|
Welcome party for Drysdale
Illegal resident ‘one-off’ case
Scam suspect caught by police
Partial solar eclipse
Rape case suppression lifted
Cook Islander awarded for oceans work
Suspect still under question
Senior public servant named
Purse seining pact extended
Fish farm training
Pregnant woman sentenced for theft
Dean goes to prison
TCI ‘most affordable’ in Pacific
Truck cost?
Fruit fly fear
Becoming Kiwis
World superpowers investigate Cooks
No conflict, says board chairman
Welcome party for Drysdale
Thu
9 May
New Zealand High Commissioner John Carter, Olympic bronze medallist Juliette Haigh, Fire Service chief Nga Jessie, Olympic gold medallist Mahe Drysdale and Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee president Hugh Graham in Rarotonga International Airport’s VIP lounge yesterday afternoon.
Drysdale and his fiancee Haigh are in Rarotonga until Saturday at the invitation of Cook Islands Red Cross. Drysdale was the keynote speaker at the charity’s fundraiser at the National Auditorium last night.
Related article(s):
Rowing champ helps charity
Illegal resident ‘one-off’ case
Thu
9 May
A tourist made infamous by his unusual departure attempt from Rarotonga has been granted permission to work in Rarotonga to raise his return airfares.
Binjamin Nachshon, a 47-year-old Israeli national with a German passport, was discovered on October 14 floating in the sea off Avarua fully-clothed, clutching a buoy and a backpack.
The man had waded into the sea after his three-month tourist visa expired that day, with equipment such as a drinking straw, zip-lock bags with two mobile phones, a laptop, personal papers – but no passport.
Despite refusing assistance from concerned boaties, he was eventually hauled on board a fishing charter and returned to shore.
While the German Embassy helped with getting Nachshon a new passport, they will not cough up for his flights out of Rarotonga, saying they do not have a legal obligation to assist financially.
“Unfortunately, Binjamin does not have the funds to leave. The last thing we want is for the government or taxpayer to pay,” says acting secretary of Immigration Vasie Poila.
When Cook Islands General Transport approached Immigration and said they were interested in employing Nachshon for his electrical engineering skills, Poila made a judgment call.
She has allowed Nachshon – whose official status is illegal resident – to work in the Cook Islands for this business in order to get enough money together for his airfare back to Germany and to have some money on him once he gets there.
Poila says this arrangement is “constantly under review” and she believes Nachshon will be out of the country by the end of the year, if not mid-year.
The employer had to comply with all the usual medical and police checks on the man. He has a clean police record from Taiwan, where he lived previously.
Poila stresses this case is an exception and hopes others do not get the idea that the Cook Islands is a soft touch.
“We are stuck between a rock and a hard place with this case. But we will not be making special consideration for those who want to reside in the Cook Islands without any legal standing to do so.”
However, she says the Cooks do not have the budget to spend on border protection that other countries do. New Zealand and Australia spend millions each year keeping unwanted people out.
CI News sought out Nachshon to tell his side of the story. His employer Malcolm Sword directed enquiries to Matariki FM director William Framhein, who is acting as Nachshon’s spokesman.
Framhein said Nachshon is not comfortable talking to CI News as he is a “very private person”.
Framhein then said he is sponsoring Nachshon, as he has “special talents” in electronics, electronic engineering, invention and science and he would like to see the man train young Cook Islanders in these areas.
He is helping Nachshon with his immigration documentation requirements which he hoped would be completed and handed to Poila by today.
Nachshon is currently working to clear a small debt, said Framhein.
Poila could not be contacted to discuss the sponsorship application.
Scam suspect caught by police
Thu
9 May
A man suspected of operating a scam and of trying to advertise pornographic movies was found by police yesterday afternoon.
The man, who identified himself as ‘Nick Jay’ attempted to place an advertisement in Cook Islands News that read: ‘Adult packs now available only at Muri Outlet. Buy and win $50 shopping voucher.’
Police were told by operators of Muri Outlet that the man had asked to sell the movies in the store and was immediately turned down.
