National
PSC waits on audit
Saturday 16 January 2010 | Published in Local
Public service commissioner Navy Epati says he will await the findings of an audit report into the Toagate scandal, before launching an investigation into the financial secretary’s role in the whole affair. Epati, who has returned this week from leave overseas, says he wants to meet with a number of people, including PM Jim Marurai, […]
Parties object to seabed job ad
Saturday 16 January 2010 | Published in National
The huge progress that’s been made in the last three years towards seeing the people of this country reaping benefits from our vast seabed manganese resource could be well on the way to being destroyed if the wrong person is appointed to head the seabed mining authority. In a historical sitting of parliament late last […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Tahiti claimant seeks title
Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in Crime
One of the claimants for Rarotonga’s chiefly Makea Nui title says one needs to go deeper into Tahitian history to find out the real story behind the title. Oti Oti, who is of Maukean descent and has been in the country for the last three weeks, has been residing in French Polynesia since 1970. Oti […]
Chicken pieces spill mystery
Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in Environment
The remains of chicken pieces, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower and pumpkin were scraped of the road at the Harley Street corner on Tuesday afternoon. Police, public health and the national environment service were alerted of the spill around 10am, before public health officials cleaned up the mess later that afternoon. It is understood that the equivalent […]
Dead animals found on foreshore
Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in Environment
First it was chicken pieces on the road at Nikao on Tuesday. Yesterday morning it was a couple of decaying dogs and a pig carcass discovered on the Matavera foreshore. National environment service compliance officer Keri Herman said they were alerted after a member of the public reported the discovery of the remains to public […]
6 arrests in police raids
Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in Local
Police arrested six men after a target operation this week on burglaries, theft and drug offending. An investigation which had been ongoing for the past couple of months culminated with a team of detectives executing search warrants on six homes on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. The men arrested ranged from ages 15 to 22 and […]
2 shipping companies merge
Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in Local
PDL (Pacific Direct Line) and PFL (Pacific Forum Line) have formed a joint venture company to provide shipping to the Cook Islands. The new venture sees the withdrawal of two vessels which will be replaced by the larger MV Forum Pacific. The withdrawn vessels are PDL’s Southern Phoenix, which will no longer operate the New […]
PM presses for reform
Thursday 14 January 2010 | Published in Local
Prime minister Jim Marurai is taking steps to show he’s serious about a referendum on political reform. In a statement issued yesterday he said he wants the public to support him in pressing ahead with political change. The day after announcing he will put together a team to work on preparing the referendum, the PM […]
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