National

Porter grocery business still under wraps

Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in Local

Shareholders in a new grocery company set to open this year at the former Meatco premises are still silent on the venture. The Cold Store Ltd was formed last July and its shareholders are the children of former Meatco owners Brett and Cavelle Porter, who have already tried to distance themselves from the venture. Brett […]

Local

Warrants of fitness for overhaul

Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in National

A committee has been formed to help introduce a standardised warrant of fitness checklist for the Cook Islands. Police held a meeting with motor vehicle industry people last week to assist in drafting a legislation that will tighten WOF regulations. Inspector John Strickland said representatives from the group were chosen and police will be relying […]

National

Govt travel cut back

Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in National

Prime minister Jim Marurai says all overseas travel by public servants will be questioned from now on if it is to be funded by government. He claims that the concern is simply to cut the cost of travel by government. Marurai says he has been assured by minister of finance Wilkie Rasmussen that there are […]

National

Super board position still available

Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in National

The Cook Islands National Superannuation Fund board is still looking to appoint a representative for private sector employers who are not members of the Chamber of Commerce. CINSF chief executive Anne Herman says the advertisement for the vacancy has been extended due to the lack of response. Expressions of interest for the vacancy closed on […]

National

Economic reform: path out of crisis

Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in National

Economic reform is the path out of the crisis, says chair of the economic development taskforce Tata Crocombe. Crocombe had initially been invited to join the country delegation to attend the three-day Pacific Conference on the Human Face of the Global Economic Crisis in Vanuatu this month. Although he won’t be attending the conference, Crocombe […]

National

Seabed minerals authority set up costs being assessed

Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in National

A timetable for the set up of the seabed minerals authority will be announced by mineral and natural resources minister Robert Wigmore once costs and a job specification for the position of authority commissioner are clarified. Prime minister Jim Marurai is supporting a comprehensive ‘steady as she goes’ approach to setting up the framework for […]

National

CITC employees pass food safety exam

Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in National

Thirty-six CITC employees last week received certificates of achievement for a food safety course they completed through the Wellington Institute of Technology. The course was coordinated by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. Course instructor Stephen Pope, executive director Julia Hennessey and head of school Cherie Freeman presented the awards at a ceremony in New Hope […]

National

Cake ceremonies for 100th birthday

Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in National

Girl Guides on Rarotonga have been getting into the spirit of celebrating the worldwide movement’s centenary with celebrations of their own. This year is the start of a three-year global celebration with the international organisation WAGGS setting a theme for each year – 2010 (plant), 2011 (grow) and 2012 (share). Centenary ambassador Ngara Katuke says […]

National

Cyclone Oli causes damage

Wednesday 3 February 2010 | Published in National

Cyclone Oli was no longer a threat to the Cook Islands yesterday. At 1am, it was declared a tropical depression by the Fiji Meteorological Service yet a strong wind warning still remained for both the northern and southern groups. Senior Cook Islands met service officer Maara Vaiimene said at 2pm the depression was located 15.2 […]

National

No early deals

Tuesday 2 February 2010 | Published in Local

GOVERNMENT will not work to an ‘Endeavour pressured’ timetable in setting up the new seabed minerals authority, ac¬cording to prime minister Jim Marurai’s office. Marurai, acting mineral and natural resource minister, held a meeting with key government officials yesterday to plan the set up of the seabed minerals authority. To discuss the issue, he and […]

Local

Wilkie seeks 'true facts'

Tuesday 2 February 2010 | Published in Local

FINANCE minister Wilkie Ras¬mussen yesterday deflected criticism and demands for dis¬closure of secret sums in the Toagate scandal. He issued a statement to Cook Islands News that did not reveal figures but said the government of today is diligently working its way through the contents of the settlement agreed with Toa Petroleum Limited. “It is […]

Local

Cyclone Oli passes through 2 ships wait

Tuesday 2 February 2010 | Published in Local

ANOTHER cyclone travelled through the Cook Islands yes¬terday. The tropical depression had been monitored since last Friday and was officially named tropi¬cal cyclone Oli early yesterday morning. By the afternoon it had passed through the northern group and was heading towards the southern islands. Acting Cook Islands met service director Maara Vaiimene said Oli came […]

Local

Juvenile crime noted in economic outlook

Monday 1 February 2010 | Published in National

Health secretary Tupou Faireka is leading a country delegation to the Pacific Conference on the Human Face of the Global Economic Crisis to be held in Vanuatu this month. More than 200 high level delegates from 16 Pacific island countries are set to gather in Port Vila on February 10-12 to talk about the issues […]

National

Drunk driver pulled from upturned car

Monday 1 February 2010 | Published in National

A 24-year-old driver was lucky to escape injury after he flipped a rental car on Saturday morning. Senior sergeant Ngatamariki Pouao said the Nikao man had overtaken a police car in front of their station around 1.44am. Police gave chase to the white Nissan as it was seen driving dangerously and at high speed. The […]

National

Better integration needed for Pacific ecosystems

Monday 1 February 2010 | Published in Environment

Technical experts representing eight Pacific island countries last week endorsed an innovative approach to managing the environment which addresses natural resource management in the social, economic and political context. The forum held at the AOG Hall in Takuvaine considered the application of ecosystem-based management to address critical environmental issues which threaten delicate coastal and marine […]

Environment

New storm hits north

Monday 1 February 2010 | Published in Local

A tropical depression had Pukapuka, Nassau and Suwarrow on alert for a cyclone yesterday. By yesterday afternoon police had re-opened their emergency response operation centre – just days after the threat of cyclone Nisha passed – to monitor and update the Northern islands on tropical depression 07F. The Fiji Meteorological Service released the first bulletin […]

Local

'Come clean'

Monday 1 February 2010 | Published in Local

The Cook Islands Party is stunned and alarmed at the latest revelations in the Toagate debacle. “The startling new allegation that the agreement with Toa Petroleum includes a guarantee of $1.2m profit for the next eight years is a scandalous burden that the taxpayer is expected to carry,” party leader Henry Puna said yesterday. “The […]

Local

Wing man

Monday 1 February 2010 | Published in Local

Local kitesurfer Pauro Arnold just couldn’t wait to rig up and hit the high winds and choppy waves on Muri lagoon, with winds up to 28 knots making for a spectacular day of high speed action on Saturday.

Local

Vaka voyage to Waitangi

Monday 1 February 2010 | Published in National

The new Cook Islands voyaging vaka Marumaru Atua will add a Polynesian feel to this year’s Waitangi Day celebrations in New Zealand. Cook Islands Voyaging Society president Ian Karika will be among the crew of 16 that will sail the double hulled vaka from Bayswater Marina on the north shore of Auckland to Waitangi in […]

National

New navy man settles in

Monday 1 February 2010 | Published in National

Chris Cooper has just settled into his job as the new Maritime Surveillance Adviser down at the Avatiu wharf. The Australian navy has loaned him to Rarotonga for two years, during which he will be directing and supervising Te Kukupa’s patrol of our exclusive economic zone. Cooper will be training the boat’s captain and crew […]

National

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