The same man had previously put several advertisements in Cook Islands News, including one that read ‘Two rooms available, fully furnished, $130 each’, which ran in the paper on May 1, 2 and 3. An advertisement for the house has also been found on website craigslist.org, which was placed in a section for Auckland housing on April 9.
Patricia Barton answered the advertisement for the room for rent, and subsequently paid $390 – the first three weeks as a bond – to a man who called himself Jay Michaels – the same man who identified himself to Cook Islands News as ‘Nick Jay’. While the man’s real name has not yet been released by police, it is understood the names he was using are fake.
Barton laid a complaint with police on Tuesday after spending days trying to contact the man about getting keys for the house she had signed up to rent for a colleague. She since discovered ‘Jay’ does not own the house or have authority to rent it.
Inspector John Strickland said the man was picked up from Ngatangiia yesterday afternoon and taken to police headquarters for questioning.
Barton said she is happy the man was in police custody, and she hopes to eventually get her money back.
“I’m very happy they were able to get this guy. This teaches everyone a really valuable lesson.
“I’d like the money back, but I also want everyone to be aware of this guy so he doesn’t do it to anyone else,” she said.
Partial solar eclipse
Thu
9 May
If it gets a little darker than normal this afternoon then blame it on the moon.
The East coast of Australia, most of New Zealand and large swathes of the Pacific Ocean will see a partial solar eclipse. For a lucky few this will be an annular eclipse whereby the moon almost covers the sun leaving a bright ring around the dark moon.
Here in Rarotonga the moon will only cover about 31 per cent of the sun at maximum eclipse at about 3.31pm. In the far north island of Penrhyn, about 63 per cent of the sun will be covered.
One of the best ways to view the eclipse -- to avoid damage to the eyes from looking directly at the sun -- is to look through two blank CDs held together.
Rape case suppression lifted
Fri
10 May
|
|
Puai and Teokatai Wichman deny the charges against them.
11011468
|
A presiding judge said she saw no reason to continue the name suppression of a married couple accused of rape and indecent assault.
Puai and Teokotai Wichman first appeared in court on April 29 before Justice of the Peace John Kenning, who granted suppression of names, charges and details surrounding the charges. Defence lawyer Tim Arnold had argued the couple have the right to defend the charges without any pre-judgment through “salacious” talk in the community.
In the High Court yesterday Justice Judith Potter said she carefully considered the matter but decided nothing in the case’s circumstances justify the suppression orders to continue.
Local gym owner and lawyer Puai Wichman is charged with raping a woman on December 18. From that same day he faces two indecent assault charges on the same woman but during different incidents.
Teokotai Wichman is charged with rape as a party and indecently assaulting the same woman, who is currently living in Australia but will return to Rarotonga to give evidence at trial.
The couple have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Arnold said the matter is not yet ready for trial and there may be further witness statements or toxicology reports done.
He is not going to represent the pair at trial and advised them to get a criminal lawyer from New Zealand. Simitiva Perese has indicated he would take the case on.
The defendants’ passports were surrendered to the court last week. Arnold said Puai Wichman has pre-planned business travel between May 11 and 20. Crown consented to having the passport released for this purpose only, and Potter allowed it.
While Crown opposed the name suppression and detail suppression, Arnold asked for continued suppression of name, at least until the parties choose how to be tried. They have currently elected a jury trial but this may change.
Arnold said various accounts of what happened have already circulated the Rarotongan community through the “coconut wireless”.
This has already caused embarrassment to the defendants, he said, and publishing the names of his clients will “fan the flames of scurrilous gossip”.
Arnold was worried this talk will be heard by potential jurors and witnesses and may jeopardise his clients’ constitutional right to a fair trial.
People standing accused to a crime have a right to silence. “But in this part of the world it is not usual to own up or talk about it if you have done wrong, the usual thing is to stay silent and hang your head in shame,” said Arnold.
So if his clients are named and do not say anything to others, this will also be commented on in the community, he said.
