National

New reporter traces roots

Saturday 16 January 2010 | Published in National

It’s a new reporter for the New Year at Cook Islands News. Rachel Reeves joins the editorial team after making the move from Los Angeles, California, to Rarotonga. Despite her accent, she has strong Cook Islands roots through her grandmother Pauline Napa, owner of the Kiikii Motel. Her father, Anthony Napa, is a former Tereora […]

National

System flawed – election won't fix it

Saturday 16 January 2010 | Published in National

The political system of the Cook Islands encourages corruption, according to leading political scientist and Cook Islander Dr. Jon Jonassen. And it may not simply be an election which fixes it. “There are many capable politicians in both major political parties but it is difficult to maintain a national objective when the system itself encourages […]

National

Cabinet embraces reform

Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in National

Cabinet ministers are being briefed on political reform proposals in the build-up to the newly promised referendum. On Tuesday prime minister Jim Marurai announced a referendum will be run on the issue this year and stated that he needs public to support to press ahead with changing the political system. Yesterday political reform advocates Tata […]

National

Smiley gets stuck in

Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in National

New cabinet minister William ‘Smiley’ Heather is vowing to tackle basic infrastructure such as water supply and roads head-on this year. As he settles into his new office in Nikao, the minister for infrastructure and planning (MOIP) has already been filling his days with briefings from the ministry’s secretary Taukea Raui and is planning a […]

National

First court sitting of the year

Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in Crime

Daniel Mare – previously pleaded not guilty to burglary but appeared in court yesterday to assess whether he had legal representation. The defendant still did not have a lawyer and the court heard from the prison warden that no one wanted to represent him or his fellow inmate, Putere Dean. Police prosecutor senior sergeant Tuaine […]

Crime

Legal opinion supports PM's view

Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in Local

Prime minister Jim Marurai is content to rely on a legal opinion on the calling of parliament as he continues to thwart attempts to remove him from power by the majority of MPs. The legal opinion concludes that without his advice the Queen’s Representative cannot call parliament to sit – a view the PM and […]

Local

Church leader urges Demos to settle 'marriage problems'

Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in Local

A prominent church leader is calling on politicians to settle their differences or step aside. Apostolic Bishop Tutai Pere wants feuding Democratic Party MPs to resolve their “internal marriage problems” or hand over the reigns of government to the Opposition Cook Islands Party. In his Churchtalk opinion piece on page 11 today, Pere shares his […]

Local

500 get NCEA results

Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in Local

Eighteen-year-old Tara Ngari is one of 500 local students who can now access national certificate of educational achievement (NCEA) exam results online. Results for all 140,000 students (mostly in NZ) that sat the exams are available online, but they must register first to log in. Tara and others who sat NCEA here will start receiving […]

Local

Cabinet of 5 not serving national interest claims George

Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in National

Opposition MP Norman George claims the new five-member cabinet should be called ‘the save Jimmy’s job’ government. “Or is it a ‘SOJ – Save Our Jobs government’ – for a temporary period of six months that is…” snipes George. The MP has also accused Marurai of ‘latching on to political reform to cushion his overstaying […]

National

Police continue blitz

Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in National

Investigations are continuing into the cases of the six men arrested during what police are calling Operation Muri. Operation Muri is the code name for the raids of Tuesday and Wednesday in which six young males were charged with a range of offences involving drugs, burglary and theft. Of the six offenders targeted during the […]

National

Walk the talk: Bishop

Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in National

Aitutaki MP Teina Bishop (above) says he called on three of the current ministers to take three months without pay, because he has been down a similar path. With three ministers resigning just before Christmas and five now in the new cabinet, Bishop says there are now eight ministers who are on the government payroll, […]

National

Prison team back on the rugby field

Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in National

Boredom will reduce for some Arorangi prison inmates as officials push to get young offenders into sport as part of their rehabilitation programme. A team of 12 inmates – 11 male and one female – took to the Avatiu field on Wednesday for the touch rugby mixed division muster. Arorangi prison superintendent Metuatini Tangaroa says […]

National

New airport terminal nears completion

Friday 15 January 2010 | Published in National

Passengers could be using the departure area in the new airport terminal by the middle of next month. Hawkins project manager Russell Smith says the toilet areas are complete, all the framework for the roof is up, and there are still some finishing touches needed on the two VIP lounges. Windows and doors are being […]

National

PM to release legal opinion

Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in National

Prime minister Jim Marurai says he will soon release the six-page legal opinion received from NZ constitutional lawyer Dr Alex Frame that will prove that his cabinet is abiding by the Constitution. The legal opinion was prompted by the now rejected petition by 19 MPs to the Queen’s Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin to call parliament […]

National

Cyclone story was mistaken

Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in National

Last week’s report on a cyclone in the Cook Islands was wrong, the Fiji Meteorological Service confirms. Director Rajendra Prasad said the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Limited (FBCL) website misquoted him as saying a tropical cyclone had developed in the southern Cooks. The mistaken report was picked up by internet search engine Google in their alerts […]

National

Overgrown sections a problem

Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in National

The last round of Tutaka inspections show an improvement on last year’s figures, according to the Ministry of Health. The ministry inspected 3966 sites and found a total of 59 problems. The major problems were 23 overgrown vacant sections and 12 overgrown vacant houses. Two of the sections and one of the vacant houses were […]

National

Barton not on seabed authority short-list

Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in National

New mineral and natural resources minister Robert Wigmore says he will now move swiftly to set up the seabed minerals authority but has shot down rumours that he is considering businessman Richard Barton (above) to head the new body. The deputy prime minister said the rumour may be interesting but Barton’s name had not occurred […]

National

Political parties hold off statement

Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in National

A second joint statement from the Democratic Party and the Cook Islands Party has been put on hold this week as the parties take in the rejection of their request for parliament to be called to sit. It is understood the parties may now hold off on issuing any statement in regards to the recent […]

National

Political reform petition the best way to be heard now

Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in National

The Mou Piri group for political reform says the promise of a referendum in no way takes away from the importance of all Cook Islands voters to sign the current petition. The new pledge by prime minister Jim Marurai for a referendum to be held before or on the date of the next election has […]

National

Growers study climate communications

Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in National

Making best use of the available climate data and communicating that information properly will go a long way in assisting growers in the country. A three-day workshop, aimed at improving the communication of climate information to growers during the current weak El Nino cycle, wrapped up at the Kent Hall yesterday. Horticultural scientist Jane Adams […]

National

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