National
Raro switches off and saves
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in National
Tuesday 31: Rarotonga residents did take note and ‘switch off’ during Saturday night’s Earth Hour. Te Aponga Uira’s Elma Marurai says that power station staff monitored loadings from between 8.30pm and 9.30pm, and they noted some drops in the feeders. With people being asked to switch their lights off at that time, TAU was hoping […]
Raro romance for Kip and Alice
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in Local
Tuesday 31: A lucky Shortland Street fan will get an opportunity to meet with the actors who play Alice and Kip on the New Zealand show this week. Shortland Street’s producers are here on a week-long shoot of an episode centered on a romance between Alice the nurse and Kip the doctor. When Dr Kip […]
Pukapuka threaten to reject EU aid
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in Local
Thursday 26: Outer island community objects to overseas company getting contract Pukapuka could turn down the building of the European Commission-funded cyclone centre, after a local company’s unsuccessful bid to design and supervise the project. Pukapuka community president on Rarotonga, Makirere Poila, says they intend to write to the European Union to register their disappointment […]
We'll be $100m in debt by 2014 says minister
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in National
Tuesday 31: National debt seems bound to grow. In meeting with the Democratic Party executive in Aitutaki last week, minister Wilkie Rasmussen revealed that government has been told that by 2014 the country will be in over $100 million in debt – in part due to the new $50 million soft loan from China. Rasmussen […]
Call for inquiry into $50m loan
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in Local
Tuesday 31: Opposition says country cannot afford to pay $5000 per person for next 20 years The Cook Islands Party Opposition is calling for an inquiry into the new $50 million China soft loan. Finance and economics spokesperson Norman George says while the opposition agrees in principle to the loan being spent on Rarotonga road […]
Wiser about water
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in National
Wednesday 1: Paerangi Mataiapo Moetaua Boaza and Puki Mataiapo Paiere Mokoroa are back in Atiu, after attending the 5th World Water Forum in Turkey late last month. The pair were overwhelmed by the forum which was attended by 12,000 people in Istanbul, and say that attitudes shown towards water by other indigenous people around the […]
Dancer of year comp delayed
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in National
Tuesday 31: This year’s dancer of the year competition has been delayed because of the number of activities happening over the coming weeks. The national junior and intermediate finals will now be held on April 30, not April 24 as first scheduled, while the senior finals will take place on May 7 – two weeks […]
PMG broadcast contract on hold
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in Local
Monday 30: The host broadcast agreement for the Pacific Mini Games is being looked over by government officials, to ensure that it complies with Cook Islands legislation. After a two-day visit earlier this month South Pacific Games Council president Vidhya Lakhan said that council had a number of concerns with the organising of the games […]
Trades training shared with Niue
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in National
Wednesday 1: Four teachers from Niue High School visited the trade training centre recently to check up on the transition programmes being run at the Arorangi facility. Principal James Poihega says they are interested in carrying out vocational training programmes at their school, and are keen to learn how the TTC operates, along with the […]
Tourism industry says what it wants
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in National
Monday 30: Aitutaki operators call for more government backing Tourism minister Wilkie Rasmussen took the time to meet with tourism industry members while in Aitutaki on Friday. In what was the most unemotional meeting of four held by the minister last week to discuss Sunday flights, about 30 members of the tourism industry including members […]
542 traffic tickets in one month
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in Local
Monday 30: Despite only two serious crashes last month, police were kept busy issuing a total of 542 tickets for minor traffic offences. According to a report released by the Road Safety Council (RSC), 249 tickets were issued for speeding and 126 for motorcyclists exceeding 40 kilometres per hour without a helmet. A total of […]
Avatea movie night tomorrow
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in National
Wednesday 1: Avatea School is putting on a movie night tomorrow to help raise funds to upgrade its playground and car parking area. There will be two movies screened at Avatea School hall from 5pm – one of them is the popular animated children’s movie Bolt. Bolt is about a canine star of an action […]
Website for tourism
Wednesday 1 April 2009 | Published in National
Monday 30: The Tourism Industry Council is hoping its new website will become a focal point for the industry. Council president Greg Stanaway says the website, still being fully developed, was launched about two months ago. Creating an informative website for the public and its members was one of the council’s aims set last year. […]