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General News

Week ending Wednesday, 5 October, 2011

Current events and entertainment in Rarotonga and the Cook Islands.

$400,000 for public sector review
The Tepuka saga continues
New unit strengthens crime fight
Junior Kangaroos approached to play
PMs green dreams becoming a reality
Pora laid out
Young relationship flourishing, says ambassador
Nutters navigate Rarotongas interior
Moimoi to visit as part of envoy
Vandalism of buses worse than usual
Talk about it says counsellor
Police thanked by tourism operator
No more excuses for speeding in Takitumu
Emergency works at Vaimaanga
Better site needed for Mauke windpower generation
New cookbook in the making
Own the Maeva Nui DVD
New physiotherapy clinic opens
National youth council conference next week
Love our old folk
Fast pace race
Action on the pitch
Home-grown heroes team named
Judge orders board to reconsider application
Tanks and gear go north for works
18 seek NGO funding grants
Cabinet was not arguing
A whale of a sign disappears
DPM challenges weather experts
4 motorcycle accidents
Funds promised for Manea
New strip
Russian mission foiled by seasickness
Youth delve into issues at national conference
Women face final round

A Cook Islands public sector review is being boosted by almost $400,000 from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japans government.

An official handing over of the money (US$300,000) granted to the Cook Islands from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction established by the ADB and Japanese government took place at the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Tupapa yesterday.

Prime Minister Henry Puna says the review, and another funded project targeting vulnerable citizens, are steps in the right direction for alleviating poverty in the Cook Islands particularly on pa enua.

For a tiny nation we face a lot of challenges. Nevertheless government is committed to overarching objectives that the fundamental needs of our people are met.

Its my belief that we can continue to deliver these services and address the fundamental needs of our people through an effectively-managed public service.

Puna says it has been more than a decade since the countrys last public sector reforms, which resulted in redundancies and accordingly have left citizens scarred.

The circumstances of those comprehensive reforms were somewhat different they were driven by the need to cut costs and results were mixed. By undertaking drastic steps to reduce public service numbers there resulted in significant redundancies and the migration of some of our people overseas.

Our economy has rebounded and grown since then but people remain scarred from the experience and we do not want to go through that experience again.

Puna says the current public sector review will identify where government can improve, what the private sector can do, and ultimately bring about meaningful impacts on the lives of people throughout the country.

He says the project is in the final months of its first phase and to date a lot of research and analysis has been undertaken.

At the end of this exercise Im hopeful that we will have a comprehensive set of practical solutions for how best we can manage the public service and address governance issues in outer islands.

Puna hopes to commence implementation of public service changes in the next financial year, starting in July 2012.

A Cook Islands public sector review is being boosted by almost $400,000 from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japans government.

An official handing over of the money (US$300,000) granted to the Cook Islands from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction established by the ADB and Japanese government took place at the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Tupapa yesterday.

Prime Minister Henry Puna says the review, and another funded project targeting vulnerable citizens, are steps in the right direction for alleviating poverty in the Cook Islands particularly on pa enua.

For a tiny nation we face a lot of challenges. Nevertheless government is committed to overarching objectives that the fundamental needs of our people are met.

Its my belief that we can continue to deliver these services and address the fundamental needs of our people through an effectively-managed public service.

Puna says it has been more than a decade since the countrys last public sector reforms, which resulted in redundancies and accordingly have left citizens scarred.

The circumstances of those comprehensive reforms were somewhat different they were driven by the need to cut costs and results were mixed. By undertaking drastic steps to reduce public service numbers there resulted in significant redundancies and the migration of some of our people overseas.

Our economy has rebounded and grown since then but people remain scarred from the experience and we do not want to go through that experience again.

Puna says the current public sector review will identify where government can improve, what the private sector can do, and ultimately bring about meaningful impacts on the lives of people throughout the country.

He says the project is in the final months of its first phase and to date a lot of research and analysis has been undertaken.

At the end of this exercise Im hopeful that we will have a comprehensive set of practical solutions for how best we can manage the public service and address governance issues in outer islands.

Puna hopes to commence implementation of public service changes in the next financial year, starting in July 2012.

• Rosie Manins

The Cook Islands Christian Church issued notice to Tepuka leaseholders advising them to pay up or face legal consequences. 11092840

Residents of Tepuka 106C in Nikao are being called to a meeting on October 3 to discuss a letter they recently received from the executives of the Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC).

Distributed to Tepuka occupants this month, the letter advises those tenants with outstanding rents to pay up or face legal consequences and possible eviction.

CICC says it has brought before the court an application to terminate their leases.

Given the history of ownership of the property, Tepuka tenants are angry, says Bruce Manuela.

He called the meeting to determine whether the tenants want to represent themselves in court or to engage a lawyer as a collective unit.

Its before the court so we need a lawyer to represent the tenants the meetings really to ask the tenants if they want to fight their own cases individually or as a group, Manuela said.

Tepuka comprises about 48 households, on which over 200 people reside. Most of them are from the outer islands or of outer islands descent.

The Tepuka story stretches back nearly a century.

Section 106 was originally gifted to the Cook Islands Christian Church by Makea. The government leased the land in the 1950s. To accommodate residents uprooted by the construction of the international airport in the 1970s, sublet Tepuka in 1969.

Thirty years later the government relinquished the arrangement and transferred the land back into the hands of the CICC.

In 2006, CICC met with Tepuka tenants. Church executives advised tenants that their rent which until then was an average of $20 per annum needed to be reviewed.

If you look carefully in the lease document it clearly states that any review of the rent must be decided between the tenant and the landlord should there not be an agreement it goes to arbitration. That never happened the church just decided to review the rent, Manuela said.

Rent was raised to $300 a year (reviewable every five years) and backdated to 2000 meaning some tenants were saddled with a cost of over $1500. A new contract was drawn up which Manuela says is identical to the old contract apart from the rent figures and tenants were given two choices.

They could pay the $300 a year plus rental arrears exceeding $1500 or they could sign a new 60-year lease, which depending on location varies between $12,000 and $26,000.

At least 20 tenants terminated their old leases and paid the goodwill renewal rate. One leaseholder says she paid $20,000 to renew the lease on the house she grew up in in the process losing the 20 years remaining on her previous lease.

Cook Islands Christian Church legal adviser Iaveta Short says the church is simply looking to recover what its owed.

What the church is merely doing is to collect rent from those who have been leased lands from the church in Te Puka in Nikao. Over the last three years the church has endeavoured to chase up outstanding rent.  Some of the rent is over ten years in arrears.

He says the new rent went into effect from 2007, and the church is just collecting from those who have still not paid up.

It simply is not fair that the majority has paid their rent and some simply refuse to pay rent. The lease agreement is very clear spelling out their obligations to pay rent, Short said.

After three years the church has no option but to take legal action on those who refuse or fail to pay their rent.

Some leaseholders who spoke on condition of anonymity maintain that the rent is unfairly high. One mentioned that in Tepuka there are pensioners living on $300 a month who are simply unable to afford the increased rent.

Short says the rent is fair.

The rent is not exorbitant but fair. The outer islanders have been given the privilege to lease Te Puka and had it been opened to the public it would have been snapped up by the many people seeking to lease lands here on Rarotonga and the outer islanders would have missed out.

No one is getting rich in collecting the rent as the amounts involved are small and overall the net return is small. The Bible is also very clear that as stewards of the churchs lands and resources we are obligated to manage it wisely and efficiently.

Manuela noted that most Tepuka tenants even those who belong to churches of other denominations are involved with the CICC and readily contribute to its activities, whether in the form of tithes or kai.

He says he is astonished at the way CICC is handling the Tepuka issue.

Im quite astonished at the action by the mother church toward its own members Im very astonished at the way theyre treating members of the church. Thats not the preaching of the good Lord, Manuela said. The Bible says a shepherd that loses one of his sheep will go look after it this lot is cutting off the whole flock.

Residents of Tepuka 106C in Nikao are being called to a meeting on October 3 to discuss a letter they recently received from the executives of the Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC).

Distributed to Tepuka occupants this month, the letter advises those tenants with outstanding rents to pay up or face legal consequences and possible eviction.

CICC says it has brought before the court an application to terminate their leases.

Given the history of ownership of the property, Tepuka tenants are angry, says Bruce Manuela.

He called the meeting to determine whether the tenants want to represent themselves in court or to engage a lawyer as a collective unit.

Its before the court so we need a lawyer to represent the tenants the meetings really to ask the tenants if they want to fight their own cases individually or as a group, Manuela said.

Tepuka comprises about 48 households, on which over 200 people reside. Most of them are from the outer islands or of outer islands descent.

The Tepuka story stretches back nearly a century.

Section 106 was originally gifted to the Cook Islands Christian Church by Makea. The government leased the land in the 1950s. To accommodate residents uprooted by the construction of the international airport in the 1970s, sublet Tepuka in 1969.

Thirty years later the government relinquished the arrangement and transferred the land back into the hands of the CICC.

In 2006, CICC met with Tepuka tenants. Church executives advised tenants that their rent which until then was an average of $20 per annum needed to be reviewed.

If you look carefully in the lease document it clearly states that any review of the rent must be decided between the tenant and the landlord should there not be an agreement it goes to arbitration. That never happened the church just decided to review the rent, Manuela said.

Rent was raised to $300 a year (reviewable every five years) and backdated to 2000 meaning some tenants were saddled with a cost of over $1500. A new contract was drawn up which Manuela says is identical to the old contract apart from the rent figures and tenants were given two choices.

They could pay the $300 a year plus rental arrears exceeding $1500 or they could sign a new 60-year lease, which depending on location varies between $12,000 and $26,000.

At least 20 tenants terminated their old leases and paid the goodwill renewal rate. One leaseholder says she paid $20,000 to renew the lease on the house she grew up in in the process losing the 20 years remaining on her previous lease.

Cook Islands Christian Church legal adviser Iaveta Short says the church is simply looking to recover what its owed.

What the church is merely doing is to collect rent from those who have been leased lands from the church in Te Puka in Nikao. Over the last three years the church has endeavoured to chase up outstanding rent.  Some of the rent is over ten years in arrears.

He says the new rent went into effect from 2007, and the church is just collecting from those who have still not paid up.

It simply is not fair that the majority has paid their rent and some simply refuse to pay rent. The lease agreement is very clear spelling out their obligations to pay rent, Short said.

After three years the church has no option but to take legal action on those who refuse or fail to pay their rent.

Some leaseholders who spoke on condition of anonymity maintain that the rent is unfairly high. One mentioned that in Tepuka there are pensioners living on $300 a month who are simply unable to afford the increased rent.

Short says the rent is fair.

The rent is not exorbitant but fair. The outer islanders have been given the privilege to lease Te Puka and had it been opened to the public it would have been snapped up by the many people seeking to lease lands here on Rarotonga and the outer islanders would have missed out.

No one is getting rich in collecting the rent as the amounts involved are small and overall the net return is small. The Bible is also very clear that as stewards of the churchs lands and resources we are obligated to manage it wisely and efficiently.

Manuela noted that most Tepuka tenants even those who belong to churches of other denominations are involved with the CICC and readily contribute to its activities, whether in the form of tithes or kai.

He says he is astonished at the way CICC is handling the Tepuka issue.

Im quite astonished at the action by the mother church toward its own members Im very astonished at the way theyre treating members of the church. Thats not the preaching of the good Lord, Manuela said. The Bible says a shepherd that loses one of his sheep will go look after it this lot is cutting off the whole flock.

• Rachel ReevesRachel Reeves

Prime Minister Henry Puna officially opens the Cook Islands Police transnational crime unit inside the Avarua police station yesterday. 11092835

The Cook Islands is now equipped to help combat transnational crime sweeping the Pacific, such as money laundering, people smuggling and drug dealing.

A transnational crime unit situated within the Cook Islands Police Avarua headquarters was officially opened at a ceremony yesterday morning.

The unit has been established with help from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), from which three agents based in Canberra, Suva and Apia travelled to Rarotonga for the event.

Federal agent Greg White is the AFP advisor to the Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Centre (PTCCC) in Samoa.

He showed Prime Minister Henry Puna how the Cook Islands transnational crime unit will operate and link to the Pacific Transnational Crime Network (PTCN).

Puna made the first online video call to the PTCCC Samoa office with Whites help yesterday, as police commissioner Maara Tetava observed.

Also attending the opening on behalf of the AFP was commander Fiona Drennan, who manages the AFP international network in Canberra, and federal agent Anthony Hall a senior liaison officer based in Fiji at the PTCN who is responsible for 11 of the 14 transnational crime units in 12 Pacific island countries.

Drennan says the AFP is dedicated to combating transnational crime in the Pacific region, which she says is only possible with a strong network involving various agencies working together with shared knowledge.

She says since the PTCN was established in 2002 there has been significant results achieved through the network and combined skills of police and other agencies involved.

This includes the identification of money laundering schemes operating in the Pacific and criminals involved in drug smuggling, as well as other criminals and groups involved in tax evasion, identity crime and people smuggling.

In the Cook Islands the agriculture ministry, customs department, immigration department and airport authority will all be involved in the transnational crime unit.

Puna says he is grateful to the AFP for its support of the Cook Islands and proud of the work local police officers are doing.

Government remains committed to its zero crime policy, Puna says.

Unfortunately mankind comes with all sorts and there are people in this country that are bent on committing crime. Its disturbing that modern crime in the form of money laundering is starting to show its ugly head here in the Cook Islands, but Im so pleased our authorities including police are on to it and I wish them the best in combating emerging crimes here in our country.

Tetava thanks Puna and his government for the continued support of policing operations and a commitment to keep the Cook Islands safe.

He also thanks the AFP and its valuable relationship with Cook Islands Police, as well as all others involved in establishing the transnational crime unit.

Together we can make it safer for all of us. On our own we cant do it, so we value your support.

Today we are witnessing the beginning of a new journey for the Cook Islands. We may be a little tiny dot in the world but Ive no doubt that our contribution through our transnational crime unit will have an impact in the wider law enforcement community.

The Cook Islands is now equipped to help combat transnational crime sweeping the Pacific, such as money laundering, people smuggling and drug dealing.

A transnational crime unit situated within the Cook Islands Police Avarua headquarters was officially opened at a ceremony yesterday morning.

The unit has been established with help from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), from which three agents based in Canberra, Suva and Apia travelled to Rarotonga for the event.

Federal agent Greg White is the AFP advisor to the Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Centre (PTCCC) in Samoa.

He showed Prime Minister Henry Puna how the Cook Islands transnational crime unit will operate and link to the Pacific Transnational Crime Network (PTCN).

Puna made the first online video call to the PTCCC Samoa office with Whites help yesterday, as police commissioner Maara Tetava observed.

Also attending the opening on behalf of the AFP was commander Fiona Drennan, who manages the AFP international network in Canberra, and federal agent Anthony Hall a senior liaison officer based in Fiji at the PTCN who is responsible for 11 of the 14 transnational crime units in 12 Pacific island countries.

Drennan says the AFP is dedicated to combating transnational crime in the Pacific region, which she says is only possible with a strong network involving various agencies working together with shared knowledge.

She says since the PTCN was established in 2002 there has been significant results achieved through the network and combined skills of police and other agencies involved.

This includes the identification of money laundering schemes operating in the Pacific and criminals involved in drug smuggling, as well as other criminals and groups involved in tax evasion, identity crime and people smuggling.

In the Cook Islands the agriculture ministry, customs department, immigration department and airport authority will all be involved in the transnational crime unit.

Puna says he is grateful to the AFP for its support of the Cook Islands and proud of the work local police officers are doing.

Government remains committed to its zero crime policy, Puna says.

Unfortunately mankind comes with all sorts and there are people in this country that are bent on committing crime. Its disturbing that modern crime in the form of money laundering is starting to show its ugly head here in the Cook Islands, but Im so pleased our authorities including police are on to it and I wish them the best in combating emerging crimes here in our country.

Tetava thanks Puna and his government for the continued support of policing operations and a commitment to keep the Cook Islands safe.

