National
MP targets import reductions
Saturday 9 July 2011 | Published in National
Minister and member of parliament Teina Bishop is calling for a reduction in the amount of imported goods within the Cook Islands. In a speech to parliament yesterday Bishop said the country imported $1.6 million worth of bottled water last year alone. We have to take the economy by the scruff of the neck and […]
Government to help all islands
Saturday 9 July 2011 | Published in National
Government is not biased towards the home islands of ministers and their electorates, Prime Minister Henry Puna assures Cook Islanders. In speaking at parliament yesterday Puna, whose constituency is Manihiki, began discussing the issue by announcing those on Manihiki will receive much needed diesel and food staples from Rarotonga in the next few days. At […]
Financial secretary to start
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
New financial secretary Richard Neves is due to arrive in Rarotonga from Australia with his family this Saturday and will formally take over the role on July 18 . Before assuming the role from acting financial secretary Priscilla Maruariki he will be briefed about current developments by government officials. Neves has a degree in applied […]
18 tax charges denied
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
A Rarotonga-based company will defend 18 charges of failing to furnish income tax, PAYE and value added tax when it is allocated a hearing date in the Cook Islands High Court at Avarua. TTN Group Ltd denies all 18 charges and is next to be called in the court on August 18. The case was […]
Careers Expo coming together
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
This years Careers Expo is gearing up to be another exciting and enlightening experience for students and the community at large. The 2011 Careers Expo will be held on Thursday July 21 at the Telecom Sports Arena in Nikao. The aim of the one-day careers expo is to create as much exposure for individuals, students […]
Police job to be advertised
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
Police commissioner Maara Tetavas job is to be advertised, in consistency with the advertisement of other statutory appointments such as the director of audit, ombudsman and solicitor general. Member of parliament Norman George raised the question of Tetavas security as police commissioner during a session in the debating chamber yesterday. George said he noticed the […]
Plans for Nadi flight shelved
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in Local
Plans to establish a direct flight between the Cook Islands and Fiji have been dropped for the coming financial year. The Cook Islands government announced in December last year it would be underpinning a direct flight between Rarotonga and Nadi from this month. The planned route was to begin at the same time as the […]
Jetty agreement endorsed
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
The planned jetty development at Arorangi will take a step closer to becoming a reality today as a memorandum of understanding between concerned parties gets endorsement. Under the agreement, the Arorangi Primary School will receive $200 from the Cook Islands Port Authority for every cruise ship that disembarks at the jetty. Cruise ship passengers will […]
Tax plan a hornets nest
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in Local
Mitiaro MP Tangata Vavia says the proposed 15 percent tax on interest is like taking candy from a child. Yesterday he asked parliament to consider how the tax will discourage children from trusting in the principles of saving and investing. (A) kid will be disappointed to realise there is 15 cents taken out of that […]
Public servants get 40 percent
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
More than 40 percent of the governments total revenue for the next financial year will be spent on personnel those in the public sector. That is above a recommended expenditure control ratio and is a concern of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, which recommends in this years budget that policy action is taken […]
CITC chairman blasts tax proposal
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in Local
Cook Islands Trading Corporation (CITC) executive chairman Trevor Clarke has joined the growing chorus of people criticising the governments much-maligned proposal to introduce a withholding tax in the country. In a letter to the editor delivered to Cook Islands News yesterday, Clarke said the proposed 15 per cent tax on interest was not properly thought […]
India funds Murienua projects
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
The constituency of Murienua, Puaikura is overwhelmed with gratitude to the Indian government for funding a number of village projects. Thank you maata, India, Mau Raina, works manager under the Member of Parliament for Murienua Tom Marsters, said. The village applied to the Indian Grant Fund project through Aid Management last year. The successful application […]
Chinese probe noni options
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in Local
A Chinese delegation is in Rarotonga scoping investment opportunities, including the possibility of Cook Islands noni juice being exported to China and blended with fruit juice on a mass scale. Members of the New Zealand Chinese Business Roundtable Council arrived on two Air Rarotonga flights from Niue yesterday afternoon. They are travelling with representatives from […]
Worry as food,fuel run low
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
Te Kukupa was deployed yesterday to take 10,000 litres of diesel to Manihiki and Rakahanga, which are short of diesel but also running low on petrol and some basic foodstuffs. Tauhunu shop owner Papapia Kaisara learned on Wednesday night of the governments intention to load Te Kukupa with diesel for Manihikis energy generators. Why just […]
Night market brings in $14,000
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
The Aitutaki go local night market generated about $14,000 of revenue for vendors and stallholders, according to the Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB). The market, which was held last week, was focused on all things Aitutaki with vendors, food and items championing the local cause. BTIB business development manager Melina Tuiravakai said the night was […]
Police warn against gun modification
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
Police have issued a reminder to the public following the recent gun amnesty, urging gun owners not to modify or cut their guns. Cook Islands Police will destroy seven guns they deemed to be unsafe during the gun amnesty in Rarotonga and Aitutaki. Inspector Arana Tera said home-modified guns were among those classified unsafe, and […]
Deep sea mysteries to be explained
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
The deep sea minerals taskforce is preparing to stage a public awareness campaign in coming months. The public will be invited to hear what the taskforce is doing during sessions in public meeting houses and at the University of South Pacific, Cook Islands campus in Avarua. Well-known deep sea research scientist Chuck Fisher will be […]
Enthusiasm over rare seabed minerals
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
The chairman of the Cook Islands deep sea mining taskforce has welcomed announcements of the discovery of troves of rare earth minerals on the Pacific Ocean floor. Japanese researchers this week announced they had discovered massive deposits of rare earth minerals, essential materials for making almost all high-tech electronics, in the mud of the Pacific […]
Flag problem unusual
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
Cook Islands-registered fishing vessel Te Ravakai was this week turned away from an American Samoa port for failing to fly a courtesy flag. It is a time-honoured maritime tradition for a vessel to fly a courtesy flag, or to hoist the flag of the country it is entering. However, in most ports it is not […]
Hospital septic work examined
Friday 8 July 2011 | Published in National
The Ministry of Health and others involved in a $670,000 upgrade of Rarotongas hospital are reviewing the projects engineering specifications while construction has stopped pending an environment impact assessment (EIA) report. Work, which began in April on the Arorangi hospital site, was stopped recently due to confusion over whether an EIA is required to be […]
« Previous 1 … 1,617 1,618 1,619 1,620 1,621 1,622 1,623 1,624 1,625 … 1,899 Next »