Crown lawyer Cheryl King said the courts must be careful not to create a special category of high profile business people in the community who can enjoy name suppression while others cannot.
“Name suppression is the exception, not the rule, and should be used sparingly and with caution.”
While there must be a fair trial, there must also be open justice. The right for public to know and the right for media to report names are important, said King.
Potter said it was relevant to note much speculation in the community has already taken place.
“While Mr Arnold is correct that publication of names will fan the discourse that has taken place, in circumstances where the situation is already out there in the public there is good reason why suppression of names should be discontinued.”
Lawyers estimated the case would take five to six days for trial, likely to be in September. The Wichmans must appear for call-over on July 24.
Cook Islander awarded for oceans work
Fri
10 May
|
|
Dr Takiora Ingram has been recognised in the United States for her contribution to ocean conservation work.
13050928
|
A Cook Islander has been recognised for her significant contribution to marine resource conservation.
United States-based Dr Takiora Ingram was recently acknowledged for her outstanding co-ordination efforts over the last eight years as executive director of the US All Islands Coral Reef Committee.
Award presenters were US Fish, Wildlife and Parks deputy assistant secretary Eileen Sobeck and US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries assistant administrator Eric Schwaab.
They paid tribute to Takiora for her leadership and many contributions to steering committees, climate change,
and educational outreach working groups.
Ingram is the Hazards, Climate and Environment Programme associate director at the Social Science Research Institute of the University of Hawaii.
She has also recently taken up a new role as Pacific Regional Ocean Partnership (PROP) co-ordinator.
PROP was established by the governors of Hawaii, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas and Guam to effectively manage healthy and productive ocean and coastal waters in the US Pacific region.
It promotes sustainable management of coastal and ocean resources to support these jurisdictions co-ordinate with
federal agencies and other stakeholders.
Ingram is believed to be the only Cook Islander working for the US federal government.
She has extensive experience as a marine resource manager and climate change and marine policy specialist. She is also a member of the Global Partnership for the Oceans Working Group (World Bank) and the US Coral Reef Taskforce steering committee.
In her previous position at the State of Hawaii as a senior marine policy specialist, she helped designate the north-western Hawaiian Islands as the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.
This was subsequently listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Suspect still under question
Fri
10 May
A man suspected of operating a scam and of trying to advertise pornographic movies was still in police custody yesterday.
The man, who has previously identified himself as ‘Nick Jay’ and ‘Jay Michaels’, was picked up by police on Wednesday after a complaint was laid against him for taking $390 in bond money for a rental property that it was later discovered he did not own or manage.
Cook Islands News also notified police on Tuesday that the same man had tried to place an advertisement for what are believed to be pornographic movies. Senior sergeant Ta’a Tereapii said the man was questioned by police on Wednesday and was still in police custody on Thursday, awaiting further questioning.
Senior public servant named
Sat
11 May
THE NAME suppression of a senior public servant accused of injuring his wife with intent has been lifted by Justice Judith Potter, who found no compelling reason not to.
Clerk of parliament Tupuna Rakanui has pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.
He received name suppression from Justice of the Peace Tauei Solomon on April 15. On Wednesday, Crown appealed the name suppression on the principal of open justice.
“There is a right for the public to know what is happening in the courts,” said lawyer Martha Henry.
Name suppression should be used sparingly as it may cause suspicion to be thrown on others.
Publishing the name allows the public to choose for themselves whether they want to associate with that person, said Henry.
Crown acknowledged that it is usual for some distress, embarrassment and adverse personal circumstances to result from criminal proceedings. Henry said the damage to Rakanui’s name is disproportionate to the need for the public to know it.
The fact it is a private, domestic dispute, and that he and his wife have reconciled are not grounds where name suppression should be granted, she said. Neither is his senior government position.
Norman George placed considerable signifi cance on his submission that the prosecution is unlikely to succeed.
“From the beginning there was no complain of assault form the defendant’s wife. Someone else filed the complaint.” The wife, who George said allegedly received a single punch to the nose, has said she will not testify against her husband.