He also thanks the AFP and its valuable relationship with Cook Islands Police, as well as all others involved in establishing the transnational crime unit.

Together we can make it safer for all of us. On our own we cant do it, so we value your support.

Today we are witnessing the beginning of a new journey for the Cook Islands. We may be a little tiny dot in the world but Ive no doubt that our contribution through our transnational crime unit will have an impact in the wider law enforcement community.

• Rosie Manins

The Cook Islands Rugby League has approached the ARL with the chance to send the Junior Kangaroos to Rarotonga and take the place of the retreating Kiwis team.

CIRL made the offer to host the Junior Kangaroos squad in the hours after it was informed the New Zealand team would be pulling out of the scheduled October 6 test match in Rarotonga.

If the Junior Kangaroos team can make it on short notice to play the Cook Islands senior test squad, CIRL international director Kevin Iro said it would virtually be business as usual for the late-year flurry of rugby league matches in the Cooks.

The present plan for the October 6 match is the Kukis senior squad to play a combined team made up from tri-series players.

This would change if the Junior Kangaroos agree to CIRLs offer.

Iro said CIRL was looking at all options at the moment, but said it was more likely the Kukis team will play a combined tri-series team than playing the Junior Kangaroos.

In any case, ticketholders will receive some kind of refund on their Kiwis-Kukis purchases.

Iro said CIRL was still working out how it would refund or compensate ticket holders for the October 6 match.

He urged people to hold on to their tickets until the look of the matches could be settled and compensation could be sorted.

We should know somewhere in the next 24 hours what we will be doing with tickets, Iro said yesterday.

A Junior Kangaroos train-on squad announced on September 24 includes a wide selection of players from the NRLs under 20s competition NYC.

The ARL Junior Kangaroos will play the New Zealand Junior Kiwis in Newcastle as a preliminary game to the Australia versus New Zealand test match on Sunday, October 16, Australia time.

The Cook Islands Rugby League has approached the ARL with the chance to send the Junior Kangaroos to Rarotonga and take the place of the retreating Kiwis team.

CIRL made the offer to host the Junior Kangaroos squad in the hours after it was informed the New Zealand team would be pulling out of the scheduled October 6 test match in Rarotonga.

If the Junior Kangaroos team can make it on short notice to play the Cook Islands senior test squad, CIRL international director Kevin Iro said it would virtually be business as usual for the late-year flurry of rugby league matches in the Cooks.

The present plan for the October 6 match is the Kukis senior squad to play a combined team made up from tri-series players.

This would change if the Junior Kangaroos agree to CIRLs offer.

Iro said CIRL was looking at all options at the moment, but said it was more likely the Kukis team will play a combined tri-series team than playing the Junior Kangaroos.

In any case, ticketholders will receive some kind of refund on their Kiwis-Kukis purchases.

Iro said CIRL was still working out how it would refund or compensate ticket holders for the October 6 match.

He urged people to hold on to their tickets until the look of the matches could be settled and compensation could be sorted.

We should know somewhere in the next 24 hours what we will be doing with tickets, Iro said yesterday.

A Junior Kangaroos train-on squad announced on September 24 includes a wide selection of players from the NRLs under 20s competition NYC.

The ARL Junior Kangaroos will play the New Zealand Junior Kiwis in Newcastle as a preliminary game to the Australia versus New Zealand test match on Sunday, October 16, Australia time.

• Eric Parnis

The Cook Islands, Japan and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat yesterday joined forces to send a strong message that renewable energy was no longer an option but a necessity for the Pacific region.

On the lawns of the Prime Ministers Office under yesterdays blazing sun, Prime Minister Henry Puna and Forum deputy secretary general Feleti Teo made official a $1.2 million deal to bring renewable and reliable energy to Rakahanga 24 hours a day.

Japanese ambassador to New Zealand Hideto Mitamura watched on, attending the event on behalf of the Japanese government which allocated US$66 million for Pacific countries under the Pacific Environment Community Fund.

The work at Rakahanga will soon be put to tender, once plans are drawn up more details on the panels locations and the implementation of the project will become available.

The project will see solar panels, the necessary equipment and electricity storage facilities be installed at Rakahanga.

Once that happens, the northern atoll can free itself of a reliance on fossil fuels that Puna described as creating an economic divide in the country between people who could afford power and people who couldnt.

Having lived on an isolated island like Manihiki, the economics of doing this also makes so much sense, Puna said in his speech yesterday.

The cost of living and doing anything on those islands are dictated by the price of oil.

Everything has the price of oil label on it. From food to education to infrastructure and doing business, oil is intricately intertwined with them.

As the price of oil continuously increases, so does the cost of living and doing business. Those who cannot pay the price either leave our shores or abstain from using electricity in their homes. This is a sad predicament for our people to be in.

The Rakahanga project will provide significant benefits to the people of Rakahanga by increasing access to a reliable and secure supply of electricity from power generated by solar panels 24 hours a day. It is expected that the project will displace the need for generator fuel, unless there is an emergency and will result in fuel cost savings. In the long term, Puna said the cost savings accumulated will represent significant savings that can be utilised in other priority service areas.

Puna said that in choosing the order of islands for energy conversion, the most vulnerable and most isolated was chosen to begin with.

This is to emphasise that our peoples energy needs - even those islands with the smallest number of inhabitants represent a genuine concern for us and must be taken care of with a sense of economic and environmental responsibility.

We all know renewable energy is a necessity for the Pacific, especially for small islands states like the Cook Islands. Pacific leaders have affirmed this many times. It is our lifeline, to save us from the economic and environmental degradation of fossil fuels.

I can tell you that the Cook Islands will be quick to take that lifeline, hence the short timeline in achieving our policy targets. What we have done this morning is the start of moving on that journey.

On behalf of the Islands Forum Secretariat, Teo said climate change was the greatest challenge of our time and threatening the very viability of some Pacific communities.

Now is the time to act, Teo said. The Rakahanga project is a step in the right direction and I commend strongly the Cook Islands government for its efforts in the area of renewable energy.

The Cook Islands, Japan and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat yesterday joined forces to send a strong message that renewable energy was no longer an option but a necessity for the Pacific region.

On the lawns of the Prime Ministers Office under yesterdays blazing sun, Prime Minister Henry Puna and Forum deputy secretary general Feleti Teo made official a $1.2 million deal to bring renewable and reliable energy to Rakahanga 24 hours a day.

Japanese ambassador to New Zealand Hideto Mitamura watched on, attending the event on behalf of the Japanese government which allocated US$66 million for Pacific countries under the Pacific Environment Community Fund.

The work at Rakahanga will soon be put to tender, once plans are drawn up more details on the panels locations and the implementation of the project will become available.

The project will see solar panels, the necessary equipment and electricity storage facilities be installed at Rakahanga.

Once that happens, the northern atoll can free itself of a reliance on fossil fuels that Puna described as creating an economic divide in the country between people who could afford power and people who couldnt.

Having lived on an isolated island like Manihiki, the economics of doing this also makes so much sense, Puna said in his speech yesterday.

The cost of living and doing anything on those islands are dictated by the price of oil.

Everything has the price of oil label on it. From food to education to infrastructure and doing business, oil is intricately intertwined with them.

As the price of oil continuously increases, so does the cost of living and doing business. Those who cannot pay the price either leave our shores or abstain from using electricity in their homes. This is a sad predicament for our people to be in.

The Rakahanga project will provide significant benefits to the people of Rakahanga by increasing access to a reliable and secure supply of electricity from power generated by solar panels 24 hours a day. It is expected that the project will displace the need for generator fuel, unless there is an emergency and will result in fuel cost savings. In the long term, Puna said the cost savings accumulated will represent significant savings that can be utilised in other priority service areas.

Puna said that in choosing the order of islands for energy conversion, the most vulnerable and most isolated was chosen to begin with.

This is to emphasise that our peoples energy needs - even those islands with the smallest number of inhabitants represent a genuine concern for us and must be taken care of with a sense of economic and environmental responsibility.

We all know renewable energy is a necessity for the Pacific, especially for small islands states like the Cook Islands. Pacific leaders have affirmed this many times. It is our lifeline, to save us from the economic and environmental degradation of fossil fuels.

I can tell you that the Cook Islands will be quick to take that lifeline, hence the short timeline in achieving our policy targets. What we have done this morning is the start of moving on that journey.

On behalf of the Islands Forum Secretariat, Teo said climate change was the greatest challenge of our time and threatening the very viability of some Pacific communities.

Now is the time to act, Teo said. The Rakahanga project is a step in the right direction and I commend strongly the Cook Islands government for its efforts in the area of renewable energy.

• Eric Parnis

Prime Minister Henry Puna and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat deputy secretary general Feleti Teo sign an agreement outlining a $1.2 million renewable energy project for Rakahanga. 11092938

The people of Rakahanga brought a taste of their traditions and culture to the visiting Japanese ambassador, laying out the official welcome mat, or pora, for Hideto Mitamura yesterday at the prime ministers office.

Rakahanga warrior Junior Leon Tarau welcomed Prime Minister Henry Puna, Mitamura and a score of other government officials and regional leaders to yesterdays signing ceremony.

Tarau laid down a pora in respect of the men and women at the prime ministers office, music and singing filling the silence of the grounds.

Rakahanga MP Taunga Toka said the pora was like Rakahangas red carpet, welcoming the officials to the ceremony.

As for the warriors presence, Toka said he was a legacy of less peaceful times and insurance that the community would not be attacked by surprise.

Once the guests had taken their seats, about 30 people formed a choir and sung the tale of Featu, a god that stomped his impressions into the land as he ascended to heaven.

Toka said Featu opened up a way for his ancestors to live, splitting the rocks and land.

He said yesterdays ceremony, which will bring a reliable and consistent energy source to Rakahanga could be seen as doing the same.

The people of Rakahanga brought a taste of their traditions and culture to the visiting Japanese ambassador, laying out the official welcome mat, or pora, for Hideto Mitamura yesterday at the prime ministers office.

Rakahanga warrior Junior Leon Tarau welcomed Prime Minister Henry Puna, Mitamura and a score of other government officials and regional leaders to yesterdays signing ceremony.

Tarau laid down a pora in respect of the men and women at the prime ministers office, music and singing filling the silence of the grounds.

Rakahanga MP Taunga Toka said the pora was like Rakahangas red carpet, welcoming the officials to the ceremony.

As for the warriors presence, Toka said he was a legacy of less peaceful times and insurance that the community would not be attacked by surprise.

Once the guests had taken their seats, about 30 people formed a choir and sung the tale of Featu, a god that stomped his impressions into the land as he ascended to heaven.

Toka said Featu opened up a way for his ancestors to live, splitting the rocks and land.

He said yesterdays ceremony, which will bring a reliable and consistent energy source to Rakahanga could be seen as doing the same.

• Eric Parnis

Yesterdays signing of the $1.2 million Rakahanga renewable energy deal and the Cook Islands nomination to co-chair an upcoming meeting with Japan represents another step forward in a young but prosperous relationship between Japan and the Cook Islands, according to ambassador Hideto Mitamura.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will co-chair next years Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM).

Japan has hosted PALM every three years and in May 2012 Japan will host PALM 6 in Okinawa, the southernmost island of Japan.

With close cooperation with the government of the Cook Islands, as the co-chair of the PALM 6, Japan would like to make this PALM a milestone meeting which truly enhances the well-being of the people of the Pacific island countries, Mitamura said.

Mitamura attended yesterdays official signing ceremony for the Rakahanga project as a witness on behalf of the Japanese government, which made the funding available for the Rakahanga project through the Pacific Environmental Community Fund.

Ambassador Mitamura said he was delighted that the Cook Islands had become the second country to receive funding through the PEC fund among the 14 Pacific island countries.

I wish success for the implementation of this project, not only contributing to the Cook Islands goal of generating 50 percent of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2015 and 100 percent by 2020, but also becoming an example of good practice for future projects to be funded by the PEC fund, both in the Cook Islands and in other Forum Island Countries, he said.

I also wish this project will greatly benefit the people of the Cook Islands and will further strengthen the friendship between Japan and the Cook Islands.

Touching upon the bilateral relationship between the Cook Islands and Japan, ambassador Mitamura said 2011 represented a significant development in the history of the relationship between Japan and Cook Islands.

Japan established diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands in June on the occasion of Prime Minister, the Honourable Henry Punas visit to Japan, and in early September, both governments agreed to extend Japans Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GAP) Programme to the Cook Islands.

In his remarks, he also congratulated both the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the Cook Islands on the success of the 42nd Pacific Islands Forum in early September and on the nomination of the Cook Islands as the next host country.

Yesterdays signing of the $1.2 million Rakahanga renewable energy deal and the Cook Islands nomination to co-chair an upcoming meeting with Japan represents another step forward in a young but prosperous relationship between Japan and the Cook Islands, according to ambassador Hideto Mitamura.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will co-chair next years Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM).

Japan has hosted PALM every three years and in May 2012 Japan will host PALM 6 in Okinawa, the southernmost island of Japan.

With close cooperation with the government of the Cook Islands, as the co-chair of the PALM 6, Japan would like to make this PALM a milestone meeting which truly enhances the well-being of the people of the Pacific island countries, Mitamura said.

Mitamura attended yesterdays official signing ceremony for the Rakahanga project as a witness on behalf of the Japanese government, which made the funding available for the Rakahanga project through the Pacific Environmental Community Fund.

Ambassador Mitamura said he was delighted that the Cook Islands had become the second country to receive funding through the PEC fund among the 14 Pacific island countries.

I wish success for the implementation of this project, not only contributing to the Cook Islands goal of generating 50 percent of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2015 and 100 percent by 2020, but also becoming an example of good practice for future projects to be funded by the PEC fund, both in the Cook Islands and in other Forum Island Countries, he said.

I also wish this project will greatly benefit the people of the Cook Islands and will further strengthen the friendship between Japan and the Cook Islands.

Touching upon the bilateral relationship between the Cook Islands and Japan, ambassador Mitamura said 2011 represented a significant development in the history of the relationship between Japan and Cook Islands.

Japan established diplomatic relations with the Cook Islands in June on the occasion of Prime Minister, the Honourable Henry Punas visit to Japan, and in early September, both governments agreed to extend Japans Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GAP) Programme to the Cook Islands.

In his remarks, he also congratulated both the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the Cook Islands on the success of the 42nd Pacific Islands Forum in early September and on the nomination of the Cook Islands as the next host country.

• Eric Parnis

Nutters Cross Island run champs Lynda Hugesen and local man Roland Neururer with their nutty trophies after taking out the race in the open women and men’s division on Wednesday. 11092901

Stuart Hague, Yvonne Shaw and John Shaw from Nelson cross the line together in a time of 1.26.41. 11092902

The Nutters Cross Island run record of 45 minutes set in the early 1990s by Greg Gustafson still stands, although local runner Roland Neururer gave it a good nudge on Wednesday.

Neururer was one of 51 nutters that took on the cross island run estimated to be about 9km from the Vaima Restaurant in Vaiimaanga through the interior of the island and finishing at the Pandanus petrol station in Avatiu.

Despite still dealing with cramps he developed in Saturdays Round Raro Road Race Neururer flew across the island to finish in a time of 53.09 closely followed by fellow local runner Kevin Henderson who finished in 56.16 in his trademark bare feet.

In fact the standout feature of the event was the number of locals that came home at the top of the field to definitely prove that there is such a thing as home ground advantage.

Ian Courtenay took out third overall in 0.56.21 followed two minutes later by Ashley Christie to take out 4th place.

Young Adam Henderson and Terry Meyer, both local runners, were the last two to scrape in under the hour mark to finish in 58.52 and 58.53 respectively.

Veteran runner Geoff Stoddart crossed the island in an hour and 52 minutes and still had energy to chat with visiting runners at the end.

There was also a distinct lack of local women in the race do you think we are nuts was their general explanation for not participating.

So the womens Nutters trophy went to Lynda Hugesen who placed 17th overall and finished in a time of 1.22.38.

The Nutters run wrapped up yet another successful week of running programme with regular visitors promising to return for more fun running in the tropics next year.

