National
'Star Wars moment' in health
Thursday 19 April 2012 | Published in National
Health services in the Cook Islands have had a ‘Star Wars moment’ with the addition of online, telecommunication equipment to its arsenal, according to secretary of health Tupou Faireka. The Rarotonga Hospital officially launched the new system at a special meeting on Wednesday, linking officials in Rarotonga with hospital trainers and medical professionals 3000 kilometres […]
Red flags raised
Thursday 19 April 2012 | Published in Environment
A 2010 audit raises some major red flags in relation to the state of dangerous goods facilities on Rarotonga and Aitutaki. Released on Tuesday, the audit report is revealing in its assessment of fuel and power suppliers and retailers in the Cook Islands. It addresses issues around the proximity of fuel storage facilities to the […]
Service stations mostly improper
Thursday 19 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Most service stations that the New Zealand Department of Labour’s Kim Comben inspected in 2010 were being improperly maintained and operated. The most shocking issue was environmental contamination, which seemed to be prevalent at filling points. “It appears that the suppliers are nozzle filling the underground tanks and not using liquid tight and vapour tight […]
Aitutaki power station a 'model' installation
Thursday 19 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Dangerous goods inspector Kim Comben also did site inspections in Aitutaki, where he found some of the same problems plaguing Rarotonga facilities – among them, lack of emergency preparedness and inappropriate site positioning. At the time of Comben’s inspection, Aquila Storage Tanks’ facility had no security and its tanks had no bunding. The audit concluded […]
TAU compliance 'a work in progress'
Thursday 19 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Te Aponga Uira (TAU) has acted “constructively and responsibly” to safety upgrades recommended to its Avatiu valley power station, but the complexity of some problems remain as a major hurdle to upgrades, according to chief executive officer Apii Timoti. Timoti said that TAU had taken steps to address the specific problems highlighted by New Zealand […]
Takitimu land case heard in London
Thursday 19 April 2012 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands made its first appearance at the Privy Council, thousands of kilometres away in London, this week. A dispute over 53 acres of Takitumu land came before the Supreme Court judges of the United Kingdom – the highest judicial authority throughout the Commonwealth. Popular UK newspaper The Independent published the story about the […]
Local arguments taken to London
Wednesday 18 April 2012 | Published in Crime
This morning the London Privy Council will hear its first-ever Cook Islands land case. Two Cook Islands land disputes come before the council this week, each having been allocated a one-day hearing. The first case involves 58 acres of Takitumu land – Tuarea Nui section 40. June Baudinet for Ngati Raina is contesting a decision […]
New police minister 'impressed'
Wednesday 18 April 2012 | Published in Local
Minister of Police Teariki Heather says community involvement is key to police work and he will use his new role to encourage Cook Islands Police to meet as often and as regularly as they can with the people of each vaka. Heather officially took over the police portfolio from Prime Minister Henry Puna at a […]
Fuel farms on 'provisional' licences
Wednesday 18 April 2012 | Published in Local
Both Toa Petroleum and Triad Pacific Petroleum are operating under provisional dangerous goods licences. The Ministry of Internal Affairs became aware of issues of non-compliance at both facilities following the release of a damning independent report in late 2010. Both were subsequently denied full dangerous goods licences. Since then, Toa and Triad have taken steps […]
Dalai Lama in our ei!
Wednesday 18 April 2012 | Published in National
The Dalai Lama arrived in Honolulu a short while ago, and was greeted by high school seniors from Kamehameha Schools. They chanted, sang and danced. The Dalai Lama cracked some jokes. He shook hands. Before anyone could give him ei, he grabbed an orchid and a maire ei and threw them over his own head […]
Sports minister reports from Russia
Wednesday 18 April 2012 | Published in National
Members of the Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) have met with Minister of Sport Mark Brown to discuss the current standing and future plans of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC). Brown is currently in Russia, attending the Second World Olympics Sports Convention alongside 171 sports ministers and 204 national Olympic committees […]
Australian police donate to Cooks police
Wednesday 18 April 2012 | Published in National
The Cook Islands’transnational policing capabilities have been bolstered by a donation from the Australian Federal Police, who handed over the keys to a car and a store of surveillance equipment at a special ceremony yesterday. Superintendent Murray Taylor and Federal Agent Anthony Hall travelled from AFP’s Fiji hub to officially hand over the donations to […]
Cultural re-awakening for Atiuans
Wednesday 18 April 2012 | Published in National
Their people have spread far and wide across the world but for the first time they will be celebrating their culture and history in their adopted home of Rotorua. More than 160 descendants, relatives and family members from the small island of Atiu in the Cook Islands will converge on Apumoana Marae in Rotorua from […]
Ministry releases dangerous goods report
Wednesday 18 April 2012 | Published in National
The Ministry of Internal Affairs yesterday released the 2010 Audit of Dangerous Goods Installation report that was prepared and finalised in November 2010 with the assistance of the New Zealand Department of Labour’s technical leader of hazardous substances Kim Comben. Internal Affairs secretary Bredina Drollet noted that the report represents a snapshot of compliance to […]
Majority in breach of the law
Wednesday 18 April 2012 | Published in National
A contentious report drafted by New Zealand dangerous goods inspector Kim Comben in 2010 has been made available for public viewing. Responding to advice from Chief Justice Tom Weston and a subsequent Cook Islands News request for information under the Official Information Act, the Ministry of Internal Affairs yesterday released the document. The report represents […]
Report damns Te Aponga Uira
Wednesday 18 April 2012 | Published in National
An independent report reviewing the dangerous goods handling procedures of Cook Islands facilities calls state-owned enterprise Te Aponga Uira a “disappointment”. As a state-owned entity, Te Aponga Uira (TAU) is not subject to the same standards under the Dangerous Goods Act as independent operators. It has no dangerous goods licence, though it does not need […]
Visiting eye doctors in big demand
Tuesday 17 April 2012 | Published in National
People waiting to see a team of eye doctors from New Zealand packed out the outpatient area at Rarotonga Hospital last week. The coordinator for the team’s visit, Pa Taukume, said the hospital had a priority list of 400 patients with eye problems. In past weeks staff have been contacting people on that list, encouraging […]
Tutaka underway
Tuesday 17 April 2012 | Published in Local
Public health inspectors began a new round of tutaka health checks yesterday. The inspections will be conducted randomly with health officials fanning out across the island checking properties. Senior health inspector Charlie Ave says the main purpose of the week-long tutaka will be to check for mosquito breeding and resting place. “We want to make […]
Airport charging plan shelved
Tuesday 17 April 2012 | Published in Local
Proposed changes to aeronautical charges at Rarotonga Airport have been sidelined following the public bashing they received last week. The government will instead consider wider changes to what costs and charges are being asked of airlines in taxes and fees. Airport Authority chief executive officer Joe Ngamata yesterday said government had decided to shelve the […]
Details cloud vessel's journey
Tuesday 17 April 2012 | Published in National
The MV Samoa Express has begun its long-pending voyage to the Cook Islands’ northern group, albeit under an unclear schedule for the five islands awaiting its arrival. The vessel made contact with Pukapuka yesterday, the first of its destinations in the northern group. But the remaining journey remains unclear, with Cook Islands News yesterday receiving […]
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