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General News

Week ending Wednesday, 14 December, 2011

Current events and entertainment in Rarotonga and the Cook Islands.

BTIB finishes Telecom contract investigation
Strike will not affect local shipping
Community group again before Auckland court
A lot has happened
Piho Rua a servant of his people
Judicature amendment bill passed
PM congratulates athletes
Mayor not taking Auckland post
Mitiaro harbour ready by March
Regional tourism body shares strategy
Quality, consistency key to growth
Departure tax a bummer: tourism agents
Hola, Spanish tourists
Principals in CI first
Jetty deadline extended
Tereora juniors get their time in the spotlight
PM takes blame for justice error
Employment bill may be withdrawn
Bill enables greater accuracy
Pacific media pushing investigative reporting
Fire dance the night away at Muri
Trade days making the mama proud
Kia Orana moves into final forum day
Family tourism has room to grow
Low season shorter this year
Mangaia School celebrates its students
Tereora juniors congratulated
Cook Islands territory may expand
Tuna quota a raw deal for Cooks
February start for pawpaw export
The Vital Voices of the Cook Islands
Tonnes of value in Cook Islands
Rocky Avatiu here until January
50-tonne crane tips over
Its in the giving that you share
Value vital for UK market
Distance no trouble for Euro travellers
Put the social in social media
Finding a follow-up to Guildford
Bringing in the outer islands
First diversion case a success
Smokehouse to export albacore, marlin
Youth empowerment on the agenda
Mangaia on the map during tourism forum
Cycling tribute emotional for friends
Italian ambassador named
Tourism industry best placed to get it right
Trochus harvest period extended
New banking legislation adopted
Uirangi does Aitutaki proud
Population issues persist for Mangaia
Help is here for abuse perpetrators
Excess noise and thefts at weekend
Kwai repairs nearing completion
Speed network at Fishing Club
Young appointed director
United States of travel coming back to life
Cooks an option for UK newlyweds
Wedding TV to showcase Cooks
Little things important to making Cooks great
Marlin on the menu
Kia Orana Cook Islands forum wraps up
Parliament withdraws employment bill
Samoan ship due in new year
Kick-start your Christmas tonight
Let someone else do the Christmas cooking
Ministry considering tenders
Pacific journalists must speak out against violence
Small steps to address womens plight
Signed, sealed and delivered in town

The Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) has conducted an investigation into the securing of a contract by Telecom Cook Islands (TCI) to sell computer hardware to the Financial Supervisory Commission.

BTIB is not prepared to release the details of its investigation until TCI has responded to its report, but local computer retailers are purportedly disgruntled and not prepared to let the issue slide.

The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) put out a notice in July asking local businesses to submit tenders for the contract to supply computer hardware for its online registry.

The deadline to submit tenders was July 13, and the FSC announced in August that TCI had won the tender.

BTIB launched an investigation into the tender process on the grounds that the sale of computer hardware is a protected area of investment, meaning only local companies or approved foreign enterprises are able to sell computer hardware in the Cook Islands.

TCI chief executive Jules Maher says he is in ongoing communication with BTIB on this issue.

He defended TCIs winning of the contract on the basis that it submitted the most competitive price.

FSC issued a tender to supply servers for their online registry and Telecom won the tender. We understand we submitted the lowest price, Maher said.

Although they are owned by the FSC, the servers are now located in our purpose-built server room at Parekura, providing the level of service required by the FSC: air conditioning, back-up power and security. An online registry, by definition, is provided over telecommunications lines. Therefore Telecom selling servers to make this service work is a service we consider is incidental to providing telecommunications services as allowed by Telecoms registration.

TCI is a registered foreign enterprise 60 percent owned by Telecom NZ and 40 percent owned by the Cook Islands government.

It was registered in 1992 under the Development Investment Act to conduct the following business in the Cook Islands:

-the suppliers, providers, operators and managers of telecommunications services and any activities incidental thereto;

-providing postal services and all other activities ordinarily carried on by a post office;

-any other activities which the government of the Cook Islands gives its consent to in writing.

Chief executive Jules Maher says it is TCIs prerogative to operate and manage the telecommunications network; provide services over the network (landline phones, mobile voice and data, internet and so on); and sell to customers devices that connect to the network for the purpose of accessing the network or the services provided over it.

The issue is whether the sale of computer hardware falls into any of those categories.

Maher says the advance of technology has blurred the line between computers and telephones.

So-called smart phones such as the iPhone and Android phones have more computing power than many desktop computers had just a few years ago. People now use these phones as hand-held computers, he said.

As such, TCI believes its registrations covers selling devices that are intended to connect to its network, such as modems, mobile phones, PABXs, cordless phones and computers.

FSC commissioner John Hobbs says he has been alerted of the investigation into the tender process.

Although I can confirm that Telecom Cook Islands was the successful tender for the provision of hardware in connection with the implementation of the online registry, the commission is not privy to the determinations of the BTIB under its investment code.  Subsequent to the tender being awarded, the commission was told of an investigation into this matter by BTIB but no further advice has been forthcoming, he said.

BTIB chief executive Terry Rangi says the investigation has been completed and findings released to Telecom. Until BTIB receives a response, Rangi is not prepared to comment.

Im not prepared to state what our findings are at this time as we have not yet received a response from Telecom over the contents of our letter. We are waiting to hear from them. Telecom is a well established company and a good corporate citizen. I am certain that if the company thinks it has breached any laws that it will work to rectify and correct this, he said yesterday.

• Rachel Reeves

Auckland port workers have announced that they intend to continue striking over Christmas, but local shipping agents say the strike will not affect shipping movements to the Cook Islands.

The strikes are set to last from 10.30pm on Thursday, December 22, until 10.30pm on Friday, December 23, and from 10.30pm on Saturday, December 24, until 10.30pm Sunday, December 25 (all New Zealand times).

The Forum Pacific is expected to arrive on December 24.

Pacific Direct Lines Cook Islands trade manager Vicki Williams says the strike will not affect the vessels estimated time of arrival.

Our ship works through the general wharves so we will be unaffected, she wrote in an email to Cook Islands News.

(The) only possible impact is any transhipment cargoes coming in from overseas, for example Asia, that come in during the strike may get caught as we will not be able to get the containers moved across from the container terminal to general wharves.

The same would apply to the Rarotonga service.

The arrival of Southern Express has been postponed to December 28 (Cook Islands time) from December 24.

EXCIL shipping manager Maru Apera does not expect that the strike will affect the vessels arrival time.

I cant see it having any direct impact because it appears to be affecting container terminals the people striking are those that deliver containers and (Rarotonga-bound containers) should be already sitting on the wharf waiting to be moved by then, Apera said.

CITC general manager Gaye Whitta says CITC has already received its Christmas and New Year stock and the postponement of the Southern Express journey will not affect holiday sales.

At this time of the year we plan on getting all our stock for Christmas here at the beginning of December to avoid any shipping delays, she said.

• Rachel Reeves

The case involving Pukapuka Community of New Zealand Inc president Nuku Rapana and president-elect Tareni Lulia comes before the Auckland court again today.

Because Rapana has filed a defence, Lulias barrister Ray Parmenter has requested a full hearing. Because that is not likely to be set down for months, he proposed supervised elections in the interim to break the deadlock between his client and Rapana, who is refusing to recognise the validity of elections held in September.

Rapanas lawyer Simativa Perese is expected to respond to the proposal at todays call-over hearing.

As the incorporated societys president, Rapana filed a new constitution in August of this year. He alleges that the new constitution supercedes the original one.

While the community discussed drafting a new constitution in 2005, the document Rapana filed in August includes some new changes.

The community has not approved the document.

The new constitution stipulates that 150 people must be present to call a meeting, not 15 as previously specified.

I had no knowledge this was planned, Lulia wrote in his affidavit. ...The new rules, as can be seen, promoted a new management system and seemed to make it harder to get change. See clause 20, for example, where it would take 150 members to call a meeting instead of 15 under the 1995 rules. The quorum was set at 60 (clause 21) compared with 30 under the 1995 rules.

Lulia maintains in his affidavit that Rapana has interfered with multiple attempts to call elections. The society is in a big mess as Nuku runs around telling everyone hes in charge, Lulias affidavit reads.

The members of the society have run out of patience with Nuku; they are furious and frustrated for Nukus total disregard for the people and our kaumatuas. Nuku has prevented the members from holding an election six times this year before September 1, hence the election of September 1 being held at another venue and twice since September 1.

Rapana has opposed Lulias interlocutory application for an order for summary judgment.

He claims that the 2005 rules do not authorise the calling or holding of an extraordinary meeting for the purpose of electing new officers, that the September election was not in accordance with the rules and that he did not suspend the executive as Lulia says he did.

I have never considered myself as having the power to unilaterally suspend the board. What I do recall saying is that I believed that the disruptive behaviour by some of the members of the committee, especially (Lulia), was completely unacceptable and counterproductive (to) good governance.

Rapana says he was not aware that the September 1 meeting during which Lulia was voted president had been called. He alleges Lulia is causing disruption within the society.

There is a pressing need for the Society to move forward, his affidavit reads. However, the society is completely hamstrung by (Lulia) and his actions.

• Rachel Reeves

Prime Minister Henry Puna. 11120741

The Cook Islands 2012-2013 budget policy statement and economic and fiscal update were tabled in parliament yesterday.

Other bills tabled yesterday were the Banking Act 2011 - to be considered forthwith - and the Judicature Amendment Act 2011 and Digital Registers Bill 2011, both of which were passed without objection or amendment.

Among the other papers and reports tabled were the Cook Islands Investment Corporation annual report for the year ending June 30, 2010, the audit offices first quarter report for the year beginning July 1, 2010 and ending September 30, 2010, the commissioner of police (appointment order) 2011, and the Cook Islands Pearl Authority annual report and audited financial statements for the period of July 2009 to June 2010.

Also tabled was the report of the select committee formed to make recommendations on the Employment Relations Bill.

A lot has happened since this parliament last sat, Prime Minister Henry Puna said.

• Rachel Reeves

Parliament House observed a minute of silence for the late Piho Rua yesterday. Rua retired from a long career in politics last year, and died of illness in October.

Thank you for the tribute that as a house we paid (to) the honourable Piho Rua, Prime Minister Henry Puna said.

I wish to add my personal condolences Im sure all members of this house would love to be associated with any tribute to our late colleague.

I wish to acknowledge that the honourable Piho Rua succeeded in entering this house with the support of the Cook Islands Party in Rakahanga.

While he was characterised as an independent member of parliament, the reality is he was favouring the CIP while in this house.

But we remember him this afternoon, today, not as a representative of the CIP but as a servant of his people. Our condolences go out to his (wife), the children and the family, here in Rarotonga, in Rakahanga and also in Manihiki - wherever they may be.

• Rachel Reeves

Prime Minister Henry Puna says court of appeal judges will be pleased to learn that parliament yesterday passed the Judicature Amendment Bill 2011.

The bill amends an act that has not been modified for 30 years, thereby updating a piece of legislation that Puna called way out of date.

The effect (of the outdated legislation) on the administration of justice in this country in that cases have been delayed from being brought before the court of appeal.

Puna said he encountered three court of appeal judges at the airport last Thursday, who greeted him with a query as to when parliament would pass the Judicature Amendment Bill 2011.

I would be happy as minister of justice to send them an email today or tomorrow to tell them the bill has passed, he said before reading the bills merits yesterday.

Puna explained that the amendment bill will enable the court to deal with appeals in a more efficient and timely manner.

It will give the court of appeal a greater degree of flexibility and enable one judge rather than three, as required under the former legislation to give direction on matters of appeal.

It will also enable appellants to make written submissions via videoconference or teleconference with New Zealand judges, thereby cutting down on administrative costs.

Opposition leader and lawyer Wilkie Rasmussen seconded Punas motion to pass the bill. It passed without objection or amendment.

• Rachel Reeves

Cook Islands sailors and Pacific Games medal winners (from left) Teau McKenzie, Taua Elisa, Junior Charlie and Helema Williams. 11090981

Prime Minister Henry Puna has extended his congratulations to the athletes of the Cook Islands.

Yesterday in parliament he commended the athletes and organisers of the Sevens in Heaven tournament in November, calling the event a roaring success.

So, too, was the recent Vaka Eiva festival, he said.

We should be, and indeed we are, we are proud of our young people behind these initiatives. The least we can do as government is to stand right behind them and give them the support that they need, Puna said.

He congratulated CISNOC and its president Sir Geoffrey Henry, and Team Cook Islands on their performance at the Pacific Games in Noumea.

Despite the prophecies of doom and gloom of those who did not wish to be associated with our team in Noumea I believe the team did really well, he said.

He also wished the sailors currently competing in Perth good luck. -

• Rachel Reeves

Atiu mayor Taoro Brown will not be taking up the post of medical referral officer in Auckland, as previously reported and confirmed in parliament yesterday.

Mitiaro member of parliament Tangata Vavia asked Atiu MP Nandi Glassie to set the record straight in parliament.

Browns appointment has drawn a bit of flak from Cook Islanders in Auckland, who argued that a New Zealand-based Cook Islander would be better suited to the job.

Circumstances have changed in Atiu, hence the reason why he is not accepting that position in Auckland, Glassie said.

Glassie noted that the appointment and Browns subsequent withdrawal from the position incurred no cost to the taxpayers.

He added that Brown was interviewed by an independent panel and the appointment process was fair and transparent.

• Rachel Reeves

Infrastructure minister Teariki Heather predicts that Mitiaros harbour will be completed by March.

Mitiaro member of parliament Tangata Vavia questioned the three-month delay in construction yesterday in parliament. He noted that Maukes harbour is still incomplete, which means further delays for the Mitiaro harbour project.

I can only presume that eventually the funds allocated for Mauke would have been used up and most likely would impinge into the (funds) for the other case, the Mitiaro harbour, Vavia said.

Heather assured the house that the allocated amount will go toward each harbour project.

The delay, he said, was caused by the breakdown of a machine, the replacement for which is still in Nassau.

He concluded by saying that the harbour will be finished by March. -

• Rachel Reeves

South Pacific Tourism Organisation marketing manager Petero Manufolau in the Cook Islands this week to join the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum. 11120721

The South Pacific Tourism Organisation will host a free workshop today as part of the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum being held this week.

The Fiji-based organisation is the mandated regional body for the tourism sector in the South Pacific with the mission to market and develop tourism in the region.

Its a non-profit organisation and its memberships spans across 14 nations throughout the Pacific including the Cook Islands.

The organisation will be running the workshop at the request of the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation.

The Cook Islands corporation has released an open invitation to the community to join the South Pacific Tourism Organisations workshop, which will be held at the Pukapuka hostel from about 2.15pm today.

While the focus of the workshop will be to educate Cook Islands Tourism partners on the work that the South Pacific Tourism Organisation does in the region, particular attention will also be placed on identifying the areas in which assistance is needed the most as well.

Included in the workshop is an update to the Cook Islands Tourism stakeholders on the digital marketing programme that South Pacific Tourism Organisation will be developing for small and medium enterprises.

Through this programme, tourism operators who fall under the category of small and medium enterprises will be able to benefit from website development and revamp and as well as the further training on online distribution network, including yield management.

Further to this, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation, through the assistance of the European Unions EDF funding via the Pacific Regional Tourism Capacity Building Programme, will also be undertaking extensive market research for the South Pacific from 2012 and this should help Cook Islands tourism stakeholders to better cater to the needs of the markets.

Niche market research and development will also be an integral part of the South Pacific Tourism Organisation work plan for 2012 and this will be carried out in consultation with the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation.

The workshop will be ideal for tourism partners who seek opportunities to further enhance their product and services to suit the needs of the dynamic markets which we all operate in, South Pacific Tourism Organisation marketing manager Petero Manufolau said.

The South Pacific Tourism Organisation in grateful to the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation for their continued support throughout 2011 and looks forward to another year of continued partnership and growth.

