National
McCullys touchdown low key
Friday 15 July 2011 | Published in National
The arrival of New Zealand Foreign Affairs minister Murray McCully and his 75 strong Pacific mission delegation landed in Rarotonga on Wednesday to a low key welcome. Not a chanting Cook Islands warrior or a maiden with ei was in sight for the arrival of the minister and the much anticipated touchdown and return of […]
Bomb types banned
Friday 15 July 2011 | Published in National
It is now specifically illegal to use, develop, produce, possess, or transfer to another person cluster munitions and explosive bomblets in the Cook Islands. Parliament this week considered and passed into law the Cluster Munitions Bill, which prohibits any activity in respect of cluster munitions and explosive bomblets, other than by those who in their […]
Govt makes green move
Friday 15 July 2011 | Published in National
The Office of the Prime Minister is searching for a new project developer to help steer the country towards becoming 100 percent reliant on renewable energy. The renewable energy project developer will help the PMs office develop and coordinate green energy projects throughout the country. Prime Minister Henry Puna, minister for the environment, last week […]
Roundtable on renewables with Kiwis
Friday 15 July 2011 | Published in National
The Cook Islands state-owned energy provider Te Aponga Uira (TAU) faces a fine balancing act in the coming decade. On the one hand, the company faces the task of facilitating the Cook Islands move to becoming a nation 100 percent reliant on renewable energy for its electricity needs. And on the other, it must find […]
China billion for lower interest
Friday 15 July 2011 | Published in National
How much mortgage debt is there in the Cook Islands? a smoke signaller ponders. One billion dollars? Two billion? A government with a bit of vision would not be raiding the savings of children and pensioners but cutting a commercial loan with China for a billion or two, handing that money to the local bank […]
Money transfer to Australia gets cheaper
Friday 15 July 2011 | Published in National
Westpac has reduced its surcharge on fees sent from Australia to the Cook Islands. The bank announced today it would be reducing its AU$30 (NZ$38) surcharge to AU$10 for customers in Australia sending less than AU$500 from any Westpac branch in Australia to family or friends in the Pacific. Recipients will no longer have to […]
New powers for tax collectors
Friday 15 July 2011 | Published in Local
The governments bill for its controversial withholding tax initiative also includes a provision allowing tax department officials to search commercial and residential properties. Parliament this week unanimously passed into law the Income Tax Amendment Bill without change. It gives tax collectors power to inspect books and documents whether in the custody or under the control […]
New Catholic Bishop for CI
Friday 15 July 2011 | Published in National
In April of this year, Pope Benedict XVI appointed the Reverend Paul Patrick Donoghue,S.M., as the new Catholic Bishop of the Cook Islands. In the Catholic tradition, Bishops are appointed by the Pope after much consultation. The Catholic Church has only been in the Cook Islands since 1894 so it has not had a long […]
New offices to open in Muri
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in Environment
The new Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP) water and sanitation site office in the Muri meeting house will be opened today. The office is funded through a partnership with the Cook Islands Government, New Zealand Aid Programme and the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC). Two main projects will fall under the water and […]
Tracking down Muri memories
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in Environment
The Muri Environment Care Group has started a project to collect memories and stories about Muri lagoon. They are collecting personal memories of happenings and features of the lagoon such as the motu, fishing, sailing, working on the plantation and camping stories. The project includes tales from the 30s and 40s right through to the […]
Sewerage upgrade report outlines project
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in Environment
An environment impact assessment (EIA) report has been prepared for the sewerage upgrade at Rarotongas hospital and is being considered by the Rarotonga Environment Authority. The 54-page document is available for viewing on the National Environment Service website. It states the project involves the installation of a new wastewater management system to replace the existing […]
Responsibility to protect what we have
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in Environment
Kevin Iro says setting up a marine park will give the local tourism industry a boost. A few years ago, as a member of the tourism board, Iro conceived the idea to raise the global profile of the Cook Islands by creating the worlds largest marine park in its waters. I was talking to a […]
Sheraton update
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in Local
An update on development of the Sheraton site in Vaimaanga will be disclosed later this month, infrastructure minister Teariki Heather says. He was asked in parliament yesterday where the project to refurbish the abandoned hotel is at. Deputy opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen posed the question, saying he has recently seen the land owner in Rarotonga. […]
Govt figures overstated: bankers
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands Bankers Association has raised doubts over the $1 million profit the Cook Islands government forecast it would gain through the new tax on interest. In a statement provided to Cook Islands News yesterday, the association said the government significantly overstated expectations of earning an extra $1 million through the new withholding tax. […]
Controversial tax now law
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in Local
Despite criticism from opposition party members and the wider public, the governments controversial last minute attempt to balance its books has passed into law. Towards the end of a parliamentary session yesterday afternoon the Income Tax Amendment Bill was considered and adopted without change. Although some members of the opposition, including Nikao Panama MP Ngamau […]
Mock crash response analysed
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in National
A full debrief of how emergency response agencies handled Tuesdays mock trauma exercise will be conducted to help improve the response of emergency and rescue personnel. A mock head-on car crash was staged on the main road in Maraerenga to assess the coordinated efforts of emergency agencies including health, Red Cross, airport authority, crash fire […]
Coming to grips with good governance
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in National
New members of parliament are benefitting from the expertise of auditors following a good governance workshop in Arorangi yesterday. MPs including Ngamau Munokoa, Atatoa Herman, Tekii Lazaro, John Henry and Kiriau Turepu attended the half-day workshop. Long time MP and deputy opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen also refreshed his governance knowledge, along with finance minister Mark […]
Banks bring tax concerns to govt
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in National
The Cook Islands Bankers Association (CIBA) met with the Minister of Finance and representatives of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) on Monday morning. This was the first opportunity for the association to discuss the proposed withholding tax with government. The purpose was therefore to gain clarity about the exact intentions for the […]
Marine park needs broad buy-in
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in National
Conservation International marine programme manager Sue Taei says that the right partnerships are integral to the success of a marine park. Its important to build leadership and ownership at each level to include the government, traditional leaders and even fishermen in the decision-making process and the drafting of a management plan. As part of involving […]
Support for marine park plan
Thursday 14 July 2011 | Published in National
The majority of those who turned up to Te Au O Tongas public meeting on Tuesday evening voiced their full support for the proposed marine park. Still, House of Ariki president Tou Travel Ariki pointed out that while over 30 people were present, he had been hoping for a greater turnout of Cook Islanders. Im […]
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