National

Audiball and Aquanaughties hit their straps

Tuesday 4 October 2011 | Published in Crime

Last Tuesday saw week 2 of the Turtles Mixed Business House Basketball Competition. At 6pm Audiball and cookislandstravel.com were on the court ready to go. Both teams struggled to find their rhythms at the start, but after a while they were basket for basket. At the 10 minute mark Audiball started stretching its lead with […]

Leading weathermen compare notes

Tuesday 4 October 2011 | Published in Environment

The whos who of meteorology are on Rarotonga this week for the International Workshop on Climate and Oceanic Fisheries an attempt to address the dramatic and sometimes devastating impact of weather and climate change on Pacific fisheries. Among the attendees is a familiar Kiwi face, former NIWA spokesperson Jim Salinger, who now leads a task […]

PM pays first official visit to Mangaia

Tuesday 4 October 2011 | Published in Local

Prime Minister Henry Puna was given a royal welcome to Mangaia on Monday morning on what was his first official visit to the outer island. Puna and his wife Akaiti were carried on a traditional paata from their Air Rarotonga plane to the Mangaia airport terminal where they and their group were warmly welcomed to […]

World weather experts gather

Monday 3 October 2011 | Published in Environment

The Cook Islands Meteorological Service is hosting weather experts and climate scientists from all over the world this week. The impetus for the gathering is the International Workshop on Climate and Oceanic Fisheries, which starts today and lasts into Wednesday afternoon.The focus of the workshop is the effect of climate change on oceanic fisheries a […]

18 seek NGO funding grants

Monday 3 October 2011 | Published in National

A Ministry of Internal Affairs panel will meet today to consider 18 applications received by non-government organisations (NGOs) for crown funding. Most applications are from Rarotonga-based NGOs but a few have come in from the outer islands. Each financial year monetary assistance is provided on a competitive basis to NGOs which provide services to vulnerable […]

Tanks and gear go north for works

Monday 3 October 2011 | Published in National

Equipment and materials for infrastructure projects in the northern group are at present being transported from Rarotonga on a Fijian barge. The barge left Avatiu harbour on Friday bound for Pukapuka, Palmerston and Nassau. It is carrying gear for the Pukapuka cyclone shelter as well as for the beginning of a $2.2 million water improvement […]

Judge orders board to reconsider application

Monday 3 October 2011 | Published in National

An appeal against a decision by the Land Agents Registration Board has been upheld by Chief Justice Tom Weston, but only to a very limited extent. Nooroa Tuoro brought a case against the board, which declined her application to become a registered land agent earlier this year. CJ Weston has found that Tuoros application lacked […]

New physiotherapy clinic opens

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in National

The opening of a top-quality physiotherapy clinic will be good for the economy, say a New Zealand couple who are now spending at least six months a year on Rarotonga. Sheldon and Ellen Ramer were delighted to hear that physiotherapist Ainslie Duncan is opening her own clinic on the island. Knowing that there is such […]

Own the Maeva Nui DVD

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in National

More than 70 hours of footage from the 2011 Te Maeva Nui cultural celebrations has been extended over four discs in the festivals official DVD, which will be officially launched at the Punanga Nui Market today. All the stage performances from all the islands are included in the release, as well as footage from the […]

New cookbook in the making

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in National

Members of the 60-plus club are letting the Cook Islands in on their culinary secrets theyve amassed a collection of their favourite recipes and are planning to bind them into a cookbook entitled Raurau Ki to Rima. Kitchen-tested and time-honoured, the recipes are a blend of local and non-local dishes submitted by club members. Initially […]

Better site needed for Mauke windpower generation

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in National

Alternative cooking is not the only green initiative the Hoskings are pursuing in their sustainable lifestyle efforts at Mauke. Their home and plans include experiments and testing in a wide-ranging spectrum of sustainable living. Among them, the Hoskings have tried to utilise wind power to generate electricity at their home. June and Andrew have a […]

Emergency works at Vaimaanga

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in National

Contractors are carrying out emergency works on the main road at Vaimaanga to stop creeping soil erosion from compromising the road surface and endangering motorists. Large stones and fresh sand have been shifted to the main road in front of the abandoned Sheraton resort site in Rarotongas south to try to stop the coastal erosions […]

Fatality case in court

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in Crime

A 21-year-old involved in the motor vehicle accident that killed Boye Nicholas has been convicted of drink-driving. Papaturua Maretapu, a kitchen hand at Trader Jacks Bar and Restaurant, appeared in the Cook Islands High Court at Avarua before Justice of the Peace Pae Tuteru on Thursday. He had already admitted one charge of driving with […]

No more excuses for speeding in Takitumu

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in National

Motorists will have no excuse for speeding in the Takitumu district when new roads signs are set up around the Takitumu Primary School area next term. It is hoped that with the new road signs announcing the school zone ahead, motorists will slow down especially before and after school. School principal Engia Pate says that […]

Get the best from your cooking fuel

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in Environment

Apart from using the suns energy to heat an oven, the Hoskings are also big advocates of saving power and money through employing efficient methods of cooking. Their methods are low-cost and dont require much more effort than a little forward-thinking, meaning their techniques can be taken on by almost any home and are well-suited […]

Police thanked by tourism operator

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in National

The role police play in sustaining the tourism industry is often overlooked, says Little Polynesian manager Alex Wilson. To thank the policemen and women who keep Titikaveka safe, he put on a lunch for a few of them in honour of World Tourism Day on Tuesday. World Tourism Day has been a long-standing initiative of […]

Solar hopefuls shouldnt worry

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in Environment

Home owners and businesses who have ordered solar panels should not worry over possible changes to Rarotongas renewable energy policies, according to Cook Islands businessman and alternative energy advocate James Beer. With policy changes governing the size of solar installations likely to come from Te Aponga Uira (TAU) this week, Beer said people who have […]

Talk about it says counsellor

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in National

On the heels of this months Suicide Prevention Awareness Week, guidance counsellor Thomas Wynne says the most effective way to defuse pent-up emotion or depression research links both to suicide is to talk about it. He advises all Cook Islanders to talk about emotional strife to get it all out so as to process and […]

Miss Manea pageant contestants

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in Local

Vandalism of buses worse than usual

Saturday 1 October 2011 | Published in National

Kevin Cook is thinking about installing digital video recorders in his fleet of 12 buses following a bad run with vandalism. Cook and his wife Frances own and manage Cooks Island Bus Passenger Transport Ltd, based in Nikao. Cook says his company has ongoing problems with vandalism of buses, although this year has been worse […]