National
Budgets rushed through
Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in Local
Parliament is likely to guillotine debate on the 2010-11 Budget in the same way it did to approve the amendments to last year’s annual Budget yesterday. The supplementary budget, which reduced the $215.5 million budget to $186.4 million, went through a name change and was amended before being passed after just three days in the […]
Polynesian art book launched at meeting
Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in National
The already-extensive collection of Polynesian art and culture books on sale at the Pacific Arts Association (PAA) symposium this week expanded on Tuesday. ‘Polynesia: The Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art’ went public yesterday at a mid-morning book launch. A thick, glossy hardcover, it details, illustrates and explains every Polynesian artefact in Honolulu-based couple Mark and […]
Staircase show a big hit
Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in National
Following Janet Lilo’s exhibit at the Beachcomber Contemporary Art gallery on Tuesday night, Pacific Arts Association (PAA) symposium participants walked next door to Staircase, where the Pacific Sisters had organised a show. The show started rolling just after 9pm, and a number of artists and poets took the stage before guests seated at dinner tables […]
An inspired collection
Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in National
On Monday night, The Art Studio in Arorangi was packed with people, who had come to see Samoan artist Nanette Lela’ulu’s collection of works inspired by her three-month residency on Rarotonga. Lela’ulu was Creative New Zealand’s artist-in-residence in 2006 and painted beautiful portraits of such recognised people as Joan Gragg, Shona Pitt, Paddy Walker and […]
BTIB chair defends loans
Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in National
The Business Trade Investment Board did not consider business support loans granted to two politicians to be a conflict of interest, according to its chairman James Beer. Last week government tabled the Audit Office special review into the loans which alleged that former finance minister Sir Terepai Maoate and former associate minister Terepai Maoate Jnr […]
Departure tax drop considered
Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in National
Reducing departure tax has been the subject of recent budget talks says Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen. During Parliament yesterday the Opposition Party again raised concern about travellers being put off by the $55 tax introduced last April. Akaoa MP Teariki Heather asked government when it would look to reduce the tax. Rasmussen admitted a lot […]
Demos force Ngatangiia run-off
Thursday 12 August 2010 | Published in National
A group of Democratic Party supporters in Ngatangiia will attempt to hold a run-off for candidacy despite their plea to the party committee being turned down. Yesterday party president Sean Willis said he received a letter from committee chairman Tutai Purua stating that Sir Terepai Maoate’s candidacy for the election still stands. But candidate-hopefuls Mann […]
Tempers flare over Toa
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in National
Tempers flared when the hard questions on Toagate were put to former Deputy Prime Minister Sir Terepai Maoate in Parliament yesterday. Opposition MP Norman George asked the disgraced MP to provide evidence of his claim that the public wanted government to nationalise the fuel industry to bring fuel prices down. Acting speaker John Tangi had […]
King Kapisi plays
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in Local
Samoan hip-hop legend King Kapisi is on Rarotonga and performing at Rehab tonight. King Kapisi aka Bill Urale arrived from New Zealand yesterday with his wife, fellow hip-hop artist Teremoana Rapley, a legend in her own right. Rapley is New Zealand’s first female hip-hop artist, and she’s originally from Rarotonga. She and Kapisi were here […]
QR returns
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in Local
Sir Frederick Goodwin was officially reappointed as Queen’s Representative yesterday. Last month Sir Frederick’s warrant of appointment expired and government had been waiting for official approval of his reappointment until now. Yesterday Prime Minister Jim Marurai announced Sir Frederick’s fourth three-year contract had begun. “The Prime Minister commended Sir Frederick on this achievement today, saying […]
Cool crafts!
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in Local
The Mitiaro mamas strung their crafts from a line between trees yesterday at Crown Beach, and worked in the shade, at a craft fair during the Pacific Arts Association (PAA) symposium. The conference ends today. 10081024
Hitting out
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in Local
Aitutaki MP Terepai Maoate Jnr has spat the dummy over allegations he had a conflict of interest in receiving a $30,000 business support loan saying the Audit Office budget needs to be cut. During Parliament yesterday he defended taking the loan, talking at length in reference to outer islands businesses being the hardest hit by […]
Maoates attack audit
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in Local
The audit report into the Toagate scandal is ‘full of rubbish’ according to former Deputy Prime Minister Sir Terepai Maoate. The Ngatangiia MP has lashed out once again at the Audit Office and the Audit Director Paul Allsworth following the report that condemns government’s attempt to nationalise the fuel industry. “The auditor’s comments – the […]
WHAT BSL RECIPIENTS SAY:
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in National
At a time when the Aitutaki business community needed some sort of boost to their businesses to help alleviate the economic downturn which we all had been suffering the past two to three years, the business support loan scheme came as a welcoming sign of support from the government to the outer islands. We as […]
BSL FACT BOX:
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in National
– The $550,000 fund provided loans to 21 businesses – 20 of them in the outer islands – Maximum loan amount $30,000 – Repayment of soft loan BCI is three per cent interest over five years – 10 tourism, 8 retail and three trade businesses received loans – BSL recipients spent $248,000 on refinancing existing […]
Angene in Parliament
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in National
Cook Islands Party Tupapa-Maraerenga election candidate George Maggie Angene visited Parliament yesterday to acquaint himself better with the roles of an MP. It’s a rare occurrence for election hopefuls to take such a proactive approach – but even rarer to see Angene in a suit and tie. The local builder, traded in the trademark black […]
Law drafted to kill Toa deal
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in National
Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen has revealed government actually drafted a law last year which could have been used to ‘legislate out of existence’ the $5.16 million deal to purchase Toa Petroleum. Cabinet had considered taking the law to Parliament before opting instead to enter into settlement negotiations with the company he said. During Parliament on […]
Campaign 'blinded people': Sir Terepai
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in National
Former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Sir Terepai Maoate has admitted the extensive public campaign against government by Triad Pacific Petroleum halted plans to nationalise the fuel industry. From December 2008 onwards, Vaile pursued the public campaign, which included full page advertisements in CI News, against the fuel farm scheme. During parliament yesterday, Sir […]
No conflict of interest in loans
Wednesday 11 August 2010 | Published in National
Two legal opinions obtained by the Audit Office say conflict of interest cannot be substantiated against former finance minister Sir Terepai Maoate and his son, Aitutaki MP Terepai Maoate Junior for receiving business support loans last year. A new audit report tabled just last month alleges the pair had a conflict of interest in their […]
'Working' holiday for Warratahs
Tuesday 10 August 2010 | Published in National
The Warratahs have arrived on Rarotonga and are gearing up to play two shows this week. Barry Saunders, Nik Brown and Sid Limbert flew in this weekend to reunite with their drummer, local Mo Newport, who otherwise commutes to New Zealand to play gigs. Their faithful production engineer, or ‘sound man’ Lincoln Mail, came with […]
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