National
Policeman pastor reaches out in both roles
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in National
New Life Church pastor Ngatamariki Pouao wears two hats – he’s a minister, but he’s also part of the Criminal Investigation Branch of the Cook Islands Police. On the public holiday following Easter Sunday, Pouao wore both his hats. He organised a sports day for members of the Kavera church, focusing in particular on kids […]
Vaka heading for the Tuamotus
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in National
Alex Olah reports from Marumaru Atua as the ocean-going vaka sails toward French Polynesia. Kia orana kotou katoatoa on a wet and windy Easter Sunday morning here on Marumaru Atua. It has been a good week of sailing for us since our last correspondence with nice steady winds of approximately 15 knots. This has kept […]
Vaka fleet will sail into Aitutaki
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in National
Aitutaki is preparing for the ceremonial arrival of the seven voyaging canoes in mid-May. Currently six vaka – including Cook Islands vaka Marumaru Atua – are crossing the Pacific, en route from the Galapagos and headed for the Tuamotus. There they will meet up with Tahitian sister vaka Faafaite, somewhere around April 18. As of […]
Pukapuka project celebrated in style
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in National
The Pukapuka cyclone shelter project is a model example of how a developed and a developing nation can work together to the benefit of both parties, according to the European Union’s Pacific charge d’affaires Adam Janssen. Janssen visited Pukapuka this week alongside Prime Minister Henry Puna and five others in a whirlwind trip to officially […]
Fiji flood appeal today
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in National
Temo Sukanaivalu of the Cook Islands Fiji Community holds up an example of the t-shirts that will go on sale this weekend to raise funds for those affected by floods in Fiji. A radiothon will start at 12pm today and run till 5 o’clock where members of the community can pledge donations to the fundraiser […]
New 'mat' rolls out
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in National
The smooth, asphalt-sealed welcoming mat to the country is beginning to be rolled out at Nikao. Motorists passing by or accessing the Rarotonga International Airport will notice a change in the road surface leading west from the airport entrance. Already widened and covered with a new surface between Nikao and Panama, the main road at […]
Harbour dredging will feed reclamation
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in National
Dredging machinery is due to set sail for Rarotonga from New Zealand next week to jointly launch the Avatiu harbour redevelopment project into its final stage and provide material for the Punanga Nui land reclamation project. The dredge will leave for the Cook Islands on Thursday, April 19, and is expected to reach Rarotonga about […]
'No decisions'
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in National
Government late yesterday confirmed that it is proposing increases in airport charges and departure tax. A curt media statement by Prime Minister Henry Puna said that no decisions have been made with regard to the airport departure fees or airline industry aeronautical charges. Described as a comment on media speculation, the statement quoted Puna as […]
New charges 'not in interest of country'
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in National
Any increase to domestic airfares in the Cook Islands caused by an increase to airport charges at Rarotonga would be a major concern for the people of the pa enua, Aitutaki tourism operator Michael Henry says. Henry said the tourism industry of the outer islands was still struggling to pull people away from Rarotonga despite […]
Departure tax increase 'up for discussion'
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in National
Travellers leaving Rarotonga can expect to pay more in departure tax by year’s end as government considers introducing a tax increase. Cook Islands News understands the government is considering an increase of $15 to the departure tax, bringing it to $70 in total, but there is speculation that the tax could increase up to $80. […]
12 charges
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in Crime
Ngatupuna Rata appeared in the Cook Islands High Court yesterday on 12 charges. The defendant has admitted charges of theft and denied further charges of theft, being party to an offence and breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime. He has yet to enter pleas on charges of breaking and entering, aiding and […]
Second climate change report to be launched
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Environment minister Henry Puna and the National Environment Service (NES) will be launching the Cook Islands Second National Communication Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) today at USP from 12.30pm. This report outlines the Cook Islands’ progress in addressing the issue of climate change since the Initial National Communication report […]
TB patient in hospital
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in Local
A 33-year-old man is recovering in hospital after being admitted in a seriously ill condition three weeks ago and subsequently diagnosed with tuberculosis. The man went into hospital on March 18 and was placed in isolation after it was suspected he may have tuberculosis, a bacterial infection the patient said he once had when he […]
Tax increase 'insane'
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in Local
Business leaders yesterday used words like “insane” and “gotta be nuts” to describe proposed government increases to departure tax and airport charges. News of the controversial increases was leaked to Cook Islands News despite attempts by officials to play down their intentions as being “for discussion only”. Airlines operating international and domestic flights in the […]
New group will write code of practice
Friday 13 April 2012 | Published in National
Technicians from various businesses on Rarotonga met and formed the Cook Islands Refrigeration and Airconditioning Association on Wednesday. Forming the association can protect industry members from possible negative impacts such as legislative changes and foreign enterprise, strengthen capacity by developing a code of practice and generally create an alliance of individuals and businesses with the […]
Leaders still worried by mining impacts
Thursday 12 April 2012 | Published in Environment
Environmental concerns and the unknown impacts of deep sea mining are two major issues causing unease among the Cook Islands’ traditional leaders, who gathered in Avarua yesterday to join a Secretariat of the Pacific Community workshop discussing the undeveloped industry. The aptitude of Pacific nations and territories in regulating deep sea mining in their oceans […]
George scoffs at rival
Thursday 12 April 2012 | Published in Local
Teenui-Mapumai Member of Parliament Norman George says Taoro Brown should “focus on being a good mayor for Atiu” and abandon his political aspirations. Recently the Teenui-Mapumai camp of the Cook Islands Party (CIP) staged a run-off, during which it elected Brown the unofficial CIP candidate for the 2014 election. Brown told Cook Islands News his […]
Toa moves before EIA
Thursday 12 April 2012 | Published in Local
Toa Petroleum will not be constructing its new depot in Nikao until it is authorised to do so by the Rarotonga Environment Authority, promises director Brett Porter. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) report was published at the weekend for public viewing, and until May 7 the community has the opportunity to make written objections to […]
Honesty earns praise
Thursday 12 April 2012 | Published in Local
Nikao Primary School student Ngariki Katuke has given renowned cameraman Richard Wollocombe a reason to smile, and an appreciation for the honesty and goodness of the Cook Islands people. Wollocombe, who has worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation on such acclaimed television series as ‘Blue Planet’, was in Rarotonga last month with a Conservation International […]
Toa 'excited' about its move
Thursday 12 April 2012 | Published in National
As he talks about his vision for Toa Petroleum, company principal Brett Porter is visibly excited. “We’re really excited about the move,” he said yesterday, as the deep rumbling of T&M Heather trucks sounded outside his office window. “There are a couple of hurdles we have to get past – the main one is the […]
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