The Nutters Cross Island run record of 45 minutes set in the early 1990s by Greg Gustafson still stands, although local runner Roland Neururer gave it a good nudge on Wednesday.

Neururer was one of 51 nutters that took on the cross island run estimated to be about 9km from the Vaima Restaurant in Vaiimaanga through the interior of the island and finishing at the Pandanus petrol station in Avatiu.

Despite still dealing with cramps he developed in Saturdays Round Raro Road Race Neururer flew across the island to finish in a time of 53.09 closely followed by fellow local runner Kevin Henderson who finished in 56.16 in his trademark bare feet.

In fact the standout feature of the event was the number of locals that came home at the top of the field to definitely prove that there is such a thing as home ground advantage.

Ian Courtenay took out third overall in 0.56.21 followed two minutes later by Ashley Christie to take out 4th place.

Young Adam Henderson and Terry Meyer, both local runners, were the last two to scrape in under the hour mark to finish in 58.52 and 58.53 respectively.

Veteran runner Geoff Stoddart crossed the island in an hour and 52 minutes and still had energy to chat with visiting runners at the end.

There was also a distinct lack of local women in the race do you think we are nuts was their general explanation for not participating.

So the womens Nutters trophy went to Lynda Hugesen who placed 17th overall and finished in a time of 1.22.38.

The Nutters run wrapped up yet another successful week of running programme with regular visitors promising to return for more fun running in the tropics next year.

• Matariki Wilson

Parramatta Eels prop Fuifui Moimoi has been included in a promotional Kiwi crew coming to Rarotonga. 11092945

Six current and former Kiwi international players including the Eels identity Fuifui Moimoi will come to the Cook Islands as part of a make-up deal for the Kiwis withdrawal from next weeks Rarotonga test match.

The crew includes Parramatta Eels Moimoi, Penrith Panthers Sam McKendry, South Sydney Rabbitohs Issac Luke and Sydney Roosters Shaun Kenny-Dowall (all Kiwi international players), as well as Kiwi, Raiders and Warriors legend Ruben Wiki and former Warriors coach and Kiwi test player Tony Kemp.

They will arrive at Rarotonga early next week and Cook Islands Rugby League international director Kevin Iro said they will take part in a number of promotional appearances at schools and in the wider community before the new October 6 playing schedule.

The six men will join the crowd at BCI Stadium on October 6 for the Cook Islands international test teams clash against an invitational side made up of players from the tri-series competition.

People with VIP tickets to the game will have special access to the Kiwi entourage.

Kiwi captain Benji Marshall was not included in the list of people to come with the New Zealand Rugby League envoy.

NZRL said it would send players for promotional players after it withdrew its team from what would have been the first-ever international test match in Rarotonga.

On Wednesday, NZRL said it could not form a team, and cited 29 players who were unavailable for selection due to other commitments or through injury.

Six current and former Kiwi international players including the Eels identity Fuifui Moimoi will come to the Cook Islands as part of a make-up deal for the Kiwis withdrawal from next weeks Rarotonga test match.

The crew includes Parramatta Eels Moimoi, Penrith Panthers Sam McKendry, South Sydney Rabbitohs Issac Luke and Sydney Roosters Shaun Kenny-Dowall (all Kiwi international players), as well as Kiwi, Raiders and Warriors legend Ruben Wiki and former Warriors coach and Kiwi test player Tony Kemp.

They will arrive at Rarotonga early next week and Cook Islands Rugby League international director Kevin Iro said they will take part in a number of promotional appearances at schools and in the wider community before the new October 6 playing schedule.

The six men will join the crowd at BCI Stadium on October 6 for the Cook Islands international test teams clash against an invitational side made up of players from the tri-series competition.

People with VIP tickets to the game will have special access to the Kiwi entourage.

Kiwi captain Benji Marshall was not included in the list of people to come with the New Zealand Rugby League envoy.

NZRL said it would send players for promotional players after it withdrew its team from what would have been the first-ever international test match in Rarotonga.

On Wednesday, NZRL said it could not form a team, and cited 29 players who were unavailable for selection due to other commitments or through injury.

• Eric Parnis

Cook’s Island Bus Passenger Transport Ltd school run driver Ngatupuna Daniel surveys some of the vandalism believed to be the work of secondary school students, which has prompted special plastic seat back covers and extra surveillance. , 11092723

Kevin Cook is thinking about installing digital video recorders in his fleet of 12 buses following a bad run with vandalism.

Cook and his wife Frances own and manage Cooks Island Bus Passenger Transport Ltd, based in Nikao.

Cook says his company has ongoing problems with vandalism of buses, although this year has been worse than usual.

Secondary school students are the main offenders, and there is little drivers can do about it, he says.

I tell drivers to keep an eye on who is sitting where and talk to the kids, we ring schools and ask them to talk to parents but we cant do too much more than that.

The problem has escalated since Te Maeva Nui and Cook wonders whether that is a result of students from outer islands staying on in Rarotonga.

He says Rarotonga students also desecrate buses, but following consultation with schools vandalism had levelled off before the August celebrations.

Cook has installed special plastic seat back covers in a few of his buses, to prevent graffiti.

If they write on it, its easier to clean.

He has also recently had to replace some vinyl seat covers, at a cost of hundreds of dollars, after they were slashed with sharp objects.

Some bus passengers even carve graffiti into seats, Cook says.

Over the years we have taken photographs (of graffiti) and given them to schools, which usually can tell who it is.

Cook says recovering money from perpetrators to pay for repairs is almost impossible, unless we catch a child outright and put it on to their parents, but weve never gone that far.

The latest solution on Cooks mind is surveillance cameras.

Already some buses have cameras, primarily for deterrence.

Others have signs saying passenger movements are being recorded.

Even buses not used on school runs are occasionally victim to rowdy adults more often than not at night.

We just dont know whats going on at night time in buses and we do get some tourists playing up. They dont vandalise stuff but can play up a wee bit.

Kevin Cook is thinking about installing digital video recorders in his fleet of 12 buses following a bad run with vandalism.

Cook and his wife Frances own and manage Cooks Island Bus Passenger Transport Ltd, based in Nikao.

Cook says his company has ongoing problems with vandalism of buses, although this year has been worse than usual.

Secondary school students are the main offenders, and there is little drivers can do about it, he says.

I tell drivers to keep an eye on who is sitting where and talk to the kids, we ring schools and ask them to talk to parents but we cant do too much more than that.

The problem has escalated since Te Maeva Nui and Cook wonders whether that is a result of students from outer islands staying on in Rarotonga.

He says Rarotonga students also desecrate buses, but following consultation with schools vandalism had levelled off before the August celebrations.

Cook has installed special plastic seat back covers in a few of his buses, to prevent graffiti.

If they write on it, its easier to clean.

He has also recently had to replace some vinyl seat covers, at a cost of hundreds of dollars, after they were slashed with sharp objects.

Some bus passengers even carve graffiti into seats, Cook says.

Over the years we have taken photographs (of graffiti) and given them to schools, which usually can tell who it is.

Cook says recovering money from perpetrators to pay for repairs is almost impossible, unless we catch a child outright and put it on to their parents, but weve never gone that far.

The latest solution on Cooks mind is surveillance cameras.

Already some buses have cameras, primarily for deterrence.

Others have signs saying passenger movements are being recorded.

Even buses not used on school runs are occasionally victim to rowdy adults more often than not at night.

We just dont know whats going on at night time in buses and we do get some tourists playing up. They dont vandalise stuff but can play up a wee bit.

• Rosie Manins

Tereora College’s guidance counsellor Thomas Wynne. 11050523

On the heels of this months Suicide Prevention Awareness Week, guidance counsellor Thomas Wynne says the most effective way to defuse pent-up emotion or depression research links both to suicide is to talk about it.

He advises all Cook Islanders to talk about emotional strife to get it all out so as to process and deactivate it.

Cook Islanders by nature are very gentle people were not confrontational, the Tereora College counsellor says. Thats a really good thing when it comes to dealing with people, as we dont seek out confrontation, but the unfortunate part is people dont talk about stuff that needs to be talked about.

Were easygoing, which sometimes means we dont talk about things, leaving them to fester. We need to make sure that our greatest strength isnt hiding our greatest weakness.

He says there is a correlation between emotional frailty and suicide.

Those who take care of their entire being physical, emotional, mental and spiritual are much less likely to resort to suicide.

In an extended community we spend so much time caring for others parents, grandparents, family but we need to ensure we balance that with taking care of ourselves. We need to look after our emotional and mental wellbeing, Wynne said.

Wynne covers mental health in his module for year nine and 10 students.

In his classes he uses the model of the vaka to explain the importance of emotional wellbeing.

The vaka represents the person, and the ama represents his or her spiritual life without it, the whole thing wont balance.

The kia, or sail, represents emotional wellbeing if it isnt strong when the wind blows and when the storms of life rage, it will rip into pieces.

Wynne says talking to someone and sharing burdens with him or her is an integral part of maintaining emotional health.

Finding a person to talk to is really important. Human beings are geared in such a way that if we dont have the opportunity to express emotion its stored. Talking takes the emotional power out of the situation. When weve shared the (burden) weve halved it, taken the impact out. Its when we dont talk about it to someone confidential and empathetic when we keep it inside that we store it and it grows.

But emotion, by virtue of what it is, has to find a way out its like water. Its when people drop their guard through abuse of alcohol and drugs that it starts to flow and when that happens, its not heard properly or its not coming out in a healthy way.

Human beings can store feelings of anger, frustration, hurt, grief and pain, but they eventually find a way out.

All that stuff has to find expression. Suicide is a very destructive but powerful way of communicating pain unfortunately its a way of communicating that has little to no effect because you dont get a reply, and because everybody is left in the wake of that.

Often, he says, the suicidal person has learned to cope over time with stored emotion and can outwardly project a sense of having it all together.

Wynne says there are professionals trained, qualified people on Rarotonga who are available to talk to anyone who needs it.

He says it pays to talk to someone trustworthy and confidential, be it a guidance counsellor, doctor, minister, Girl Guides leader, family member or close friend.

Whenever a student comes to see me the first thing we talk about is how nothing goes out of this room and I hear them sigh in relief, he said. The wonderful thing about the community is we are all there to support each other but the downside is there are no secrets.

Wynne noted that his colleagues those in the profession understand that confidentiality is tantamount.

On the heels of this months Suicide Prevention Awareness Week, guidance counsellor Thomas Wynne says the most effective way to defuse pent-up emotion or depression research links both to suicide is to talk about it.

He advises all Cook Islanders to talk about emotional strife to get it all out so as to process and deactivate it.

Cook Islanders by nature are very gentle people were not confrontational, the Tereora College counsellor says. Thats a really good thing when it comes to dealing with people, as we dont seek out confrontation, but the unfortunate part is people dont talk about stuff that needs to be talked about.

Were easygoing, which sometimes means we dont talk about things, leaving them to fester. We need to make sure that our greatest strength isnt hiding our greatest weakness.

He says there is a correlation between emotional frailty and suicide.

Those who take care of their entire being physical, emotional, mental and spiritual are much less likely to resort to suicide.

In an extended community we spend so much time caring for others parents, grandparents, family but we need to ensure we balance that with taking care of ourselves. We need to look after our emotional and mental wellbeing, Wynne said.

Wynne covers mental health in his module for year nine and 10 students.

In his classes he uses the model of the vaka to explain the importance of emotional wellbeing.

The vaka represents the person, and the ama represents his or her spiritual life without it, the whole thing wont balance.

The kia, or sail, represents emotional wellbeing if it isnt strong when the wind blows and when the storms of life rage, it will rip into pieces.

Wynne says talking to someone and sharing burdens with him or her is an integral part of maintaining emotional health.

Finding a person to talk to is really important. Human beings are geared in such a way that if we dont have the opportunity to express emotion its stored. Talking takes the emotional power out of the situation. When weve shared the (burden) weve halved it, taken the impact out. Its when we dont talk about it to someone confidential and empathetic when we keep it inside that we store it and it grows.

But emotion, by virtue of what it is, has to find a way out its like water. Its when people drop their guard through abuse of alcohol and drugs that it starts to flow and when that happens, its not heard properly or its not coming out in a healthy way.

Human beings can store feelings of anger, frustration, hurt, grief and pain, but they eventually find a way out.

All that stuff has to find expression. Suicide is a very destructive but powerful way of communicating pain unfortunately its a way of communicating that has little to no effect because you dont get a reply, and because everybody is left in the wake of that.

Often, he says, the suicidal person has learned to cope over time with stored emotion and can outwardly project a sense of having it all together.

Wynne says there are professionals trained, qualified people on Rarotonga who are available to talk to anyone who needs it.

He says it pays to talk to someone trustworthy and confidential, be it a guidance counsellor, doctor, minister, Girl Guides leader, family member or close friend.

Whenever a student comes to see me the first thing we talk about is how nothing goes out of this room and I hear them sigh in relief, he said. The wonderful thing about the community is we are all there to support each other but the downside is there are no secrets.

Wynne noted that his colleagues those in the profession understand that confidentiality is tantamount.

• Rachel ReevesRachel Reeves

Alex Wilson (front right) and Mereana Nena (third from right) host the Takitumu community police for lunch on World Tourism Day. 11092716

The role police play in sustaining the tourism industry is often overlooked, says Little Polynesian manager Alex Wilson.

To thank the policemen and women who keep Titikaveka safe, he put on a lunch for a few of them in honour of World Tourism Day on Tuesday.

World Tourism Day has been a long-standing initiative of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, which in 1980 set aside September 27 as a day to recognise the tourism industry.

The idea of World Tourism Day is to raise awareness of how tourism affects social, cultural, political and economic goings-on around the world.

Wilson took up the role as manager of Little Poly two months ago, and says in the short span he has lived on Rarotonga hes noticed a decline in the Takitumu crime rate thanks in large part to the recently-organised Muri neighbourhood watch group.

When I got here there seemed to be quite a bit of criminal activity but the police really stepped up their watch. I see Martin (Iro) walking around at 4am his guys are on watch 24/7. His guys have been doing a fantastic job and they should be commended for it, Wilson said.

He hosted the police unit for lunch on Tuesday as a means of saying: Thank you for doing a great job its your guys that let our guests sleep at night instead of worrying about being broken into. Thank you and we appreciate your effort, he told his guests.

Puaikura community constable Alan Rua noted that the Puaikura Neighbourhood Watch has made significant strides in crime reduction, and says that the Takitumu watch group seems to be following suit.

If you remove these gentlemen from the scene crime will quickly go up and the hotel operators wouldnt be sleeping at night, Wilson said. Because of them our guests feel safer and can sleep better at night.

The role police play in sustaining the tourism industry is often overlooked, says Little Polynesian manager Alex Wilson.

To thank the policemen and women who keep Titikaveka safe, he put on a lunch for a few of them in honour of World Tourism Day on Tuesday.

World Tourism Day has been a long-standing initiative of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, which in 1980 set aside September 27 as a day to recognise the tourism industry.

The idea of World Tourism Day is to raise awareness of how tourism affects social, cultural, political and economic goings-on around the world.

Wilson took up the role as manager of Little Poly two months ago, and says in the short span he has lived on Rarotonga hes noticed a decline in the Takitumu crime rate thanks in large part to the recently-organised Muri neighbourhood watch group.

When I got here there seemed to be quite a bit of criminal activity but the police really stepped up their watch. I see Martin (Iro) walking around at 4am his guys are on watch 24/7. His guys have been doing a fantastic job and they should be commended for it, Wilson said.

He hosted the police unit for lunch on Tuesday as a means of saying: Thank you for doing a great job its your guys that let our guests sleep at night instead of worrying about being broken into. Thank you and we appreciate your effort, he told his guests.

Puaikura community constable Alan Rua noted that the Puaikura Neighbourhood Watch has made significant strides in crime reduction, and says that the Takitumu watch group seems to be following suit.

If you remove these gentlemen from the scene crime will quickly go up and the hotel operators wouldnt be sleeping at night, Wilson said. Because of them our guests feel safer and can sleep better at night.

