National

Happy to be back at 102

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in Local

At 102 years old, Louie Grau has still got her wits about her, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down. Born in New Zealand in 1907, Louie came to the Cook Islands for the first time in the 1930s to be with her brothers. Walter was the Resident Commissioner for Atiu and Harry co-owned […]

Local

Hoax protest?

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in Local

Police security was set up outside the office of prime minister Jim Marurai following a rumour that a protest against the new cabinet would be staged yesterday morning. No protest actually took place, but Police Comissioner Maara Tetava decided to ‘err on the side of caution’ and deploy six officers as security. Just who was […]

Local

Office request denied

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in National

Former deputy prime minister Sir Terepai Maoate, who was sacked over the $2 million Toagate scandal just before Christmas, had his request for an MP office and car turned down this week. Prime minister Jim Marurai has confirmed that the request was made during his meeting with the Ngatangiia MP and leader of the Democratic […]

National

Family law up for discussion

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in National

Punanga Tauturu will hold a family law consultation in mid-February. The NGO established a fund for non-molestation orders late last year and legal representative Kairangi Samuela says the organisation receive a large number of inquiries from women seeking the orders. PTI are holding the consultation as part of the effort to streamline what is happening […]

National

Visitors hit 100,000-plus

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in National

Last year was the first time visitor numbers exceeded 100,000 – a growth of 7 percent over 2008 arrivals. Cook Islands Tourism chief executive officer John Dean has welcomed the official numbers for the year to December 2009. According to the monthly Statistics office bulletin for December, the 2009 year saw a total of 101,110 […]

National

Visitor numbers up 7%

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in National

The bi-annual Cook Islands tourism industry forum will begin next week on a high note following news of a 7 percent increase in visitor numbers in 2009. The country is bucking the regional trend for recording losses in visitor numbers and the forum will cover marketing plans that aim to help continue the upward growth […]

National

'Country in constitutional crisis'

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in National

The nation is in the middle of an unusual and abnormal ‘breakdown’ of government says opposition MP Norman George. He’s calling the new cabinet a five-headed monster that is only surviving through a loophole in the Constitution. Last week the MP publicly revealed the plans by the 19 MPs outside of cabinet to petition the […]

National

People in place

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in National

Senior constable Taruia Ringiao will be making sure all is well in his neighbourhood. The Takitumu resident has been appointed the Vaka Ngatangiia constable in a reshuffle of community officers. Ringiao replaces constable Tungane Lockington who will be serving in the Te Au o Tonga area while constable Allan Rua remains with the Puiakura vaka. […]

National

Chopper me up

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in National

It was up and away for Hoani Gibson when dad Brett suggested a HeliRaro chopper ride. It was the younger Gibson’s first ride in a helicopter. The 10-year-old Avatea school student said she was a bit nervous at first, but by the end of the ride she couldn’t chose a favourite part. “My favourite thing […]

National

PM – finance still main concern

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in National

A proposal to purchase $174,000 worth of new government cars and office computers was turned down by cabinet yesterday in the face of growing concern over finances. Prime minister Jim Marurai said he and cabinet turned down the proposal to spend capital expenditure funds because they have placed a freeze on new spending pending the […]

National

New minister sets up office

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in National

Cabinet minister Apii Piho was one of the first to move into his new ministerial office yesterday. While other ministers are taking their time to move, amid office asset auditing and renovations, Piho was keen to get down to work in his office behind Public Health. Piho says while he’s kept on CEO Ken Buchanan, […]

National

Political situation distracting: businessman

Wednesday 13 January 2010 | Published in National

Businessman James Beer is coy about commenting on the political situation as it stands now and what impact it may have on the country. But he is quick to point out that the situation has been brought about not entirely but mostly by the events of the proposed TOA fuel farm purchase. “I don’t want […]

National

Former resident passes away

Tuesday 12 January 2010 | Published in National

Former Cook Islands resident Ruth Harnish (pictured) will be laid to rest this week in Perth after passing away peacefully in her sleep on January 6 at the age of 90. Ruth and her late husband Bob lived in Rarotonga in the 60s and 70s where they started the United Island Traders and Tradewinds retail […]

National

Growers take on climate communications

Tuesday 12 January 2010 | Published in National

Improving communication on climate information to growers is one of the aims of a three-day workshop currently being held at the Kent Hall in Titikaveka. Meteorological service director Arona Ngari says that getting climate data information to growers is important, especially as the country is in the middle of a weak El Nino phase. The […]

National

Suppression for official

Tuesday 12 January 2010 | Published in Crime

A prominent island official received name suppression in the High Court yesterday when facing a charge of common assault charge. Justice of the Peace Pae Tuteru granted name suppression for a man accused of assaulting a 57-year-old on Friday night. The alleged offence happened near the office of the ministry of infrastructure and planning in […]

Crime

CIP confirms 2 candidates

Tuesday 12 January 2010 | Published in Local

Cook Islands Party vice president Mark Brown confirmed recently that the party is already on track for preparing for an election this year. Brown said under the new party constitution formed last September they are working on election campaign preparations – whether it be for a snap election or the one currently scheduled for September. […]

Local

Audit to lift the lid on Toagate

Tuesday 12 January 2010 | Published in Local

All aspects of government’s failed fuel farm scheme that has left the country over $2 million out of pocket will be investigated in the audit review underway this month. The audit office expects to complete the review by the end of the month or early February. The controversial plan to make fuel cheaper for the […]

Local

QR rejects no-confidence petition

Tuesday 12 January 2010 | Published in Local

The Queen’s Representative has reportedly rejected the no-confidence petition put to him by the 19 MPs outside of cabinet last week. The two political parties are once again due to issue a joint statement on the development which is likely to be delivered today. The QR Sir Frederick Goodwin is understood to have declared the […]

Local

10-year-old rider in motorcycle accident

Tuesday 12 January 2010 | Published in National

A 10-year-old driving a motorcycle failed to stop and collided into another motorcyclist on Friday. Police said the boy was driving along the back road of Atupa towards Avatiu when he failed to stop at the intersection He crashed into another motorcyclist and was transported to hospital but was later discharged. Other motor vehicle crashes […]

National

Ministers on the move to new offices

Tuesday 12 January 2010 | Published in National

Cabinet ministers will be moving into their new offices from today with the former ministers and some of their staff having to vacate the premises by yesterday. Many of the staff members at the offices of the three former ministers who resigned last month were waiting to hear if the new ministers would continue to […]

National

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