical in determining which path it chooses. As of 5.30pm yesterday, Nisha had a wind […]
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