National
'Be nimble and flexible'
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in Local
Prime Minister Henry Puna believes the smallness of the Cook Islands is a huge advantage as it faces the future. In a rally call at the opening of yesterday’s two-day Economic Summit, Puna said the country must change the way it does business. He said in recent years the Cook Islands economy has contracted by […]
Meeting Mr Zumba
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in National
Tai Ngari and Puai Wichman of Fitness Revolution are pictured with the creator and guru of the Zumba craze Beto Perez. The local Fitness Revolution owners met Perez while in Auckland attending a special Master Class of Zumba. The Cook Islands’ version of Zumba was showcased at the special session and it certainly caught the […]
National football champs kicking off
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in National
The 5th National Youth Football Championship will kick off at the CIFA complex this Saturday April 16 and will run for one week with the finals on Saturday April 23. Teams from the outer islands of Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia, Mauke and Mitiaro will start arriving today for the one-week tournament. They will be joined by […]
'Wait for nothing'
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in National
Contrary to popular thinking, knowledge is not power, says self-made millionaire Mike Pero who grew up in one of the poorest suburbs of Christchurch. “Action of knowledge is power,” he said referring to the Framework for Economic Growth submitted at the Economic Summit by the Task Force yesterday. Pero, who is part Cook Islands Maori, […]
Copyright laws are ineffectual
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in National
The global creative industry generates US$424b annually, though developing countries the world over find tapping into its potential difficult – particularly those without stringent intellectual property controls, like the Cook Islands. At yesterday’s Economic Development Summit, Vaitoti Tupa raised the issue with the creative industry session panel comprised of Te Tika Mataiapo Dorice Reid, culture […]
Passion to protect and grow creativity
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in National
The panel that presided over the cultural and creative industry session of the National Economic Development Summit yesterday fielded a broad range of questions from people in the public and private sectors who had one thing in common: a vision to grow the Cook Islands creative industry. The wide range of questions reflects the breadth […]
'Decrease' public service
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in National
The government needs to downsize the public service to free up money to pay for some of the 250 specific actions named by the Economic Task Force as necessary to grow the economy sustainably. Eddie Drollet, an economist from the Democratic Party, says the Budget Policy Statement is full of grand ideas but it’s ‘all […]
New accreditation system underway
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in National
A new accreditation system is being considered by Tourism Cook Islands (TCI) to ensure tourism industry providers maintain acceptable standards. TCI chief executive Carmel Beattie says the new system could be in place within the next few months. She responded to questions yesterday from members of the public about whether checks were in place to […]
Outer islands a tourism focus
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in National
Cook Islands cuisine needs to be improved and promoted to the world in order to expand annual visitor numbers to the country and provide local jobs, particularly in outer islands, those at yesterday’s national economic development summit were told. More than 200 people attended the tourism session of the summit, which will conclude today at […]
Departure tax leaves a lasting impression
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in National
Air New Zealand will re-consider including departure tax into airfares from the Cook Islands, as a means of encouraging visitors to return. The airline’s Cook Islands manager, David Bridge was a panellist during yesterday’s tourism session of the national economic development summit. Questions from the floor arose in respect of departure tax during the session, […]
Setting realistic and essential targets
Wednesday 13 April 2011 | Published in National
A balanced framework for the future is what the Economic Task Force has tried to deliver, said chairman John Tierney in a welcome address at yesterday’s Economic Summit opening. He said the Cook Islands needs a stable, open, competitive, globally connected economy – while modernising attitudes in favour of educated, healthy, skilled, competitive Cook Islanders […]
Code flawed
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in National
The country’s Foreign Investment Code is considered to be flawed and should be reviewed to make sure that the right investments are attracted to bring new money into the country, states the Economic Task Force. The Task Force recommends that trade links that would be to the country’s advantage should be pursued and a robust […]
Mentors get down to business
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in National
About 70 local business stand to benefit from consultation sessions with Business Mentors New Zealand mentors this week. Five mentors and team leader Stuart Rowe, BMNZ’s Pacific support manager, will be busy consulting with business owners on both Rarotonga and Aitutaki before they fly back to New Zealand on Saturday morning. The mentors will be […]
Fiji Times misreports CI case
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in National
The Fiji Times national newspaper yesterday reported a linkage between the brutal assault of two Fijian men by a group of Cook Islanders and the deportation of a Fijian national who tested positive for HIV at Rarotonga Hospital. The headline of the article published on the newspaper’s online edition read ‘HIV Fijian deported’ and explained […]
Vaka makes landfall in Tahiti
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in Local
Vaka Marumaru Atua arrived in Tahiti yesterday. Captain Peia Patai emailed an update to Cook Islands Voyaging Society president Ian Karika yesterday at 6.34am, reporting that the vaka was 35 nautical miles from Tahiti and on track to arrive before 2pm. Samoa vaka Matahi and Tahiti vaka Faafaite were expected to greet her and escort […]
Don't trash Punanga Nui!
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in Local
A pile of residential green waste dumped alongside the stream at the Punanga Nui Market is the last straw for market manager Elmah McBirney, who is issuing a final warning to those who use the market place as a rubbish tip. McBirney says the large amount of green waste, which includes hedge clippings and other […]
Pukapuka by-election on June 7
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in Local
The Pukapuka by-election date has been set for June 7. Nominations for candidates close on April 25 and a fee of $500 is payable for each candidate contesting the by-election. Chief Electoral Officer Taggy Tangimetua states the main Pukapuka roll will close April 15 and the supplementary roll on April 29. Cook Islands Party candidate […]
5% growth essential
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in Local
The Economic Task Force believes the Cook Islands’ economic objective to achieve 5%-plus GDP growth a year would result in the country being self-sufficient and leading the Pacific. This will require keeping growth rates above our past economic performance. The country’s ability to pay for public services that people want will be compromised if we […]
Two Bears to face judiciary
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in National
The rugby league judiciary panel will meet again today to decide the fate of Arorangi Bears captain Augustine Heather and club president Pare Rongokea who last week pleaded guilty to allegations of ‘harassment’ of a referee. On Saturday, April 2, Rongokea was cited for assaulting referee Simiona Teiotu and Heather for assaulting assistant referee Arthur […]
New interest in Te Aito
Tuesday 12 April 2011 | Published in National
As the Pacific catches the Aito fever, Rarotonga prepares to host its second-ever Te Aito competition. New Caledonia and New Zealand join the Cook Islands this year in hosting qualifier races, winners of which will win tickets to compete in the iconic Te Aito Tahiti race on July 15-16. Te Aito Cook Islands, which falls […]
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