• Rachel ReevesRachel Reeves

Takitumu School students Albert Tauu and Joseline Ioteva with the school’s new road safety signs that will be put up around the school next term to help slow traffic in the Takitumu school area. 11092921

Motorists will have no excuse for speeding in the Takitumu district when new roads signs are set up around the Takitumu Primary School area next term.

It is hoped that with the new road signs announcing the school zone ahead, motorists will slow down especially before and after school.

School principal Engia Pate says that new signs were sourced and funded through the Community Initiative Scheme with Matavera member of parliament a major instigator of the project.

While Pate is thrilled that the signs have arrived and that students will be trained as road marshals for the schools crossing she is somewhat frustrated at the time it has taken to erect the signs which arrived at the school in June after the project began at the start of the year.

But despite the minor frustrations Pate is happy that the signs have arrived and that they will be set up around the school by the start of next term.

Pate also acknowledges the hard work of community police officer Martin Iro, Ina Tipokoroa and Nga Jessie in making the project a reality.

Pate also commented that police commissioner Maara Tetava hopes that other schools across the island will take up the same initiative and erect road safety signs to slow traffic around schools.

One of the important signs that will go up will be a mandatory 20km speed zone in front of the school from 7.30am to 8 oclock and from 1.30pm to 2.15pm.

Parents and motorists are all encouraged to adhere to the new road signs when they come into force next term.

Motorists will have no excuse for speeding in the Takitumu district when new roads signs are set up around the Takitumu Primary School area next term.

It is hoped that with the new road signs announcing the school zone ahead, motorists will slow down especially before and after school.

School principal Engia Pate says that new signs were sourced and funded through the Community Initiative Scheme with Matavera member of parliament a major instigator of the project.

While Pate is thrilled that the signs have arrived and that students will be trained as road marshals for the schools crossing she is somewhat frustrated at the time it has taken to erect the signs which arrived at the school in June after the project began at the start of the year.

But despite the minor frustrations Pate is happy that the signs have arrived and that they will be set up around the school by the start of next term.

Pate also acknowledges the hard work of community police officer Martin Iro, Ina Tipokoroa and Nga Jessie in making the project a reality.

Pate also commented that police commissioner Maara Tetava hopes that other schools across the island will take up the same initiative and erect road safety signs to slow traffic around schools.

One of the important signs that will go up will be a mandatory 20km speed zone in front of the school from 7.30am to 8 oclock and from 1.30pm to 2.15pm.

Parents and motorists are all encouraged to adhere to the new road signs when they come into force next term.

• Matariki Wilson

New rocks and sand in place at Vaimaanga, where erosion is creeping towards the main road. 11092623

Contractors are carrying out emergency works on the main road at Vaimaanga to stop creeping soil erosion from compromising the road surface and endangering motorists.

Large stones and fresh sand have been shifted to the main road in front of the abandoned Sheraton resort site in Rarotongas south to try to stop the coastal erosions advance.

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning decided to carry out the work after deciding the soft soil on the roads shoulder was creating a danger for motorists.

Private contractor G&S Contractors carried out the work, which has so far cost about $15,000 from the ministrys emergency fund.

A ministry spokesman said the project was not yet completed, despite appearances, and that more work was expected to begin once more quotes arrive.

The ministry has been in discussion with the New Zealand-based Mirage group over the future of the former Sheraton site, which has been unused since construction work stopped about 20 years ago.

Plans for the site include diverting the main road at the site away from the beachfront to a path behind the buildings.

Though government officials have been in regular contact with representatives from the Mirage group, an official deal has yet to be brokered.

It was hoped that the future of the site would be known before road works were necessary at the site so the work would be absorbed into the wider construction project at the resort.

But without any agreement yet reached, the road remains the governments responsibility.

Consultant engineer George Cowan completed an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project site.

The EIA was fast-tracked through the National Environment Service (NES) in the days after high seas lashed the area at the end of August.

The Rarotonga Environmental Authority authorised the work on September 1 and the project commenced soon after.

The ministry put in an emergency request to NES requesting it be allowed to carry out immediate road works at the site, said secretary Donye Numa.

The ministry was not forced to publicly display the EIA as per usual because of the urgent nature of the works.

NES put a number of restrictions on the work instead, which included its close supervision of the project and requirements surrounding the soil used at the site.

The NES banned any use of red soil in the project and monitored the use of soil and sand from a nearby creek bed.

Cowan said the works at the road were aimed at stopping the approaching soil erosion and strengthening the root systems of trees lining the coastal shoulder.

There were a number of hairline cracks appearing in the shoulder, so the ministry found the road not to be safe, Cowan said.

As long as that piece of road is open to the public, the government can be held accountable for any serious accidents.

So, we needed to protect the shoulder in case any unwary motorists pull up on the side to look at the waves or if traffic pushes a bus onto the shoulder. It would be likely to collapse under the weight.

Cowan said more rocks and filter material would be used in the ideal construction project, but the current works should be enough to halt erosion until a deal is reached for the hotel site.

The idea of any works would be to stop the run-up of waves coming ashore in the area.

The current reconstruction works have used a number of large rocks and layers of sand from a nearby creek bed.

The ministry still owns the rocks and has the option to reuse them if the main road is eventually redirected.

Contractors are carrying out emergency works on the main road at Vaimaanga to stop creeping soil erosion from compromising the road surface and endangering motorists.

Large stones and fresh sand have been shifted to the main road in front of the abandoned Sheraton resort site in Rarotongas south to try to stop the coastal erosions advance.

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning decided to carry out the work after deciding the soft soil on the roads shoulder was creating a danger for motorists.

Private contractor G&S Contractors carried out the work, which has so far cost about $15,000 from the ministrys emergency fund.

A ministry spokesman said the project was not yet completed, despite appearances, and that more work was expected to begin once more quotes arrive.

The ministry has been in discussion with the New Zealand-based Mirage group over the future of the former Sheraton site, which has been unused since construction work stopped about 20 years ago.

Plans for the site include diverting the main road at the site away from the beachfront to a path behind the buildings.

Though government officials have been in regular contact with representatives from the Mirage group, an official deal has yet to be brokered.

It was hoped that the future of the site would be known before road works were necessary at the site so the work would be absorbed into the wider construction project at the resort.

But without any agreement yet reached, the road remains the governments responsibility.

Consultant engineer George Cowan completed an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project site.

The EIA was fast-tracked through the National Environment Service (NES) in the days after high seas lashed the area at the end of August.

The Rarotonga Environmental Authority authorised the work on September 1 and the project commenced soon after.

The ministry put in an emergency request to NES requesting it be allowed to carry out immediate road works at the site, said secretary Donye Numa.

The ministry was not forced to publicly display the EIA as per usual because of the urgent nature of the works.

NES put a number of restrictions on the work instead, which included its close supervision of the project and requirements surrounding the soil used at the site.

The NES banned any use of red soil in the project and monitored the use of soil and sand from a nearby creek bed.

Cowan said the works at the road were aimed at stopping the approaching soil erosion and strengthening the root systems of trees lining the coastal shoulder.

There were a number of hairline cracks appearing in the shoulder, so the ministry found the road not to be safe, Cowan said.

As long as that piece of road is open to the public, the government can be held accountable for any serious accidents.

So, we needed to protect the shoulder in case any unwary motorists pull up on the side to look at the waves or if traffic pushes a bus onto the shoulder. It would be likely to collapse under the weight.

Cowan said more rocks and filter material would be used in the ideal construction project, but the current works should be enough to halt erosion until a deal is reached for the hotel site.

The idea of any works would be to stop the run-up of waves coming ashore in the area.

The current reconstruction works have used a number of large rocks and layers of sand from a nearby creek bed.

The ministry still owns the rocks and has the option to reuse them if the main road is eventually redirected.

• Eric Parnis

Efficient thermette invented in 1929 by New Zealand’s John Hart. 11093028

Alternative cooking is not the only green initiative the Hoskings are pursuing in their sustainable lifestyle efforts at Mauke.

Their home and plans include experiments and testing in a wide-ranging spectrum of sustainable living.

Among them, the Hoskings have tried to utilise wind power to generate electricity at their home.

June and Andrew have a wind turbine connected to their system, but the intermittent wind at the site means the windmill can go weeks without creating electricity.

June said the turbines location was likely to be the reason for its underperformance and suspected there would be many better locations at Mauke for wind power.

Our winds are not consistent, June said.

Wed have more luck if turbine was set up at the beach, as were on the south east, but the distance is too great from there to our house where we need the power the longer the cable, the more energy lost.

We have, however, appreciated the fact that the turbine is often going when were getting our worst weather which comes in from the north and northwest across an incredibly flat island.

This means that itll be pouring down or really overcast, so no solar, but were getting some wind power. I would still only recommend it as a back up here though.

Alternative cooking is not the only green initiative the Hoskings are pursuing in their sustainable lifestyle efforts at Mauke.

Their home and plans include experiments and testing in a wide-ranging spectrum of sustainable living.

Among them, the Hoskings have tried to utilise wind power to generate electricity at their home.

June and Andrew have a wind turbine connected to their system, but the intermittent wind at the site means the windmill can go weeks without creating electricity.

June said the turbines location was likely to be the reason for its underperformance and suspected there would be many better locations at Mauke for wind power.

Our winds are not consistent, June said.

Wed have more luck if turbine was set up at the beach, as were on the south east, but the distance is too great from there to our house where we need the power the longer the cable, the more energy lost.

We have, however, appreciated the fact that the turbine is often going when were getting our worst weather which comes in from the north and northwest across an incredibly flat island.

This means that itll be pouring down or really overcast, so no solar, but were getting some wind power. I would still only recommend it as a back up here though.

• Eric Parnis

Members of the 60-plus club are letting the Cook Islands in on their culinary secrets theyve amassed a collection of their favourite recipes and are planning to bind them into a cookbook entitled Raurau Ki to Rima.

Kitchen-tested and time-honoured, the recipes are a blend of local and non-local dishes submitted by club members.

Initially about two years ago the local ladies of the group wanted to assemble a book of Cook Islands recipes they remembered from their youth, but as support for the idea grew, so did the amount of material.

As the book snowballed, its theme changed a bit no longer restricted to local recipes only, its focus broadened to include all old favourites.

Club member Jenny Kettley offered to type up over 80 recipes for meat mains, vegetarian dishes, desserts, cakes and condiments submitted by club members.

There are also some hints for around the home, which are fun. Things like, A cloth wet with kerosene will keep chrome taps shining and highly polished; Leftover wine or beer is excellent in stews, casseroles or marinades. (It can be frozen in cubes for use later.); Wrap eis or flowers in pawpaw leaves, they will stay fresh longer and retain their fragrance, reports Edna Allan, who is doing the cookbooks layout.

To cater to non-local readers, the book includes a glossary of Cook Islands words and cooking terms.

It also includes a foreword written by club president Maria Henderson, as follows:

This recipe book project is the result of a group of great friends who met for lunch, and to enjoy good company. This became a regular get together and we realised that this could be the start of something good, and so Sixty-Plus (60+) was born.

On several occasions we realised that our conversations often gravitated towards family recipes, and how we had fed our families over the years. We then decided that our cumulative experience, especially of some old favourite recipes, should be documented for posterity. As a group of senior citizens we have worked together supporting several charities and voluntary services in the community. This recipe book project, we all decided, would be a great effort to help generate some funds and goodwill to assist those in need in our community.

We hope Raurau Ki to Rima, favourite recipes of our families, will give your families some enjoyment and maybe rekindle long forgotten favourites. Meitaki maata for your generous support in purchasing this cookbook, and rest assured that by doing so you have, without a doubt, put a smile on some Cook Islands families faces.

The 60-plus club is aiming to print Raurau Ki to Rima locally. Henderson says the group has approached Internal Affairs with a funding proposal and is awaiting a response.

Members of the 60-plus club are letting the Cook Islands in on their culinary secrets theyve amassed a collection of their favourite recipes and are planning to bind them into a cookbook entitled Raurau Ki to Rima.

Kitchen-tested and time-honoured, the recipes are a blend of local and non-local dishes submitted by club members.

Initially about two years ago the local ladies of the group wanted to assemble a book of Cook Islands recipes they remembered from their youth, but as support for the idea grew, so did the amount of material.

As the book snowballed, its theme changed a bit no longer restricted to local recipes only, its focus broadened to include all old favourites.

Club member Jenny Kettley offered to type up over 80 recipes for meat mains, vegetarian dishes, desserts, cakes and condiments submitted by club members.

There are also some hints for around the home, which are fun. Things like, A cloth wet with kerosene will keep chrome taps shining and highly polished; Leftover wine or beer is excellent in stews, casseroles or marinades. (It can be frozen in cubes for use later.); Wrap eis or flowers in pawpaw leaves, they will stay fresh longer and retain their fragrance, reports Edna Allan, who is doing the cookbooks layout.

To cater to non-local readers, the book includes a glossary of Cook Islands words and cooking terms.

It also includes a foreword written by club president Maria Henderson, as follows:

This recipe book project is the result of a group of great friends who met for lunch, and to enjoy good company. This became a regular get together and we realised that this could be the start of something good, and so Sixty-Plus (60+) was born.

On several occasions we realised that our conversations often gravitated towards family recipes, and how we had fed our families over the years. We then decided that our cumulative experience, especially of some old favourite recipes, should be documented for posterity. As a group of senior citizens we have worked together supporting several charities and voluntary services in the community. This recipe book project, we all decided, would be a great effort to help generate some funds and goodwill to assist those in need in our community.

We hope Raurau Ki to Rima, favourite recipes of our families, will give your families some enjoyment and maybe rekindle long forgotten favourites. Meitaki maata for your generous support in purchasing this cookbook, and rest assured that by doing so you have, without a doubt, put a smile on some Cook Islands families faces.

The 60-plus club is aiming to print Raurau Ki to Rima locally. Henderson says the group has approached Internal Affairs with a funding proposal and is awaiting a response.

• Rachel ReevesRachel Reeves

National Auditorium staff Vaitai Taoro and Tangi Simona packing the Te Maeva Nui DVDs yesterday for today’s launch. 11093032

More than 70 hours of footage from the 2011 Te Maeva Nui cultural celebrations has been extended over four discs in the festivals official DVD, which will be officially launched at the Punanga Nui Market today.

All the stage performances from all the islands are included in the release, as well as footage from the imene tuki choir competition, tangi kaara drumming competition, the float parade, opening and closing ceremonies, and other special events surrounding the Cook Islands constitution celebrations.

The collection even includes Prime Minister Henry Punas rendition of the Fifteen Stars song from the Constitution Day celebrations for anybody keen to hear our leaders singing voice.

Ministry of Cultural Development events manager Robert Ioaba said it was exciting to see the DVD finally being released, so the Cook Islands could showcase its principal cultural exhibition to everyone, round the calendar.

Ioaba said the DVD was a proud and satisfying end to the celebrations this year.

He said the DVD was designed for Cook Islands and foreigners alike.

For foreigners, the collection offers an insight into Cook Islands culture at the countrys most joyous occasion.

For locals, Ioaba said it was a good way to keep in touch with competing islands and analyse their performance one frame at a time.

Whoever you are, you can purchase the four-disc DVD set for $50 at the Punanga Nui market today. If you miss your chance today, call the National Auditorium on 20725 to purchase a copy.

More than 70 hours of footage from the 2011 Te Maeva Nui cultural celebrations has been extended over four discs in the festivals official DVD, which will be officially launched at the Punanga Nui Market today.

All the stage performances from all the islands are included in the release, as well as footage from the imene tuki choir competition, tangi kaara drumming competition, the float parade, opening and closing ceremonies, and other special events surrounding the Cook Islands constitution celebrations.

The collection even includes Prime Minister Henry Punas rendition of the Fifteen Stars song from the Constitution Day celebrations for anybody keen to hear our leaders singing voice.

Ministry of Cultural Development events manager Robert Ioaba said it was exciting to see the DVD finally being released, so the Cook Islands could showcase its principal cultural exhibition to everyone, round the calendar.

