More Top Stories
Cook Islands has its first mosque
14 November 2024
CI Muslim opens up about her faith and journey
16 November 2024
RAC to address mosque legality
19 November 2024
I don’t expect much change: PM Brown on US Elections
6 November 2024
Fifth weekly Sydney flight to Rarotonga announced
23 October 2024
CIIC directors seek $350,000 in damages over defamatory claims
21 October 2024
Man found guilty of rape, burglary
24 September 2024
Tenants face water bill burden
8 October 2024
Concerns over Minister’s role in inmate work releases: PAC
5 October 2024
Tourism contribution set to surpass half-billion dollar mark
25 September 2024
Parliament’s 12 sitting days sufficient for business: Clerk
24 September 2024
Parliament Clerk sparks outrage over deep sea mining statement
23 September 2024
Parliament’s 12 sitting days sufficient for business: Clerk
24 September 2024
Tapaitau and Charlie-Puna released to ‘family jobs’
21 September 2024
Police apprehend four juveniles in connection with motorcycle thefts
23 September 2024
Deep sea dilemma: Cook Islanders weigh the cost of mineral riches
21 September 2024
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
Cook Islands deep sea mining poll sparks controversy
7 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Rising seas, rising costs: Climate impacts on Cook Islands economy
2 September 2024
Inflation eases but concerns remain
31 August 2024
Prime Minister defends $659,000 MPs travel bill
23 August 2024
Taxpayers foot $659,000 bill for MPs travel and allowance
22 August 2024
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
PM Brown eager to hand over Forum chair role to Tonga
13 August 2024
ICI explains road works delay in front of old Sheraton site
10 August 2024
Diaspora dismayed over lack of Te Maeva Nui livestream
8 August 2024
Everyone is a winner, says Culture
7 August 2024
Local women outshine global peers in business leadership
8 August 2024
Housing crisis hits tourism industry
27 July 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
Opinion
Virtues in Paradise: Unconditional thanksgiving
My birth country, which is fractured and divided as never before, has held a presidential election leaving half the country cheering for victory and the other half grieving the loss of cherished ideals and gob smacked at the power now wielded by leaders they do not trust. By Linda Kavelin-Popov.
LETTER TO EDITOR: ‘PM should be held responsible’
Dear Editor, Wouldn’t you think that when 62 per cent of the voters said yes to the cannabis referendum during the 2022 general election on August 1 to allow for research and medicinal use that the Government would want to make life easier for patients arriving in our nation with a legal prescription for medicinal cannabis products?
Life is not a fairytale …
The problem with Disney fairytales is that after abandonment abuse bullying and slavery, the young helpless girl is saved by a young handsome man with a sword but no other real-life skills. He does not have a job or his own house, he is still living at home with his parents in the castle, writes Ruta Mave.
LETTER to Editor: Redesigning our CBD
Dear Editor, The recent comments from our locals after the central business district (CBD) of Avarua was overrun with hundreds of cruise-ship passengers taking over the CBD made interesting reading. People noted the many visitors walking in the street as if streets were made for people and not cars.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Cannabis confusion ‘falls squarely on the shoulders of Customs’
Dear Editor, I write in regards to Thursday’s front page article about “Border confusion continues: Police, Customs at odds over cannabis importation”. The reason for all the confusion falls squarely on the shoulders of Customs because in our Narcotics Act it states on page 49 that, “This Act is administered by the Ministry of Health”. And there is a provision in the MOH Act, Part 5,23- # (7) that as long as all the criteria is met it is legal to import personally prescribed medicinal cannabis products.
Protecting life in the high seas
We must find that balance to utilise and protect our environment, our seas, our land, our fish, our forests and our seabed, because this has been how we as people of the Moana have maintained and sustained ourselves for generations, writes Thomas Tarurongo Wynne.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Some questions for CIIC …
Dear Editor, I have some questions for CIIC (Cook Islands Investment Corporation), regarding the new plan for the market, and thought a public forum like the paper would a good format to do this, so everyone concerned can get the answers they need. I understand all stallholders (arts, crafts, and advertising for tourism) are being moved to the new location, past the current huts into the park, and all food vendors are heading to the old playground.