The South Pacific Tourism Organisations workshop is just one of a full days worth of free meetings organised by the Cook Islands Tourism Organisation as part of the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum.

The other workshops will include an update on international views on standards and accreditation for tourist accommodations, information on the role and importance on online travel agencies in the digital age and a general update on the movements and activities of the Cook Islands Tourism Organisation. The other workshops will include an update on international views on standards and accreditation for tourist accommodations, information on the role and importance on online travel agencies in the digital age and a general update on the movements and activities of the Cook Islands Tourism Organisation.

• EP/Release

New Zealand’s Alyssa Field from the Stella Travel Group sharing her thoughts during the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum. 11120725

The importance of delivering a quality and consistent service at tourism accommodation in the Cook Islands has been underlined at Kia Orana Cook Islands first day of forum meetings.

Wholesalers from New Zealand, Australia and North America took to the stage at the Rarotongan Beach Resort and Spa for a series of roundtable discussions on their individual markets.

Though there were a few differences between the three markets opinions, all agreed that the Cook Islands needed to enhance and moderate its accommodation standards and the services on offer.

And while areas for improvement were discussed, all three markets also agreed that the Cook Islands had an enormous advantage over other Pacific destinations in its authentic, accessible culture and the generous hospitality and sense of humour of its people.

What was needed now was for accommodators in general to live up to their promises and price tags and generally improve on the quality of accommodation on offer.

Australian wholesaler Todd Basham said that the visiting delegation had come to a general consensus that the Cook Islands accommodators in general could work on the small things that changes a good stay into a great stay.

He said there was a lack of consistency in some of the services including points such as the time it took to order a coffee, to the welcome people received upon arriving at their accommodation, to the time it took for an airport transfer to occur.

Basham said if there was no consistency, from day to day and month to month, visitors would often become confused or annoyed.

Omniche holidays general manager Renae Loro agreed, saying that it was important to deliver on the expectations that have been set and, for example, be at the airport at the time you said you would be.

Margaret Meers from Boomerang in Canada reiterated this point and said that people often landed after a long flight with short tempers and high expectations.

The New Zealand market also agreed, with many of the delegates saying that the Cook Islands was generally good in its efforts, but it needed to work on the little things.

One wholesaler said it could mean having good pillows and not cheap ones, or simply walking around with a plate of fruit at the end of a day to give to visitors sitting by the pool.

New Zealand wholesaler Shelly Gutry from Our Pacific said the Cook Islands would benefit from introducing an accreditation system to help regulate the quality of the accommodation here.

• Eric Parnis

Tourism industry members from North America during the Kia Orana Cook Islands panel discussion at the Rarotongan Beach Resort and Spa. 11120723

Tourism representatives from New Zealand have described the Cook Islands departure tax as a setback for the local tourism industry and have called for it to be absorbed into airfares.

Speaking at the Kia Orana Cook Islands tourism forum yesterday, New Zealand wholesaler Shelly Gutry of Our Pacific described the Cook Islands $55 departure tax enforced on all visitors to the island as a last bummer for a holiday in the country.

Air New Zealand representatives at the meeting warned that their fares would increase if the departure tax was included in their prices, and that increase may backfire on the Cook Islands visitor figures through the higher cost of arriving at Rarotonga.

She said that the departure tax left many tourists with a sour taste of the Cook Islands, whose last experience of the country was a negative in every instance.

While I get very few negative experiences reported back to me, theres a big bummer for tourists when they leave and have to pay the departure tax, Gutry said.

The crowd watching on, which included foreign and local members of the tourism industry, burst into applause when Gutry broached the topic.

The New Zealander said the whole of the Cook Islands experience would be improved if it did not leave every tourist reaching for their wallet and scrambling to get $55 to leave the country.

Gutry said she would like to see the departure tax removed or absorbed into the price of tickets.

Wayne Deed from New Zealand wholesaler Go Holidays echoed Gutrys remarks and called on airlines to include the departure tax into their ticketing price.

There were two Air New Zealand representatives in the crowd, including Cook Islands manager David Bridge, who said the topic would soon be discussed and considered in upcoming meetings.

Bridge said Air New Zealand would be holding some high-level discussions early next year to mull over many issues, including the Cook Islands departure tax.

But he warned that the high price of the Cook Islands departure tax could act as a deterrent to tourists coming to the Cook Islands before they even buy their ticket.

Cook Islands financial secretary Richard Neeves said in September that the government was working to have the departure tax embedded in airfares.

If airlines incorporated departure tax into fares, Rarotonga travellers would have a better Cook Islands experience, he says, as people wouldnt at the last minute be looking for $55 to pay the tax.

It would be more efficient overall administratively because it would be automated. We have quite a laborious process at the moment, Neves said.

• Eric Parnis

Destino NZ director Cecilia Allende, right, getting in touch with the Cook Islands through musician Metua Akakoromaki. 11120693

For any Spanish-speaking tourist wanting a holiday in New Zealand and onwards into the Pacific, Destino NZ is the first point of call.

In fact, when you type New Zealand into internet search giant Googles Spanish service, you would get their website as the first listing in the results page.

Destino NZ typically deals with visitors from Spain, but it also takes in Spanish and Portuguese speaking tourists from South America and elsewhere.

Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries are a niche market for the Cook Islands, but one that Destino NZ director Cecilia Allende thinks is worthwhile for the local industry to keep in mind.

Allende, an Argentine who has been living and working in New Zealand for nine years, said the company most often tailored packages of about three weeks in length for its Spanish travellers.

She said that those clients usually opted to spend about a fortnight in New Zealand and then move onto a Pacific island to make up the final week of their trip.

Currently, Fiji is one of the most popular destinations in the Pacific for these travellers.

Allende said she would like to see more Spanish and Portuguese speaking tourists make it to the Cook Islands and she would be working to have that happen.

Allende is in the Cook Islands on her first visit to the country.

She is travelling as part of the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum organised by the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation.

The forum has been organised with a number of goals in mind, one of them being to educate and ingratiate the destination with the people who are selling it.

For Allende, the trip has been a valuable one so far.

She said it could be difficult to sell a destination you had never visited and having a deeper understanding of a place always helped with the task of convincing others to travel there.

Allende said the Cook Islands provided a number of positives over other Pacific destinations for Southern European and South American travellers passing through New Zealand, including the proximity to Auckland, the currency and the experiences on offer.

• Eric Parnis

11120746

The first group of first time principals to go through the Ministry of Educations new induction programme have been rewarded for their efforts.

On Monday, the ministry handed certificates to the first four principals to go through the programme, which began in 2010 and took 18 months to complete.

Vaeruarangi Unuka of Arorangi School, Nooroa Ingaua of Rutaki School, Teaea Parima of Tereora College and Enoa Raea of Araura College each received a certificate from the Ministry of Education yesterday confirming they had completed the course.

The programme follows the New Zealand introduction to being a principal, which has been running since 2002 with the support of the University of Auckland and the New Zealand Ministry of Education.

It is an induction course for principals to meet their needs as principals to help to develop professionally and personally in managing their school and also in being effective leaders in their school to improve and strengthen the core activities of the school teaching and learning.

The Secretary of Education, Mrs Sharyn Paio, who has benefitted from this programme, met with NZ counterparts to request the Cook Islands principals to also participate in this programme.

There are currently four more principals enrolled in the programme, with two or three more set to join next year.

• Eric Parnis

The tender deadline for the Arorangi jetty project has been extended to allow more construction companies to submit their plans.

Project manager Des Eggelton has had the tender deadline extended from December 5 to December 12, with the project still being aimed at beginning during the summer school holidays.

Tender applicants are being asked to supply the construction and supply of all materials for the Arorangi jetty, which would be used as an alternative site for cruise ships to disembark if the weather at Avatiu was adverse.

The project is being supported by the New Zealand Aid Programme and would give the Cook Islands access to many of the cruise ships that bypass Rarotonga due to bad weather.

About 10 cruise ships drop planned stops at Rarotonga each year, costing the local economy an estimated $3 million annually.

The project is estimated to cost about $2 million to complete.

A panel made up of representatives from the New Zealand Aid Programme, Ports Authority and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning will join Eggelton in selecting the tender winner.

That winner should be announced within two weeks of the December 12 closing date.

• Eric Parnis

Hareta Tiraa Passfield with awards and certificates after a great year of learning at Tereora College. 11120731

Year 9 and 10 students at Tereora College had their turn to shine in the spotlight as the national college held its junior prizegiving ceremony on Wednesday.

There was no shortage of certificates, trophies and ei for the students who were acknowledged for their efforts in academics, arts, sports and culture throughout the 2011 school year.

Students also performed items for their parents and teachers who joined in the day of celebrating the success of the future leaders of the nation.

- Matariki Wilson

(Following is the year 9 prize list. The year 10 prize list will be published in tomorrows edition of Cook Islands News. )

Tereora College year 9 and 10 prize list:

Year 9 AR Tiahuia Pittman 3rd in Mathematics, Morgan Wichman 3rd in Health & Physical Education, Jayden Hunter 3rd in English, 2nd in Mathematics, Ioana Turia 3rd in Cook Islands Maori, 3rd in Science, 2nd in English & 2nd in Social Studies, Tu-te-maeva Poaru 2nd in Cook Islands Maori, 2nd in Health & Physical Education & 1st in English, Vanita Glassie 3rd in Social Studies, 2nd in Science & 1st in Cook Islands Maori, Hareta Passfield 1st in Social Studies, Benjamin Heather 1st in Health & Physical Education, Cailean Henderson 1st in Mathematics & 1st in Science, Vanita Glassie & Ioana Turia 3rd equal overall in Year 9 AR, Tu-te-maeva Poaru 2nd Place in Year 9 AR, Cailean Henderson 1st Place in Year 9 AR.

Year 9 BT prize list Natalia Mills 3rd in English, Isaiah Zarate Rapana-3rd in Health & Physical Education, Ariana Kiely 3rd in Social Studies & 3rd in Cook Islands Maori, Myria Rongo 3rd in Science, Nicholas Henry 2nd in English & 2nd in Mathematics, Mereina Herman 2nd in Social Studies, Dylan Apera 2nd in Health & Physical Education, Viliame Hanfakaga 2nd in Science & 1st in Mathematics, Samuel Maurangi 1st in Health & Physical Education, Moeroa Ben 1st equal in Cook Islands Maori & 1st in Social Studies

Debora Mataio 3rd in Mathematics, 1st in English, 1st equal in Cook Islands Maori & 1st in Science, Viliame Hanfakaga 3rd Place in Year 9 BT, Moeroa Ben 2nd Place in Year 9 BT, Debora Mataio 1st Place in Year 9 BT.

Year 9 HT Othniel Joseph 3rd in Health & Physical Education, Tekeu o-te Rangi Toru 3rd in English, 3rd equal in Science & 2nd in Cook Islands Maori sponsored by Teatuakaro Creations, Lafala Nooroa 3rd in Social Studies, Metua Taurarii 3rd in Mathematics & 2nd in Social Studies, Lukas Uka Tiatoa 3rd equal in Science & 2nd in Health &Physical Education, Patricia Aratangi 2nd in Mathematics, Mathew Thompson 2nd in English, 2nd in Science, Violet Makakea 1st in Cook Islands Maori sponsored by Teatuakaro Creations, Jarves Aperau 1st in Health & Physical Education, Annie Moeauri 3rd in Cook Islands Maori sponsored by Teatuakaro Creations, 1st in English, 1st in Mathematics, 1st in Social Studies & 1st in Science, Tekeu o-te Rangi Toru 3rd Place in Year 9 HT, Mathew Thompson 2nd Place in Year 9 HT, Annie Moeauri 1st Place in Year 9 HT.

Year 9 OP Kailani Nga 3rd in Mathematics, Rebecca Mataio 3rd in Social Studies, Cahjun Willis 3rd in English & 3rd in Health & Physical Education, Emily Monga 2nd in Mathematics & 2nd in Social Studies, Ngatokoitu Tell 2nd in Cook Islands Maori, Roimata Moetaua 2nd in Health & Physical Education, 3rd in Cook Islands Maori & 2nd in Science, Liana Lazaro 1st in English & 3rd in Science, Mary Jane George 1st in Science & 2nd in English, Teiti-o-te-ra Tupuna 1st in Cook Islands Maori, 1st in Health & Physical Education, 1st in Social Studies, 1st in Mathematics, Liana Lazaro 3rd Place in Year 9 OP

Mary Jane George 2nd Place in Year 9 OP, Teiti-o-te-ra Tupuna 1st Place in Year 9 OP.

John Kare 3rd in Social Studies & 3rd in Science, Gordon Teatai Ariki 3rd in Health & Physical Education, Charlie Ngaia 2nd in Cook Islands Maori & 2nd Equal in Mathematics, Treajel Marsters 2nd equal in Mathematics & 2nd in English, Tekao Tairi 3rd in Cook Islands Maori & 1st in Social Studies, Willie Miria 2nd in Health & Physical Education & 1st in Cook Islands Maori, Bobby Aerenga 2nd in Science & 1st in Health & Physical Education, Jean-Luke Tomokino 2nd in Social Studies, 1st in Science, 1st in English & 1st in Mathematics, Charlie Ngaia 3rd Place in Year 9 JS, Treajel Marsters 2nd Place in Year 9 JS, Jean-Luke Tomokino 1st Place in Year 9 JS.

Prime Minister Henry Puna has taken responsibility for a legislative anomaly, in his capacity as minister for justice.

Puna, speaking in parliament yesterday, explained to fellow members the need for an amendment bill in respect of the Leases Approval Tribunal.

He tabled the bill, which enables the validation of the tribunal and its work this year.

Due to an oversight, the tribunal and its decisions have not been formally validated since January.

Puna says the Leases Restrictions Amendment Bill intends to tidy up some mistakes.

Im not embarrassed to state that these anomalies, these mistakes, come from one of my portfolios the Ministry of Justice.

He says it is important for parliament to take the necessary steps to ensure the systems in place are validated and proper from now on.

As minister of justice I have to accept the mistakes that have happened and Im pleased that this bill is before the house so that everything is put back on a proper basis. I commend this bill to the house.

Deputy opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen seconded the bill, saying many people have been through the court in the past 11 months in respect of lease matters.

He says while it is concerning there might be doubt or room for contention in respect of tribunal decisions since January, the bill now before parliament enforces a proper procedure.

Had we left it another year it might not have been acceptable.

Rasmussen raised the possibility of lease matters since January being reconsidered.

Perhaps we will not quite understand the implications and consequences of that period between January and December this year in the relationships between the people who have dealt with the lease tribunal and the decisions of the tribunal.

Opposition member and Mitiaro MP Tangata Vavia took a harder line.

I commend the minister (Puna) for taking the burden on his shoulders, but that makes no excuse for this gross mistake by the ministry and the minister. In my view its not a mistake its a crime.

This should not have been allowed to sit in government for 12 months. There should be no half decisions this is not acceptable.

In response, Puna says cabinet was only made aware of the anomalies in respect of tribunal validation this week.

He says cabinet confirmed the appointment of the three tribunal members in August, when that issue came before ministers, but it was not until December 6 that cabinet was told of the associated legislative problems.

Puna says cabinet should be commended that in two days the amendment bill came before parliament.

He says the only reason the bill backdates the tribunal validation to January 15 this year, is because the members appointment expired on January 14.

But cabinet was not advised (at the time) there were some problems with those appointments.

Puna says criticism of government at this point is a waste of time.

The fact is this is the only means to rectify this problem. Its useless if we go back and identify all the decisions determined by the tribunal over this period thats why we in government decided this is a matter of urgency.

He says the justice ministry is not to blame.

The mistake was not committed by the Ministry of Justice. We sought advice from Crown Law and by right should have got that appropriate advice, but we did not.

The staff members at the Ministry of Justice are doing their job well they have no part to play in the failure.

The bill was unanimously voted into legislation following discussion of its merits yesterday afternoon.