Ioaba said the DVD was a proud and satisfying end to the celebrations this year.

He said the DVD was designed for Cook Islands and foreigners alike.

For foreigners, the collection offers an insight into Cook Islands culture at the countrys most joyous occasion.

For locals, Ioaba said it was a good way to keep in touch with competing islands and analyse their performance one frame at a time.

Whoever you are, you can purchase the four-disc DVD set for $50 at the Punanga Nui market today. If you miss your chance today, call the National Auditorium on 20725 to purchase a copy.

• Eric Parnis

Physiotherapist Ainslie Duncan with business partner Helen Tatuava. 11092307

The opening of a top-quality physiotherapy clinic will be good for the economy, say a New Zealand couple who are now spending at least six months a year on Rarotonga.

Sheldon and Ellen Ramer were delighted to hear that physiotherapist Ainslie Duncan is opening her own clinic on the island.

Knowing that there is such a competent and experienced physio on the island is reassuring to those of our age group who are looking at retiring to the island or spending large periods of time here, Sheldon said. Ainslie has more than 35 years in the profession and has also done specialist work in the areas of chronic pain, orthopaedics, breathing disorders, and paediatric physiotherapy.

Her experience with breathing disorders, such as asthma, meant she was able to diagnose and help cure Sheldons problem with shortness of breath while exercising.

Ainslie taught me to breathe completely differently, and as a result I can now even run short distances. I feel years younger, he said.

His wife Ellen had a problem with her shoulder and neck, which had been unsuccessfully treated by both a physiotherapist and a chiropractor in New Zealand, prior to their latest stay on Rarotonga. After three treatments with Ainslie, and some intensive work doing the exercises she is well-known for prescribing, the problem has all but disappeared.

Ainslie is already well known to many on the island having worked for Te Vaerua for one year and the Creative Centre for the past two years, helping people with physical, mental and behavioural difficulties. She has also treated many of Rarotongas sportsmen and women.

Local businesswoman Helen Tatuava has gone into partnership with Ainslie to allow her to stay on the island and open a dedicated clinic, citing the need for more top-level health professionals here.

Having this kind of treatment available is not just good for our bodies, its good on an economic level as well, Helen said.

People looking at spending time here and investing in our economy will check to see what kind of health services we provide. And if tourists or visiting athletes get good care while they are here, the word goes out. Ainslie building a successful practice here will also inspire our own Cook Islands physiotherapists currently working overseas to come home.

Qualified since 1975, Ainslie was privileged to be tutored by Robyn Mckenzie, who is now internationally recognised for revolutionising the treatment and understanding of the causes for back pain. She has also attended a course on chronic pain taken by another world leader in the field, David Butler, who is teaching up to the minute research information in this field.

She is passionate about teaching patients the skills they need to manage pain and treat themselves effectively.

The clinic, A D Physiotherapy, situated in Tupapa opposite Internal Affairs is now open. An official opening ceremony took place last night. For more information, contact Ainslie on 75410 or Helen on 55717.

The opening of a top-quality physiotherapy clinic will be good for the economy, say a New Zealand couple who are now spending at least six months a year on Rarotonga.

Sheldon and Ellen Ramer were delighted to hear that physiotherapist Ainslie Duncan is opening her own clinic on the island.

Knowing that there is such a competent and experienced physio on the island is reassuring to those of our age group who are looking at retiring to the island or spending large periods of time here, Sheldon said. Ainslie has more than 35 years in the profession and has also done specialist work in the areas of chronic pain, orthopaedics, breathing disorders, and paediatric physiotherapy.

Her experience with breathing disorders, such as asthma, meant she was able to diagnose and help cure Sheldons problem with shortness of breath while exercising.

Ainslie taught me to breathe completely differently, and as a result I can now even run short distances. I feel years younger, he said.

His wife Ellen had a problem with her shoulder and neck, which had been unsuccessfully treated by both a physiotherapist and a chiropractor in New Zealand, prior to their latest stay on Rarotonga. After three treatments with Ainslie, and some intensive work doing the exercises she is well-known for prescribing, the problem has all but disappeared.

Ainslie is already well known to many on the island having worked for Te Vaerua for one year and the Creative Centre for the past two years, helping people with physical, mental and behavioural difficulties. She has also treated many of Rarotongas sportsmen and women.

Local businesswoman Helen Tatuava has gone into partnership with Ainslie to allow her to stay on the island and open a dedicated clinic, citing the need for more top-level health professionals here.

Having this kind of treatment available is not just good for our bodies, its good on an economic level as well, Helen said.

People looking at spending time here and investing in our economy will check to see what kind of health services we provide. And if tourists or visiting athletes get good care while they are here, the word goes out. Ainslie building a successful practice here will also inspire our own Cook Islands physiotherapists currently working overseas to come home.

Qualified since 1975, Ainslie was privileged to be tutored by Robyn Mckenzie, who is now internationally recognised for revolutionising the treatment and understanding of the causes for back pain. She has also attended a course on chronic pain taken by another world leader in the field, David Butler, who is teaching up to the minute research information in this field.

She is passionate about teaching patients the skills they need to manage pain and treat themselves effectively.

The clinic, A D Physiotherapy, situated in Tupapa opposite Internal Affairs is now open. An official opening ceremony took place last night. For more information, contact Ainslie on 75410 or Helen on 55717.

• Release

The Cook Islands National Youth Council (CINYC) is working round-the-clock to prepare for its nationwide conference next week the first one since 2008 and the first to go ahead with minimal external financial assistance.

CINYC is the umbrella for youth organisations in the Cook Islands, whether church-based, community-based or school-based. Examples of member organisations include Girl Guides, Seventh-day Adventist Youth, Cook Islands Christian Church youth and school student councils.

Following on from the theme of International Youth Day this year, the conference will be centred on changing our world.

We will look at where we are now the state of young people in the Cook Islands now (and) what we need to change to ensure a better future for youth and the next generation. When we do that on a national level, we are changing the world, CINYC president Nukutau Pokura said.

The conference will officially open with a 5pm ceremony on Monday at new Hope Hall.

The idea is to have it in the evening so more people can come its an open invitation, Pokura said.

Members of youth organisations from Rarotonga and the outer islands will be attending the conference, which is the third of its kind.

Through assistance from the New Zealand Aid Programme and Air Rarotonga, Mauke, Atiu and Mitiaro are sending two representatives each, and Aitutaki and Mangaia are sending one each. Manihiki and Penrhyn youth councils were this year unable to cover the cost of sending representatives to the conference.

The inaugural national youth conference was held in 2007 to revive the National Youth Council, which had lain dormant for the decade prior.

A follow-up conference was held in 2008 for the election of office-bearers and the drafting of an outcome document.

This conference (next week) is so we can report back to members what CINYC was able to do and weve done practically everything we said we needed to do, Pokura was proud to announce.

From about 9pm to 5pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, participants will take part in workshops, plenary sessions and discussions about issues affecting youth like sport and health.

At a 6pm closing ceremony on Wednesday, CINYC will hand out national youth awards.

The idea is to profile young people and what they do to recognise the voluntary work people do, she said.

On Thursday, members will elect office bearers for the 2011-2013 term. While Thursdays meeting is officially closed, non-members are welcome to attend as observers.

The CINYC conference is funded and sponsored by New Zealand Aid Programme, the POBOC allocated to Internal Affairs, Cook Islands Family Welfare Association, Cook Islands Youth Ambassadors Programme and Air Rarotonga.

Using skills and knowledge gleaned at overseas conferences and in local meetings, the CINYC is staging the conference with minimal help from regional organisations.

Im excited were able to do it on our own were grateful for the assistance were getting and the moral support from everyone including our families, Pokura said.

The Cook Islands National Youth Council (CINYC) is working round-the-clock to prepare for its nationwide conference next week the first one since 2008 and the first to go ahead with minimal external financial assistance.

CINYC is the umbrella for youth organisations in the Cook Islands, whether church-based, community-based or school-based. Examples of member organisations include Girl Guides, Seventh-day Adventist Youth, Cook Islands Christian Church youth and school student councils.

Following on from the theme of International Youth Day this year, the conference will be centred on changing our world.

We will look at where we are now the state of young people in the Cook Islands now (and) what we need to change to ensure a better future for youth and the next generation. When we do that on a national level, we are changing the world, CINYC president Nukutau Pokura said.

The conference will officially open with a 5pm ceremony on Monday at new Hope Hall.

The idea is to have it in the evening so more people can come its an open invitation, Pokura said.

Members of youth organisations from Rarotonga and the outer islands will be attending the conference, which is the third of its kind.

Through assistance from the New Zealand Aid Programme and Air Rarotonga, Mauke, Atiu and Mitiaro are sending two representatives each, and Aitutaki and Mangaia are sending one each. Manihiki and Penrhyn youth councils were this year unable to cover the cost of sending representatives to the conference.

The inaugural national youth conference was held in 2007 to revive the National Youth Council, which had lain dormant for the decade prior.

A follow-up conference was held in 2008 for the election of office-bearers and the drafting of an outcome document.

This conference (next week) is so we can report back to members what CINYC was able to do and weve done practically everything we said we needed to do, Pokura was proud to announce.

From about 9pm to 5pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, participants will take part in workshops, plenary sessions and discussions about issues affecting youth like sport and health.

At a 6pm closing ceremony on Wednesday, CINYC will hand out national youth awards.

The idea is to profile young people and what they do to recognise the voluntary work people do, she said.

On Thursday, members will elect office bearers for the 2011-2013 term. While Thursdays meeting is officially closed, non-members are welcome to attend as observers.

The CINYC conference is funded and sponsored by New Zealand Aid Programme, the POBOC allocated to Internal Affairs, Cook Islands Family Welfare Association, Cook Islands Youth Ambassadors Programme and Air Rarotonga.

Using skills and knowledge gleaned at overseas conferences and in local meetings, the CINYC is staging the conference with minimal help from regional organisations.

Im excited were able to do it on our own were grateful for the assistance were getting and the moral support from everyone including our families, Pokura said.

• Rachel ReevesRachel Reeves

Resident physiotherapist Ainslie Duncan is urging the Cook Islands to recognise its mamas and papas today, which has been deemed International Day for the Elderly by the United Nations General Assembly.

Its acknowledging the increase in population in the older age group, Duncan said of International Day for the Elderly.

(Its for us to) stop and think about how we treat older people how we see their role, how we support them in that role. People are living longer and their medical needs are changing. Are we addressing their medical, social and emotional needs adequately?

Duncan noted that over time there has been a global shift in the role of the older person.

The role of the older person is changing as well people are often staying in jobs longer, she said. In my parents day it was common for people to work until they were about 60-65 nowadays people go into part-time work until theyre in their late 70s.

She said that during her time working with the members of the Creative Centre, she learned that the role of the older person in the Cook Islands is also changing.

We are seeing a change here because of the money-based economy there is a breakdown in (the tradition of younger generations taking care of the elderly). If an older person who needs full-time care, someone needs to come out of the workforce to do that whereas a generation ago that wasnt the culture here.

Duncan will be at the Punanga Nui market this morning to offer information about aging and to give elderly people tips about balance and coordination.

From a (physiotherapists) point of view one of the key points is as we get older we tend to falsely associate age with pain Im trying to get the message across that aging doesnt necessarily go with an increase in pain.

She says that by strengthening his or her muscles, an older person is less likely to fall and hurt him or herself.

Resident physiotherapist Ainslie Duncan is urging the Cook Islands to recognise its mamas and papas today, which has been deemed International Day for the Elderly by the United Nations General Assembly.

Its acknowledging the increase in population in the older age group, Duncan said of International Day for the Elderly.

(Its for us to) stop and think about how we treat older people how we see their role, how we support them in that role. People are living longer and their medical needs are changing. Are we addressing their medical, social and emotional needs adequately?

Duncan noted that over time there has been a global shift in the role of the older person.

The role of the older person is changing as well people are often staying in jobs longer, she said. In my parents day it was common for people to work until they were about 60-65 nowadays people go into part-time work until theyre in their late 70s.

She said that during her time working with the members of the Creative Centre, she learned that the role of the older person in the Cook Islands is also changing.

We are seeing a change here because of the money-based economy there is a breakdown in (the tradition of younger generations taking care of the elderly). If an older person who needs full-time care, someone needs to come out of the workforce to do that whereas a generation ago that wasnt the culture here.

Duncan will be at the Punanga Nui market this morning to offer information about aging and to give elderly people tips about balance and coordination.

From a (physiotherapists) point of view one of the key points is as we get older we tend to falsely associate age with pain Im trying to get the message across that aging doesnt necessarily go with an increase in pain.

She says that by strengthening his or her muscles, an older person is less likely to fall and hurt him or herself.

• Rachel ReevesRachel Reeves

Young Guns from Avatea School patiently wait for their turn to take the baton for their school in Tuesday’s round the rock relay race. 11092829

As we gathered at the starting line, which was in front of the Edgewater Resort and Spa, for the Round Raro Relay, I felt excited with so many teams taking part.As I was not the first runner, we jumped on the pick-up truck and followed our team cheering and yelling at them to keep the pace and encouraging the runners to keep going.

Then it was my turn.

I was so nervous as I waited for my team mate to pass the ribbon.

Then I took off at a fast pace.

By Tyrone Tairea

Avatea School

Round

Raro

Relay

My Name is Maui Tatam and I am from Mitiaro and I had fun with my team mates doing the relay race.

We ran for our school Avatea and I love running marathons.

By Maui Tatam

Avatea School

As we gathered at the starting line, which was in front of the Edgewater Resort and Spa, for the Round Raro Relay, I felt excited with so many teams taking part.As I was not the first runner, we jumped on the pick-up truck and followed our team cheering and yelling at them to keep the pace and encouraging the runners to keep going.

Then it was my turn.

I was so nervous as I waited for my team mate to pass the ribbon.

Then I took off at a fast pace.

By Tyrone Tairea

Avatea School

Round

Raro

Relay

My Name is Maui Tatam and I am from Mitiaro and I had fun with my team mates doing the relay race.

We ran for our school Avatea and I love running marathons.

By Maui Tatam

Avatea School

There will definitely be plenty of cricketing action today as The Computer Man Rarotonga mens championship moves into round 5.

At the Turangi Oval, Takuvaine will look to topple top 4 contenders Turangi in what should be a high scoring affair.

Turangis Vane and Sepa Tangimetua will look to dominate the Takuvaine bowlers early on and if they get going, itll be a long day in the field for the boys from the valley.

Matavera host Muri at the Takitumu field in what should be a close affair.

Look for Muris Mike Hoff to trouble the Matavera batsmen with his consistent line and length bowling.

For Matavera, Ray Roumanu will need to step up with both bat and ball to rally his team to victory.

Tupapa 1 and Tupapa 2 do battle at Victoria Park with the latter looking for a big upset. Telecom National Squad member Toala the Tank Teinaki will have other ideas for his Tupapa 1 side and will be a big threat from ball 1.

Avatiu Nikao will look to consolidate their lead at the top of the table with a big win over the Avana All Stars.

Hamish Weir will look to score big with the bat for Avatiu Nikao, with Avana playing their first game in 3 weeks.

Arorangi will travel south to square off against the Titikaveka Titans.

Captain Tereapii Mamanu will look for his team to continue their winning form with danger man Tom Vea set to go boomtown.

Titans and Telecom National squad captain Glen Hori Miller and his boys will need to be sharp and take every opport- unity they get to roll the Red Backs.

Edgewater womens Saturday morning premier action sees Turangi host Avana at the Oval and Matavera do battle with Muri at home.

Mataveras captain Benedicta Matapo will look to take charge with the bat and ball and lead her young guns team against an experienced Muri side with the likes of Punanga Kaveao and Lacyn Rani.

This should be an exciting match which will probably be decided at the last ball of the game.

So get on down and support your local teams tomorrow and get set to enjoy some fantastic cricketing action with friends and family.

There will definitely be plenty of cricketing action today as The Computer Man Rarotonga mens championship moves into round 5.

