National
Emotional homecoming for Nick
Friday 18 May 2012 | Published in National
Cook Islander Nick Henry decided to learn traditional navigation to gain a deeper understanding of his culture. But on this current Pacific Voyagers mission, Henry has become more aware of the state of the environment and the need to protect the great Moana Nui o Kiva. Henry has risen through the ranks to become vaka […]
Workshop for couples on happy marriage
Friday 18 May 2012 | Published in National
A three-day workshop to be held next week is aiming to shed some light on the secrets and strategies to a happy marriage. The Rotaianga Men’s Support Group is hosting the workshop, which is calling on two couples from long-lasting marriages to share their experiences and advice on how to build a strong family. The […]
PM to co-chair PALM6 in Japan
Friday 18 May 2012 | Published in National
Prime Minister Henry Puna will open and make closing remarks at key events to occur as part of the 6th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM6) to be held in Nago, Okinawa, Japan on May 24-26. Co-chaired by Japan and the Cook Islands, the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting is a summit-level meeting held every three years […]
Queen's Jubilee expense criticised
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in Local
Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen believes the $130,000 government spent to send a team to represent the Cook Islands at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee could have been put to ”better use“. ”That’s a huge amount of money for probably a five-minute appearance,“ Rasmussen said. ”I would rather that money had been spent on remedying the problems […]
7 vaka arriving
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in Local
Avatiu harbour will be abuzz today for the welcoming of the seven voyaging canoes that departed Aitutaki early yesterday afternoon. The fleet is expected to arrive at Avatiu harbour at around 2pm where Ngati Uritaua will conduct the traditional welcome for the 120 voyagers including Prime Minister Henry Puna. Pacific islands communities on Rarotonga along […]
Departure tax going up to $65
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands government will increase the pension for pensioners aged over 70, increase the departure tax paid upon leaving the country in 2013 and have it embedded in airline tickets in the next financial year, Minister of Finance and Economic Management Mark Brown said. In a pre-budget press conference held yesterday, Brown announced some […]
Test time
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in National
Saunders and Haible are on a mission to raise awareness of the biggest killer of Pacific people – diabetes. Every Wednesday the pair is stationed outside the pharmacy in the heart of Avarua where they do a free glucose test for sugar levels in blood and can also do weight and height checks too. The […]
Suicide survey goes to town
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in National
Members of the Youth Suicide Prevention Steering Committee will be out in town again today and tomorrow with surveys for parents and caregivers to help collect data on the attitudes to and impacts of suicide in the Cook Islands. Committee members were yesterday stationed at the Bank of the Cook Islands Avarua branch with the […]
Advisors finish job
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in National
The budget support group has submitted its final report to cabinet, which this week is going through the numbers. Chaired by John Kenning, the budget committee this year comprised Teresa Manarangi-Trott, Christina Newport and Sharyn Paio, in addition to finance minister Mark Brown and finance secretary Richard Neves. Neves handpicked each member based on his […]
Pension to double
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in National
Pensioners will receive an increase in their government payments under the next financial year’s budget in a three-year plan that will see the pension double by 2015. Minister of Finance and Economic Management Mark Brown yesterday said the Cook Islands government would make good on its promise announced in December last year to double the […]
Departure tax to be included in airfare
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in National
The Cook Islands government will introduce new laws that will force airlines to include the departure tax within ticket prices from December this year. The laws will be put to parliament when it next sits, which is expected to occur in June, and will bring an end to the days where travellers leaving Rarotonga International […]
Social impact fund meeting
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in National
Community groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are being encouraged to join a meeting today to discuss the limitations and difficulties of applying for grants under the Social Impact Fund. The Ministry of Internal Affairs, which administers the fund, will hold the meeting today between midday and 2pm at the Sinai Hall in Maraerenga to help […]
New community group to advise on health
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in National
Community members and the Ministry of Health now have a new route for dialogue thanks to the formation of a community health advisory committee. The committee, which met for the first time this week, includes volunteer representatives from Rarotonga’s three vaka, two non-government organisations, the national youth council and a religious representative. The committee will […]
Budget warning: beware of razzmatazz
Thursday 17 May 2012 | Published in National
Ahead of the presentation of this year’s Budget, opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen encourages the public to scrutinise the government’s financial decisions carefully. ”I just want to warn the public to be careful of the razzmatazz associated with the incoming annual budget by the government,“ Rasmussen said yesterday. ”The government seems to be covering the real […]
PSC's role stipulated
Wednesday 16 May 2012 | Published in National
The Public Service Act 2009 stipulates that the public service commissioner acts as chairperson of the committee which appoints heads of ministries. Schedule two of the act provides that the commissioner should chair the committee, which also comprises three members recommended by Cabinet and one member representing the ‘Public Service Association’ (in this case the […]
Dredge Kimahia due in port todayay
Wednesday 16 May 2012 | Published in National
The dredge Kimahia (pictured at work in New Zealand) is expected to arrive in Avatiu this afternoon. It will take several days to get the equipment operational following the tow from New Zealand. The two hopper barges which will be used to transport the material from the dredge to the offloading point on the wharf […]
Health specialists coming
Wednesday 16 May 2012 | Published in National
It has been some time since a full team of ear, nose and throat (ENT) health specialists have visited the Cook Islands. Over the next month a group of New Zealand medical specialists in the ENT area, and also audiology (hearing) and orthopaedics (bones) will be visiting both Rarotonga and Aitutaki. One of the first […]
More detail promised in this year's Budget
Wednesday 16 May 2012 | Published in National
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management is promising that this year’s budget documents will be ”far more detailed“ than in past years. Financial secretary Richard Neves says the budget will be presented in the form of three booklets – the general overview, a breakdown of ministry-related expenses and a book detailing capital. The first […]
Suicide survey aimed at parents, caregivers
Wednesday 16 May 2012 | Published in National
Parents and guardians are being asked to share their experiences and thoughts on suicide and how it is affecting the Cook Islands as part of the national response to the issue. A survey is currently being distributed to parents and caregivers through Rarotonga’s schools as the second part of a national committee formed by the […]
Tax take down in Budget
Wednesday 16 May 2012 | Published in Local
The 2012-13 Budget is likely to be tabled in parliament on June 7. While the date is not set in stone, government is treating it as a benchmark. Financial secretary Richard Neves is tight-lipped about budget figures but indicates previous estimates might have been ”a little bit optimistic“, noting that tax revenues for the 2012-13 […]
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