A decision was also made to stop the Leases Approval Tribunal from sitting until the bill is effected.

• Rosie Manins

Cabinet minister Nandi Glassie will today report to parliament about the progress made on governments outdated employment relations bill.

The bill has been around for about 20 years, and was earlier this year tabled in parliament.

A steering committee was then established to reconsider the bill, and the document was passed on to members accordingly.

Since then it has stayed tabled in parliament but not discussed pending outcomes of the select committee.

It is the committees recommendations that Glassie will highlight today.

There are roughly 30 recommendations of the committee one of which is for the bill to be withdrawn from parliament in order for it to be re-drafted by Crown Law.

Glassie will speak on those recommendations, in the hope that his report is adopted by parliament and the bill formally withdrawn.

If so, it will be re-drafted by Crown Law and re-tabled in parliament for consideration.

The bill aims to provide a framework for minimum standards in respect of all employment relations particularly for the private sector.

Work has been conducted throughout the year to establish workers priorities in respect of their employment in the Cook Islands, as well as those of employers.

The minimum wage (currently $5 per hour) and maternity leave are key issues.

Deputy opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen says if the bill is withdrawn, he hopes that it is ready for tabling and consideration at the next parliamentary sitting expected to be in February 2012.

• Rosie Manins

Te Kukupa before heading out to survey the Cook Islands EEZ. 11060216

Parliament is considering a bill providing for better definition of the Cook Islands territorial borders.

The Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone Amendment Bill was tabled in parliament yesterday by Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters, on behalf of marine resources minister Teina Bishop who was absent.

The bill enables the preparation and publication of documents showing the low-water mark, baseline and other matters relating to the limits of the territorial sea and exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Documents can include coordinates, charts, maps, diagrams and databases and the purpose of the amendment bill is to allow a wider range of material to be used to depict territories and borders, taking advantage of modern technology, and to allow such information to be tabled as evidence in court.

Marsters says measurements and systems enabled by the principal act (the Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone Act 1977) have afforded misplacements by as much as 50 miles.

New technology, enabled by the amendment bill, has a percentage of error corresponding to less than one metre in comparison, he says.

Marsters spoke about the large number of marine species which move through the Cook Islands EEZ and the importance of data accuracy.

The Cook Islands is a member of regional associations, including the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), which rely on the collation and analysis of exact information, he says.

Economic gain for the Cook Islands is also reliant on precise border points, Marsters says.

We need to be in a position to take advantage of the economic situation as these migratory fish stocks move through our waters. (Bishop) is hard at work looking for opportunities to ensure that we maximise our returns from when the stocks are in our waters.

Therefore we are obliged to utilise and observe the fishing activity in our waters.

Marsters says prosecution of illegal fishing is also reliant on updated border and territorial measurements.

We licence foreign fishing vessels to operate within our waters to operate legally within our waters. Thats one reason why this 1977 act and amending bill is so important to our related fisheries.

For example when illegal fishing takes place in our waters our patrol boat Te Kukupa can arrest these illegal fishers, and for a successful prosecution to take place in our courts our enforcement agencies need to be able to determine accurately that the offences took place in our waters.

Marsters cited a recent case where Cook Islands maritime agents thought boats were operating illegally in the Cook Islands EEZ, but as it turned out their chart measurements were inaccurate.

We were out by a few miles, therefore this bill will greatly increase the accurate positioning of our marine borders making prosecution in our courts more certain.

Marsters says the bill is also important for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration.

The accuracy of maritime boundaries with our neighbours is important as it allows all to define respective borders and rights and responsibilities.

Debate on the bill will begin when parliament resumes today at 10am.

• Rosie Manins

PasiMA Chair Savea Sanoa Malifa and David Robie of Pacific Media Centre. 11120846

PasiMA board members and project crew aboard the Maori waka Te Aurere. 11120848

A web-based training programme for Pacific media has been commissioned by the Pasifika Media Association (PasiMA).

This follows a three-day board meeting in Auckland this week where the one-year-old organisation charted the course for its training programme, funded by a $100,000 grant from the British High Commission in the Solomon Islands.

The training resources will be designed to support Pacific media operators and journalists with enhanced real-world skills, particularly in the fields of media business management, investigative journalism and multimedia platforms.

PasiMA board members from Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands and Hawaii met to agree on structure and content for the training programme, which will be rolled out by late 2012.

The web-based training resource programme is designed for PasiMA member organisations and individuals, and is being built by a team of Pacific regional members and advisors.

PasiMA chairman Savea Sano Malifa, proprietor of the Samoa Observer, said the proposed training course is exciting because it will strengthen the role of member organisations in delivering robust journalism and combating corruption and resistance to transparency and openness in public institutions and governments.

PasiMAs board held a number of side meetings with potential partners and allies such as the Pacific Media Centre attached to the Auckland University of Technology, and the New Zealand based Pacific Islands Media Association.

The board and guest observers supporting the work of PasiMA also spent an afternoon visiting the Auckland Maritime Museum and sailing aboard the double-hulled Maori waka Te Aurere.

Savea said the waka experience was symbolic of the organisations mission to unify media around the Pacific and its ongoing journey to combine and strengthen news media in the 20-plus countries of the region.

PasiMA has also identified priorities for the immediate future, such as building corporate and individual membership and offering a regional news service.

It is also planning approaches to a variety of regional organisations with the aim of establishing memorandums of understanding that will lead to provision of PasiMA reporting and coverage of events such as regional leaders meetings, trade promotion and co-operation with government and non-government initiatives in areas such as internet development, culture and arts.

• PasiMA

Constable Matt Tuapata connecting with the community at the Kia Orana Night Market. 11120804

Cook Islands favourites of umu, eke and ika mata were on offer at the Kia Orana Night Market, much to the delight of 6-year-old Baila Moana-Tua. 11120809

The Kia Orana Night Market rolled into Muri for the second time this week, saying a friendly hello to the areas visitors and a kind welcome home to Cook Islanders back on the rock for Christmas.

About 25 stalls set up on the Muri rugby field for the night, providing food, crafts and clothing for the market punters as the sun disappeared over Rarotongas mountains in the background.

Once that happened and the crowd had had its fill of umu, steak rolls, barbecue chicken and chop suey, all eyes turned to the stage for the nights entertainment.

First up, some youngsters from Muri, around Rarotonga and across the world competed in a dance-off for a free pass to Captain Tamas Lagoon Cruizes.

The kids combined modern and traditional Cook Islands dancing to try and take top spot, blending ura pau, shuffling and a few other styles in the competition.

Young Nate Murray, 4, won the competition for his zeal and confidence in blending dance moves from his New Zealand upbringing with his Cook Islands heritage.

Soon after, fire dancers lit up the crowd with their mesmerising performances.

The Kia Orana Night Market was last held one month ago and with the local communitys support, it could continue on its monthly schedule into the future.

• Eric Parnis

There was a range of goods and food up for sale at the Kia Orana Night Market. 11120807

The Vaka Eiva Trade Days held during the paddling festival have brought in a handy injection of money for the outer islands and town community.

Vendors from the two-day market experienced a high turnover of their stock, the best period coming during the Thursday, November 24 night market.

The area across from the Banana Court in town was packed with paddlers, visitors and locals for the night, who had flocked to the market to grab a plate of food, peruse the craft items and souvenirs on offer and catch one of the cultural performances staged during the evening.

Representatives from various pa enua in the southern group hosted a stall at the trade day markets, bringing some specialty foods and crafts to Rarotonga for the event.

Business Trade and Investment Board trade and marketing manager Melina Tuiravakai said the markets success could be measured in the experience of one group of outer islands mamas, that brought home about $8000 between them from the event.

Tuiravakai said other islands did similarly well and the money earned at Rarotonga was going straight back home with the visiting pa enua residents, providing an economic boost to the economy across the southern islands.

• Eric Parnis

Tourism wholesalers and industry members from across the world took time off from Kia Orana Cook Islands forum roundtables to meet with local industry members in the business-to-business day yesterday. 11120845

Europe will take the spotlight in the Kia Orana Cook Islands tourism forum today with Cook Islands workers and industry members to share their perspective on the state of the tourism industry from the other side of the world.

Cook Islands Tourism Corporation staff based in the United Kingdom and continental Europe will take to the stage today at the Edgewater Resort and Spa for the second day of the forums main workshops.

Southern Europes representatives will host the first panel discussion of the three market sectors, before the Northern Europe agents and the United Kingdom delegates take to the stage afterwards.

The Cook Islands Tourism Corporation said the day will give some tidings on the lucrative Southern European market, plans for attracting Germans and other Northern Europeans away from home for a winter holiday, and how to boost the numbers coming from the UK.

Before all this can happen, the crowd will hear from the days keynote speaker Donna Meredith, the managing director of Keystone Corporate Positioning.

From 8.45am, Meredith will host a discussion on product positioning.

She will call on her 14 years of experience with Keystone, in which she and her team have designed and managed strategic brand, marketing, and cultural change projects for more than 100 organisations both within Australia and overseas.

The company has also provided specialist consultancy services to airlines and tourism organisations nationally and internationally on marketing, aviation, digital and distribution strategies.

Before lunch and the end of the day, the crowd will engage in a mystery debate, which the tourism corporation said was designed to keep the industry thinking and planning for a strong future, with the debate aimed at being both fun and thought provoking.

• Eric Parnis

The whole island experience of Rarotonga should be used as a focal point for attracting more families to the Cook Islands, according to tourism wholesalers taking part in the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum.

Families account for about 10 percent of the Cook Islands tourism industry coming from New Zealand, according to information collected on departure forms from the country, but tourism wholesalers feel that figure has room to increase.

Wholesalers speaking at the first day of roundtables on Wednesday in the Kia Orana Cook Islands tourism forum said the Cook Islands should aim to close the gap between it and Fiji when it comes to family holidays.

Fiji currently counts about 24 per cent of its tourism industry to family travellers.

Wholesalers from Australia and New Zealand counted Fiji as one of the Cook Islands biggest competitors for tourism.

Representatives from both markets, as well as the North American market, said they could see potential for growth in family tourism for the Cook Islands and that the Cook Islands would be able to grow its share of the trade by promoting its differences to Fiji.

New Zealand wholesaler Shelly Gutry of Our Pacific said the Cook Islands offered families a different experience to what they would find in Fiji.

She said while Fiji was more of a one-resort destination where you leave your kids with minders at the resort and go your own way, the Cook Islands offered something more like a family retreat.

Gutry said the size of Rarotonga and Aitutaki made them more accessible for families, and possibly more attractive.

Rarotonga is like one big family resort, she said. You have a beautiful product for families... theres lots to offer here.

Gutry said the Cook Islands could do with more marketing that show the country as a family-friendly destination.

Australias Renae Loro echoed Gutrys comments later on in the day, saying that Australian families had done the Fiji experience and were now looking for new destinations in the South Pacific for a getaway.

Loro said there was also scope for the Cook Islands to tap into what she called the city family travellers people who like travel with a group of close-knit friends.

Dennis Basham, a manager from the Virgin Australia-affiliated wholesaler Blue Holidays, said the Cook Islands needed to shake its perception of being a couples only destination and crack into the family market.

He said that while the Cook Islands was still unknown to many Australians, the anonymity of the destination could help it lure in people from the market.

Australians like to travel to new places and being the first to experience a place, Basham said. There is a real brag-factor about having people ask where? when you tell them where you have just been. But it is a bit of a Catch-22, he said.

The Kia Orana Cook Islands forum, organised by the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation, continues today at the Edgewater Resort.

• Eric Parnis

Cook Islands Tourism Corporation New Zealand sales manager Kelly Hanson at the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum day. 11120726

The Cook Islands will again experience a dip in visitor numbers over the summer months but the trough in tourism this year should be shorter than previous years, according forecasts coming from foreign markets.

Tourism industry members from New Zealand are predicting the Cook Islands visitor figures for January to be a little sluggish when compared to the months surrounding it and especially in comparison to the mid-year high season.

But the down-season looks to have been shortened for the upcoming summers, with those same industry members reporting optimistic forward booking figures for February, March and April next year.

The Cook Islands tourist inflow typically drops back from January to April, with February being the poorest performing month for visitor figures for the last four years.

While numbers for July have grown from about 10,000 in 2008 to about 13,000 this year, February has consistently brought in about 5700 visitors for the last four years.

With this in mind, the crowd at the Rarotongan Beach Resort and Spa were pleased to hear of New Zealands optimism during the countrys update in the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum roundtable.

Cook Islands Tourism Corporation New Zealand manager Graeme West said the Rugby World Cup was continuing to have an influence on New Zealands outbound tourist figures almost two months after the competition ended.

West said the Cook Islands, along with other Pacific islands, had taken in fewer tourists from New Zealand than it should have since September due to the effect of the Rugby World Cup.

He did note that the Cook Islands had not taken a hit as dramatic as other Pacific nations and, apart from the World Cup period, the Cook Islands had seen 18 months of growth from New Zealand.

West said the World Cup had had an impact on the whole of the New Zealand economy as its population hunkered down at home and tightened their spending to pay for tickets and other rugby side dishes.

Even Wests veterinarian reported a slowing of business as people opted out of elective surgery for their pets.

New Zealand wholesaler Mandy Veale of Mondo Travel said the industry had been through a slump as New Zealanders went into hibernation for the World Cup.

We had the whole world looking at us (during the Rugby World Cup) and New Zealand was a great place to live, but people are in hibernation now, she said.

Veale said the retail industry was feeling the effects and people werent eating out at restaurants as much, so it was not just the tourism sector smarting from the World Cup.

But she agreed with West and said the figures for February and March were looking up and showing that people were keen to get out of the house, and the country, again.

• Eric Parnis

Top Maori culture student Atingakau Moekapiti (left) and top year 12 student Grace Matapo. 11120826

Mangaia School graduating class of 2011. (Back row from left) Moeroa Atariki, Kiriana Ngatamariki, Sharon Poila, Tequila Daniel, Grace Matapo, Eirene Tangatakino, Mrs Tangi Matapo, (front row) Terrence Ngametua, Atingakau Moekapiti, Stormmel Ruatoe and sitting at front Faarii Moekapiti. 11120827

Mangaia School prizegiving 2011 was held at the Numangatini Hall on Wednesday of this week.

Lots of parents came to help celebrate the successes of Mangaias students from preschool to year 12 and from the three villages of Tamarua, Ivirua and Oneroa.

At Mangaia School all preschool and primary students receive a prize as a means of letting them know that they are valued.

Grade 6 has a most improved student award that went to Paula Kareroa.

The secondary students from form 1 to form 4 are selected on the criteria of hard working, cooperative and responsible values taken from the schools mission statement.

One student from each class is also selected as the most improved student.

Award recipients were in the form 1 and 2 grades Frances Matamaki, Melani John Varu, Grandpa Moeara and Taria Reina while Juvandon Tutu received the most improved student award.

Awards also went to Desiree Harry, Mavis Tangimataiti, Tangianu Temata and Paul Harry while Rayden Daniel received the most improved student award.

Form 4 awards went to Tiata Ruatoe, Porohu Koroa, Salaima Vavia and Micheal Paia with Ngaupoko Metuakore the most improved student.

Sportsman of the year went to Junior George while Eirene Tangatakino picked up the sportswoman of the year award.

The award for excellent in attendance (no missed days) went to Elijah Poila of grade 4, Faith Taokia of form 3 and Paaro Arokapiti of the senior 1 class.

Agriculture student Tiata Ruatoe was the most outstanding agriculture student and Salaima Vavia received the award for most promising agriculture student.

Atingakau Moekapiti was awarded a new award, the Tumu Korero trophy.

In the senior secondary classes (years 11 and 12) the top academic students were (year 11) Paaro Arokapiti who received the Memory Ben trophy.

Other students recognised were Emaahnessa Ruatoe for academic success and Rosemary Harry for the most improved student.

Grace Matapo was the student with the most credits in year 12 and was awarded the Tanya Vaiimene Memorial prize as well as the Moana Gem trophy for top academic student.