At the Turangi Oval, Takuvaine will look to topple top 4 contenders Turangi in what should be a high scoring affair.

Turangis Vane and Sepa Tangimetua will look to dominate the Takuvaine bowlers early on and if they get going, itll be a long day in the field for the boys from the valley.

Matavera host Muri at the Takitumu field in what should be a close affair.

Look for Muris Mike Hoff to trouble the Matavera batsmen with his consistent line and length bowling.

For Matavera, Ray Roumanu will need to step up with both bat and ball to rally his team to victory.

Tupapa 1 and Tupapa 2 do battle at Victoria Park with the latter looking for a big upset. Telecom National Squad member Toala the Tank Teinaki will have other ideas for his Tupapa 1 side and will be a big threat from ball 1.

Avatiu Nikao will look to consolidate their lead at the top of the table with a big win over the Avana All Stars.

Hamish Weir will look to score big with the bat for Avatiu Nikao, with Avana playing their first game in 3 weeks.

Arorangi will travel south to square off against the Titikaveka Titans.

Captain Tereapii Mamanu will look for his team to continue their winning form with danger man Tom Vea set to go boomtown.

Titans and Telecom National squad captain Glen Hori Miller and his boys will need to be sharp and take every opport- unity they get to roll the Red Backs.

Edgewater womens Saturday morning premier action sees Turangi host Avana at the Oval and Matavera do battle with Muri at home.

Mataveras captain Benedicta Matapo will look to take charge with the bat and ball and lead her young guns team against an experienced Muri side with the likes of Punanga Kaveao and Lacyn Rani.

This should be an exciting match which will probably be decided at the last ball of the game.

So get on down and support your local teams tomorrow and get set to enjoy some fantastic cricketing action with friends and family.

• CIC

The Cook Islands’ local team set to play in the tri-series competition. 11093031

The home-grown Cook Islands tri-series team has been named ahead of the teams first match in the series.

The Cook Islands team will play either the Australian or New Zealand Kukis side on Monday, kicking off at 6.30pm at the BCI Stadium.

The Australian Kukis and the New Zealand Kukis, the two other teams which make up the tri-series competition, were due to face off on Friday night.

Whoever wins that match will go on to play the local Kukis team.

The Avatiu Eels dominate the side, with 11 of the Cook Islands 24-strong team coming from the club.

That may be in part due to the teams training location over the past few weeks, where they have based themselves at the Eels home ground near the airport.

Five players from the Arorangi Bears and three Tupapa Panthers are also included in the squad, along with two Aitutaki Sharks and one player each from the Takuvaine Warriors, Ngatangiia-Matavera Sea Eagles and Titikaveka Bulldogs.

The winner of Mondays match effectively wins the tri-series competition, which was shortened to two games once the Kiwis international side backed out of their scheduled test match against the Kukis senior international side.

The Cook Islands players are not just playing for the tri-series win, though, they are also playing for the chance to face the Kukis international squad.

The Cook Islands test match team will play a combined tri-series team on October 6, meaning the best players from the Cook Islands, Aussie and NZ teams will come together to play the international team.

The Cook Islands under 18s representative squad will play the New Zealand Kukis under 18s team in the lead-up to the tri-series bout.

Full team: Bilsy Gukisuva, Lui Nicholas, Selafi Tovio, Bobby Hansen, Andy Kapi, Papa-Lee Ponini, Damien Hether, Mathew Pierre, Joe Hoefflich, Teararoa Bishop, Clive Nicholas (all Avatiu Eels), Spoon Marsters, Ed Tearatua, Phillip Taio, Francis Smith, Junior Tapurau (all Arorangi Bears), Lua Tua, Lui Moemoe, Turori Matutu (all Tupapa Panthers), Teu Paerau, Mau George (both Aitutaki Sharks), Vaivase Samaria (Takuvaine Warriors) and Laisa Ravuna (Ngatangiia-Matavea Sea Eagles).

The home-grown Cook Islands tri-series team has been named ahead of the teams first match in the series.

The Cook Islands team will play either the Australian or New Zealand Kukis side on Monday, kicking off at 6.30pm at the BCI Stadium.

The Australian Kukis and the New Zealand Kukis, the two other teams which make up the tri-series competition, were due to face off on Friday night.

Whoever wins that match will go on to play the local Kukis team.

The Avatiu Eels dominate the side, with 11 of the Cook Islands 24-strong team coming from the club.

That may be in part due to the teams training location over the past few weeks, where they have based themselves at the Eels home ground near the airport.

Five players from the Arorangi Bears and three Tupapa Panthers are also included in the squad, along with two Aitutaki Sharks and one player each from the Takuvaine Warriors, Ngatangiia-Matavera Sea Eagles and Titikaveka Bulldogs.

The winner of Mondays match effectively wins the tri-series competition, which was shortened to two games once the Kiwis international side backed out of their scheduled test match against the Kukis senior international side.

The Cook Islands players are not just playing for the tri-series win, though, they are also playing for the chance to face the Kukis international squad.

The Cook Islands test match team will play a combined tri-series team on October 6, meaning the best players from the Cook Islands, Aussie and NZ teams will come together to play the international team.

The Cook Islands under 18s representative squad will play the New Zealand Kukis under 18s team in the lead-up to the tri-series bout.

Full team: Bilsy Gukisuva, Lui Nicholas, Selafi Tovio, Bobby Hansen, Andy Kapi, Papa-Lee Ponini, Damien Hether, Mathew Pierre, Joe Hoefflich, Teararoa Bishop, Clive Nicholas (all Avatiu Eels), Spoon Marsters, Ed Tearatua, Phillip Taio, Francis Smith, Junior Tapurau (all Arorangi Bears), Lua Tua, Lui Moemoe, Turori Matutu (all Tupapa Panthers), Teu Paerau, Mau George (both Aitutaki Sharks), Vaivase Samaria (Takuvaine Warriors) and Laisa Ravuna (Ngatangiia-Matavea Sea Eagles).

• Eric Parnis

An appeal against a decision by the Land Agents Registration Board has been upheld by Chief Justice Tom Weston, but only to a very limited extent.

Nooroa Tuoro brought a case against the board, which declined her application to become a registered land agent earlier this year.

CJ Weston has found that Tuoros application lacked necessary detail and that there was little in the way of evidence to show she has a sound understanding of Cook Islands law.

He also found, however, that the board should have given Tuoro an opportunity to address its misgivings before declining her application.

I require the board to reconsider the application made by the appellant. It shall grant the appellant an opportunity to address the board, CJ Westons judgement of September 6 states.

He orders the board to notify Tuoro of its concerns in order for her to address them.

It will then be a matter for the board to decide as to whether registration should be granted and, if so, the terms of that registration.

CJ Weston also gives Tuoro the option of making a fresh application to the board, setting out all relevant detail and supporting evidence as to her knowledge of land law.

He stipulates that costs of the appeal should lie where they fall.

While the appellant has succeeded to some extent, she is, for the reasons discussed above, partly the author of her own misfortune.

Tuoro first filed an application to the board on March 24 last year, in which she was required by legislation to set out particulars demonstrating a sound knowledge of Cook Islands law.

CJ Weston says Tuoro failed to do so but was granted a provisional three month registration subject to conditions.

In August 2010 she filed a further application and was again granted a provisional licence.

Tuoro then filed a third application in December which CJ Weston says did not follow the prescribed form and provided very little information as to why she should be entitled to receive a full licence.

One of the oversights was that there were no details as to a trust account which a land agent is required to have.

On April 15 this year the board considered Tuoros third application and declined it, notifying her of the decision a week later by letter.

It stated Tuoro lacked the necessary knowledge and understanding to conduct a hearing before a high court judge and that the board felt misled by Tuoro in respect of who her appointed legal mentor was.

CJ Weston says a transcript of a court hearing involving Tuoro hardly gives one confidence that the appellant does have a sound grasp of Cook Islands land law.

The land agents board consists of solicitor general Tingika Elikana as chairman, former justice secretary Terry Hagan and lawyer Tim Arnold, as well as a secretary who does not have voting rights.

An appeal against a decision by the Land Agents Registration Board has been upheld by Chief Justice Tom Weston, but only to a very limited extent.

Nooroa Tuoro brought a case against the board, which declined her application to become a registered land agent earlier this year.

CJ Weston has found that Tuoros application lacked necessary detail and that there was little in the way of evidence to show she has a sound understanding of Cook Islands law.

He also found, however, that the board should have given Tuoro an opportunity to address its misgivings before declining her application.

I require the board to reconsider the application made by the appellant. It shall grant the appellant an opportunity to address the board, CJ Westons judgement of September 6 states.

He orders the board to notify Tuoro of its concerns in order for her to address them.

It will then be a matter for the board to decide as to whether registration should be granted and, if so, the terms of that registration.

CJ Weston also gives Tuoro the option of making a fresh application to the board, setting out all relevant detail and supporting evidence as to her knowledge of land law.

He stipulates that costs of the appeal should lie where they fall.

While the appellant has succeeded to some extent, she is, for the reasons discussed above, partly the author of her own misfortune.

Tuoro first filed an application to the board on March 24 last year, in which she was required by legislation to set out particulars demonstrating a sound knowledge of Cook Islands law.

CJ Weston says Tuoro failed to do so but was granted a provisional three month registration subject to conditions.

In August 2010 she filed a further application and was again granted a provisional licence.

Tuoro then filed a third application in December which CJ Weston says did not follow the prescribed form and provided very little information as to why she should be entitled to receive a full licence.

One of the oversights was that there were no details as to a trust account which a land agent is required to have.

On April 15 this year the board considered Tuoros third application and declined it, notifying her of the decision a week later by letter.

It stated Tuoro lacked the necessary knowledge and understanding to conduct a hearing before a high court judge and that the board felt misled by Tuoro in respect of who her appointed legal mentor was.

CJ Weston says a transcript of a court hearing involving Tuoro hardly gives one confidence that the appellant does have a sound grasp of Cook Islands land law.

The land agents board consists of solicitor general Tingika Elikana as chairman, former justice secretary Terry Hagan and lawyer Tim Arnold, as well as a secretary who does not have voting rights.

• Rosie Manins

About half of all water tanks for a $2.2 million water infrastructure project in the northern group are on the way to Pukapuka, Nassau and Palmerston – leaving these tanks (pictured) on Rarotonga for transportation by barge to Rakahanga, Manihiki and Penrhyn in coming months. 11093045

Equipment and materials for infrastructure projects in the northern group are at present being transported from Rarotonga on a Fijian barge.

The barge left Avatiu harbour on Friday bound for Pukapuka, Palmerston and Nassau.

It is carrying gear for the Pukapuka cyclone shelter as well as for the beginning of a $2.2 million water improvement initiative in all northern group communities.

Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP) acting secretary Donye Numa says this is the first of a few trips the barge is scheduled to make between Rarotonga and northern group islands.

It is carrying water tanks and other gear for the implementation of the water improvement project on Pukapuka, Palmerston and Nassau this trip, but will return to Rarotonga and be re-loaded to take equipment to Rakahanga, Manihiki and Penrhyn.

Workers and project managers are making their way north on other vessels and chartered flights.

Local labour is also being utilised in each of the project recipient communities.

MOIP technical advisor Ngateina Rani says the barge being used is different to the Fijian barge which transported materials and equipment from Rarotonga to Mauke and Mitiaro recently for harbour upgrades.

Rani says the barge going to Pukapuka, Palmerston and Nassau is smaller and does not need to be towed because it has its own engine.

The Pukapuka cyclone shelter is almost complete.

The water project will improve water collection, storage and supply infrastructure in northern communities.

Memorandums of understanding between island councils and MOIP have been drafted, as well as individual agreements with land and home owners.

The entire project requires about three or four months of implementation.

It has been in the pipeline since cyclones caused damage in the northern group during 2005.

Rusty roofs have to be replaced, damaged water tanks repaired or replaced, and a first-flush system installed within community and domestic water supply systems.

Water infrastructure needs to be able to withstand northern group weather patterns, so tanks, pipes, and cylinders have been tested for cracking and iron roofs will be replaced with aluminium where possible.

It is estimated between 1600 and 1700 permanent residents in the northern group will benefit from the project.

Equipment and materials for infrastructure projects in the northern group are at present being transported from Rarotonga on a Fijian barge.

The barge left Avatiu harbour on Friday bound for Pukapuka, Palmerston and Nassau.

It is carrying gear for the Pukapuka cyclone shelter as well as for the beginning of a $2.2 million water improvement initiative in all northern group communities.

Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP) acting secretary Donye Numa says this is the first of a few trips the barge is scheduled to make between Rarotonga and northern group islands.

It is carrying water tanks and other gear for the implementation of the water improvement project on Pukapuka, Palmerston and Nassau this trip, but will return to Rarotonga and be re-loaded to take equipment to Rakahanga, Manihiki and Penrhyn.

Workers and project managers are making their way north on other vessels and chartered flights.

Local labour is also being utilised in each of the project recipient communities.

MOIP technical advisor Ngateina Rani says the barge being used is different to the Fijian barge which transported materials and equipment from Rarotonga to Mauke and Mitiaro recently for harbour upgrades.

Rani says the barge going to Pukapuka, Palmerston and Nassau is smaller and does not need to be towed because it has its own engine.

The Pukapuka cyclone shelter is almost complete.

The water project will improve water collection, storage and supply infrastructure in northern communities.

Memorandums of understanding between island councils and MOIP have been drafted, as well as individual agreements with land and home owners.

The entire project requires about three or four months of implementation.

It has been in the pipeline since cyclones caused damage in the northern group during 2005.

Rusty roofs have to be replaced, damaged water tanks repaired or replaced, and a first-flush system installed within community and domestic water supply systems.

Water infrastructure needs to be able to withstand northern group weather patterns, so tanks, pipes, and cylinders have been tested for cracking and iron roofs will be replaced with aluminium where possible.

It is estimated between 1600 and 1700 permanent residents in the northern group will benefit from the project.

• Rosie Manins

A Ministry of Internal Affairs panel will meet today to consider 18 applications received by non-government organisations (NGOs) for crown funding.

Most applications are from Rarotonga-based NGOs but a few have come in from the outer islands. Each financial year monetary assistance is provided on a competitive basis to NGOs which provide services to vulnerable members of the community such as elderly, women, youth and people with disabilities.

This financial year a contestable fund of $75,000 is available and successful applicants can receive up to $5000 each.

Applications for the funding closed on Friday September 23 at 4pm and those receiving money should be notified within the next two weeks.A committee comprising representatives of the internal affairs, education and health ministries, as well as two NGOs, will consider applications.

In past years not all projects have been able to receive assistance due to the number of initiatives which fit all criteria, and the limited amount of funds.

If not all the funding is allocated in this round, further applications will be called for.

This financial year the internal affairs ministry is also providing direct funding of $200,000 to a number of NGOs, including five outer islands disability learning centres, the Cook Islands National Disability Council, Are Pa Metua, Cook Islands National Youth Council and Religious Advisory Council.

A Ministry of Internal Affairs panel will meet today to consider 18 applications received by non-government organisations (NGOs) for crown funding.

Most applications are from Rarotonga-based NGOs but a few have come in from the outer islands. Each financial year monetary assistance is provided on a competitive basis to NGOs which provide services to vulnerable members of the community such as elderly, women, youth and people with disabilities.

This financial year a contestable fund of $75,000 is available and successful applicants can receive up to $5000 each.

Applications for the funding closed on Friday September 23 at 4pm and those receiving money should be notified within the next two weeks.A committee comprising representatives of the internal affairs, education and health ministries, as well as two NGOs, will consider applications.

In past years not all projects have been able to receive assistance due to the number of initiatives which fit all criteria, and the limited amount of funds.

If not all the funding is allocated in this round, further applications will be called for.

This financial year the internal affairs ministry is also providing direct funding of $200,000 to a number of NGOs, including five outer islands disability learning centres, the Cook Islands National Disability Council, Are Pa Metua, Cook Islands National Youth Council and Religious Advisory Council.

