National
Man imprisoned for 'unsound mind'
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in National
A young man has been ”languishing“ in prison for nearly five weeks after being accused of having an unsound mind, prompting court to order urgent action before his human rights are breached. Felix Willie Tua was arrested almost five weeks ago by police, who found him wandering in front of cars near the back-road shack […]
Family 'ski' trip to Rarotonga!
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in Local
Seventy-eight-year-old Audrey Shirtliff with her eldest grandson Kurt (left), eldest son Keven and great-grandson Blake on their ‘ski trip’ to Rarotonga. 12071206
DPM rejects independent shippers' plea
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in National
Transport Minister Tom Marsters has rejected a letter from independent shippers concerned about a monopoly caused by the second government shipping licence going to newly-formed company Tai Moana Ltd. The protestors, which include Cook Islands Shipping and Manea Foods, were told to collect the letter from the front desk of the minister’s office and resubmit […]
Lagoon Day postponed
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in Local
Highlighting the health of the lagoon is still a priority for Lagoon Day organisers who have had to postpone the two-day event until Monday and Tuesday. Consistent heavy rains left organisers with no options but to move the event. Even coordinator June Hosking told Cook Islands News that it wasn’t great weather to have children […]
Punanga Nui management not clear
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in Local
Punanga Nui manager Elma McBirney hopes the changeover to the Ministry of Agriculture will focus on the vendors and the people. Her statement comes after founding manager and current general secretary for Cook Islands National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) Rosie Blake was reappointed to the role she held between 1996 and 2006. The Punanga Nui market […]
Shipping licence protested
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in Local
Independent shippers from island businesses are protesting over the second shipping licence being granted to newly-formed company Tai Moana Ltd, and have asked the transport minister to immediately issue a third shipping licence. A letter was sent to Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters, whose portfolio includes transport, signed by 20 independent shippers. This is apparently […]
Franky shares and shows her dream
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in National
Franky got the annual national health conference moving yesterday. Francis ‘Franky’ Browne, certified group fitness and Zumba instructor, spoke about the benefits of physical activity at the health conference, and at the end of her presentation had everyone – doctors, professors, researchers – out of their seats and doing Zumba. She explained her fight to […]
Collaboration vital between NZ and CI
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in National
To improve the level of healthcare service to Cook Islanders both here and in New Zealand, both governments should focus on working together, on jointly establishing training programmes and sharing information. This was the crux of three presentations delivered at this week’s health conference. Counties Manukau District Health Board chief executive Geraint Martin talked about […]
Fizzies decried
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in National
Fizzy drinks contribute 20 percent to gains in unhealthy weight, says Dr Gerhard Sundborn. At the risk of offending the industry, he opted not to call fizzy drinks ‘poison’, but was firm in his declaration that governments need to consider reducing fizzy drink consumption an ‘endgame’. He shared programmes being undertaken in the Untied States, […]
How much salt is too much?
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in National
Most people in the Cook Islands have no grasp of how much salt is too much. There is strong evidence that consuming too much salt can increase blood pressure and put a person at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and renal disease. As cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the Cook […]
Gout warning
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in National
Pacific Islands men have been found to be more susceptible to gout than other ethnic groups. In South Auckland, gout affects 15 percent of Pacific men, nine percent of Maori men and four percent of European men. Dr Robert Eason, who presented the above findings at yesterday’s health conference, suggested Pacific men inherit a defect […]
NCDs chew up 43% of drug budget
Friday 13 July 2012 | Published in National
Non-communicable disease medications comprise 43 percent of the country’s overall drug budget. Biribo Tekanene gave an informative presentation at the health conference on the burden of non-communicable diseases – which cause 74 percent of deaths in the Cook Islands – on the Ministry of Health budget. The national budget is $179m and the Ministry of […]
Wear sunnies
Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National
Dr Mike Webber urges Cook Islanders to wear sunglasses, particularly on the lagoon or the open sea. Dr Webber, who was this week granted honorary permanent residency for his long service to the Cook Islands’ health sector, spoke about pterygium at yesterday’s annual conference. Pterygium refers to a benign growth of the conjunctiva, which is […]
The airway crisis from obesity
Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National
For Dr Mary Tuke, the resident anaesthetist at Rarotonga Hospital, obesity is a serious problem. It is remarkably difficult to insert a tube into the airway of an overweight or obese person, and exacerbating Dr Tuke’s problems is the reality that she works in a hospital with limited resources, no intensive care unit and no […]
'Don't be afraid to ask hard questions'
Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National
The Cook Islands’ own Alfred Ngaro, National List Member of Parliament in New Zealand, opened this year’s health conference with a rousing call to participants to ask questions and get involved. He started out discussing the identity crisis he experienced growing up, engendered by his New Zealand birth to Cook Islands parents. ”For those of […]
Keep politics out of our market
Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National
”Why on earth would government want to give the management of the Punanga Nui Cultural Market to the former manager who left a bad mark and poor management?“ a smoke signaller asks. ”Only political favouritism will steer its ugly head into something that was working well under the Business Trade Investment Board. This market is […]
Perks in ports completion
Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National
People can expect price reductions when the Avatiu port development is completed. The dredging operation is nearing completion, and will increase the depth of the harbour to allow larger container ships to enter the port. Ports authority chief executive Bim Tou said there will be a ”flow-on effect“ to the consumers. ”There will be larger […]
Reclamation rolls on
Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in National
The land reclamation project at Punanga Nui is continuing to take shape. Areas outside of the market are continuing to surface thanks to the continued supply of dredged material from the Avatiu port development. Ports authority Bim Tou said the land reclamation was ”coming along nicely“. ”The contractors are making space past the eastern side […]
Lagoon Day looks at issues for 2 days
Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Environment
Highlighting the health of the Rarotonga lagoon and solutions to lagoon issues is the main focus of Lagoon Day which opens today and continues tomorrow. The annual Lagoon Day programme this year will be held in Arorangi with the headquarters of the two-day event to be set up in front of the Ministry of Planning […]
Blake back
Thursday 12 July 2012 | Published in Local
CISNOC secretary-general Rosie Blake has been appointed to chair the committee overseeing the Punanga Nui Market. Minister of Agriculture Nandie Glassie was reluctant to comment about the appointment yesterday but gave a brief statement when confronted about the issue by Cook Islands News. ”All I can say is the committee has been set up and […]
« Previous 1 … 1,427 1,428 1,429 1,430 1,431 1,432 1,433 1,434 1,435 … 1,901 Next »