Other students recognised were Tequila Daniel and Arumentua Parima for academic success and Kiriana Ngatamariki for the most improved student.

The schools top all round student award, the Solomona-Hermann Prize, went to Moeroa Atariki.

• MW/Mangaia School

Tereora College junior students with their certificates and trophies after the prizegiving. 11120730

The achievements and successes of Tereora Colleges year 10 students were noted at a prizegiving ceremony on Wednesday.

Year 9 and 10 students were the toast of the school when high achievers in the classroom, on the sports field and on the cultural stage were congratulated for their efforts and successes.

Below is a list of the year 10 high achievers who were presented with certificates and trophies at the prizegiving. - MW

Year 10 RT Pareariki Raita 3rd in English, Christian Toa 3rd in Health & Physical Education, Inatea Toa 3rd in Cook Islands Maori, Jason Potoru 3rd equal in Mathematics

Arama Henry 3rd in Social Studies, Metuangaro Nganu 3rd in Science & 2nd in Social Studies, Hilary Taurarii 2nd in Mathematics & 2nd in Health & Physical Education, Trina Oti 2nd Science & 1st in Maori, Dennis Rangi 3rd equal in Mathematics & 1st in Health & Physical Education, Takeremarama Thompson 2nd in Cook Islands Maori, 2nd in English & 1st in Social Studies, Jordan Kamana 1st in English, 1st in Mathematics & 1st in Science, Trina Oti 3rd Place in Year 10RT, Takeremarama Thompson 2nd Place in Year 10RT, Jordan Kamana 1st Place in Year 10RT.

Year 10 BP Deveron Aererua 3rd in Health & Physical Education, Heiarii Syme 3rd in Cook Islands Maori, Roland Neururer 3rd in English, James Bertram 3rd in Mathematics, Leimona Mana 2nd in English, Talia Mataora 2nd in Cook Islands Maori, Peter Teaea 3rd in Science, 2nd in Mathematics, April Ngametua 1st in English & 1st in Cook Islands Maori, Tehina Teroi-Vainerere 1st in Social Studies, Oneal Rongo 3rd in Social Studies & 1st in Health & Physical Education, Ngatuaine Jessie 1st in Science & 2nd in Health & Physical Education, Te-Rua Glassie 2nd in Social Studies & 2nd in Science & 1st in Mathematics, Ngatuaine Jessie 3rd Place in Year 10BP, Te-Rua Glassie 2nd Place in Year 10BP, April Ngametua 1st Place in Year 10BP.

Year 10 PJ Paul Kirikava 3rd in Health & Physical Education, Elizabeth Poila 2nd equal in Cook Islands Maori, Sharnia Metuarau 1st in Science & 1st in English, Beatrice Raea 3rd in Mathematics, 3rd in Social Studies, 2nd equal in English, 2nd equal in Science & 1st in Physical Education, Jessica Samuela 2nd in Mathematics & 2nd in Social Studies, 2nd equal in English & 1st in Cook Islands Maori, Horst-Tutere Arakua 2nd in Physical Education, 2nd equal in Cook Islands Maori, 2nd equal in Science, 1st in Mathematics, 1st in Social Studies, Beatrice Raea 3rd Place in Year 10PJ, Jessica Samuela 2nd Place in Year 10PJ, Horst-Tutere Arakua 1st Place in Year 10PJ.

Year 10 OA Beniamina Toru-Unuia 3rd Physical Education, Teora Paitai 3rd in Mathematics, Jamie Riro Teuru 3rd in Cook Islands Maori sponsored by Teatuakaro Creations, Norma Ngatamariki 2nd in Social Studies, Stephanie Nooroa 2nd in Health & Physical Education, Jesse Blizzard 3rd in Science & 2nd in English, Stephen Rani 1st in Physical Education, Tarapiripa Bishop 1st in Cook Islands Maori sponsored by Teatuakaro Creations, Jessica Puiri 3rd Social Studies, 3rd in English, 2nd in Mathematics & 2nd in Science, May Myo Min 2nd in Cook Islands Maori sponsored by Teatuakaro Creations, 1st in Mathematics, 1st in Social Studies, 1st in English & 1st in Science, Jesse Blizzard 3rd Place in Year 10OA, Jessica Puiri 2nd Place in Year 10OA, May Myo Min 1st Place in Year 10OA.

Year 10 CW Eteta Tuteru 3rd in Social Studies, Niroa Kamana 3rd in Science, Mahele Rau Tearaitoa 3rd in Cook Islands Maori sponsored by Teatuakaro Creations, Marina Papatua 2nd in Social Studies, Silas Tuaputa 2nd in Cook Islands Maori sponsored by Teatuakaro Creations, Thomas Potoru 2nd in Mathematics & 2nd in Health & Physical Education, Kora Kora 3rd in Health & Physical Education, 2nd in Science &

2nd equal in English, Ngarima Areai 1st in Physical Education (prize sponsored by Ministry of Health), Tepua Raita 1st in Cook Islands Maori sponsored by Teatuakaro Creations

Maire Mcfadzien 1st in Social Studies, Taylor Rangi 2nd equal in English & 1st in Mathematics, Maria Maoate 3rd in Mathematics, 1st in Science & 1st in English , Kora Kora 3rd Place in Year 10CW, Taylor Rangi 2nd Place in Year 10CW, Maria Maoate 1st Place in Year 10CW.

Year 10 Options prizes Aaron Ivaiti 3rd in Digital Technology, Liliana Daniel 3rd in Food Technology (2nd Semester), Kora Kora 3rd in Drama, Talia Mataora 3rd in Horticulture, April Ngametua 3rd in Dance & 3rd in Food Technology, Heiarii Symes 3rd in Visual Art, Ngatokorima Paia 3rd in Business Studies, 3rd equal in Digital Technology (2nd Semester), Robyn Moetaua 3rd equal in Digital Technology (2nd semester), Evelyn Taomiau 3rd in Horticulture (2nd semester), Elizabeth Mataiti 3rd in Visual Art (2nd semester), Beniamina Toru- Unuia 3rd in Workshop Technology & 2nd in Horticulture (2nd semester), Tamati Mahia 2nd in Digital Technology, Norma Ngatamariki 2nd in Digital Technology (2nd semester), Ngatuaine Jessie 2nd in Workshop Technology, Jessica Samuela 2nd in Food Technology, Jesse Blizzard 2nd in Graphics & 2nd in Business Studies, Kain Warren 2nd in Horticulture, Christian Toa 2nd in Drama, Tanga Morris 2nd in Visual Art, Tehina Teroi-Vainerere 2nd in Dance, Taylor Rangi 2nd in Visual Art, Mahele Rau Tearaitoa 2nd in Food Technology, Jessica Puiri 3rd in Graphics, 1st in, Business Studies (trophy sponsored by Andrea Panther), Teariki Strickland 1st in Digital Technology, Peter Teaea 1st in Workshop Technology, May Myo Min 1st in Graphics (prize sponsored by Mr Cannell), 1st in Visual Art, Tepua Raita 1st in Visual Art (2nd semester), Maire Mcfadzien 1st in Horticulture (prize), Jonathan Nelio 10BP 1st in Dance, Jamie Riro Teuru 1st in Food Technology & 1st in Horticulture (2nd Semester), Thomas Potoru 1st in Drama, Niroa Kamana 1st in Digital Technology (2nd semester), Maria Maoate 1st in Food Technology (2nd Semester).

Year 10 special awards Niroa Kamana Outstanding Effort in Year 10 Digital Technology, Mahere Takaiti Performing Arts Special Award for Diligence and Commitment, May Myo Min Top Year 10 Mathematics Student, Top Year 10 Visual Arts Student, Top Year 10 Science Student, Top Year 10 Social Studies Student, Mii Solomona Award for Excellence in Year 10 English (Trophy), Monica Tafale Diligence in Student Council, Jonathan Nelio Diligence in Student Council, Memory Akama School Librarian, Niroa Kamana School Librarian, Samantha Takai School Librarian, Ngarima Areai School Librarian, Tekura Vakapora School Librarian Tanga Morris Deans Award For Attendance, Tarapiripa Bishop Most Outstanding Year 10 Student(Academic, Culture, Sports & Community), Jesse Blizzard Overall Top Academic Year 10 Student 3rd Place, Jessica Puiri Overall Top Academic Year 10 Student 2nd Place, May Myo Min Overall Top Academic Year 10 Student 1st Place.

Parliament members continue to debate an amendment bill enabling more precise mapping of Cook Islands territories and borders.

Indications are that re-mapping with advanced technology could actually result in the Cook Islands exclusive economic zone (EEZ) comprising an additional area of about 400 square kilometres.

At present the EEZ spans about two million square kilometres of ocean.

The Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone Amendment Bill effectively updates the principal act passed in 1977.

It was tabled in parliament on Thursday by Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters and will be administered by the Ministry of Marine Resources if adopted.

Perceived merits and shortfalls of the bill were debated in parliament yesterday.

Deputy opposition leader and Tongareva MP Wilkie Rasmussen says the bill could give back the Cook Islands some of the territory it used to claim.

He cited Penrhyn islanders who used to talk about going north and south to their territories which are now known differently, including Christmas Island.

Rasmussen says he hopes the newly defined borders afford each island at least a 12 mile radius in which foreign operators are not allowed to fish.

So that we can tap into the resources each island has when its time to harvest.

Nikao MP and opposition member Ngamau Munokoa took the opportunity during debate of the bill to warn government about plundering the countrys marine resources including manganese nodules and fish.

I think this is a good bill but we must be careful for the future.

Rakahanga MP and fellow opposition member Taunga Toka also expressed concern about potential activities aided by further technology and more precise mapping of the Cook Islands geography.

He wonders whether dredging of the sea floor for manganese nodules could cause natural disasters such as earthquakes.

I commend the government of today for pushing ahead with this kind of economic development but it is important to also look at ways to prevent problems arising.

Toka says he supports the thorough research of such activity, prior to approval of any actual development.

Mitiaro MP and opposition member Tangata Vavia says God has given the Cook Islands a valuable resource and it is up to the countrys leaders to make the most of it.

He says re-defined borders of the Cook Islands EEZ may soon be put before the United Nations for formal recognition.

It is possible Marsters will be the one to present the UN with such a proposal, he says.

I would like to ask our people to give him (Marsters) their support to do this. It doesnt matter which government is in place at present we are all the caretakers of our resources.

Vavia says Canadian company Endeavour should be allowed to conduct research in the Cook Islands to determine whether mining of the seabed within the countrys territory is feasible.

Because if it is a viable project then we are looking at billions of dollars, I believe. Who knows there may be other minerals in these nodules which the world refers to as rare minerals and which are of much higher value than what we presently know.

The support by opposition members on governments bill was recognised by Ngatangiia MP Atatoa Herman.

Listening to the debate, there seems to be no problems.

Marine resources minister Teina Bishop rose to give his full support to the bill.

Even though this amendment is only about two pages, from a fisheries point of view this is a million dollar bill and from a seabed minerals point of view, this is a trillion dollar bill. This bill is establishing permanently the boundaries of our ocean.

Bishop says it is difficult for government, through the Ministry of Marine Resources, to refer instances of illegal fishing to the court without precise coordinates.

Once we legislate this bill there wont be any more questions because the difference in error will not be 50 miles but only one metre.

Debate on the bill will resume when parliament convenes again at 1pm on Monday.

• Rosie Manins

The Cook Islands is not getting its fair share of the Pacifics tuna resources, hence the need for governments exploratory fishing programme, marine resources minister Teina Bishop says.

In parliament yesterday Bishop explained that soon the entire Pacific region will be subject to a quota system, whereby each country will be allocated a maximum annual tuna catch.

In order to secure a fair quota the Cook Islands must prove it has a sustainable tuna fishery, and that is what the exploratory fishing programme will ensure, he says.

Cabinet has approved the Ministry of Marine Resources three-year exploratory fishing programme, which will see up to 24 foreign fishing vessels licensed to operate in Cook Islands waters.

All catch data and corresponding information will provide MMR with the ability to determine the size of a sustainable fishing operation in the country.

Bishop says at present about 500,000 tonnes of tuna is caught in the Pacific region each year of which the Cook Islands can only lay claim to between 6000 and 7000 tonnes.

The Cook Islands has one of the largest exclusive economic zones in the region, however, and it would be irresponsible for government not to allow that resource to be utilised, Bishop says.

The fish is only ours when they are in our waters.

• Rosie Manins

Export of Cook Islands pawpaw is due to begin in February or March next year, agriculture minister Nandi Glassie says.

More seedlings are also being planted on Rarotonga, to ensure the islands pawpaw crop continues to be sustained for future export, he says.

Glassie was asked to explain the status of pawpaw cultivation and export during yesterdays parliamentary session.

Nikao MP and opposition member Ngamau Munokoa asked Glassie whether any progress is being made in regard to pawpaw export from the Cook Islands.

Since you came into government there has been concern about agriculture exports, she said.

Glassie says the reason for a delay in the start of pawpaw export to New Zealand is because the local treatment plant has taken longer than expected to be finished.

But most of it is being installed now, he says.

In a follow-up question, opposition MP Winton Pickering asked Glassie whether the Democratic Partys One Kura project for agriculture in the Cook Islands is being pursued by the current Cook Islands Party government.

As you are aware this project has been anticipated for quite some time, especially in Mangaia, and a lot of people out there are waiting to know where you are with this project, Pickering said.

Glassie says government is committed to implementing the project, which it has renamed the agriculture revitalisation project.

First of all we are calling in planters from the various islands.

Glassie says the two parts of the project relate to cash crops for export such as coffee, noni and vanilla, and crops for domestic supply including pineapple, lettuce, tomato, cabbage, carrot and other vegetables.

These are the two areas that have been identified to push this project ahead. With vanilla, that has already begun in Mangaia and Atiu as well as nono but other crops depend on what planters want to grow.

Glassie says international export markets have already been identified for Cook Islands fresh produce.

He says an important component of the project is for local growers and agriculture industry workers to better understand Cook Islands soil types and which crops are compatible with different ground compositions.

Accordingly, a New Zealand soil scientist who has been working with the agriculture ministry is returning to the Cook Islands next week to undertake further analysis.

We have also called in local experts to be part of this revitalisation programme and they will be responsible for explaining to all planters how to plant and what to expect.

• Rosie Manins

From left: country ambassador Teina Mackenzie, Nukutau Pokura, Vaine Nooana-Arioka and Helen Maunga. 11120801

The Cook Islands Vital Voices delegation hand-picked by worldwide non-profit Vital Voices Global Partnership is in Vanuatu discussing with its regional counterparts the Emerging Pacific Women Leaders Programme about to be rolled out. The programme aims to empower women and increase the profile of women leaders across the Pacific.

A significant amount of oil and petroleum is likely to be found in the Cook Islands exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters says.

In parliament yesterday, Marsters told fellow members he has received unconfirmed reports that Cook Islands waters contain tonnes of valuable minerals including more than 20 billion tonnes of a certain mineral, according to Japanese reports.

It could be worth more than our (manganese) nodules. The Cook Islands EEZ could also contain significant reserves of oil and petroleum.

The reference was made by Marsters when he spoke about a new bill allowing greater accuracy of territorial and EEZ mapping.

I suppose we shouldnt be surprised Tonga has had oil for a long time although it is third or second grade oil. Marsters says government is pursuing all relevant details related to this most exciting news for our nation.

I can assure our people that government is committed, like we are in deep sea minerals, to exploring this potential resource in a responsible manner. And to that end, for all its great benefits it will provide, its my pleasure to stand and support this bill which will better define boundaries in the Cook Islands EEZ, Marsters says.

The Territorial Sea and Exclusive Economic Zone Amendment Bill will be further discussed in parliament next week.

• Rosie Manins

The Avatiu harbour forefront will soon include a new rock wall as part of the port development works currently underway. 11120109

Rocks being stockpiled at the Avatiu harbour wont stay above ground long theyll soon be in the water as part of the $25 million redevelopment works being undertaken at the harbour.