• Rosie Manins

Prime Minister Henry Puna arrives on Mangaia yesterday morning for his first official visit and to open the Manea Games. 11100350

Prime Minister Henry Puna refutes claims that cabinet members argued about ministerial travel during last weeks cabinet meeting in Rarotonga.

Puna says ministers discussed travel in relation to its overall benefit to the Cook Islands, including travel fully funded by international organisations.

However, it was an exaggeration to describe that discussion as arguing, Puna says.

He is in Mangaia at present for the Manea Games.

Puna and sport minister Mark Brown, who is also in Mangaia, are expected to return to Rarotonga tomorrow.

Accordingly, this weeks cabinet meeting has been deferred until Thursday morning.

All cabinet members Puna, Brown, Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters and ministers Teariki Heather, Teina Bishop and Nandi Glassie are all expected to be in Rarotonga and to participate in the meeting.

Government plans to make announcements this week about statutory employment positions including the commissioner of police, secretary of justice and director of audit.

The justice secretary and audit director positions have been formally advertised, but not the commissioners job, which is currently held by Maara Tetava.

Cabinet is also going through the process of advertising for a new public service commissioner, more than a year after Navy Epati declared his plan to leave government for a job outside the public service.

Applications for his job close on October 14.

Prime Minister Henry Puna refutes claims that cabinet members argued about ministerial travel during last weeks cabinet meeting in Rarotonga.

Puna says ministers discussed travel in relation to its overall benefit to the Cook Islands, including travel fully funded by international organisations.

However, it was an exaggeration to describe that discussion as arguing, Puna says.

He is in Mangaia at present for the Manea Games.

Puna and sport minister Mark Brown, who is also in Mangaia, are expected to return to Rarotonga tomorrow.

Accordingly, this weeks cabinet meeting has been deferred until Thursday morning.

All cabinet members Puna, Brown, Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters and ministers Teariki Heather, Teina Bishop and Nandi Glassie are all expected to be in Rarotonga and to participate in the meeting.

Government plans to make announcements this week about statutory employment positions including the commissioner of police, secretary of justice and director of audit.

The justice secretary and audit director positions have been formally advertised, but not the commissioners job, which is currently held by Maara Tetava.

Cabinet is also going through the process of advertising for a new public service commissioner, more than a year after Navy Epati declared his plan to leave government for a job outside the public service.

Applications for his job close on October 14.

• Rosie Manins

Southern Cross skipper Paul Greens sign was stolen from the wharf at the weekend. He got permission from Ports Authority to put up a two by one metre yellow vinyl sign at the harbour advertising whale-watching trips. It read Sail Rarotonga and included contact details and it was planned to have it up for 12 months. On either Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning, the sign went missing. Green is confused, as the sign cant really be of use to anyone else. He says the theft was a neat job all six screws were unscrewed tidily and there was no further damage to the surrounding area.

Its great that Pacific Blue ensures that Air New Zealand keeps its prices competitive, but the airline needs to improve its methods in advising the public in Rarotonga of flight delays such as Sunday nights. The airlines website had no mention of the 12 hour delay, even nine hours later, their ground handling agents answer phone gives a helpful list of the airlines weekly flights, but had no mention of the delay, the airline doesnt have a listing in the white pages of the current telephone directory, and their yellow pages listing for flight arrival and departure information is telephone 24040, but that number is disconnected. This leaves the Airport Authority as the best place to call for updates.

Lightning striking a Pacific Blue aircraft as it approached Auckland from Australia is said to be the cause of the 12 hour arrival delay in Sunday nights DJ163 flight to the Cook Islands. Rarotonga-bound passengers said they had checked in at Auckland International to await the arrival of the flight from Australia, which was scheduled to depart Auckland for Rarotonga at 6.30pm New Zealand time. Auckland was experiencing very stormy weather and the passengers were then advised about the lightning strike and the 12 hour delay to allow engineers to thoroughly check the aircraft. Passengers were transported to a hotel for a few hours rest before being taken back to the airport for the early morning rescheduled departure time and eventual arrival at Rarotonga International at 11am yesterday. Aviation experts say each commercial airplane is struck by lightning approximately once a year on average, but that modern aircraft engineering ensures that electricity passes around the aircraft, not through it. They say the majority of lightning strikes to planes are actually triggered by the metal bodies of the planes intensifying the electric field of storm clouds as the aircraft pass through them.

KEEP the smokies rolling in! Smoke Signals and interesting island photos will be accepted by email (smokesignals@cookislandsnews.com), or text to 188 or a phone call to the newsroom on 22-999.

Southern Cross skipper Paul Greens sign was stolen from the wharf at the weekend. He got permission from Ports Authority to put up a two by one metre yellow vinyl sign at the harbour advertising whale-watching trips. It read Sail Rarotonga and included contact details and it was planned to have it up for 12 months. On either Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning, the sign went missing. Green is confused, as the sign cant really be of use to anyone else. He says the theft was a neat job all six screws were unscrewed tidily and there was no further damage to the surrounding area.

Its great that Pacific Blue ensures that Air New Zealand keeps its prices competitive, but the airline needs to improve its methods in advising the public in Rarotonga of flight delays such as Sunday nights. The airlines website had no mention of the 12 hour delay, even nine hours later, their ground handling agents answer phone gives a helpful list of the airlines weekly flights, but had no mention of the delay, the airline doesnt have a listing in the white pages of the current telephone directory, and their yellow pages listing for flight arrival and departure information is telephone 24040, but that number is disconnected. This leaves the Airport Authority as the best place to call for updates.

Lightning striking a Pacific Blue aircraft as it approached Auckland from Australia is said to be the cause of the 12 hour arrival delay in Sunday nights DJ163 flight to the Cook Islands. Rarotonga-bound passengers said they had checked in at Auckland International to await the arrival of the flight from Australia, which was scheduled to depart Auckland for Rarotonga at 6.30pm New Zealand time. Auckland was experiencing very stormy weather and the passengers were then advised about the lightning strike and the 12 hour delay to allow engineers to thoroughly check the aircraft. Passengers were transported to a hotel for a few hours rest before being taken back to the airport for the early morning rescheduled departure time and eventual arrival at Rarotonga International at 11am yesterday. Aviation experts say each commercial airplane is struck by lightning approximately once a year on average, but that modern aircraft engineering ensures that electricity passes around the aircraft, not through it. They say the majority of lightning strikes to planes are actually triggered by the metal bodies of the planes intensifying the electric field of storm clouds as the aircraft pass through them.

KEEP the smokies rolling in! Smoke Signals and interesting island photos will be accepted by email (smokesignals@cookislandsnews.com), or text to 188 or a phone call to the newsroom on 22-999.

Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters called the state of Cook Islands fisheries a local disaster when addressing a room full of climatologists, scientists, meteorologists and fisheries officers yesterday,

He delivered a rousing keynote speech to open the International Workshop on Climate and Oceanic Fisheries, at which thinkers from all over the world were present.

Marsters said that a pronounced lack of fish goes deeper than the dinner table: for some it is a question of survival and livelihood.

Like a lot of us islanders, I too love to eat fish. But your task at this workshop involves more than just a plate of delicious food. We are talking about ensuring the sustainability of our national and global fisheries, even despite the current dramatic climactic conditions which the world is experiencing.

We also need to sustain our fisheries for the survival of our important national fishing industries and the related economic, social and cultural benefits that they provide to our way of life, he said.

He explained that the effects of climate change are such that local fishermen can no longer predict migratory patterns.

Last week in our local paper, one local expert fisherman recounted that in the past we could fish by trawling for migratory tuna and wahoo regularly like clockwork, according to the season.

But no one knows now when that season is, as things have changed so much. Old fishermens knowledge of when to catch and how, is no longer applicable, Marsters said.

I have no doubt that you scientists and specialists in this room know more than most why we are seeing these effects. It is not a casual claim to make that the people of the world desperately need to know what you think as to why this change is happening.

Some of you will say that climate change has lead to higher sea temperatures, which in turn may lead to changes in fish stock movement, phytoplankton growth and global changes in wind and ocean circulation patterns.

The distribution and availability of nutrients for local migratory and non-migratory fish stocks are dependent on these patterns. This is all possible.

But the sad and disturbing reality is that, in this very day, the successful, cultural fishing practices of my father and his father before him, no longer result in cooked fish for our tables, like it did in the past.

Marsters said that fisheries worldwide can benefit from the discussions being conducted in Rarotonga this week.

But mark my words, the little Cook Islands fishermans problems are a problem for all of us, here and overseas. The worlds problems are on his doorstep. He is feeling the effects when he comes home from fishing empty handed. He did not create or cause these changes himself. But he is suffering from it. He is told he must adapt.

But my recommendation to you is that, if we solve his little fish problem, then maybe, just maybe, we can solve the bigger climate change issues which are of greater international importance.

Marsters then issued a challenge to the thinkers in the room.

By the end of your workshop, enjoy yourself, eat some fish for lunch or dinner, but I want you to answer meWhy? Why is the little Cook Islands fisherman catching less fish for his table? And then answer me: What? What can we all do to improve the sustainability of the precious fish resources in our own waters and in the marine environment of our fragile globe, on which we all must continue to live?

Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters called the state of Cook Islands fisheries a local disaster when addressing a room full of climatologists, scientists, meteorologists and fisheries officers yesterday,

He delivered a rousing keynote speech to open the International Workshop on Climate and Oceanic Fisheries, at which thinkers from all over the world were present.

Marsters said that a pronounced lack of fish goes deeper than the dinner table: for some it is a question of survival and livelihood.

Like a lot of us islanders, I too love to eat fish. But your task at this workshop involves more than just a plate of delicious food. We are talking about ensuring the sustainability of our national and global fisheries, even despite the current dramatic climactic conditions which the world is experiencing.

We also need to sustain our fisheries for the survival of our important national fishing industries and the related economic, social and cultural benefits that they provide to our way of life, he said.

He explained that the effects of climate change are such that local fishermen can no longer predict migratory patterns.

Last week in our local paper, one local expert fisherman recounted that in the past we could fish by trawling for migratory tuna and wahoo regularly like clockwork, according to the season.

But no one knows now when that season is, as things have changed so much. Old fishermens knowledge of when to catch and how, is no longer applicable, Marsters said.

I have no doubt that you scientists and specialists in this room know more than most why we are seeing these effects. It is not a casual claim to make that the people of the world desperately need to know what you think as to why this change is happening.

Some of you will say that climate change has lead to higher sea temperatures, which in turn may lead to changes in fish stock movement, phytoplankton growth and global changes in wind and ocean circulation patterns.

The distribution and availability of nutrients for local migratory and non-migratory fish stocks are dependent on these patterns. This is all possible.

But the sad and disturbing reality is that, in this very day, the successful, cultural fishing practices of my father and his father before him, no longer result in cooked fish for our tables, like it did in the past.

Marsters said that fisheries worldwide can benefit from the discussions being conducted in Rarotonga this week.

But mark my words, the little Cook Islands fishermans problems are a problem for all of us, here and overseas. The worlds problems are on his doorstep. He is feeling the effects when he comes home from fishing empty handed. He did not create or cause these changes himself. But he is suffering from it. He is told he must adapt.

But my recommendation to you is that, if we solve his little fish problem, then maybe, just maybe, we can solve the bigger climate change issues which are of greater international importance.

Marsters then issued a challenge to the thinkers in the room.

By the end of your workshop, enjoy yourself, eat some fish for lunch or dinner, but I want you to answer meWhy? Why is the little Cook Islands fisherman catching less fish for his table? And then answer me: What? What can we all do to improve the sustainability of the precious fish resources in our own waters and in the marine environment of our fragile globe, on which we all must continue to live?

• Rachel ReevesRachel Reeves

A driver was taken to hospital with head injuries over the weekend, after he collided with a dog at Matavera and came off his motorcycle.

The Tupapa man was driving on the main road when the accident occurred.

His crash was one of four reported to police over the weekend.

Although the Tupapa man received the worst injuries from the four, Cook Islands Police are saying it was lucky there were none worse with one driver arrested after they found him to be drunk.

The drunk-driver was carrying a passenger on the back road at Akaoa in Arorangi when the bike left the road and crashed into a concrete section of bridge at its side.

Police said both parties sustained abrasions to their bodies in the accident.

The driver is due to appear in court this week.

In a separate incident, a female driver crashed her motorcycle into the back of a car while turning at the FBI Takeaway on Friday afternoon. She was not injured.

And in the fourth road accident, another female driver came off her motorbike after she hit a coconut on the back road at Betela in Arorangi on Friday night. She too was uninjured in the incident.

In other incidents, an Avatiu youth has been arrested after being suspected of carrying out a number of thefts on Friday night.

Police received burglary complaints from two Avatiu residents on Friday night. One reported alcohol and laptop as being stolen, the other reporting their motorcycle was unlawfully taken.

Police investigations led to the arrest of the Avatiu youth and he appeared in court on Saturday. He will be remanded in custody until October 13.

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old Arorangi man was arrested after being found in possession of marijuana and paraphernalia from his home. He appeared in court on Saturday and will be remanded in custody until the October 13.

Finally, police were called out to a Tupapa property which had one of its windows smashed on Saturday night.

Police apprehended the offender, who said he smashed the window due to a domestic problem.

The offender has agreed to pay for the damage to the window and apologised to the owner of the house.

A driver was taken to hospital with head injuries over the weekend, after he collided with a dog at Matavera and came off his motorcycle.

The Tupapa man was driving on the main road when the accident occurred.

His crash was one of four reported to police over the weekend.

Although the Tupapa man received the worst injuries from the four, Cook Islands Police are saying it was lucky there were none worse with one driver arrested after they found him to be drunk.

The drunk-driver was carrying a passenger on the back road at Akaoa in Arorangi when the bike left the road and crashed into a concrete section of bridge at its side.

Police said both parties sustained abrasions to their bodies in the accident.

The driver is due to appear in court this week.

In a separate incident, a female driver crashed her motorcycle into the back of a car while turning at the FBI Takeaway on Friday afternoon. She was not injured.

And in the fourth road accident, another female driver came off her motorbike after she hit a coconut on the back road at Betela in Arorangi on Friday night. She too was uninjured in the incident.

In other incidents, an Avatiu youth has been arrested after being suspected of carrying out a number of thefts on Friday night.

Police received burglary complaints from two Avatiu residents on Friday night. One reported alcohol and laptop as being stolen, the other reporting their motorcycle was unlawfully taken.

Police investigations led to the arrest of the Avatiu youth and he appeared in court on Saturday. He will be remanded in custody until October 13.

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old Arorangi man was arrested after being found in possession of marijuana and paraphernalia from his home. He appeared in court on Saturday and will be remanded in custody until the October 13.

Finally, police were called out to a Tupapa property which had one of its windows smashed on Saturday night.

Police apprehended the offender, who said he smashed the window due to a domestic problem.

The offender has agreed to pay for the damage to the window and apologised to the owner of the house.

• EP / Police

The Cook Islands flag is raised in front of a proud Mangaia team. 11100359

The 6th Manea Games was officially opened on Mangaia yesterday with songs, dance and promises of government assistance for future games.

About 100 of the 300 games athletes were part of the opening ceremony as athletes are still making their way to Mangaia for the games.

Despite the small numbers, Mangaia turned up the heat and the revelry to make the visiting athletes and officials welcomed.

Warriors conducted a turou for officials including minister of sports Mark Brown and CISNOC officials, prime minister Henry Puna and his delegation, House of Ariki president Travel Tou Ariki and Queens Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin to the Oneroa sports grounds for the ceremony.

Once seated under shade on the hard courts competing islands marched through singing and dancing for officials.

Missing from the parade was the island of Atiu.

At this stage Atiu will not be part of the games as according to officials, the island left it too late to organise their travels.

However the island could still well be a part of the games if Atiu islanders living on Mangaia and Rarotonga step up to represent the island but officials are yet to confirm their final decision on the islands participation.

Funds, or the lack of it, were the talking points of the Manea Games opening ceremony.

CI New understands that government funding has assisted the teams travel to Mangaia but lack of funding was why the island of Atiu is not part of the games this year.