“Pressure has been put on his wife to testify, but she has decided her marriage is stronger than their argument.”
When the matter was fi rst investigated it was treated as common assault on a female. “Police have now laid the more serious charge of injuring with intent, which appears to be laid to get around the lack of willingness to testify,” said George.
George said he asked for name suppression as there has been public interest in the case already. He believed Crown was trying to get name released to make an example of the man before trial. He submitted the respondent is suffering over the incident and has taken long leave from work.
The couple’s standing in the church and community should be taken into account, as both will become victims as publication of Rakanui’s name will identify his wife, said George.
“Mr Rakanui should be allowed to correct himself without suffering the social consequences of gossip in a small community.”
The judge reserved her decision as she wanted to give the matter some thought. She issued a written judgment on Friday afternoon, which said while she recognises the distressing impact having his name published will have on him, the court must be cautious not to grant name suppression because of a person’s seniority in the community.
His right to a fair trial is not affected as the judge will direct the jury to put all prior knowledge or prejudice out of their mind, as is the case in any criminal trial, said Potter. - CS
Purse seining pact extended
Sat
11 May
THE FISHERIES agreement with the United States which grants purse seiners the right to fi sh in Cook Islands waters without licence has been re-signed.
Cook Islands delegates to the 11th renegotiation session have signed a transitional arrangement for the US Fisheries Treaty to continue for a further 18 months.
An agreed payment of US$93 million ($112 million) is to be provided by the US to Pacific Islands parties for the interim period. Fifteen per cent of this amount will be shared equally amongst members and the rest according to catches.
Purse seiners started working in the Cooks in 1988 under this treaty, which allows 40 vessels to operate within 17 Pacifi c country’s waters. The total catch since then is over 9500 tonnes.
The delegation was led by Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) senior adviser Mike Mitchell and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration’s Carl Hunter.
The Pacific Islands parties and the US did not conclude a new multilateral fi sheries treaty, but made significant progress in resolving outstanding issues.
The existing treaty concludes next month so a transitional agreement was agreed to. There will be another session to finalise the details of the treaty. The US will continue to fi sh in the treaty area, which includes the Cooks, minus the two western high seas pockets, until the end of December next year.
The Cooks made key contributions to the negotiations. The delegates emphasised decisions made at the Forum Leaders meeting in Rarotonga last year and the Pacifi c Asia-Caribbean-Pacific Leaders meeting in Port Moresby for a treaty to be concluded.
In the days before the negotiation session there was an exchange of letters between Prime Minister Henry Puna as Forum chair and US Secretary of State John Kerry to reaffi rm the commitment and positions of the two parties. MMR secretary Ben Ponia leaves for Honiara today to attend the annual Forum Fisheries Association meeting and to meet with Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) officials.
He will discuss terms of access for the US fleet to the Cook Islands using the PNA Vessel Day Scheme arrangement, which pays between $5000 and $8000 a day.
- Release/CS
Fish farm training
Mon
13 May
|
|
Food and Agriculture Organisation tilapia expert John Eric Bosco is giving training in Rarotonga next week.
13051031
|
The Ministry of Marine Resources is organising a three-day training for tilapia fish farmers from Tuesday.
The trainer is John Eric Bosco, a Filipino tilapia expert from Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Bosco visited the Cook Islands in 2010 and compiled an assessment for tilapia farming opportunities amongst the southern group islands.
The training will take place at the Titikaveka aquaponic facility Te Raurau Kaingavai.
The focus will be on Rarotonga participants as well as a MMR officer from Aitutaki. The target is small to medium scale fish farms or aquaponic systems, with the aim to make a profit.
The training was co-ordinated by the FAO fisheries officer in Samoa, Maza Izumi.
The focus on tilapia was due to successful harvests and sales at the aquaponic facility. The owner requested that MMR provide some specialist support to focus on tilapia as a way to diversify the products coming out of the facility.