A new rock wall will be constructed at the harbours southern wharf in January as part of the Avatiu port development works.

The retaining wall, which will extend from the reconstructed berthing point currently being used by Te Kukupa to the western marina, will be used to break up sea energy in the harbour, said Ports Authority general manager Nooroa Bim Tou.

The rock revetment slope will absorb wave energy entering the harbour and reduce the reflected wave energy within the harbour, he said.

The rock armour slope will also reduce erosion, et cetera, at the western beach area particularly during storm events.

Works at the western beach will commence once sufficient rock armour under layer material has been stockpiled and is expected to commence in January 2012.

The rocks are coming from various locations, including the Rarotongan quarry.

• Eric Parnis

Kwai listing under the weight of a 50-tonne Kobelco crane. 11120910

11120906

Cook Islands General Transports 50-tonne Kobelco crane tipped over onto Kwai at about 11 oclock yesterday morning, causing damage to the ships steel hull.

The crane was loading a standard 20-foot container into the ships cargo hold when it tipped over, its boom landing across the deck of Kwai.

Eyewitnesses report the crane showed signs of struggle in mid-air and then flipped, its cabin turning upright and its boom colliding with the ship. The whole thing happened in slow motion, according to onlookers, and the container ended up in the ships hold.

The crane operator managed to escape the cabin but received an injury to his head and was reportedly bleeding from the nose. He was transported to Rarotonga Hospital for medical attention.

Almost immediately after the accident, Ports Authority deployed oil booms around Kwai. General manager Nooroa Bim Tou says it was a precautionary measure. No oil was spilled from the vessel.

Kwai captain and owner Brad Ives told Cook Islands News there is damage to Kwai, but declined to discuss the extent of it. Cargo agents Hawaii Pacific Maritime also declined to comment.

Cook Islands General Transport director Jessie Sword says the company is not in a position to speak to the media for fear of jeopardising its insurance claim.

Sword says she is unable to divulge any information, including the specifications of the crane.

A team of investigators yesterday began surveying the scene and preparing a report for General Transports insurers. Sword says an investigation of this magnitude is typically a lengthy process, but declined to say anything further.

General Transport was attempting to dismantle and remove the fallen crane from Kwai at press time yesterday.

Ives says the incident will inevitably delay Kwais departure. She arrived at Avatiu on Wednesday and was scheduled to leave for Kiribati on Tuesday, but her date of departure is now unconfirmed.

Ron McKenzie is a qualified crane tester with Australian certifications. He says cranes have limitations and must be operated within the boundaries of a strict set of safety guidelines.

A crane doesnt fall over on its own, he said. Youve got to know what youre lifting and what weight youre lifting, and the angle and distance from the pivot point. If its outreached too far or at the wrong angle youve got a problem.

He says disregard for safety regulations is the number one cause of accidents.

If they do it wrong theyre going to kill someone or someones going to be seriously injured thats inevitable, McKenzie said.

• Rachel Reeves

Vaine and Taarua Rangatira. 11120813

By Vaine Wichman

Development Economist

A few weeks ago, the junior secondary schools had their maths quiz night at the auditorium. Students from Rarotonga and pa enua colleges/schools attended. It was an amazing night watching some of our future leaders focus over the questions and provide the team answers to be tallied. What was amazing was that the pa enua and the smaller schools were being placed in the top three of their grade or stream. That was a fascinating observation. Why? About 10 years ago, the winners of these competitions would have been the major public colleges, for various reasons resourced in teachers and learning materials. Today the pa enua schools are edging in to win some significant placings in the Form 1, 2, 3 and 4 levels, suggesting that at last the efforts of distributing our resources to all our schools is happening.

This is the season of sharing and of giving. It is a time to remember ones blessings and good fortunes. It is a time for some of us to step back and review how the recovery after the fall has gone. It is also often called the season of waste.

My favorite critic challenged me once. He asked me which is best -- to receive in order to give or to give so that you receive? This is a hard one. We all receive, whether in the business, community, or public sector. We receive custom, we receive gifts, and we receive income and perks. We all give from these receipts, we give back sponsorships and promotions (so we can receive again), we give kinship and friendship (so our family and community ties stay strong), and we give service and donations (to make our lives feel right).

I need not remind everyone that this is the season of remembering the birth of a little baby over 2000 years ago in a humble place for animals, who ended up giving his life so that those of us who believe in Christianity live. Did he receive to give? Or did he give to receive? He didnt do either. He just gave.

Once in our parish affairs in the village, the discussion went on how we were going to bring our church bell back to Rarotonga, and a private company was approached for help. The company spokespersons proposition was that we may have to fly the companys flag on our bell house in recognition of the help. Needless to say we didnt take up the help from the company and decided to bring it in through our own efforts.

This reminds me of the old lady in the Bible who went to church with the only two coins she had in her possession, and the young Nazarene seeing this told his disciples, See, she gave everything she had with no wish to be acknowledged for it.

This returns me to the maths quiz above and the early conclusion I had that perhaps the resources have at last been distributed fairly throughout our schools. I revise my conclusion. Enuamanu School was placed in the top three in the 4th Form level alongside Tereora of course. But Enuamanu definitely does not have access to the resources that Tereora and other schools on Rarotonga have. Then how come they performed so well? The teacher who brought the students over to Rarotonga was homegrown and schooled. But like the old lady with the two coins, he brought them over with a lot of heart and belief in his children, just like a lot of other teachers there that night. Now I can answer my critic. Its not in the receiving you give, its in the giving that you share.

Stay well and safe this festive season, from Teura, Teava and I.

Kia mau te selenga. Kia mau!

UK wholesaler Karen Joyce speaking at the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum. 11120926

British travellers are pushing through their current economic troubles but tougher times mean they are looking for better value in their destinations, the Kia Orana Cook Islands tourism forum has heard.

Cook Islands Tourism Corporations United Kingdom accounting director and sales manager Andrew Price said British people considered their holidays not as a luxury, but a right.

About 55 million overseas trips originate from the UK each year and Price, who works for PR giant McCluskey International, said he did not expect that to drop much because it too was suffering from Europes financial difficulties.

The British market (for travelling) wont fluctuate as much as others do, he said at the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum on Friday.

They are spending, but they are also looking for value for money or perceived value for money, he told the crowd at the Edgewater Resort and Spa.

He also said British people tended to like travelling to exotic places to one-up their family and friends on return.

The Cook Islands was one such place that could tick both these boxes being an interesting destination that provides value for their money.

Price encouraged accommodation owners of all types and levels to consider what deals they could offer to the UK market.

He said British travellers loved to feel like they were getting free nights at their hotels, making the stay for/pay for deals where people could stay for six nights at the price of four, for example, popular with the UK market.

He said people also liked having breakfast included in their packages and encouraged people to consider including meals as an added extra.

UK wholesaler Karen Joyce of Austravel agreed, but said agents needed early warning of sales and specials to make use of them in the market.

While the time between booking holidays and going on them is shorter now than in the past, Joyce said the UK wholesalers could do with between six and 12 months warning of deals and packages.

The speed to market (for information on deals) is important you cant give us one months notice of a deal and expect us to sell it in time, she said.

Price said he would like to see more communication between his UK office and Cook Islands accommodators and tourism companies.

He said the internet made placing phone calls and sending emails across the world easier than it ever has been and encouraged people to keep him informed of what they need.

We want to hear from you more, Price said. If you have a period you need to sell let us know. If you are fully booked up and dont need us to sell, let us know. Give us a message and we can get it out there.

• Eric Parnis

With more awareness of the Cook Islands in the European markets, the local tourism industry could expect more patronage from the continent.

Though the distance is immense for travellers coming from the continent, the time needed to get to the Pacific should not be a major hurdle for the Cook Islands in attracting tourism from the area, according to wholesalers from Europe.

The biggest issue holding the Cook Islands back as a destination for Europeans is that it simply is not on the radar for the large majority of its travellers, the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum was told at the Edgewater Resort and Spa during its second day of roundtable meetings.

Panel members from the European session of the roundtable said French Polynesia is one of the most desirable locations for honeymooning, particularly among French and Italian newlyweds.

The Cook Islands could capitalise on this by marketing itself as a Polynesian country to try and steal visitors away from Tahiti, said French wholesaler Severine Francois.

Francois, who works with Monde Authentique France, said the direct linking Rarotonga with Sydney and Los Angeles had somewhat opened the Cook Islands up to European travellers, who like to package a trip to the region with stays at Australia and New Zealand as well as a Pacific destination.

She said what was needed now, to the agreement of the European panel, was better education on the Cook Islands for travel agents and consumers to help build up an awareness of the destination.

Knowledge is the problem, not the distance, Francois said.

There are plenty of Europeans coming to Fiji and French Polynesia, she went on, so the Cook Islands should be able to attract more with a more visible presence in Europe.

The panel said the Cook Islands would be best suited in packaging itself through travel agents and the like as a destination of the region.

Various panel members said a trip to the Cook Islands from Europe would be best done with stops in Tahiti, New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji, Australia and the United States.

To help attract more people from Europe, Karen Schuldes of FTI Germany, said the Cook Islands could market more of the activities on offer here, from the trail walks in Rarotongas centre to kite surfing on the lagoon.

Currently, European travellers make up about two percent of the Cook Islands inbound tourists.

• Eric Parnis

Sarah Moore, from New Zealand public relations company Goode PR, delivering a workshop on social media at the Pukapuka hostel. 11120841

It doesnt matter how many friends you have, what is important is that theyre talking to you.

No, this isnt some skewed, modern version of a life lesson for the school playground this piece of advice is going out to businesses using social media, of course.

Sarah Moore, from New Zealand public relations company Goode PR, shared her online experiences with marketing through social media giants Facebook and Twitter at a free workshop yesterday.

At the workshop, which was held as part of the Kia Orana Cook Islands tourism forum currently taking place in the Cook Islands, Moore said it was important that companies make their online identities engaging to their viewers.

She said it was not the number of followers that was important, but having them connected with your business that mattered.

The immediacy, inexpensiveness and reach of social media sites make them attractive for businesses, but Moore warned that they could be unfavourable tools for a business if used incorrectly.

In a survey of 72,000 Britons, 60 percent of respondents said they did not want to use social media to make contact with commercial companies, Moore told the crowd at the Pukapuka hostel.

The good news is, that about the same percentage of people thought social media sites were a good way to get information about products.

Its a divergent view, but one that Moore said companies could take advantage of through a few techniques.

First, Moore said people need to know that youre on social media sites.

To do that, she said businesses could include links in emails or on their websites, provide information on business cards, advertisements and other promotional material, and use their presence on other social media sites to make the new additions know.

Once you have friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter, Moore said it was important to keep your posts interesting, relevant and timely to help engage your viewers.

The main purpose, after all, is to get your followers talking to you.

Moore said you could ask questions of your followers, using key words such as like, tell us, comment and submit to encourage them to engage.

Moore drew on an example from the Cook Islands Facebook page, which is administered by the tourism board, where followers were asked Do you like ika mata?

Within an hour, the question had received 203 likes and 40 comments.

Moore said businesses could also provide inside information when it becomes available to its followers, because people like being the first to know.

You should treat the social media community like friends theyve got to be the first to know, she said.

Moore said it was also important to know your audience and make you posts unique. Here, she drew up an example from The Dive Shop, in which the company showed three people who had received tattoos of its logo.

In the end, she said there was any number of things that a company could do to engage its followers.

But she also warned companies not to completely rely on social media for their advertising and to not be over-zealous with their postings.

When companies start to infiltrate too much, it gets to be overwhelming, she said.

• ep

Given the worldwide exposure the Cook Islands has gained from an All Blacks indecent exposure last month, onlookers at the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum have discussed the possibility of tailoring similar occurrences in the future.

The crowd suggested the Cook Islands could help spread its name and raise awareness of itself in the United Kingdom through similar tactics during the forums UK roundtable.

Sport stars and royalty were breifly discussed as possible ambassadors for the Cook Islands in the UK market.

Following on from the example set by All Black Zac Guildford, English rugby player and occasional lark Mike Tindall was put forward as a potential emissary for the Cooks.

Tindall, who is married to Princess Annes daughter Zara Phillips, made headlines during the 2011 Rugby World Cup for becoming overly friendly with a mysterious blonde at a Queenstown bar.

Cook Islands tourism industry members suggested he may be the suitable candidate to follow Guildfords nude and lewd behaviour from early last month.

If that plan isnt palatable to the English crowd, perhaps it would be best to invite a member of the royal family to the Cook Islands for a visit, suggested another crowd member.

Some princes and certain duchesses are well known for making public gaffes and headline-snatching errors of judgment.

Where else better to do it than the Cooks?

With a bit of forward planning, perhaps we could even time the royal visit to mark the 40th anniversary of the Queens 1974 visit to Rarotonga.

Though the suggestions received a hearty response from the crowd and approving nods from the UK panel, its probably best not to expect any such plans to come to fruition any time soon, warned the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation. At least not with government support.

• Eric Parnis

The Edgewater Resort and Spa has launched its new property-wide concept “Te Pae Tai Nui”, or “Your Village by the Sea”. 11120820

Community leaders attended the Edgewater Resort and Spa’s opening ceremony on Friday morning. 11120823

The Edgewater Resort and Spa has looked to its surroundings for a new concept launched at the property this month, which has taken inspiration from the pa enua.

Last Friday the resort officially opened its new culture initiative Te Pae Tai Nui, or Your Village by the Sea.

The aim is to provide guests of the resort with an experience that places emphasis on authentic cultural understanding.

General manager Chris McGeown addressed guests at the ceremony and described the different aspects of the overall plan.

Our focus for 2012/13 is to be recognised as providing our guests with the most authentic holiday experience in the South Pacific, he said.

A great example is our resorts new village concept Te Pae Tai Nui, your village by the sea.

The concept is aimed at creating a village ambience by infusing the resort with cultural influences and integrating Cook Islands culture and tradition in the delivery of our products and services.

The new look and feel of the resort will immerse guests in its refreshed environment that will provide them with a cultural holiday experience.

The resort has renamed each one of its accommodation facilities after an island in the Cook Islands.

Now, when guests come and stay at Edgewater theyll be staying in Manihiki or Pukapuka or one of the other sister islands to Rarotonga.

We have themed the rooms around the specifics of that island with an aerial photo, a small piece of history and an island artefact, McGeown said.

The layout of the property reflects the actual topography of the Cook Islands, for example the southern group islands are on the southern side of the property and Northern Group islands on the northern side.

Secondly, the new village gate is prominently located at the entrance of the resorts main facilities and is the gateway to the beginning of the guests cultural experience.

The village concept will be the focal point for injecting a greater Cook Islands flavour into our activities programme and cultural shows.

Edgewater Resort and Spa would like to thank all invited guests for celebrating the opening, and Ewan Smith of Air Rarotonga for the use of his island aerial shots, which will adorn each room according to which island they represent.

• Release

The first case of criminal diversion has succeeded in the Cook Islands.

Police commissioner Maara Tetava recently introduced two restorative justice programmes locally, including what is commonly referred to as diversion in other countries such as New Zealand.

Muri resident Steven Kavana, widely known as Captain Moko, is the first person in the Cook Islands to complete a diversion programme and accordingly the charge against him of assault has been withdrawn.

Kavana was arrested and charged with one count of common assault in relation to an incident at Muri on November 20.

He has no previous convictions and was determined eligible for the diversion programme, which involves the police officers, victims and defendants of minor criminal cases agreeing on restorative actions and conditions.

Kavana was made to write formal letters of apology to his victim and arresting officers, as well as make a $100 donation to a local charity.

He did so, apologising to victim Rick Johnston and his wife as well as officers involved in the case and giving $100 to the Rotaianga mens support centre in Tupapa.

On Thursday Kavana appeared in the Cook Islands High Court at Avarua before a registrar.

