National
Forum flags flying
Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in Local
The Forum flags have arrived. Cook Islands images – of marine life, a breaching whale, costumed dancers Matthew Pierre and Silas Tuaputa, and the view from a vaka – have been printed on larger-than-life-sized banners and flags, which will be positioned around Rarotonga and strung on 100 flagpoles. Banners will be stationed around the airport, […]
Quick visit by McCully
Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in Local
New Zealand foreign minister Murray McCully made a quick visit to Rarotonga yesterday to meet with Prime Minister Henry Puna ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum. McCully entered the country without much fanfare, aboard a commercial Air New Zealand flight. (He has arrived via chartered jet or Air Force Orion in the past.) McCully leaves […]
500 pearls go missing
Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in Local
It’s safe to say pearl farmer Temu Okotai’s faith in the police couldn’t dwindle any further. Questions surrounding the police force have arisen this week after two instances of police thievery were revealed in Cook Islands News. The first was the theft of around $9000 from the Bonny crime scene by then-24-year-old constable Davinia Webb. […]
UNESCO approves 2 proposals
Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in National
The UNESCO National Commission of the Cook Islands has received notification from the UNESCO head office that two of its proposals, submitted under the participation programme for the 2012-2013 biennium, have been approved. The sum of US$25,000 has been approved for the digitisation of the audio-visual collections of the national archives, and this project will […]
Cooks making international headlines
Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in National
Hillary Clinton’s ”rumoured“ visit to the Cook Islands has flung the country into the international spotlight. The Cook Islands made headlines this week for being what an Associated Press writer called ”almost too small for Hillary Clinton“. At this point Clinton’s office has not confirmed that the secretary of state will be flying to Rarotonga, […]
Reclamation project awaits final material
Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in National
Avatiu port land reclamation project designer George Cowan is still aiming for completion of reclamation by October, as the cyclone season looms. The designer, who works independently from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP), said they were hoping to finish the entire project by November as the reclamation plan was waiting on the final […]
Harbour dredging all done
Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in National
Dredging of the Avatiu port has been completed, meaning the hardest worker of the bunch is about to head home to New Zealand. Around 73,000 cubic metres of underwater materials have been dredged at the site and have since been shipped to either the Punanga Nui markplace as a part of the land reclamation project […]
PM explains shipping 'complication'
Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in National
Prime Minister Henry Puna has emphasised he has no personal or business-related cargo in a one-page statement. A fact sheet was released by Prime Minister Henry Puna and gave a breakdown of ”salient facts“ as confirmed by culture secretary Sonny Williams, who was in charge of the departure of the Lady Naomi on Saturday. Thirteen […]
Police minister checks out with police chief
Saturday 18 August 2012 | Published in National
Minister of Police Teariki Heather left the country yesterday morning to attend the Pacific Chiefs of Police conference in the Solomon Islands. Police commissioner Maara Tetava accompanied him. The two may be glad to escape the heat from yesterday’s news of money and property being stolen from the police safe by sworn officers. Cash to […]
Biggest ever cargo ship in port
Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in National
The Southern Reef’s brief visit at the weekend marked a turning point in the history of Cook Islands shipping. Prior to this year’s $27 million harbour redevelopment project, the 116-metre ship would not have been able to berth at Avatiu. Ports Authority general manager Nooroa ‘Bim’ Tou says that while Avatiu has accommodated a 135-metre […]
Items on-board may hold clues
Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in National
The police officer in charge of the Bonny crime scene investigation says he has ”no idea“ what really happened to suspected paedophile David Peppiatt. Bonny was found by adrift 20 nautical miles from Rarotonga, after police were alerted by an emergency call. The was no sign of the sailor, David Peppiatt, who fled New Zealand […]
Penrhyn residents head home
Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in National
Penrhyn residents will finally see their loved ones and homes after the first charter flight left for the northern island this morning. The first group of around 10 people left at 6am aboard an Air Rarotonga Bandeirante charter plane. The flight was confirmed by Air Rarotonga managing director Ewan Smith yesterday. ”We are still working […]
Tepuka sewerage problem solved
Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in Environment
No longer do Tereora College students have to endure the stench of untreated sewage wafting from tanks positioned at their school’s entrance. For over a decade the Tepuka wastewater plant has been under-performing, to put it politely, but this week the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP) introduces an updated secondary treatment system, installed by […]
PM's office goes solar
Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in Environment
The prime minister’s office has now been converted to solar power. Eighty solar panels were installed on Prime Minister Henry Puna’s office roof by local company Andersons Ltd. The official handover ceremony was on Monday morning. The initial work started in June, when the workers began to put down the cabling and rails in preparation […]
Judge Judy appointed
Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in Local
The High Court of the Cook Islands has a new judge. Justice Judith Potter has been appointed as a judge of the High Court, with her warrant starting on September 1, which post-dates her retirement as a judge of the New Zealand High Court. She will be the second woman appointed to the role, Justice […]
New police scandal:
Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in Local
Cook Islands Police are embroiled in yet another scandal involving officers stealing money. Commissioner Maara Tetava has confirmed that cash to a value of between $10,000 and $20,000 – along with other property – has gone missing from the national police headquarters. Tetava will not reveal how many are suspected of being involved as the […]
Hydroponic first in Atiu
Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in National
Atiu is reaping the benefits of the island’s first hydroponics scheme. With help from the Business Trade and Investment Board (BTIB) board director Ngaakitai Taria, Timau and Ngametua Mokoroa are the owners of the facility that aims to reduce imports to the island and boost the local economy. The impressive structure houses hydroponic lettuces, with […]
Aid for trade on agenda
Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in National
Minister of marine resources Teina Bishop joins trade ministers from around the region in Tonga this week to discuss a range of regional trade related issues. Their deliberations will form the basis for onward advice to Pacific ACP Leaders at their annual meeting in the Cook Islands later this month. ”Let us not forget the […]
New dilemmas for Cook Islands
Friday 17 August 2012 | Published in National
Prime Minister Henry Puna’s mugshot features this month on the cover of Islands Business, a regional publication that highlights current affairs and is distributed throughout 22 island countries. Inside, a story written by Cook Islander Lisa Williams-Lahari explores the ”cultural crisis for the Kia Orana people“. It’s all happening in Rarotonga this month. When Pacific […]
Setting a course for 2014 and beyond
Thursday 16 August 2012 | Published in National
Dr Michael O’Keefe, a senior lecturer at La Trobe University in Victoria, Australia, wrote the following piece for online journal Islands Business. In it he explores the issues that will loom large at this month’s Pacific Islands Forum, which is being held on Rarotonga and Aitutaki. leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) will arrive […]
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