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USP Student body represents 14,000 students

The University of the South Pacific Students’ Association (USPSA) from 14 campuses spanning 12 member countries convened in Rarotonga yesterday representing the voice of 14,000 students.

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Hundreds march to support Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand

It was as much a celebration of Maori unity as a demonstration, according to marchers in yesterday’s Rarotonga hikoi.

PMG gives bed bunks to Aitutaki

Pacific Mini Games chief executive Mac Mokora said that yesterday’s PMG equipment sale at Te Atukura was a success. Shoppers and browsers snapped up leftover bunk beds, paper cups, paper towels, hot boxes, flags and torches at half price. Mokoroa said that the PMG committee has arranged with the New Zealand High Commissioner to send […]

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Cruise liner departure not due to Cyclone Pat

Last Tuesday’s quick departure of the luxury yacht style cruise liner Seabourn Odyssey was reportedly unrelated to cyclone Pat which hit Aitutaki that night. Destination Management Cook Islands (DMCK) cruise ship events coordinator Marlene Cuthers says the ship, the third to visit Rarotonga this year, did not send its passengers ashore citing the official reason […]

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Aitutaki plants crops for the future

“The time to mourn is over – now is the time to rebuild and plant.” These were the words of Aitutaki head agriculture officer Fred Charlie who is leading the crop planting project on Aitutaki. Most of the food crops and fruits trees on Aitutaki were destroyed during cyclone Pat, however Charlie says that some […]

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Austrian guests pick up tools

Before Cyclone Pat visited us, we had two guests staying at Gina’s Garden Lodges – Bernhard and Christa Dziuba, a couple from Austria. They stayed through the cyclone and the days after without a complaint about the lack of electricity, or the environmental damage. They took it all in their stride as a unique and […]

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Air Raro plays key role

When Cyclone Pat threatened the Southern Cook Islands last Wednesday, Air Rarotonga dispatched two aircraft carrying emergency personnel to be sheltered in Mauke in case the storm moved southward over Rarotonga. By 1pm in the afternoon, as soon as the cyclonic winds began to abate on Aitutaki, the aircraft landed with police and other personnel […]

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Aitutaki bounces back for visitors

The Aitutaki Tourism Council yesterday issued a media release for worldwide distribution in an effort to preserve tourism and visitor interest following last week’s cyclone. The release sent out by Mike Henry said that in the interest of helping visitors to Aitutaki make informed decisions on their travel to the island, the Tourism Council of […]

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Eels slip past Bears

The Avatiu Eels lived up to their ‘slippery’ reputation when they managed to slip out of the Arorangi Bears’ grip in the second half of their tense action- packed match on Saturday to run away with the win 34-24. The game was touted to be a big hitting bonanza and the massive crowd of spectators […]

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Matai sports gear makes debut

After a week of rugby league in their new Matai Sports uniforms, the 2009 club rugby league champions the Tupapa-Maraerenga Panthers report they feel like NRL stars in their new gears. The Panthers club is the first sports team on the island to take advantage of the Fiji-based team wear manufacturer with the Avatiu Eels […]

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Roxz rumble with Warriors at the swamp

The Avatiu swamp is again the place to be this afternoon for the open men’s and women’s touch rugby competition. The competition continues to produce some excellent touch rugby matches and with impressive defences across the board – the team that works together to move the ball around quickly and stretch their opponent will no […]

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Building codes to be invoked

Building codes will have to be adhered to when reconstruction of private homes begins on Aitutaki following tropical cyclone Pat. “I think the lesson learnt is that if you are building your house, don’t take any shortcuts,” said minister Wilkie Rasmussen after visiting the island last week. “You have to build your house according to […]

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New cyclone predicted

Another tropical cyclone is predicted this week. The regional Nadi Weather Office predicts that a new tropical cyclone will form later this week. Director Rajendra Prasad said yesterday that weather conditions between Samoa and the Northern Cook Islands are such that a tropical cyclone is expected to form by Friday and move closer to Fiji. […]

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Power back on

Power is slowly being restored to homes on Aitutaki as substations are being fixed. Aitutaki resident Maki Toko, who was manning the cyclone shelter yesterday, reported that a number of homes had electricity. He said that Aitutaki Power Supply staff were working hard to fix sub stations across the island including the rebuilding of power […]

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Tourism largely not affected by cyclone

Management at two of Aitutaki’s major resorts have reported no major fluctuations in bookings and said that the stream of tourists to the cyclone-ravaged island is fairly regular. Pacific Resort Aitutaki and Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa are quickly bouncing back from the disaster with the assistance of local resort staff and Rarotonga support teams. […]

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Red Cross takes the lead

Red Cross volunteers, led by Charlie Numanga, were out in numbers on Thursday meeting with households on Aitutaki to gauge their immediate needs. Numanga told Cook Islands News that their main focus was to ensure that people had the basic needs of shelter, food and water. Numanga said they were making sure that people who […]

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Power and water top priority

Cabinet appeals for volunteers, seedlings, tents and NZ Hercules Some power in some pockets on Aitutaki has been restored over the past two days. Prime minister Jim Marurai said yesterday that reinstating power is the immediate priority for the island, along with providing a reliable water supply and providing adequate shelter for the residents who […]

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$20,000 from Forum for Aitutaki

The ministry of foreign affairs and immigration has been busy co-ordinating requests for assistance to rebuild Aitutaki – from regional and international sources, according to secretary Mike Mitchell. “We have been promised $20,000 from the Forum Secretariat immediately – which should defray some of the transport costs. “We have also been encouraged to contact the […]

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Businesses contribute

Local businesses are reaching out to cyclone victims, hosting fundraisers, shuttling work teams to Aitutaki and doing whatever they can to help. Yesterday, CITC hosted a sausage sizzle at Foodland that raised $750 for the cyclone relief effort. CITC donated bread, sausages, tomato sauce, and staff to do the cooking. Funds will go toward assembling […]

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Cyclone Pat appeal next week

Aitutakians on Rarotonga are rallying to organise a fundraising appeal to assist with the relief effort on Aitutaki following tropical cyclone Pat. Aitutaki Community secretary Mona Ioane said that a meeting of the executive was held yesterday and it is anticipated that a radiothon, along with food stalls at Te Atukura, will be held on […]

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Secretary confident with preparations

Health secretary Tupou Faireka may be out of the country, but this week he kept in close contact with Rarotonga to ensure the ministry would be able to provide emergency and essential health services in the wake of cyclone Pat. Faireka said he was confident that his ministry has the capacity to deal with the […]

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Tourists experience cyclone Pat

For Barbara Robertson, the most impressive thing about cyclone Pat was the local Aitutakians’ reaction to the storm that whipped wind and flying bits of roof and tree into a violent whirl. “That’s the worst weather I’ve ever seen but they just push through it,” she said. “The people are almost stoic – they just […]

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