Police withdrew the charge, and Kavanas court case was voided.

The newly introduced diversion and pre-charge warning schemes will be reviewed in six months, before a decision is made about whether to implement them permanently in the Cook Islands.

Tetava says the trialling of both schemes does not mean police are going soft on offenders.

Most offenders facing burglary, high value theft cases, robbery, assault on females and children, and serious assaults and other serious offence cases will not be able to access the schemes. They will still be dealt with by the court.

• Rosie Manins

Tom Zainey with smoked marlin fresh out of the smoker. 11120918

Smoked Cook Islands fish could soon appear on the shelves of supermarkets in Hawaii and California.

Dave Rose, Shane Napa and Tom Zainey have for two years been building Smoke Pacific Seafoods Cook Islands Limited and its Panama factory, centring their operation around a computer-programmed smoker they purchased from Austria.

This week, they are getting advice and insight from someone who knows the industry well.

He is Robert Stone, a fisheries development adviser with the Honiara-based Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), who owned and operated a smokehouse in Fiji for 15 years. In an effort to support local fish processing businesses, the Ministry of Marine Resources (through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) sought the advice of FFA, which arranged for Stone to spend two weeks on Rarotonga working with Rose and his partners.

This week he is advising the pricing process, examining machinery and working with Smoked Pacific Seafoods Cook Islands Limited to develop its markets.

Samuel explains that smoking is a way to add value to the Cook Islands fishing industry, and represents another way of utilising the resource.

In his experience, the biggest and most penetrable market for smoked fish is the United States. Products like lox are popular there, and supermarkets like Whole Foods seek out smoked fish which is organic and free of sodium nitrate.

Stone says his smokehouse which he sold years ago concentrated its efforts on markets in Hawaii and California, and he is willingly sharing his contacts and connections with Rose.

Next week the factory will be organising samples of smoked Cook Islands marlin to send to distributors in Hawaii, who will then pass the sample onto distributors in California.

MMR secretary Ben Ponia says the next target market is the European Union (EU), though at present EU regulations require that its imports are coming from a country with a competent authority. Ponia says government is working to develop the authority and legislative capacity to export fish to the EU.

The New Zealand market is also difficult to break into, as its health department has strict regulations surrounding salt content. Samuel says he faced the same issue when he owned a smokehouse, but has it on authority that New Zealand is reviewing its standards.

Samuel has high hopes for Roses smokehouse operation. For starters, Roses machine is top-notch.

It has all the computerisation and capability to produce consistent and good quality smoked product, he said. Its one of the better machines in the world.

It can smoke over 100kg of fish simultaneously, and produce a good-quality product each time.

The exported fish is vacuum packed in plastic and frozen. Samuel says that there is minimal water activity in smoked fish, as the smoking process dehydrates it. Accordingly, freezing does not destroy the products flavour and quality and it prevents botulism from developing.

Ponia expects that the export operation will be successful, thanks to the direct Los Angeles flight and reasonable Air New Zealand freight rates.

The next step in Roses operation is advertising smoked Cook Islands albacore and marlin to the appropriate consumer markets. California game fishing groups have lobbied to keep marlin exports out of their market, but the Cook Islands can still export smoked albacore.

Samuel says the biggest hurdle for Smoked Pacific Seafoods Cook Islands Limited in the short-term will be developing an overseas market for Cook Islands smoked fish.

When youre starting out with a value-added product theres a limited market until youve established connections with distributors, so cash flow becomes a major issue, he said.

To supplement the smokehouses income, he suggests Rose and his partners consider exporting whole fish to assist with their overhead costs.

Still, he is confident that Rose has set up an excellent little factory with a lot of potential.

Apart from requesting FFAs advisory support, MMR is not supporting Smoked Pacific Seafoods Cook Islands Limited financially. Stones trip is being funded by DevFish 2, which is administered by FFA and funded by the European Union.

Smoked fish is also being sold locally and has appeared on shelves at Super Brown, Wigmores, Kai Moana, CITC Supermarket and Foodland.

• Rachel Reeves

Empowering youth is the focus behind an open meeting this evening to be held at the Avatea School hall starting at 6 oclock.

This is an exciting opportunity for the community at large to get together and discuss the potential for implementing a social development programme aimed at the moral empowerment of adolescents between the ages of 11 and 14-years old.

The meeting will include a brief presentation by visiting New Zealander John Wilcox who is a member of the New Zealand junior youth empowerment programme.

Wilcox has experience starting and sustaining empowerment programmes and will outline the purposes of the programme, its experience in other countries and some aspects of what the programme could look like in the Cook Islands.

The aim of the presentation is not to make a particular proposal, which is possible if need be, but to discuss with the community what they might like to take ownership of the programme to advance a process of empowering younger generations, both intellectually and morally, to take charge of their own destinies and the destiny of their community.

The programme aims to establish village-based groups of younger teenagers who, with the help of an older youth group, devise activities for themselves and others to participate in like sport, art and service projects for the wider community.

They will also have participatory discussions that revolve around moral concepts like love, respect, unity and so forth with the assistance of a curriculum inspired by the same source at the Virtues Project.

Such groups have done a lot to further a process of individual and collective development and reinforce bonds of friendship amongst those in the community.

• Matariki Wilson

A string band entertained tourism wholesalers during lunch at Mangaia. 11121150

The Cook Islands largest tourism industry forum has ended with an emotional high for wholesalers from North America, who travelled to Mangaia on Saturday for a whirlwind tour of the islands tourism facilities.

The people of Mangaia went to enormous lengths to make their guests feel welcome on the island and the effort left the tourism wholesalers humbled by their treatment.

Mangaias hospitality began from the moment the wholesalers and Cook Islands Tourism Corporation staff touched down at the airport.

After receiving official greetings at the airport, the wholesalers, mostly from the Cook Islands North American markets, stopped by the modern Mangaia Villas and stalwart Babes Place to see what accommodation was on offer for tourists making a stop at the Cook Islands second largest islet.

From there, the island council leaders and community members gave the wholesalers a tour of Mangaias sites, taking in churches, Babes Bar, scenery of the islands rugged landscape, the lake, water spring, the Sargossa shipwreck and the main villages.

The wholesalers were each asked to plant a tree in honour of their visit, which was the largest gathering of tourism wholesalers Mangaia has ever seen.

Poroa Arokapiti joked that they would now need to return to Mangaia to water their trees.

Or send someone in your place to do it, he smiled.

The wholesalers werent only given a look at the sites and sleepers available on Mangaia, the islands culture and cuisine was shown off to the visitors, too.

Some Mangaia specialties were included in the days spread of food, including kaura (crayfish) caught fresh that morning.

Canadian wholesaler Jane Osborne said the whole group was overwhelmed and humbled by their short visit to Mangaia.

She said it was hard to communicate how thoroughly the group appreciated their stay at the island and could not thank the community enough for the effort they put into the day.

If the tourism entourage heard tangike for the first time on Saturday, by the end of the day in Mangaia they understood completely what the word meant.

• Eric Parnis

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Taoi Nooroa welcoming tourism wholesalers to Mangaia. 11121164

 

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Mangaia put on a warm welcome for its visitors who travelled to the island as part of the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum. 11121145

 

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Tourism wholesalers stopped by Mangaia’s water spring as part of their tour of the island, catching these young ladies having a dip in the spring. 11121151

 

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Tourism wholesalers during their tour of Mangaia as part of the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum. 11121143

 

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Poroa Arokapiti acted as a guide for tourism wholesalers visiting Mangaia on Saturday. 11121155

 

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Tourism wholesalers stopped by Mangaia’s lake as part of their tour of the island, where they heard a brief history of the location. 11121158

 

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Mangaia warrior Taoi Nooroa stands proud at the island’s airport. 11121147

 

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Tourism wholesalers from Europe got into pareu for the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum’s final fling at Te Vara Nui on Friday. 11121161

 

A memorial ride on Saturday was held for the late Pauline Atera and to raise awareness of the need to be mindful of all road users including cyclists. 11113029

A moving tribute for the late Pauline Atera was held on Saturday afternoon when over 50 friends, family and fellow triathletes took their bikes for a memorial ride around the island.

Atera, affectionately known to her friends as Granny was tragically killed over two weeks ago on the main road in Matavera while out on her usual cycle ride.

The memorial ride was a tribute to a great friend and dedicated recreational triathlete but most importantly the ride was to raise awareness for the need for motorists to be mindful of cyclists and other road users.

The ride began at 3pm from the triathlon site in Tikioki heading towards Matavera the way Granny was cycling on that fateful Sunday morning.

The group, who had police escorts at the front and rear of the cycling convey, stopped at the site of the accident in Matavera.

Riders dismounted and placed flowers and ei on the spot where Atera passed away after being hit by a motorist.

Here, friends shared a few words and memories of their friend in what was an emotional time for all riders.

The cycling convoy then carried on towards Avarua stopping at a number of designated points to allow building traffic to flow past.

The Cook Islands Triathlon Association would like to thank Cook Islands Police namely senior sergeants James Mapu, Ngatamariki Pouao and Martin Iro for the police safety and awareness escort as well as the motoring public for their understanding and patience during this ride.

• Matariki Wilson

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Triathlete Vanessa Palmer wears an ei on the memorial cycle for Pauline Atera which she placed at the site of the accident as a tribute for her friend Granny. 11121107

 

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Stephen Whitta, friend of the late Pauline Atera, scatters flowers at the site where she was tragically killed while out on a Sunday morning cycle ride. 11121110

 

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Cycling twins Ruby and Griffin Wittwer help triathlete Vanessa Palmer scatter flowers in memory of Pauline Atera. 11121112

 

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Over 50 triathletes, friends and family of the late Pauline Atera took part in an emotional memorial ride in honour of the woman they loved and called Granny. 11121111

 

Government has formally agreed to the appointment of Dr Alessandro Levi Sandri as Italys ambassador to the Cook Islands.

Deputy Prime Minister and foreign affairs and immigration minister Tom Marsters announced the decision last month.

Dr Sandri is based in New Zealands capital Wellington and is also accredited to Kiribati, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Niue, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Tokelau and Tuvalu.

Diplomatic relations between the Cook Islands and Italy were established in 2002.

Ambassador Sandri will be the fourth ambassador to present his credentials to Queens Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin.

• Release

Kia Orana Cook Islands forum keynote speaker Donna Meredith said Cook Islands businesses should emphasise what is unique about themselves to stand out in the market. 11120924

The Cook Islands embodies the South Pacific region as a destination for tourism, but trying to brand it or a business here on the image of sun, sand and palm trees alone is not enough to stand out from the pack, according to a keynote speaker at the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum.

Instead, businesses need to advertise their unique points to best position themselves in the market and attract trade, said managing director of Keystone Corporate Positioning Donna Meredith.

Meredith, who spoke on product positioning at the Kia Orana Cook Islands tourism forum on Friday, said the Cook Islands had the best chance of all the Pacific nations to get it right when finding a balance in its tourism market.

She said tourism businesses and the industry as a whole need to find the right equilibrium between meeting peoples expectations in the Cook Islands as a destination, sticking to its own cultural principles and identifying what makes it unique as a country.

Meredith said it was also important to note that the Cook Islands should keep diversity in its industry and not try to attract everyone to its shores.

You dont need everyone and they dont need you, she said. You need to stand out, be specific and be responsible.

Meredith said that tourists typically want to experience culture when they visit a new country, interact with the people, buys things, learn things and enjoy themselves.

And increasingly, people want to do all this in a sustainable manner to help preserve the environment and cultures of the place they are visiting, she said.

The Cook Islands has the greatest opportunity of all the Pacific nations to get it right, Meredith said. With all respect to the people there, we dont need another Fiji.

Since co-founding Keystone in 1997, Meredith and her team have designed and managed strategic brands, marketing, and cultural change projects for more than 100 organisations both within Australia and overseas.

Her company provides specialist consultancy services to airlines and tourism organisations nationally and internationally on marketing, aviation, digital and distribution strategies.

Meredith was in the Cook Islands for the first time at the invitation of the Cook Islands Tourism Corporations major tourism forum Kia Orana Cook Islands.

• Eric Parnis

Aitutakis trochus harvest has been extended by a week to allow residents enough time to fill the 17 tonne quota one full shipping container.

Cook Islands company Ora Moana Ltd successfully tendered for the trochus, which is the first harvested on Aitutaki since 2003.

Ora Moana has the same owners and directors as fellow Rarotonga-based firm Moana Gems, and all 17 tonnes of dried and cleaned trochus shell has been tendered to the business for export.

Harvesting began in Aitutaki on November 28 and was initially supposed to end on December 5.

But a progress report by the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) showed that harvesters had only managed to produce about 12.5 tonnes of cleaned and dried trochus shell in that time. The one-week extension, which ended yesterday, enabled Aitutaki families and individuals time to finish the overall quota.

Prior to harvest interested residents registered for individual nine kilogramme quotas with the Aitutaki island council.

MMR Aitutaki Marine Research Centre station manager Richard Story says many people found the trochus harvest harder and more time consuming than expected.

Families were working from 6am or 7am right through the day and into the night sometimes finishing about 9pm. It might have been better to schedule it during school holidays so children could help.

Story says many people transferred their individual transfer quotas to other harvesters because they could not process the whole nine kilogrammes.

At a dry weight (cleaned of meat and dried) harvested trochus shells each weigh about 250g. Story says most harvesters get four or five shells per kilogramme, so individual quotas equal about 40 shells.

Many families processed about 500 shells, he says.

Trochus grading, which was supposed to begin this week, has also been delayed by a few days. Story says most harvesters complied with legal shell sizes, and MMR found just a small amount of trochus outside the 8cm-11cm radius limit.

Ora Moana tendered $5.50 per kilogramme for A grade shell, and less per kilogramme for lower grades.

Money from the trochus sale will be divided between individual harvesters and the Aitutaki island council, which spends it on community projects.

In its supervising of the harvest, MMR has also visited almost all families involved and surveyed individuals about where they collected trochus and what they plan to do with the meat.

Story says most harvesters have kept trochus meat for their own families freezing it in anticipation of Christmas kai kai.

Some plan to send it to family members in Rarotonga, and a few might sell it locally.

In some cases families have not been able to preserve or store all meat in time, and Story says some has been left to rot.

A rumour that some pigs became sick after eating trochus might be down to the possibility it was rotting, he says.

To date there have been no reports or speculation that the trochus is infected with ciguatera, Story says.

MMR only allows a harvest when it is confident the trochus population is strong enough, and also restricts certain areas where shells cannot be removed during harvest to ensure the populations sustainability.

• Rosie Manins

Parliament has passed into legislation a new banking bill, which replaces the legal framework in place since 2003.

Finance minister Mark Brown introduced the bill to fellow MPs about 4pm yesterday and half an hour later it was unanimously supported without amendment.

The bill changes legislation in order to implement greater transparency and accountability within the Cook Islands banking sector, following the discovery of inadequate policy.

International governments and fiscal agencies are also expected to look more favourably upon the Cook Islands now its banking legislation is in line with global standards, Brown says.

In introducing the bill yesterday he cited the WSBC case as a driver for such legislative reform.

Our experience with the act, especially in relation to the WSBC bank case, has led to the view that the act required revision. This was to ensure that enforcement action may be effectively applied by the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) where banks fail to meet acceptable standards.

The closure of the WSBC bank has weighed heavily on the FSCs financial resources since 2004 and impacted severely on the amount of excess funds that were available for the commission to pay to crown accounts.

The cost to FSC of obtaining professional services in relation to the case in 2008 and 2009 was $571,754 of which $131,011 was recovered by way of costs.

It is believed much of this cost may have been avoided if the commission had powers now available to it under the new act.

It was only in July that the WSBC licence was finally revoked.

Brown says the new bill has evolved through a significant level of consultation with the banking industry and other affected parties.

Much of the change is minor in terms of wording, formatting and addressing redundant and poorly worded clauses to the existing legislation.

