Local
Penrhyn makes Mars
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Friday 3: The Cook Islands is making its mark in outer space. A rock outcrop on Mars has been informally named ‘Cook Islands’ by NASA during their Mars Exploration Rover mission. Using the robotic explorer ‘Opportunity’, NASA has been searching for and naming a wide range of rocks and soils that hold clues to water […]
It's good news to the DPM
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Wednesday 8: It sounds like a good riddance statement. In response to comments by WSBC, deputy prime minister and minister of finance Sir Terepai Maoate says he’s pleased to see confirmation that WSBC Bank is leaving the Cook Islands. “After close to five years, my government will now turn its efforts and attention to the […]
Rangi to take over BTIB top job
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Friday 3: Business Trade and Investment Board executive manager Terry Rangi has been appointed its new chief executive this week. It is understood there will be a handover period before Rangi officially takes over the position which Mark Short has held for the past six years. Rangi has been working at BTIB for almost five […]
Cook Islanders second largest PI group in NZ
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Wednesday 8: Some interesting new statistics have come to light on the Cook Islands Maori population in New Zealand. Drawn from the 2006 census released at the end of last year, the figures show that the Cook Islands Maori population living in New Zealand increased by 10 percent (5442) to 58,011, between 2001 and 2006. […]
Parliament warned against electronic release
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Friday 3: The Seabed Bill select committee says releasing the draft law electronically is risky. In its interim report tabled in parliament on Wednesday, the committee says in its view the electronic release to the growing number of regional countries and organisations who want a copy would demand caution. “The possibility of deep sea mining […]
New PFL service approved
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Wednesday 8: Transport minister Tangata Vavia has given approval to Pacific Forum Line to start and run a new shipping service to the Cooks. Transport secretary Aukino Tairea says that a licence will be issued once a schedule of voyage dates is put to the ministry. New PFL chief executive Sean Bolt, who visited Rarotonga […]
PDL makes third creditor payment
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Friday 3: Pacific Distributors Ltd paid out its third and final court ordered payment to local creditors on Wednesday. The third payment of around $372,000 represents 15 cents in the dollar towards what creditors were owed after the PDL collapse. Just over $2.5 million was owed to local creditors, so they are still owed around […]
Day off work to fight dengue
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Wednesday 8: Public servants called in to help with tutaka clean up campaign. Tomorrow has been declared a day off work for public servants – as a Dengue Tutaka Clean Up Day. It conveniently makes an extra long weekend out of the Easter break for hundreds of government employees. This is part of the campaign […]
Seabed review widens
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Friday 3: Seabed Bill meetings wanted for Cook Islanders in NZ and Aust The Seabed Minerals Bill select committee has extended its review of the proposed legislation from its initial two weeks to a three-month period ending June 30. The bill relates to the exploration and mining of the Cook Islands manganese nodule resources which […]
Man held for assault of toddler
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Tuesday 7: A 45-year-old man has been arrested for assaulting a three-year-old. Police arrested him on Sunday in Arorangi after a family member of the child reported the incident. It is believed the man was the brother of the victim. Inspector Arama Tera says he has been remanded in custody and will appear in court […]
ATM joke 'not funny'
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Thursday 2: It was a day for practical jokes yesterday, but Westpac Bank weren’t laughing. Victims of an April Fools prank, their ATM machines in Muri and Avarua were labelled with an ‘Out of order’ sign despite being fully operational. “Upon taking the note off the screen, someone had put an April Fools message underneath,” […]
They're ready for business!
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Tuesday 7: The three title holders from the Miss Cook Islands pageant went straight into business yesterday. Miss Cook Islands Engara Gosselin, Maine Tapairu Joyana Meyer and Maine Purotu Uirangi Bishop were at the Beachcomber to sign their legally binding contracts with the Miss Cook Islands Pageant Committee. The three girls pledged their availability to […]
Fake $50?
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Thursday 2: A $50 note that looks fake has been sent to New Zealand to see if it is counterfeit. A front teller staff member at Westpac bank noticed the “suspicious” note in their cash bundle and alerted the managers. General manager Rob Buick says they sent the $50 to New Zealand yesterday for testing […]
Dengue suspected
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Tuesday 7: 63 treated in three weeks, tutaka campaign activated Sixty-three probable dengue fever cases have been recorded by the Ministry of Health over the past three weeks. There are no confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne disease to date as tests done over the past few weeks will be sent to Australian labs this week […]
Man of 58 admits to sex crime
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Thursday 2: A 58-year-old man pleaded guilty to attempted rape in the Rarotonga High Court yesterday. Nooapii Williams Tauu was accused of attempting to rape a woman in Titikaveka on Saturday. Police arrested Tauu on Tuesday night and was held in custody until yesterday’s court appearance. Police prosecutor senior sergeant Teinaki Howard requested for the […]
Bank seeks local licence
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Monday 6: Capital Security Bank Limited (CSB) boss Brian Mason says the offshore bank intends to apply for a domestic license in order to survive the axing of this part of the offshore industry. CSB is one of five banks with offshore licences in the country that will soon have to cease operating now that […]
3 for 1 in April Fool's Day fun
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Thursday 2: German tourist Julian Kubens (below right) made sure he didn’t miss out on an April Fool’s Day bargain when he exchanged one dollar for a genuine Cook Islands three dollar note from funny man Jim Bruce (left) of Aro’a Beachside Inn. A few other lucky tourists found that getting a genuine Cook Islands […]
Sunday flight cases to be heard on Aitutaki
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Monday 6: Cases connected with Sunday flights to Aitutaki will be heard before the Chief Justice David Williams on the island later this month. In a minute issued by the chief justice, he directed that the cases against Charlie Okotai, Fernando Ngatipa, Henry Raea and Varema Ruahe be heard on April 14 and 15. “The […]
$4.9m added to Games budget
Wednesday 8 April 2009 | Published in Local
Thursday 2: Pacific Mini Games operating costs estimated to grow to about $9m Government tabled its third supplementary budget yesterday adding $4.9 million in expenditure to the 2008-09 year to cover the growing Pacific Mini Games costs. Finance minister Sir Terepai tabled the budget in parliament saying that a further $3 million has been added […]
Pukapuka tender process was 'transparent'
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in Local
27 March: EU screening done by the book says Mike Mitchell Foreign affairs secretary Mike Mitchell is sympathetic to Makirere Poila’s concerns that the design of the Pukapuka cyclone management centre is not going to be designed and supervised by a local company. In yesterday’s paper, Poila expressed his disappointment that an overseas company was […]