National

Court concerned by domestic violence

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Local

Seven men appeared in the high court on Thursday to face charges of assaulting a female. Five defendants entered guilty pleas, and the other two cases were adjourned without plea. Justice of the peace Carmen Temata pointed to the prevalence of the issue in the Cook Islands. She was clear that an apology is not […]

Local

Streamlining, not downsizing

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in Local

The government is making a medium-term plan to implement some of the recommendations outlined in a public finance management and public sector performance review report compiled by Asian Development Bank (ADB) consultants and a local steering committee. The former Democratic Party government identified the need for a public finance management and public sector performance review, […]

Local

PR celebrations in Aitutaki

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in National

Eighteen people from Aitutaki and three from Rarotonga received their certificates of permanent residency at a special ceremony held in Aitutaki on Thursday. There were some tears and many more smiles shared between the people receiving the status and the people watching on, with about 80 onlookers crammed into the Aitutaki Game Fishing Club for […]

National

Empire market goes weekly

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in National

Riding on last week’s success, organisers of the Empire Theatre night market are planning to turn the event into a weekly affair. Originally they planned to run the market fortnightly, but the high turnout at the market’s initial Friday prompted them to reconsider. About 12 vendors showed up to the first market, their stalls decorated […]

National

Feeling the love at CITC

Saturday 11 February 2012 | Published in National

CITC is getting into the Valentine’s Day spirit. For the first time, it has recruited judges from outside the company to visit all CITC outlets and decide where the love in the air is most palpable. Divisions will be competing in three categories – flower arrangement, costume and love song performance. Each division will put […]

National

Third time lucky

Friday 10 February 2012 | Published in National

Third time’s a charm and Morris ‘Steve’ Moyle knows it. After two failed attempts of receiving his permanent residency status – a fact that comes down to clerical issues and problems with paperwork – bad luck almost struck again. Moyle was able to get his name on the permanent residency list in Aitutaki this time […]

National

PR means more on their 'home island'

Friday 10 February 2012 | Published in National

Surrounded by their families, friends and the island they now call home, Aitutaki’s newest permanent residents said there was nowhere else they’d rather be to officially receive the status. Speaking on behalf of the 18 Aitutakians that received their permanent residency certificates on the island yesterday, Bernadette Doherty said the day meant even more to […]

National

'Rebuild' website builders rewarded

Friday 10 February 2012 | Published in National

Days after the September earthquakes shook Christchurch in 2010 – Deon Swiggs started up the rebuildchristchurch.co.nz website which quickly became the ‘eyes and ears’ of Christchurch. The site became a more valuable source of vital information when severe quakes caused massive destruction in the South Island city in February 2011. Swiggs, a student and former […]

National

18 new Aitutakians honoured

Friday 10 February 2012 | Published in Local

Yesterday was a special day, not just for 18 people at Aitutaki but for the island as a whole, according to mayor John Baxter. Aitutaki officially took in 18 new permanent residents at a special ceremony held on the island yesterday, all spouses of Cook Islanders or permanent residents of the Cook Islands. Some of […]

Local

Ballet babes

Friday 10 February 2012 | Published in Local

Pirouettes, pointed toes, tutus and big cheesy grins were all the rage at the Celebration on the Rock church where a group of youngsters gathered for the Xpression Dance Studio ballet class this week. Even the boys were having a ball at the class tutored by Georgia Miles – a Royal Academy of Dance ballet […]

Local

'We are not in a crisis'

Friday 10 February 2012 | Published in Local

Public Service Commissioner Navy Epati yesterday officially released a copy of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Functional Review Report on the Public Sector. “The exercise to re-examine how we do business in the public sector should never come as a surprise to anyone, including the public service itself. This has to be the norm if […]

Local

Celebrating Valentine's

Friday 10 February 2012 | Published in National

Chances are you either love Valentine’s Day or you hate it, but face it – you can’t ignore the hype. No matter how cheesy the holiday has become, it’s at the very least cause for celebration – whether that means dinner and fine wine at The Little Polynesian or drinks with the girls depends on […]

National

'Now I really do feel like I belong'

Friday 10 February 2012 | Published in National

It was an emotional day for Jillian Hewett in Aitutaki yesterday. After living through a cancer scare last year and approaching her 50th anniversary of her marriage to husband Reiatua, Hewett was understandably overwhelmed when she received her certificate of permanent residency. Together the couple has four children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. They have […]

National

Ambitious $15.5m plan for Aitutaki

Thursday 9 February 2012 | Published in Local

Aitutaki Island Council is confident it will be able to find funding for an ambitious redevelopment project that is expected to cost about $15.5 million. The project is being planned to help beautify the main town area surrounding the wharf while also improving facilities in the area. The wharf, too, will benefit under the plan […]

Local