National
Science, education and health working hand in hand
Wednesday 26 September 2012 | Published in National
Using science and education to prevent non communicable diseases (NCD), such as diabetes, is the all important message that a multi-disciplinary team of educators from New Zealand is hoping to share with the Pacific. Their visit to Rarotonga was part of a scoping exercise, to see if LENScience, a science education for schools programme that […]
Education secretary guest speaker in Australia
Wednesday 26 September 2012 | Published in National
The head of the education ministry recently addressed Australian teachers on the good teaching practices of the Cook Islands. Education secretary Sharyn Paio attended the annual general meeting of the Australasian Teacher Regulatory Authorities (ATRA) between August 20 and 28 in South Australia. The meeting was also attended by ATRA chief executives from every Australian […]
Local applicants slim pickings
Wednesday 26 September 2012 | Published in National
The application deadline has closed on the large amount of teacher vacancies for next year – but there are few local applicants, says the education secretary. Sixteen teaching vacancies, including four school principals, were advertised recently to be filled for January 2013. Applications closed last Tuesday and the Ministry of Education is currently processing the […]
Combating drug-resistant gonorrhoea in the Pacific
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in National
Sexually-transmitted disease gonorrhoea will soon be detected more easily in the Pacific region. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) will hold two workshops for laboratory technicians in the Pacific later this year to help them identify and report gonorrhoea strains and their susceptibility to anti-microbial agents. They come at a time when the World […]
Better communication a key during cyclones
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in National
More effective communication between the meteorological services and those who depend on their information was the key message behind the Severe Weather Forecasting and Disaster risk reduction Demonstration Project (SWFDDP) held last week. Hosted by the Rarotonga Met Service and funded by New Zealand’s environment and foreign affairs and trade ministries, New Zealand meteorological experts […]
Discover holiday home rental potential
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in National
Owners of the estimated 180 holiday homes on Rarotonga are invited to attend a market update tonight on the increasingly popular tourist accommodation option. The Tourism Corporation is coordinating the meeting, which will be held at the New Hope Church from 5.30pm to 7pm. Tourism’s director of destination development Metua Vaiimene says there is a […]
US congratulates Cooks on Forum
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in National
The prime minister has started his New York trip with a series of meetings to aid his participation throughout the rest of the annual United Nations General Assembly session. Shortly after arriving in New York at the weekend, Prime Minister Henry Puna met with the secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, […]
Plenty of local advisors know fisheries
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in National
Dear Editor, The TIS executive has followed with much interest the recent coverage of the foreign fishing licences, the recent trips by the Minister and Secretary of Marine Resources to China, and the worrisome fish processing factory planned for Avarua. We would like to thank you for keeping this very important topic on the minds […]
Disaster management gender checklists launched
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in Environment
A practical guide that prompts disaster risk managers to consider the different impacts of disasters on the lives of women and men living in small islands countries was launched last Wednesday. Integrating Gender in Disaster Risk Management in Small Island Developing States: A Guide is intended as a practical tool for disaster managers and their […]
Climate change affects men and women differently
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in Environment
A recent international publication on how people react to disasters differently based on gender shows similar thinking as displayed in a recent Cook Islands internal affairs ministry publication on gender. The Cook Islands National Policy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment and its subsequent plan of action note that women and men are affected differently […]
Tree smashes roof
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in Local
The stormy weather on Saturday night has left a visible impression on a Rarotonga preschool. Children at Blackrock preschool were treated with a shock when they arrived yesterday morning to see a large 20-year-old tree had been blown down by the strong winds over the weekend. The tree fell on to the recently-repaired sandpit roof […]
Internet product barriers explained
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in Local
Information technology devotee Ano Tisam has been asked by the Australian National University (ANU) to deliver a presentation via Skype this week on the legislative hurdles he faces in creating new internet products from the Cook Islands. Tisam previewed his presentation before about 20 people at the University of the South Pacific (USP) campus last […]
Unlicensed taxi taking tourists
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in Local
The owner of Cook Islands’ largest transport company is fed up with a member of parliament who he believes is poaching his customers. Cook’s Island Bus Passenger Transport Ltd owner Kevin Cook wrote a letter of complaint to Police Commissioner Maara Tetava on Saturday, saying that Member of Parliament for Pukapuka-Nassau Tekii Lazaro deliberately drives […]
Champ praises Rarotonga
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in National
Lesley Turner-Hall has confirmed she will be back to defend her 2012 Round Raro Road Race (RRRR) title next year after a strong performance saw her claim top honours in the women’s division. The Kiwi finished in fifth place overall and was the first woman home in a time of two hours, 15 minutes and […]
Youth 'sidelined'
Tuesday 25 September 2012 | Published in National
Young people aged between 15 and 29 years old make up 60 percent of the population in the Pacific but are sidelined in decision making, participants at the Commonwealth Pacific Youth Leadership and Integrity Conference agreed this week. As the Duke of Cambridge said in his speech to the conference organised by the Commonwealth Youth […]
Water upgrades to employ an 'awful lot' of locals
Monday 24 September 2012 | Published in Local
Rarotonga’s current water network loses about 70 percent of water through aging pipes before it even reaches people’s taps, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning. But the future water infrastructure upgrades, confirmed as part of a tri-lateral agreement signed by the Cooks, New Zealand and China recently, will bring potable water to all […]
'Rise above criticism'
Monday 24 September 2012 | Published in Local
Pride and passion was the key message at Friday’s police parade for the blessing of the department’s new fleet of vehicles. While the purpose of the early morning parade was to officially bless two new Mitsubishi double cab trucks and two motorbikes – the focus of the speeches was on motivating and encouraging local officers […]
Mother of 8 dies in crash
Monday 24 September 2012 | Published in Local
A 40-year-old single mother of eight died in a fatal head-on motorbike crash at the weekend – bringing Rarotonga’s road death to five so far this year. Maniu Jack of Pue died from serious injuries received in the accident which occured around 11.30 on Friday night in front of the Farm Direct Pearls store in […]
Long wet slog took 16hrs 21mins
Monday 24 September 2012 | Published in National
While most people were taking hot showers, putting their feet up and contemplating what was a soggy start to their weekend, there was one man who refused to give up. Martin Parnell, who a night earlier had run two laps of Rarotonga in the rain, was back at it again on Saturday to finish what […]
3rd RRRR to Warick Brenan
Monday 24 September 2012 | Published in National
Despite non-stop rain, Kiwi runner Warick Brenan set a blistering pace on Saturday clocking a time of 1.59.56 to win the Round Rarotonga Road Race for the third time. Brenan won in 2007 in 2.01.33 before chopping over six minutes off that time in 2008 when he took out the race in 1.55.21. The 44-year-old […]
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