Minister of sports Mark Brown congratulated the Manea Games organising committee for preparing playing fields and lodging for the athletes despite the lack funds.

Everyone here will be representing their islands so you will all be carrying the hopes of your islands, said Brown.

You will be carrying the honour of your people waiting to hear how you have done at the games.

In his address, prime minister Henry Puna told the gathered athletes that the event wasnt about him but about all the athletes.

Sport is one of the strongest ropes that brings our people together, Puna said in maori before delivering some good news for the island athletes.

You dont have to worry about funding for future games and just how this will happen will be revealed over the next few days when we visit the teams.

This good news was met with a rowdy applause.

Puna then told the athletes that it didnt matter how much they trained or sweat because what counts is performing from the heart.

The difference between the impossible and the possible is a mans determination.

With those words the prime minister declared the Manea Games open.

Mangaia school students entertained dignitaries after the formal ceremony before taking off to join their friends to take part in the traditional games of the 10-day sporting event.

The 6th Manea Games was officially opened on Mangaia yesterday with songs, dance and promises of government assistance for future games.

About 100 of the 300 games athletes were part of the opening ceremony as athletes are still making their way to Mangaia for the games.

Despite the small numbers, Mangaia turned up the heat and the revelry to make the visiting athletes and officials welcomed.

Warriors conducted a turou for officials including minister of sports Mark Brown and CISNOC officials, prime minister Henry Puna and his delegation, House of Ariki president Travel Tou Ariki and Queens Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin to the Oneroa sports grounds for the ceremony.

Once seated under shade on the hard courts competing islands marched through singing and dancing for officials.

Missing from the parade was the island of Atiu.

At this stage Atiu will not be part of the games as according to officials, the island left it too late to organise their travels.

However the island could still well be a part of the games if Atiu islanders living on Mangaia and Rarotonga step up to represent the island but officials are yet to confirm their final decision on the islands participation.

Funds, or the lack of it, were the talking points of the Manea Games opening ceremony.

CI New understands that government funding has assisted the teams travel to Mangaia but lack of funding was why the island of Atiu is not part of the games this year.

Minister of sports Mark Brown congratulated the Manea Games organising committee for preparing playing fields and lodging for the athletes despite the lack funds.

Everyone here will be representing their islands so you will all be carrying the hopes of your islands, said Brown.

You will be carrying the honour of your people waiting to hear how you have done at the games.

In his address, prime minister Henry Puna told the gathered athletes that the event wasnt about him but about all the athletes.

Sport is one of the strongest ropes that brings our people together, Puna said in maori before delivering some good news for the island athletes.

You dont have to worry about funding for future games and just how this will happen will be revealed over the next few days when we visit the teams.

This good news was met with a rowdy applause.

Puna then told the athletes that it didnt matter how much they trained or sweat because what counts is performing from the heart.

The difference between the impossible and the possible is a mans determination.

With those words the prime minister declared the Manea Games open.

Mangaia school students entertained dignitaries after the formal ceremony before taking off to join their friends to take part in the traditional games of the 10-day sporting event.

• Matariki Wilson

Mathew Pierre and Bilsy Gukisuva modelling the Cook Islands’ tri-series strip, which the team received from Turtles yesterday. The team played the NZ Cook Islands squad in the tri-series competition last night, the last of the matches before a combined tri-series squad takes to the field to play the Kukis international team on Thursday. 11100315

Mathew Pierre and Bilsy Gukisuva modelling the Cook Islands tri-series strip, which the team received from Turtles yesterday. The team played the NZ Cook Islands squad in the tri-series competition last night, the last of the matches before a combined tri-series squad takes to the field to play the Kukis international team on Thursday. 11100315

Mathew Pierre and Bilsy Gukisuva modelling the Cook Islands tri-series strip, which the team received from Turtles yesterday. The team played the NZ Cook Islands squad in the tri-series competition last night, the last of the matches before a combined tri-series squad takes to the field to play the Kukis international team on Thursday. 11100315

Russian politician Anton Bakov. 11100312

Russian politician Anton Bakov set out on a mission in July to visit the atoll he claimed to have purchased from the Cook Islands government but a bad run with seasickness foiled his plan.

He chartered SV Southern Cross to make the journey from Aitutaki to Suwarrow and back, but about a week in said he was too seasick to proceed and asked skipper Paul Green to turn back.

He never made it to Suwarrow.

Bakov made headlines at the weekend for claiming that Suwarrow is the capital of the Russian Empire he is trying to re-build.

He told a reporter at major Moscow newspaper Isvestia that he bought Suwarrow from Prime Minister Henry Puna on July 20. The story ran in early September.

His claim is news to Puna, who says government had no contact with the man making the hoax claim and any suggestions of such an arrangement were preposterous.

It appears that Bakov intended to meet with Puna when he was in the Cook Islands. He even asked Green for a lift to the Office of the Prime Minister and the Cook Islands Parliament House.

Green says hosting Bakov and his entourage was a rather strange experience.

They were the second group of Russians he has hosted aboard Southern Cross the only other group wanted to travel from Samoa to the Phoenix Islands.

Through Jetsave Travel Bakov and his backup booked a trip from Aitutaki to Suwarrow aboard Southern Cross.

We picked them up in Aitutaki and left for Suwarrow and about 180 miles off Suwarrow they were all seasick and decided they wanted to turn around, Green said. They never got there.

Bakov was accompanied by his 20-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son, and had hired a film crew comprising a producer, photographer and scriptwriter to document the journey.

While he did not speak much English, both his daughter and son were fluent.

It was my understanding that his mission was about taking his son and daughter (to Suwarrow), Green said. They had read that the Russians discovered it.

That part is at least in part based on truth Russian ship Suvorov, named for Russian general Alexander Suvorov, made landfall on a reportedly uninhabited Suwarrow in 1814. (The generals name is spelt Suwarrow in Lord Byrons epic poem Don Juan, explaining the difference in spelling.)

It was not until Green was en route to Suwarrow that he learned Bakov is a prominent politician in Moscow. He says he does not remember the Russian mentioning a plan to purchase Suwarrow.

He was talking about doing promotion of the Cook Islands, presumably to boost tourism, Green guessed. There was no mention of buying Suwarrow, though there was mention of giving funding for conservation and the preservation of Suwarrow.

Green says that following the aborted Suwarrow mission, Bakovs group spent about 10 days on Rarotonga.

Out of sympathy for Bakov who never reached his destination, Green offered to show him around Rarotonga.

He remembers Bakov spending about $80 on flower arrangements at Island Craft, which he ceremonially laid at the headstone of Tom Neale, the Kiwi who penned An Island to Oneself documenting his life on Suwarrows Anchorage atoll.

Bakovs crew filmed the wreath-laying at the RSA cemetery.

Green says he dropped Bakov off at the Office of the Prime Minister twice, but Puna was out of the country.

He also gave him a lift to Parliament House.

Clerk Nga Valoa says he vaguely remembers a group of Russians dropping in to ask more about the Cook Islands.

At the time he thought it was just another group of tourists.

Russian politician Anton Bakov set out on a mission in July to visit the atoll he claimed to have purchased from the Cook Islands government but a bad run with seasickness foiled his plan.

He chartered SV Southern Cross to make the journey from Aitutaki to Suwarrow and back, but about a week in said he was too seasick to proceed and asked skipper Paul Green to turn back.

He never made it to Suwarrow.

Bakov made headlines at the weekend for claiming that Suwarrow is the capital of the Russian Empire he is trying to re-build.

He told a reporter at major Moscow newspaper Isvestia that he bought Suwarrow from Prime Minister Henry Puna on July 20. The story ran in early September.

His claim is news to Puna, who says government had no contact with the man making the hoax claim and any suggestions of such an arrangement were preposterous.

It appears that Bakov intended to meet with Puna when he was in the Cook Islands. He even asked Green for a lift to the Office of the Prime Minister and the Cook Islands Parliament House.

Green says hosting Bakov and his entourage was a rather strange experience.

They were the second group of Russians he has hosted aboard Southern Cross the only other group wanted to travel from Samoa to the Phoenix Islands.

Through Jetsave Travel Bakov and his backup booked a trip from Aitutaki to Suwarrow aboard Southern Cross.

We picked them up in Aitutaki and left for Suwarrow and about 180 miles off Suwarrow they were all seasick and decided they wanted to turn around, Green said. They never got there.

Bakov was accompanied by his 20-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son, and had hired a film crew comprising a producer, photographer and scriptwriter to document the journey.

While he did not speak much English, both his daughter and son were fluent.

It was my understanding that his mission was about taking his son and daughter (to Suwarrow), Green said. They had read that the Russians discovered it.

That part is at least in part based on truth Russian ship Suvorov, named for Russian general Alexander Suvorov, made landfall on a reportedly uninhabited Suwarrow in 1814. (The generals name is spelt Suwarrow in Lord Byrons epic poem Don Juan, explaining the difference in spelling.)

It was not until Green was en route to Suwarrow that he learned Bakov is a prominent politician in Moscow. He says he does not remember the Russian mentioning a plan to purchase Suwarrow.

He was talking about doing promotion of the Cook Islands, presumably to boost tourism, Green guessed. There was no mention of buying Suwarrow, though there was mention of giving funding for conservation and the preservation of Suwarrow.

Green says that following the aborted Suwarrow mission, Bakovs group spent about 10 days on Rarotonga.

Out of sympathy for Bakov who never reached his destination, Green offered to show him around Rarotonga.

He remembers Bakov spending about $80 on flower arrangements at Island Craft, which he ceremonially laid at the headstone of Tom Neale, the Kiwi who penned An Island to Oneself documenting his life on Suwarrows Anchorage atoll.

Bakovs crew filmed the wreath-laying at the RSA cemetery.

Green says he dropped Bakov off at the Office of the Prime Minister twice, but Puna was out of the country.

He also gave him a lift to Parliament House.

Clerk Nga Valoa says he vaguely remembers a group of Russians dropping in to ask more about the Cook Islands.

At the time he thought it was just another group of tourists.

• Rachel ReevesRachel Reeves

Members of the Cook Islands National Youth Council at New Hope Hall yesterday – the first working day of the National Youth Conference. 11100416

The youth of the Cook Islands want to change the world but theyre starting with their own islands.

Change Our World is the theme of this years National Youth Conference, which kicked off on Monday evening with a brief opening ceremony.

Yesterday morning youth from Rarotonga, Mauke, Atiu, Aitutaki, Mangaia and Mitiaro delved right into prickly issues like youth policy, education, at-risk adolescents and counselling in schools.

Cook Islands National Youth Council (CINYC) president Nukutau Pokura gave a brief overview of CINYCs activity since 2008, when the last conference was held. Vania Kenning of the youth social development division of Internal Affairs moderated a session about Cook Islands youth policy during which some members pleaded for the council not to forget about outer islands youth.

After morning tea, Ashley Wichman of Lend A Hand Foundation (LEAF) talked about her foundations vision, and Porter Pokura of Rakei Toa gave a breakdown of activity-based learning and alternative education.

Following was a presentation by Tereora College guidance counsellor Thomas Wynne.

The conference re-opens this morning with a speech by Maru Naria Mariri and a number of presentations relating to health Karen Tairea of the Ministry of Health will go over healthy living and Lycee Teiotu of Rarotonga Hospital will talk about safe motherhood. Cook Islands Family and Welfare Association has also prepared a talk about young motherhood.

After morning tea, Ana File of the Ministry of Health will speak about unhealthy behaviour, Rebecca Ellis-Hosking of the Cook Islands Police will touch on domestic violence and Maine Tangatapoto of the Creative Centre will discuss Meals on Wheels and caring for the elderly.

The National Youth Awards will be announced from 6pm at Crown Beach. Winners will be recognised for their voluntary work in the community.

Tomorrow the final day of the conference CINYC will elect office bearers for the 2011-2013 term. The conference is being held at New Hope Hall.

The youth of the Cook Islands want to change the world but theyre starting with their own islands.

Change Our World is the theme of this years National Youth Conference, which kicked off on Monday evening with a brief opening ceremony.

Yesterday morning youth from Rarotonga, Mauke, Atiu, Aitutaki, Mangaia and Mitiaro delved right into prickly issues like youth policy, education, at-risk adolescents and counselling in schools.

Cook Islands National Youth Council (CINYC) president Nukutau Pokura gave a brief overview of CINYCs activity since 2008, when the last conference was held. Vania Kenning of the youth social development division of Internal Affairs moderated a session about Cook Islands youth policy during which some members pleaded for the council not to forget about outer islands youth.

After morning tea, Ashley Wichman of Lend A Hand Foundation (LEAF) talked about her foundations vision, and Porter Pokura of Rakei Toa gave a breakdown of activity-based learning and alternative education.

Following was a presentation by Tereora College guidance counsellor Thomas Wynne.

The conference re-opens this morning with a speech by Maru Naria Mariri and a number of presentations relating to health Karen Tairea of the Ministry of Health will go over healthy living and Lycee Teiotu of Rarotonga Hospital will talk about safe motherhood. Cook Islands Family and Welfare Association has also prepared a talk about young motherhood.

After morning tea, Ana File of the Ministry of Health will speak about unhealthy behaviour, Rebecca Ellis-Hosking of the Cook Islands Police will touch on domestic violence and Maine Tangatapoto of the Creative Centre will discuss Meals on Wheels and caring for the elderly.

The National Youth Awards will be announced from 6pm at Crown Beach. Winners will be recognised for their voluntary work in the community.

Tomorrow the final day of the conference CINYC will elect office bearers for the 2011-2013 term. The conference is being held at New Hope Hall.

• Rachel ReevesRachel Reeves

Tonight sees the last round of the Edgewater mid-week championship with some very exciting encounters.

In the Open 1 Division, Matavera will be looking to finish on a high when they host Avana 1 at the Takitumu field.

Avanas Enua Peyroux and Margaret Simiona will need to lift their games to upset the Hot Eyes, with Simionas bowling sure to come to the fore.

Takuvaine will come out with all guns blazing when they meet Turangi at Nukupure Park. A win for Turangi will secure the Open 1 title so look to Grace Rea and Ina Willie to direct the Turangi girls around the field and cause some headaches for the women from the valley.

In the Open 2 Division, Titikaveka will need to do the business against ANZ Chickadees to sign, seal and deliver their Open 2 Title. ANZs Jean Akavi will certainly be a danger with her explosive batting.The Titan Girls will have home advantage and also boast the Matenga factor, with mother Margaret and daughters Luciana and Kara who will be in great form and rearing to go.

Turangi 2 host Avatiu Nikao at the Oval with Avatiu Nikao looking for their first points of the competition. Next week sees the start of the second instalment of the Edgewater mid-week competitions in the Open 1 and Open 2 with draws due out by the end of the week.

All games today start at 5pm sharp. To see the points table, turn to p11.

Tonight sees the last round of the Edgewater mid-week championship with some very exciting encounters.

In the Open 1 Division, Matavera will be looking to finish on a high when they host Avana 1 at the Takitumu field.

Avanas Enua Peyroux and Margaret Simiona will need to lift their games to upset the Hot Eyes, with Simionas bowling sure to come to the fore.

Takuvaine will come out with all guns blazing when they meet Turangi at Nukupure Park. A win for Turangi will secure the Open 1 title so look to Grace Rea and Ina Willie to direct the Turangi girls around the field and cause some headaches for the women from the valley.

In the Open 2 Division, Titikaveka will need to do the business against ANZ Chickadees to sign, seal and deliver their Open 2 Title. ANZs Jean Akavi will certainly be a danger with her explosive batting.The Titan Girls will have home advantage and also boast the Matenga factor, with mother Margaret and daughters Luciana and Kara who will be in great form and rearing to go.

Turangi 2 host Avatiu Nikao at the Oval with Avatiu Nikao looking for their first points of the competition. Next week sees the start of the second instalment of the Edgewater mid-week competitions in the Open 1 and Open 2 with draws due out by the end of the week.

All games today start at 5pm sharp. To see the points table, turn to p11.

• Cook Islands Cricket

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