Regional
Petitioners call for mining 'caution'
Tuesday 28 August 2012 | Published in Regional
A coalition of Pacific civil society organisations is on Rarotonga this week to raise awareness of their petition in support of a moratorium on seabed mining in the region. Representatives of Act Now!, Pacific Network on Globalisation and the Pacific Conference of Churches met with Pacific media yesterday to spread their message and to publicly […]
Brown discusses CI depopulation
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
Wearing his internal affairs minister hat on Saturday morning, Mark Brown addressed a roomful of Pacific journalists on the oft-discussed issue of depopulation in the Cook Islands. He traced the depopulation trend to the 1950s exodus of Cook Islanders searching for opportunities in New Zealand’s freezer works and forestry industries, and followed it through the […]
Birth rate up since baby bonus enacted
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
Since government enacted the baby bonus, the birth rate has increased. Internal affairs minister Mark Brown, speaking to a room full of Pacific journalists on Saturday, said the average birth rate has jumped from about 300 to about 390 in two years. ”We don’t know if it’s because of the incentive of the baby bonus […]
Groups lobby for PLG membership
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
The Polynesian Leaders Group (PLG) is seriously considering admitting Hawai’i, Rapa Nui and Aotearoa Maori into its fold. The communiqu containing its final decision is not being released until Friday. Three Polynesian groups made submissions on Saturday to the leaders of the eight Polynesian nations that comprise the PLG – Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, […]
All home for Forum
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
All cabinet ministers are in the Cook Islands this week for the 43 rd Pacific Leaders Forum, the largest gathering of Pacific leaders ever to assemble in the country. Police Minister Teariki Heather yesterday arrived back from the Solomon Islands, where he has been attending a Pacific Chiefs of Police conference with police commissioner Maara […]
Polynesian leaders want a cable
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
Polynesian leaders are hoping to alleviate the burden of their geographical isolation by sharing the costs and benefits of a fibre optic telecommunications cable. It was an issue that featured heavily in discussions of the Polynesian Leaders Group (PLG) meeting on Saturday, according to Prime Minister Henry Puna and Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Malielegaoi, who […]
Avatiu's triumph over Arorangi
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
In the main match in the Lotto Premiership football championships on Saturday, host Avatiu defeated Arorangi by two goals to one in their first game of the 2012 Rarotonga football round cup competition. The match was evenly contested throughout the entire game by both sides. In the 46th minute Dwayne Taio of Arorangi scored the […]
7s qualify for Hong Kong
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
The Cook Islands national sevens rugby team has qualified for the Hong Kong leg of the HSBC Sevens Series. The Cook Islands finished fourth overall at the Oceania Men’s Sevens Championships in Sydney over the weekend. The Cooks placed third in their pool after beating PNG 24-12, losing 26-24 to Samoa and thrashing Tahiti 66-0 […]
Panthers slay the Eels
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
In a match that could have gone either way, reigning club rugby champions the Tupapa Panthers snuck home to defeat the Avatiu Eels at Victoria Park 18-14. The Panthers went in the halftime break leading by 8-6 – with the Panthers first try a gifted by the Eels who couldn’t keep their hands on the […]
'This is the moment'
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
Famed oceanographer Sylvia Earle is urging Pacific people to ”make a powerful difference“ in the worldwide movement to conserve the oceans. Speaking to a group of Pacific journalists on Saturday, Earle pointed out that people make the laws, however arbitrary, that govern the use and management of the planet’s seas. A passionate explorer and lover […]
Kids prepare for Prince of Wales
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
Rarotonga kids are putting in some hard training ahead of the annual Prince of Wales inter-primary school athletics competition to be held on September 19. Race tracks marked out with sand and oil are appearing on school grounds across the island along with makeshift high jump gear as kids practise their techniques and skills ahead […]
'Large ocean states' take a stand
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
The small island states of the Pacific are making their voices heard. In the context of the global conservation movement, the land-deficient Pacific islands have always played a minor role, but that’s all changing as the world wakes up to the reality that its oceans are a hugely valuable resource. The world is starting to […]
Biggest carbon footprint here
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
Cabinet minister Mark Brown told Pacific media on Saturday that the Cook Islands has the biggest carbon footprint per capita of any other island country in the Pacific. He was speaking to journalists about government’s investments in energy production, explaining that diesel is one of the country’s highest overall costs. ”We have the biggest carbon […]
Most travelled Pacific people
Monday 27 August 2012 | Published in Regional
Last year, about 13,000 Cook Islands residents left the country and came back. Given that the latest census figures peg the population of Rarotonga at about 13,000, that is a fairly staggering statistic. Finance minister Mark Brown shared that figure with Pacific journalists at a workshop on Saturday morning, adding that the tendency of Cook […]
Kia Orana gift baskets for leaders
Saturday 25 August 2012 | Published in Regional
As well as the friendly smiles of the Cook Islands people – leaders arriving on the island for the Pacific Leaders Forum will receive a unique gift basket. The Kia Orana basket is stocked with beautiful Cook Islands products. Forum logistics coordinator Jaewynn McKay is pictured here with a number of the Kia Orana gift […]
'Need to know needs balance'
Saturday 25 August 2012 | Published in Regional
Foregoing his commitment to play 18 holes with French Polynesia President Oscar Temaru, Prime Minister Henry Puna spoke at a meeting of Pacific journalists yesterday morning. He officially opened the PINA/PIFS Forum regional media workshop, at which a handful of journalists were present. ”I was reported in the Cook Islands News this morning as playing […]
New CISNOC President
Saturday 25 August 2012 | Published in Regional
Badminton Cook Islands president Hugh Graham (above) has won the vote to become the new president of the beleaguered Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee. Needing a majority vote of 51 percent of the 40 voting delegates, Graham won the vote ahead of finance and sports minister Mark Brown and Paul Allsworth. His election […]
Champion endorses marine park
Saturday 25 August 2012 | Published in Regional
One of the world’s foremost oceanographers, hailed by Time Magazine as a ”hero for the planet“, is on Rarotonga to endorse the Cook Islands’ proposed marine park. Between three days diving in Aitutaki, watching whales aboard Nan Hauser’s research vessel and taking calls from Radio New Zealand, Sylvia Earle somehow found time to sit down […]
Marine park a 'jewel in the crown'
Saturday 25 August 2012 | Published in Regional
That some of Conservation International’s head honchos are on Rarotonga this week is an indication the US-based organisation is taking the Cook Islands marine park initiative seriously. Conservation International, a global organisation employing 1000 people in 35 offices, was last year invited by government to provide technical and scientific advice to the local steering committee […]
Pacific Plan pivotal to sustainable development
Saturday 25 August 2012 | Published in Regional
Pacific leaders shared an ambitious vision for regional cooperation and economic integration when they endorsed the Pacific Plan in Madang, Papua New Guinea, in October 2005. Seven years on, it is timely that leaders are taking stock of progress with the Pacific Plan. With a focus on economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security, […]
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