National

HMNZS Canterbury here to support maritime patrols

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

New Zealand naval vessel HMNZS Canterbury is in the Cooks until Saturday morning, when it will head to Tonga. Commander Sean Stewart says they are here supporting patrol efforts around the region. The Canterbury, at 131 metres long, is too big to fit into the Avarua Harbour. She has a crew of 130, of which […]

New x-ray unit for pets

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Diagnosing problems with local pets has become a whole lot easier at the island’s only animal clinic thanks to the generous donation of an x-ray machine. The Esther Honey Foundation animal clinic in Nikao received an x-ray machine last week sponsored by the Barton family and The Bond Store. And in its short time on […]

Work about to start on new jetty

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

The Cook Islands is set to become a more frequent stopover destination for visiting cruise ships, with funding confirmed for the construction of the alternative ocean access jetty at Arorangi. The $2 million project to build the new jetty will be funded by the New Zealand/Australia Harmonised Aid Programme. New Zealand High Commissioner John Carter […]

Pa enua funding 'a waste'

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Oneroa MP Winton Pickering commends the government for maintaining the appropriation levels for the pa enua, but says it was the ”wrong move“. ”I encourage government in terms of support for the outer islands (but) I can see from this Budget there is a substantial amount of money that this government is going to throw […]

Demo caucus budget boycott 'disappointing'

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Finance minister Mark Brown says it is ”disappointing“ that the Opposition chose to boycott a presentation his team hosted for members of Parliament last week to explain the nuts and bolts of the Budget. ”As I read in the newspaper the words of the leader of the Opposition that ‘we will deliberately boycott this presentation […]

Cooks on brink of harnessing

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in Local

Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters has praised his government for allocating funding in this Budget toward the Cook Islands’ deep sea mining programme. ”It is the first time we’ve had allocation in the Budget for this programme,“ he said. He thanked the former Democratic Party government, in particular Sir Terepai Maoate and his son Junior, […]

'Missing out' on fish

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters has indicated that he supports the Cook Islands’ association with ”those who have the capacity to harvest“ the country’s fishing resources. He addressed the issue of overfishing in Parliament yesterday. ”One (issue I’d like to discuss) is the question of overfishing or the fear of overfishing and also the possibility […]

Undersea cable on drawing board

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in Local

The possibility of installing an undersea fibre-optic cable to enhance telecommunications services is ”on government’s agenda“, says finance minister Mark Brown. He told a group of about 80 businesspeople at a ‘Budget breakfast’ last Friday that government was considering improving broadband speed by installing an undersea cable. A baseline survey to determine how improved broadband […]

'Deal with the best, forget the rest'

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Cabinet minister Teina Bishop said in Parliament that Budget 2012 is the ”best Budget“ he has ”ever seen“. ”I stand to support this Budget 1000 percent,“ he said. ”Madam Speaker, since my entry into this House in June 1999 this is the best Budget I’ve ever seen tabled into this House and presented to this […]

Teatuanui's first communion

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in Local

PM slams George for party-hopping

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Atiu MP Norman George asked Prime Minister Henry Puna in Parliament yesterday to confirm whether government was intending to bring a ”guillotine motion“ to cut the Budget debate in half this morning. If brought, the motion ”would mean again like today sacrificing standing order 307 which says that a total of 10 sitting days shall […]

Barrel riding

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Visiting Australian body boarders have been having a barrel of a time riding waves while avoiding the reef. Among the group of friends visiting the island is keen photographer Brodie Gillan. This week the young Aussie visited our newsroom and shared some of his magic images from fun filled days on the water around Rarotonga. […]

Sharing of fishery information extended

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Integrated Fisheries Information Management Systems (iFIMS) were the focus of discussions at this week’s second iFIMS symposium in Rarotonga. Participants from the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu met in Rarotonga from June 11 to 13 to discuss fisheries information management at their respective fisheries administrations. The […]

Blood donors thanked on world day

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

It was World Blood Donor Day yesterday, and Red Cross Cook Islands was busy recruiting and thanking donors. On June 14, countries worldwide celebrate World Blood Donor Day with events to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. […]

Imports warning

Friday 15 June 2012 | Published in National

Expected growth in tourism is likely to increase demand for fresh produce, thereby giving the agriculture industry a boost. The Budget warns that if the agriculture industry does not propel itself forward, produce imports will continue to grow. ”If concentrated efforts are not made to increase domestic supply, reliance on imported produce will continue to […]

Govt urged to licence PDL

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in National

Oneroa MP Winton Pickering has urged government to issue Pacific Direct Line a licence to operate a shipping service to and from the Cook Islands. In Parliament he raised the issue of the company’s request for a shipping licence, and asked government whether it was considering granting it. He said that while he does not […]

Call to cut taxes

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in National

Rakahanga MP Taunga Toka has urged government to reduce its tax rates. ”We are also increasing taxes right left and centre – we shouldn’t be trying to encourage our people (to leave) overseas,“ he said. ”Because in the past it was the monarch who imposed taxes in England, in Great Britain, in Russia and it […]

No tax windfall says Brown

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in National

Finance minister Mark Brown has denied rumours that the government has made a $2 million windfall from the withholding tax in the last several days. Atiu MP Norman George asked Brown yesterday to confirm whether he had been advised – formally or informally – of the windfall. Brown said he had ”yet to receive any […]

Fuel going by naval vessel

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in National

Cabinet minister Teariki Heather rose yesterday in Parliament to correct a statement he had made the day prior. ”I rise to correct some anomaly in my reply to the question raised by the leader of the Opposition yesterday,“ he said. ”This is in regards to the boat that is bringing diesel and landing it in […]

Barge back for Mauke, Mitiaro projects

Thursday 14 June 2012 | Published in National

Work on the development of the Mauke harbour is nearing completion with a handover of the project expected to be carried out in about three weeks. Yesterday, another barge load of material and equipment for the harbour development projects on Mauke and Mitiaro arrived at Avatiu harbour. The Mycon barge, towed by the Viking Spirit […]