Religion and science: World in fear, turmoil, confusion and uncertainty
We can only save our world full of fear, turmoil, confusion and uncertainty when the union between the Bible and Science is strongly intact, integral and intimate, writes Apostolic Church head Bishop Tutai Pere, BA, LTh, M.B.E.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Extent of negativity ‘disgusting’
Dear Editor, I cannot believe the extent of negativity I’m reading on this trail regarding Jack Ma’s visit to our island and judgements passed based on hearsay and assumption. All you need to do is read up on Mr Ma’s Foundation and the huge financial support the foundation has given that spans over almost 10 years (and I’m not talking $millions, but $billions) to support education for teachers and students in the most rural and remote areas, funding for women empowerment, created thousands of jobs, helped eradicate poverty in China and then in 2020 spent millions on research towards a cure for COVID-19.
LETTER: ‘Unlawful and misguided act’
Dear Editor, The phrase above the law describes a person who is exempt from following the rules or at least thinks he or she is exempt. Usually a person who is above the law has a very high government position or a lot of power.
RUTA MAVE: Women in the Cook Islands need to rise up for their rights
Sunday was children day and Wednesday is Women’s Day. When is men’s day? Everyday. Move on, writes Ruta Mave.
Thomas Tarurongo Wynne: ‘We need to be better prepared’
Ka anoano ia tatou kia papa no teia au ra ki mua – As the waters subside back to their usual levels and the devastation has been left bare, we are all here left with this residual feeling – a lingering awakening that we all need to be better prepared.
Te Ipukarea Society: Biodegradable FADs and the purse seine fishery in the Cook Islands
A one-day stakeholder consultation at the Crown Beach Resort in Rarotonga was held to discuss an upcoming project related to tuna fisheries in the region.
The big problem at Air NZ
Kiwis trying to book a trip to Rarotonga will be frustrated with reduced flights to Rarotonga. On many days the airline is now only flying one daytime flight from Auckland to the Cook Islands, which was an astonishing $1800 return when I tried to book for June this year, writes Brook Sabin of Stuff.
PET TALK: Cattle are extraordinary
Cattle are multipurpose. They can produce meat and milk, and make excellent tractors. They pull ploughs, they tow trailers. They harvest their own fuel and provide fertiliser in return for fuel, writes Te Are Manu clinic medical director Dr Michael Baer.
Letter to Editor: Dog owners ‘are the problem’
Dear Editor, Dog owners need to take responsibility for their part of not taking care of their dogs! (‘Stop dog culling’: SPCA threatens to leave Dog Committee if shooting doesn’t stop, February 24, 2023). They end up roaming and causing chaos for all!
Tender for road works
Dear Editor, Good to see the roads being sealed but I never seen any tender for this clean up job. Come on e Garth (Henderson, Financial Secretary), come on e Arapati, eaa teia angaanga repo. Why no tender. I think same thing happen for the Ngatangiia and Avatiu valley roads before the election. No tender too. Na kotou rai e aati ta kotou ture. E kino tikae teia tu.
Te Tuhi Kelly: 200 years of the arrival of the Gospel to Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is due to celebrate 200 years of the arrival of the Gospel to these shores. A momentous occasion to be celebrated by one and all with visitors from around the world coming to the Cook Islands to bask in the glory of the spreading of the word of God, writes Te Tuhi Kelly.
Sense of pride
Pride – A feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired.
Where’s the stair climber machine?
Dear Editor, With all the current excitement about a new lift (elevator) being installed at the Court House/Justice complex, finally addressing the long existing issue of how to get the pakari, elderly and infirm, as well as mothers and babies, up those stairs and into the Court/land/BDM sections, one is forced to ask what ever happened to that Stair Climber machine, which the then Minister in charge trialled and demonstrated live on CITV, and no doubt had photos in the CINews back in the day? Does anyone else recall that event, which was touted as being the beginning of a new access era in a Justice building already fraught with issues.
LETTER TO EDITOR: Dog problem ‘getting out of hand’
Dear Editor, The animal welfare group and Dog Registration and Animal Control Committee (DRACC) who are looking at changing the Act and legislation relating to animal welfare are wasting their time and should leave it alone – karuke i te ture – it won’t do any good.