Brown says major benefits of the legislative reform include:

Changes to the existing enforcement provisions to clarify the FSCs authority and range of enforcement.

Supervised treatment of large exposures, including to connected borrowers, which will allow the FSC to monitor the level of risk generated by such large exposures without unduly restricting the lending activity of banks.

Restrictions on licence to licensee related parties.

Increased authority for the commission to require certain financial statements and other financial reports as well as impose broader record keeping requirements on licensed entities.

Greater transparency of the commissions actions in requiring or allowing the commission to publish details of revocations, suspension and conditions on licensees.

Determination of capital requirements in accordance with the risk profile of banks and the requirement that it be maintained at all times.

Licensees are not permitted to maintain correspondent relationships with shell banks in other jurisdictions.

Brown says this last legislative requirement was a direct recommendation of an Asia-Pacific group review of the Cook Islands in 2009 and will further enhance the reputation of the Cook Islands in this area.

In summary this bill represents a significant step in the ongoing enhancement of financial regulation in this country and the reputation of the jurisdiction as a sound environment in which to conduct business. By adopting internationally accepted standards and regulations that will be enforced by the FSC on an equitable basis, this will serve to strengthen and encourage our financial services industry.

Deputy opposition leader and former finance minister Wilkie Rasmussen supports the bill, which he described in parliament yesterday as very, very important.

Its procedural and matter of fact, important for the everyday operations of the banking industry and particularly for the monitoring of financial transactions through and out of our country.

• Rosie Manins

Uirangi Bishop wears the Miss Cook Islands sash in Apia. 11121202

Miss Fiji Alisi Rabukawaqa. This is a collection of images taken by the pageant organising crew in the lead-up to Saturdays pageant Bishop is pictured during official visits in the week before the pageant.

• Rachel Reeves

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The Cook Islands’ very own Uirangi Bishop (right) in stunning black pearls, pictured with Miss Samoa. 11121205

 

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Miss South Pacific pageant contestants, including our own Uirangi Bishop (third from right), line up for a photo. 11121208

 

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A beaming Uirangi Bishop in Apia. 11121204

 

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Uirangi doing what she does best – the dance of the Cook Islands. 11121209

 

Visiting tourism wholesalers planted trees during their stop at Mangaia. 11121157

Mangaias shrinking population continues to be one of the biggest issues affecting people on the island, according to mayor Tere Atariki.

A lack of jobs and the rising costs of living are pulling people away from Mangaia and impacting on the lives of those who still live there, Atariki said.

Young Mangaians often choose to move to Rarotonga, New Zealand and Australia for their education or to find work, he said, leaving just under 600 people living on the island today.

That is a figure down from a population of about 2000 in the 1960s.

Atariki said Mangaia was now looking to tourism as a way for it to increase the amount of money coming onto the island and believes it could stand alongside its sister islands Aitutaki and Atiu as a destination worth visiting in its own regard.

He said the island was working hard to improve its status as a destination and its inhabitants said Mangaia was aiming to become the Cook Islands adventure destination.

The island sees much potential in having people explore its caves and rugged landscape, for example, during the day then returning home to one of three accommodation options, including the modern Mangaia Villas, during the night.

Atariki said he now hoped tourism wholesalers who visited the island on the weekend as part of the Cook Islands Tourism Corporations Kia Orana Cook Islands forum could convince more visitors to make the journey.

Were keeping our fingers crossed that that this will work, Atariki said.

• Eric Parnis

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Moeroa Atariki and Grace Matapo worked as guides for the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum Mangaia leg. 11121149

 

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A group of tourism wholesalers visiting Mangaia from North America were turning heads at the island during their short visit over the weekend. 11121152

 

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Mangaian youth catching up by the harbour as tourism wholesalers see the island’s sights during the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum. 11121153

 

Men who commit acts of domestic violence are being encouraged to find support and stop the abuse occurring in Cook Islands households.

Bob Kimiangatau, of the Rotaianga Mens Support Centre, said it was time for the perpetrators of domestic abuse to take responsibilities for their actions and seek help. He said there were options for men who commit violence in the home and there was help out there.

Were trying to reach out to men to tell them were here to support you, come out and deal with your violence. We will walk alongside you, Kimiangatau said. Domestic violence is staying under the spotlight on Rarotonga this week at a domestic violence workshop on Friday, following on from the global 16 days campaign against gender violence.

The workshop, being hosted by the Rotaianga Mens Support Centre in conjunction with the Cook Islands Red Cross Society, will bring together community groups and government agencies at the Takuvaine AOG Hall for a days worth of discussions and information sessions.

Kimiangatau said the day will help the various groups and agencies bring in line their efforts against domestic violence.

He said there were many bodies all working against domestic violence and Fridays workshop was intended to help them all in their task by removing any overlaps in their work.

Kimiangatau said the whole of the community needed to step up its fight against domestic violence in the Cook Islands, which he described as one of the biggest and more wide-spread social ills to afflict the country.

It takes everyone, he said.

When you have a family who is struggling to find solutions to violence in their home, you have a community problem.

When the community or village cant find a solution, it is a problem for the nation.

This is a national problem ... people are now becoming aware of how big a problem it is.

Kimiangatau will take part in Fridays workshop, providing a history of the Rotaianga Mens Support Centre and its goals today. But his group is not the only one taking part. Joining Kimiangatau will be representatives from Cook Islands Police, the Justice Department, Prison Services, Red Cross and other organisations.

The community as a whole is welcome to attend the day, which will begin at 8am and go until about 4pm.

• Eric Parnis

Cook Islands Police have recorded a trouble-free weekend on Rarotongas roads, but noise complaints and thefts have been keeping officers active.

Police recorded a number of burglaries and thefts over the weekend, but warned that some could have been prevented if people took more proactive precautions.

A tourist fell victim to theft at Rutaki beach on Friday afternoon after he left his car unlocked while going for a swim.

The thief took $120 from the car.

Police have warned that people should lock their cars whenever they leave them alone. Inspector Tere Patia said that police recommend people carry their valuables with them when they leave their car and for tourists to leave their valuables in safe care with their hotel if needed.

A woman has had her mobile phone stolen from her on Saturday night while eating at Raro Fried Chicken.

The women left her phone unattended while going to the toilet and it was gone when she returned.

Police said they have identified a suspect in the case.

On Friday, burglaries took place in Tikioki and Vaiimaanga.

In one case, some jewellery and money was stolen and in the other a gold chain went missing.

Police said the two incidents may be related and are continuing to investigate the cases.

In another incident, a man was caught trying to unlawfully take a ute from a property at Arorangi.

The owner of the ute caught the man with the lights and ready to leave the property when he confronted him. He managed to apprehend the man for a short while, but the suspect fled before police arrived.

Meanwhile, Police made three arrests during the weekend.

An Arorangi man was arrested on assault after he allegedly hit his girlfriend. He will appear in court on the charge.

A Panama man was arrested for breaching his court-imposed curfew conditions. He will face charges relating to contempt of court.

A Vaiimaanga man was also arrested for breaching his curfew conditions over the weekend when he was found loitering around a Titikaveka tourist accommodation after hours.

He will face a charge of being unlawfully found on a premises.

• Eric Parnis

Cook Islands General Transports 50-tonne Kobelco crane was removed from Kwai soon after it fell across the vessels deck on Friday morning.

The crane was moving a standard 20-foot shipping container from the Avatiu wharf to the ships cargo hold when it tipped over, its boom landing across the deck of Kwai.

Cook Islands General Transport arranged for a forklift to drag the crane away from Kwai, and McConnell Dowell lent one of its cranes to lift the weight of the boom so it could be transported by forklift.

The accident caused damage to the ships hull, which Rarotonga Welding has been contracted to repair it.

Kwai captain Brad Ives says Rarotonga Welding is well along with (the repairs).

He says Kwai and General Transport have come to an agreement about the cost of damages, for which General Transport will be responsible.

Kwai was meant to leave for the northern group islands today, but Ives says she will leave Thursday, Friday or Saturday. She will first head to Penrhyn, Manihiki and Rakahanga before moving on to Christmas Island in Kiribati.

Cook Islands General Transport has declined to comment in order to avoid jeopardising its insurance claim. Managing director Jessie Sword says a team is investigating the incident so as to prepare a report for the companys insurers.

• Rachel Reeves

Encouraged by a successful speed networking session aboard Southern Cross, the Cook Islands Business and Professional Womens Association is at it again this time at Cook Islands Game Fishing Club.

The organisation has organised a social mixer for its members and potential members tonight, representing an opportunity for the professional and businesswomen of the Cook Islands to get to know each other and catch up outside of the office.

Today from 6pm, working women are invited to head down to the Fishing Club to mix and mingle with other working women over a glass of wine and katikati including sushi, fish bites, prawn twisters, spring rolls, samosas, club sandwiches, prawns, mussels and fruit.

The cost of attendance is $20 for members and $25 for non-members.

If you are interested, RSVP to Shannon Saunders at pharmacy@citc.co.ck or on 29292 by today at 1pm.

• Rachel Reeves

Dallas Young has been appointed as the new director of international affairs within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI).

Young, who has been working at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) in its treasury division, starts work with MFAI on Monday, December 19.

Her position at MFEM has been advertised and financial secretary Richard Neves says the ministry is currently considering all applicants.

Young has worked on the last few national budgets for MFEM and is now moving into a role for the advancements of the Cook Islands interests at an international level.

She will help coordinate and promote governments relations with other governments and organisations beyond the Pacific.

• Rosie Manins

The Cook Islands should soon begin seeing an increase in American visitors coming to its shores as the United States recovers from its financial turbulence, according to members of the North American tourism industry.

Many Americans have been staying home in recent years due to the economic pressures of the global financial crisis, nicknamed the GFC, the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum has been told.

But Americans are a people that love their vacation and after years of subdued holidays, the feeling in the market is that the population is again out and moving around the world.

The Cook Islands Tourism Corporations North American office is reporting that forward figures from January to March look promising from the continent.

Wholesalers at the Kia Orana Cook Islands day 1 roundtable said Americans were again excited about and able to travel internationally, and they were looking to combine a number of destinations in one trip to see more and do more while out of the country.Panel members said the Cook Islands would be well suited as a destination sold in combination with New Zealand and Australia to Americans and Canadians looking for a trip.

The panels general consensus also went against the Australian and New Zealand panels thoughts from earlier on in the day. Rather than competing against other Pacific destinations like Fiji and Tahiti, the North American wholesalers suggested the Cook Islands could work together with them to help sell the region as a whole to travellers.

Costco Travels Rena Peterson, who is the Cook Islands most prolific agent in North America, said the Cook Islands was not competition with its neighbours for a slice of the North American market but rather with a price point.

Peterson said the Cook Islands had a pull-factor in it being a genuine Pacific culture that offered a whole-island experience. She suggested the Cook Islands team up with other nations and destinations in the region to package themselves in a way that would be mutually beneficial.

Canadian Margaret Meers, a wholesaler from Boomerang, said the Pacific was competing with places like the Caribbean or Europe for Canadian visitors.

She said that while the Caribbean is closer than the Pacific or Europe, both those destinations were a similar travel distance away from North America.

The challenge now was convincing people to fly west to the Pacific and not east into Europe.

• Eric Parnis

Petra Stringfellow of the United Kingdom’s Turquoise Holiday Company, said the Cook Islands was becoming a more attractive destination for UK honeymoons. 11120925

United Kingdom honeymooners are looking to new and exotic places for their post-wedding travels and holidaying in the Cook Islands is increasingly climbing their to do lists.

The UK wedding market plays a small but valuable part in the Cook Islands tourism industry, says England-based tourism wholesaler Petra Stringfellow.

Stringfellow, a New Zealander living in England and working with The Turquoise Holiday Company, said the people of the United Kingdom were beginning to move away from the markets more traditional honeymoon destinations and looking to places like the Cook Islands. The Maldives are a popular destination for British honeymooners as are destinations like the Virgin Islands and Seychelles, which hit the headlines this year as the honeymoon spot of choice for Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Stringfellow said people were now hoping to find new destinations for their honeymoons.

People want to go somewhere where their friends didnt go, she explains.

Aitutaki is a popular destination for newlyweds with its luxury resorts, seclusion and remoteness all proving a pull-factor for the island.

Stringfellow said honeymooners were often seeking a package deal in which everything was paid upfront, including airfares, accommodation, meals, transfers, activities and the lot.

She said people had even begun setting up honeymoon registries in place of gift registries to help cover the costs of paying for their trip. Stringfellow said couples often had about £5000 (NZ$10,100) budgeted for their trip. The conversion rate between the British pound and the New Zealand dollar acted as a plus point for the Cook Islands, but the distance and cost of travel was often a deterrent.

Stringfellow said a flight to Aitutaki could soak up about half of a couples budget, making them look to cheaper spots, closer to home.

• Eric Parnis

Cook Islands wedding providers will feature in an online television channel that attracts about 800,000 viewers per month.

Wedding TV, an online television channel based in the United Kingdom, dedicates itself to airing programmes on weddings, romance and honeymoons.

Cook Islands Tourism Corporation UK office has organised for six Cook Islands tourism operators to feature in an hour-long episode in Wedding TVs Destination Wedding series.

The series will be broadcast about 32 times over 12 months on the channels website and translated into Italian, Russian, Polish and Turkish for its sister sites.

Andrew Price, Cook Islands Tourisms UK representative from PR firm McCluskey International, said the scheme received many expressions of interest from Cook Islands operators and the deal would be going ahead.

He said his office now needed to work out which operators would be chosen to feature in the broadcast.

Once that is done, a three-person film crew will travel to the Cook Islands to shoot footage for the show.

Price said the UK office was now working on creating similar opportunities for other sectors of the Cook Islands tourism market.

About 250,000 UK couples get married each year, spending about NZ$46,000 on their weddings on average.

The programme filmed for Wedding TV will be made available to the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation for distribution on its website and to its partners.

• Eric Parnis

French tourism wholesaler Severine Francois at the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum roundtable. 11120927

Tourism representatives from Europe and the United Kingdom said the Cook Islands needed to work on the little things to make a stay here a well-rounded experience.

Overall, panel members talking at the Kia Orana Cook Islands roundtable forum yesterday said the Cook Islands provided a positive, enjoyable and welcoming experience for visitors, but while the market was well set-up to cater for visitors much of the industry was skipping over some of the finer details in providing a great experience.

Tourism wholesalers from Europe said many of the accommodation units they had examined during their stay in the Cook Islands needed to work on cleanliness, the detail to service offered and the appearance of their properties.

Some of the visitors reported having dirty dishes from room service in their rooms two days after placing an order, having cleaning routines differ from day to day in the rooms, and generally not receiving the level of service expected of their hotels.

Other tourism industry members called on hotels and units to update their decor and improve on the appearance of the buildings to help improve on the general experience while staying in the Cook Islands.

As examples, panel members said it was a good idea to replace broken or chipped tiles, improve signage in hotel grounds to help guide customers around the site, place lights in gardens to beautify the grounds, and place lights at doors so people arent left fumbling in the dark with their keys.

Its all about thinking like a guest, Karl Cushing from UK trade publications Travel Weekly and Aspire explained.

And while they have warmed to the idea of living on island time, the representatives from northern Europe, in particular, said many of their countrymen were used to living to a more punctual routine.

Annette Sandqvist of Swedens Tour Pacific said the people of northern Europe were typically very punctual and may not fully appreciate the pace at which the Cook Islands operates when they first touch down here.

But it can be charming to get on island time, once you get used to it, he said.

The panel agreed that the Cook Islands lack of brand names and chain hotels was a selling point for the country.

The boutique accommodation and genuine friendliness of the Cook Islands was helping attract European visitors, and the country could use this aspect of itself to build on the market.

The warmth of the people and the instant connections you get here is wonderful... its a joy to be here, Cushing said.

Sandra Laubrecht from German wholesaler Dertour agreed.

Its something Ive never experienced anywhere in the world before everyone at my hotel knows my name, she said.

