National
PICI asks: Whose side is Ponia on?
Friday 22 June 2012 | Published in National
The Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative is concerned that Ministry of Marine Resources secretary Ben Ponia seems to support the interests of foreign fishing vessels over local ones. During last week’s consultation on the draft National Plan of Action (NPOA) for sharks, Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative (PICI) became concerned that Ponia was supporting the right of […]
Shark action plan criticised
Friday 22 June 2012 | Published in National
The Ministry of Marine Resources’ (MMR) proposed changes to the National Plan of Action for sharks, the key policy document for shark conservation and management in the Cooks, have been met with a skeptical response from conservationists. A two-day public consultation last week on revising the National Plan of Action (NPOA) for sharks was attended […]
'Reluctance' to progress marine park
Friday 22 June 2012 | Published in National
Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen said in Parliament this week he feels there has been ”reluctance“ on behalf of government to progress the marine park initiative. ”It appears to me there’s been some reluctance to progress with this idea. Maybe because it conflicts with two other things happening in our waters – one of them is […]
TIS calls for wire trace ban
Friday 22 June 2012 | Published in National
Te Ipukarea Society is disappointed the Ministry of Marine Resources ignored calls for a ban on wire trace fishing at a public consultation last week on the draft national plan of action for sharks. Members of Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) said there was ”very strong support“ at the consultation, held on Thursday and Friday last […]
Mauke turtle expedition successful
Friday 22 June 2012 | Published in Environment
Phil and Nerissa Bradshaw of the Cook Islands Turtle Project (CITP) have just returned from a successful research expedition to Mauke where they conducted the island’s first official assessment of sea turtle populations and nesting behaviours. They worked with Mauke’s environment officer Basilio Kaokao to identify beaches where turtles were known to have nested at […]
Opening up shop at Nikao
Friday 22 June 2012 | Published in Local
Business savvy Nikao Maori preschool students (from left) Tarani Omao, Georgia Marsters, Pati Estall, Paige Aunguna and Teokotai Tuaivi will be opening their own grocery shop today at the school in Nikao. The students learned all about making and spending money this week a before deciding to set up a shop of their own.
Departure tax built into ticket
Friday 22 June 2012 | Published in Local
Parliament has legislated to incorporate the cost of departure tax into the price of an airline ticket. The Departure Tax Act of 2005 did not require international airlines to collect departure tax at the point of the ticket sale, but as of yesterday all tickets for travel after December 1 will include the $55 departure […]
Bishop denies shark finning claims
Friday 22 June 2012 | Published in Local
Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen has refused to accept minister of marine resources Teina Bishop’s denial of allegations that three tonnes of shark fins were found aboard a Luen Thai vessel in Cook Islands waters. He called Bishop’s dismissal of shark finning claims a ”cover up“. Rasmussen asked Bishop in Parliament on Wednesday to comment on […]
Vessel caught with shark fins
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in Local
Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen has asked minister of marine resources Teina Bishop to comment on allegations that a Luen Thai vessel was this week caught finning sharks. He said in Parliament yesterday, during question-and-answer time, that the HMS Otago boarded a Luen Thai vessel in the north on Tuesday night and discovered a collection of […]
Students give back to elders
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in Local
Year nine students from Titakveka College presented gifts of food – boxes of chicken and kinaki – to the elderly at Are Pa Metua yesterday. The gifts were part of a community project that the students undertook, fundraising through a school mufti day and harvesting food from their homes, to share with the mamas. The […]
Queen honours two local men
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in National
Two additional Cook Islanders have been selected for the Queen’s birthday honours award, due to their outstanding services to the community. The Queen’s representative Sir Frederick Goodwin has announced that Daniel Apii will become a member of the civil division of the most excellent order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the public […]
Private schools funding increased
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in National
Budget 2012 makes provision for an increase in public funding to private schools. The increase is reflective of an increase in the number of students attending private schools this year. Last financial year, private schools received $1.6 million – $111,000 of which was taken from the Ministry of Education’s own budget to cover a funding […]
Kukupa out of service
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in National
Te Kukupa is in dry dock, but Prime Minister Henry Puna has said that his government is negotiating for the use of a substitute vessel in her absence. In Parliament on Tuesday Puna mentioned he has been discussing the issue of a replacement vessel with New Zealand foreign minister Murray McCully. He declined to discuss […]
HMNZS Otago in port after patrolling Cooks waters
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in National
The HMNZS Otago berthed at Avatiu Harbour yesterday afternoon and will stay in port until Saturday morning. The offshore patrol vessel, captained by Commander David McEwan, has spent the past week patrolling the Cooks’ exclusive economic zone as part of major maritime surveillance operation Tui Moana, run by the Forum Fisheries Agency. A Cook Islands […]
Water bottles sent north
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in National
Thanks to the Rotary Club of Rarotonga and Air Raro, new water bottles are on their way to Omoka School on Penrhyn. Tyronne Weerasinghe, principal of the Penrhyn school, approached Rotary to provide a water bottle for each classroom. Weerasinghe’s request was based on concerns about dehydration for students and the effect this may be […]
Students unveil products at Winter Fest
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in National
Tereora College students involved in a young entrepreneurs programme launched their products at the new Winter Fest night market at Punanga Nui marketplace last night. Year 10 students involved in the young entrepreneurs programme (YEP), run by the Business Trade and Investment Board (BTIB), worked for 18 weeks to develop a viable product to sell. […]
New life for CISPCA
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in National
The Cook Islands Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (CISPCA) is starting afresh this year with a new president and renovation of their property in Vaimaanga. A new committee was formed in January, with Kura Hoff-Tansley as president. Hoff-Tansley says her main concerns are for dogs and to ensure that dogs have rights. […]
House passes energy legislation
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in National
Parliament passed both the Te Aponga Uira O Tumutevarovaro Amendment Bill and its counterpart, the Energy Act Amendment Bill, yesterday. Both are legislative mechanisms by which the prime minister can legally appoint an energy commissioner, a person to coordinate all government’s renewable energy policies, whose salary is being funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme. […]
MMR logic 'not necessarily sound'
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in National
Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen is encouraging government to shift its focus from licencing foreign boats to fish in Cook Islands waters to supporting local fishermen. In speaking on a bill to amend the Territorial Seas and Exclusive Economic Zone Act 1977 during Parliament this week, Rasmussen took the opportunity to voice his views on government’s […]
Opposition warns govt to limit licences
Thursday 21 June 2012 | Published in National
Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen is warning the government to curb its issuing of fishing licences to foreign companies. Pressed to explain his actions during his tenure as minister of marine resources, Rasmussen said in Parliament this week that he regrets the ”terrible mistake“ of issuing 30 licences to foreign boats. ”If I have to say […]
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