Panel members from both the UK and European roundtables said visitors wanted interaction with the local population, and accommodators should keep that in mind to add to the warm feeling that the Cook Islands permeated.

• Eric Parnis

11121214

Usually at a staff Christmas party you come away with fond memories and perhaps a hangover, but the Whatever! Bar and Grill staff came away with a 70kg marlin. Pictured is the team with their prize catch. Its safe to say that marlin is on the Whatever! menu this Christmas.

Apii Vavia and Kelly Robinson at the Kia Orana Cook Islands’ farewell at Te Vara-Nui on Friday. 11121160

The Kia Orana Cook Islands tourism forum officially closed on Friday night, but the Cook Islands Tourism Corporations foreign representatives will stay on Rarotonga another week to join some in-house workshops and meetings.

Tourism industry wholesalers and other representatives from New Zealand, North America and Europe gathered for a final get-together on Friday night for a cultural night at Te Vara-Nui.

The popular Muri attraction put on a show and feed for the tourism crew, offering a discounted rate for the night to offset the contribution made by Cook Islands Tourism Corporation.

The night was used to formally close the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum, the biggest of its type to be held in the Cook Islands, with all of the foreign visitors invited along to the show except for the Australian delegation which had already departed for home.

The Cook Islands Tourism Corporation will this week host a number of internal workshops to capitalise on the presence of its foreign representatives.

During the week, the representatives from Australia, North America, Europe and the United Kingdom will hear about the corporations plans for 2012 and share in debriefing sessions to look back at the Kia Orana Cook Islands forum.

• Eric Parnis

Parliament has withdrawn from its order paper a bill regarding employment relations legislation.

The bill, which is considered long outdated and redundant, will now be re-drafted by those in the Crown Law Office to reflect recommendations of a special select committee.

The committee was established to review the old employment relations legislation and has made 32 recommendations to parliament, including one for the bill to be withdrawn.

The recommendations take into account public consultation in respect of employment relations, from both workers and employers.

Cabinet minister Nandi Glassie, who chairs the select committee, presented its report and recommendations to parliament this week.

He says the three main areas of contention among workers and employers alike are the minimum wage, maternity leave and employment dispute resolution.

Glassie says there is a general consensus that the minimum wage currently $5 per hour should be increased.

But the question is how high we need to increase the minimum wage from $5. Smaller businesses are not in favour of increasing minimum wage to a higher level, but larger employers are in favour of increasing the minimum wage.

Glassie says most large Cook Islands employers pay workers more than the current minimum wage anyway.

They are already paying people at a higher rate, between $8 and $10 per hour, in the private sector.

Glassie says the committee has recommended that the minimum wage be increased although members have not suggested a new threshold.

Instead the committees recommendation asks the minister responsible to increase minimum wage at his or her discretion.

In respect of maternity leave, there is also a consensus for mothers legal entitlements to increase.

Glassie says submissions on maternity leave have ranged from a recommended two to 15 weeks, paid and unpaid.

He says while 15 weeks maternity leave is likely to compromise employers, as well as new mothers ability to return to employment, there could be some middle ground.

Ultimately it (the committee) has dwelled on about six weeks. It is saying that mothers in the private sector need to be looked after by the state as well.

It is not yet certain whether employers will be required to give new mothers six weeks of paid leave, and it is more likely the allocation will be a combination of paid and unpaid leave.

During parliamentary debate of the report yesterday, opposition MP Ngamau Munokoa who is on the select committee rose to support the recommendations.

She says at present crown servants in the Cook Islands are more fortunate than those working in the private sector, who do not enjoy the protection of employment legislation.

Munokoa says the current minimum wage is only appropriate for junior employees starting their careers not for people who have been in the workforce for years.

We should pay those people (senior workers) well to retain them in the job.

Deputy opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen also supports the committees report, as well as the prompt re-drafting of employment legislation to be brought back before parliament early next year.

Cabinet minister Teina Bishop and fellow MP John Henry also voiced their support of the recommendations in parliament yesterday.

If re-drafted in time, the new legislation may be tabled in parliament during the first sitting of 2012, sometime in February.

• Rosie Manins

The first voyage of a Samoan shipping service between Apia and the northern Cook Islands will take place early in the new year, Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters says.

He says the Samoa Shipping Corporation (SSC) chief executive has promised to bend over backwards to ensure the voyage goes ahead as planned.

Marsters responded to a question in parliament yesterday from deputy opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen about the status of governments deal with the SSC for a direct cargo run.

He says initially government and the Samoan corporation planned to stage voyages to the northern group islands either side of Christmas.

To cut a long story short, the proposed travel on this side of Christmas was not possible because of the demand on that particular boat that they (SSC) were going to use on the Cook Islands run, as well as other factors that prohibited them from coming before Christmas.

Marsters says he has been in touch with SSCs chief executive regularly most recently last week.

I have been assured that we can have the first run early next year at a time of our choice. Because this is a run purely based on the economics of the voyage, a lot will also depend on the volume of cargo that the north can have, or will want.

But I was assured by the chief executive that the SSC will bend backward to ensure that that trip eventuates cost will not be the driving factor considered in order for the trip to move.

Marsters says those in the northern group should immediately start coordinating cargo wanted and needed in the new year.

He says unlike the SSC vessel Lady Naomi, which transported northern islanders to and from Rarotonga for Te Maeva Nui in August, the boat which will be used primarily for cargo and can only take about 15 passengers.

And unlike Lady Naomi this boat can carry diesel fuel and other flammable items. The boat can carry up to 350 tonnes of cargo.

Government struck a deal with SSC for a direct northern group shipping service following a year of irregular and inadequate cargo transportation within the Cook Islands.

• Rosie Manins

Christmas in the Park was a family affair last year for Richie Ponini, sisters Andreena Campbell and Lahaina Syme and Jojo Ponini. 10121602

People looking to kick-start their Christmas cheer should get to the BCI Stadium tonight for the annual Christmas in the Park festival.

Gates open at 4.30pm this afternoon at the stadium, giving people access to a nights worth of activities and entertainment with plenty of food stalls to tempt the hungry and Christmas atmosphere for the merry month of December.

Organisers at service club Rotaract say Kuki the mascot will be fluttering around and the big man himself, Santa, is expected to make an appearance.

Rotaract secretary Pauline Dean said about 24 stalls are expected to set up at the stadium for the night, selling food, drinks and Christmas accessories.

There will be activities and face painting to keep the youngsters amused and entertainment scheduled throughout the evening from youth groups, the St Josephs School students and local singers.

Australian-based Cook Islands group Family in Trust will also bring their smooth stylings to the day and show what our Sydney cousins can do in the Cook Islands language.

Dean said there will also be spot prizes for people who come dressed in the recycling green theme and a fireworks show during the night.

Were hoping everyone will turn up families, friends, returning Cook Islanders Christmas and our tourist friends currently on the island. Theres something for everyone, Dean said.

Were asking families to bring their mats, have a seat, enjoy the food, enjoy the entertainment and get dressed up. With school now out for the summer, Dean said it would be a great idea for parents to get their children making costumes during the day today and then bringing them along to the BCI Stadium to show off their creations.

Children under five can enter for free, children aged from five to 12 will be asked for $2.50 to enter and any aged older than 12 can get in for $5.

All the money raised through the festival will be put back into Rotaracts community fund for 2012.

Dean said that Christmas in the Park would be postponed to another night this week if it looked like bad weather would set in this afternoon.

She said the organisers would make the call early in the morning and immediately contact the radio, television and Cook Islands News if they were going to postpone.

• Eric Parnis

Baby Arehoia and Gail Marsters get into the Christmas spirit. 11121327

Christmas is a time to celebrate be it Jesus birth, the end of a busy year, the beginning of a new one or the unofficial start of summer and Rarotonga restaurants and resorts are well aware that sometimes people want to do it the stress-free way.

For those who want to gather around family, friends and food but would prefer to take a brief break from cooking, cleaning and doing the dishes there are a number of places serving Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day meals.

Sails Restaurant in Muri is doing a candlelit Christmas Eve meal with all the traditional fixings, though with a bit of a French flair including glazed ham, French cheese, baked kumara, Christmas gateau with orange ice cream but will not be open on Christmas Day.

For those who want to celebrate December 25 with a brunch buffet, Aqua Caf at Muri Beach Resort is putting on traditional Christmas fare with a Cook Islands style. Fresh seafood will take its place on the Christmas table beside turkey, ham, cold meats and all the usual trimmings, plus pies, puddings, trifles and fresh fruit.

Its a place where family and friends can sit together without having to cook and clean up a mess, owner Jane Pearson said, adding that adults can dine and catch up while the kids splash around in the resorts pool.

Sandles Restaurant and Bar at Pacific Resort is doing a lunch buffet for $95 per person ($40 for children, $20 for children under seven) from 12pm to 3pm.

The fare includes a starter, a cold seafood platter, a salad selection and the mains which include chicken curry, marinated tuna steaks, roast turkey breast with stuffing and champagne ham capped by Christmas pudding, pecan pie, pavlova and fresh fruit.

Later that evening, Muri Beach Club is doing a Christmas dinner buffet. Lunch will be a normal a la carte menu, but the Christmas-themed meal begins from 6.30pm.

For $55, guests get live entertainment and a selection of hot and cold dishes including smoked salmon, roast turkey, glazed ham and seafood paella plus a Christmas fruitcake, pecan tart and pumpkin-vanilla cheesecake.

Little Polynesian is a bit more flexible theyre doing breakfast, lunch and dinner on Christmas Day.

Most restaurants and resorts doing Christmas buffets ask that parties make bookings in advance.

• Rachel Reeves

Equipment and supplies were brought to Aitutaki by the New Zealand Defence Force following Cyclone Pat in February 2010. 10021503

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP) is considering tenders for all leftover materials from the Aitutaki cyclone recovery programme.

Surplus building materials are on sale by tender through the ministry, which may receive a recommendation from its tender committee by the end of the week.

Items include fastenings (nails, brackets, washers, bolts, galvanised wire), damp-proof course bitumen rolls, polythene membrane, primer, building paper, sealing tape, electrical wire, light switches, flush boxes, electrical cable, storm cloud spouting, almost 3000 steel rods, plumbing materials, and almost 500 concrete blocks.

Tenders had to be on an as is, where is basis and cover the whole of materials.

They must include a 10 percent deposit and the successful contractor must then pay the remaining 90 percent within 10 working days of the tender being awarded.

Unsuccessful applicants will be refunded the 10 percent deposit as soon as is practicable.

Successful contractors are responsible for arranging, uplifting and relocating all materials, currently being held at the Orongo Centre on Aitutaki, within two working days at their own cost.

• Rosie Manins

As the global 16 days of activism campaign against violence against women for 2011 came to a close, Pacific journalists reporting on violence against women are called on to expose abuse of their own colleagues.

Titi Gabi, chair of the Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF), said newsrooms are more often majority staffed by women, so violence against women reporters has deeper implications for the rights of any citizen to stay informed

Silence from many media outlets and violence victims on abuses they face, often from their partners, represents a deep shame and silence which all journalists must unite to condemn, she said.

PFF calls on journalists to continue to uphold ethics and integrity in reporting gender-based violence as a leading story in Pacific nations and to be more vigilant, vocal and supportive of colleagues facing similar problems.

Marking 16 days of activism against violence against women, Pacific impetus to the global campaign from November 25 to December 11 every year tends to come from civil society, gender advocacy and human rights networks. Internal PFF alerts and those shared among a fledgling regional grouping for Pacific women journalists called Pacific WAVE reveals many incidents among women journalists in Melanesia, who suffer with harassment, emotional and physical partner abuse.

This is creating an ethical and cultural challenge for monitoring media freedom, says Gabi, from Port Moresby.

Strategic and evidence-based actions to fight gender inequality in the media is difficult if the ones who are supposed to be shining the light on issues that need airing are also swallowed up in the silence on violence against women.

The regional media freedom monitoring network has found a growing trend of reluctance from women journalists to report threats, harassment, abuse and violence, especially those suffering in their own homes.

The PFFs concerns are confirmed by the WAVE Media Network which in its founding sessions and on going networking reveals compelling but private stories of women journalists forced out of their workplaces after personal experiences linked to their professional calling. PFF co-chair Monica Miller of American Samoa says it is distressing that virtually all these alerts do not progress to statements because the information cannot be verified when women and their colleagues dont feel they can make a stand for their rights and dignity, for whatever reason.

We call on women, and men, in the media to report threats, violence and abuse as soon as these events happen, Miller said.

We encourage media colleagues aware of these events to speak out. Let perpetrators know their actions are criminal, not a private or domestic matter. And we ask media organisations to uphold gender equality in the workplace.

Secure journalists are more productive journalists, Miller said, which makes for better news reporting and well-informed, more productive communities.

• PFF

Pacific women journalists (pictured) should stand up for themselves, Lisa Williams-Lahari (right) says. 11121315

Honiara-based Cook Islands journalist Lisa Williams-Lahari, who is a founding member of the Pacific Freedom Forum and WAVE media networks, said the issues of abuse and pressure facing women journalists are not just a regional trend.

I started at Cook Islands News when it was still a government paper in 1984. Up until the time I left the Cooks in 2000 for regional work, I can safely say that I directly saw cases affecting Cook Islands women journalists across all the media outlets where I worked, but I also saw these cases affecting Pacific women in media when I went to regional meetings, Williams-Lahari said.

And there never seemed to be a clear cut system of support to help this whole issue move beyond the default silence which kicks in for domestic problems.

Williams is now leading a regional media human rights and democracy project for the International Federation of Journalists. She also works on freelance writing and projects from wherever she is based.

Whats changed, despite the problem of violence against women in media being bigger than ever? Williams said.

Theres been a series of small steps forward and from what Ive seen there isnt the level of pressures in the Cooks media system that there used to be although an updated survey should be run to get a better picture.

The forming of the WAVE network provides one to one solidarity for women in journalism to network and share.

More needs to be done, better funded research needs to set the baseline for strategies and solutions, but its just great that more women and men in media are being able to talk about what theyve seen or been through.

In the build up to the 16 days campaign, Williams sent a call for feedback to the WAVE network.

The response indicated violence, some of it horrific, is happening and not being reported to police or the media, for fear of victims being identified.

It was horrific and heartbreaking to see the stories sent to me in confidence, mainly from the Melanesia sub-region, Williams said.

But at the same time it was great that those who responded wanted to feel heard and be able to share what they had either witnessed or experienced directly.

It is important to build on that kind of response, to open up, share, and link up to overcome this problem.

Im glad that the regional media freedom network have noted that violence against women in the media is a problem that affects the industry and quality of news coverage for Pacific audiences.

There are many regional and global promises to help women out of violence, but the actions that count, when it comes to the Pacific, can be as seemingly small as a statement of support and solidarity.

Women in media going through their individual challenges with violence, can, and do take heart from the solidarity these messages offer.

• PFF

Cook Islands News reporter Matariki Wilson with signs dumped in town overnight on Monday. The signs are now in police possession. 11121326

Cook Islands Police have taken possession of a number of business signs that were collected up from various locations and dumped at others around Rarotonga by an unknown group overnight on Monday.

Mischief-makers toured the main road on Monday night, collecting up unfastened signs left by the road.

Some were found in the town area and other locations as staff headed into work on Tuesday morning, including the Cook Islands News Tupapa-Maraerenga office.

Cook Islands Police Inspector Tere Patia said signs do not often go missing, but the misdemeanour was not unknown to police.

He said it appeared a group had deliberately gone about the island looking for signs to collect.

Patia said businesses would be well-advised to fix their signs to a permanent spot, chain them up or bring them into a secure spot overnight to help protect against similar occurrences.

Businesses that have lost their signs should call Cook Islands Police to see if they have taken them into their possession.

Similarly, anyone who finds a sign at the property should call police to hand them in.

Patia said anybody caught stealing signs risked being charges with a range of offences such as vandalism, theft or public nuisance.

• Eric Parnis

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