Specific technical areas will centre on establishing composition of fish per pond or tank, spawning protocol, feed formulation using cheap and locally available ingredients, feeding ratio and monitoring or harvesting procedures. There will also be an opportunity for participants to work on a business plan, and how to maintain fish quality and market stock for sale.
MMR says there are limited spaces available and those interested in the training should contact the ministry’s Sonny Tatuava or Lynnsay Rongokea at Te Raurau Kaingavai for more information.
Pregnant woman sentenced for theft
Mon
13 May
Justice Judith Potter sentenced the woman on Friday found guilty by jury last week for stealing pearl pendants from her employer.
Twelve jurors found Tipora Maihia guilty of theft as a servant, which has a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Over three months in 2011, the saleswoman stole 14 pearl pendants from her employer Farm Direct Pearls, at the value of $5000.
Twenty-five-year-old Maihia is six months pregnant with her second child. Both prosecution and defence lawyers alluded to this in their sentencing submissions.
Crown lawyer Martha Henry compared Maihia’s case to a number of other similar cases, where on appeal the prison sentences were reduced due to mothers’ inability to look after their children while imprisoned.But she said the judge must sentence to deter others from committing the same crime. “She should be held accountable for her actions.”
Henry said Maihia breached the trust of her employers Farm Direct Pearls, who she worked for between November 8, 2010 and March 12, 2011.
FDP owner Leslie Okotai has found the last two years a daunting and stressful time, said Henry, and co-owner Temu Okotai is disappointed and embarrassed as the defendant is a relative of his. They both want to move on with their life.
Previous court decisions show pregnancy or immediate birth does not affect a custodial sentence, although it may have an impact on the time spent in prison.
Henry said the offending warrants a year in prison but if the court does lean towards a reduction of prison time, two to three months would be appropriate – so nine to 10 months in prison is the appropriate term.
Defence lawyer Norman George said this is too harsh.
While Maihia denied the charge so is not eligible for a sentence discount for an early guilty plea, George said Maihia accepts the verdict of the jury and now looks to the court for a “merciful and fair” sentence.
She has no previous convictions and George said her “pleasant personality” meant she found a job quickly as a receptionist after being dismissed. He said it was her resourcefulness that led her to set up a market stall, from which she also sold pearls sent by her father from her home island of Manihiki.
She comes from a Catholic family and “will live her life in deep shame”, said George. “Her life will be tarnished by the conviction.”
Character references, including from Catholic bishop Paul Donahue and MP Tekii Lazaro, said she was respectful, hardworking and a committed Christian.
George asked the court take a humanitarian approach and just order a substantial fine instead of prison or probation. He said this will allow her to travel to Perth to visit her partner before June, after which she will be too pregnant. George said the accused offers her “deep apologies” to her uncle and aunt, and will try to repair the broken family ties.
Potter said the charge is serious, because of the obvious breach of trust involved when an employee steals from an employer. This aggravates the case.
However, she is a first-time offender and has a good reputation within the community. “On the basis of these character references, this offending was out of character.”
Potter decided not to impose a prison sentence. “I consider it appropriate Miss Maihia serves the sentence in the community where she offended.” She was sentenced to18 months’ probation and must attend any workshop ordered by Probation Services. She must also pay $30 court costs.
The pearl pendants are in police custody and are to be returned to the Okotais.
Dean goes to prison
Mon
13 May
A repeat offender was sent to prison for receiving a stolen camera, possessing a bong and breaching probation and community service conditions.
Putere Dean, 27, pleaded guilty to all six charges.
Crown lawyer Cheryl King said during April, the defendant was given a black camera by a friend and told to sell it. He did not because he suspected it as being stolen as he knew his friend could not afford the camera, worth around $1600. But he kept it for his own use and told police he did not call them as he did not have a phone.
A police search of his house in April returned a bong used to smoke cannabis.
Both receiving and possessing utensil charges get a maximum of five years in prison.
King said while drug offending is a serious problem in the community, the offending in this case is at the lower end of the scale.
She recommended six to nine months in prison for his offending. She said Dean is a recidivist offender and probation does nothing to deter him – as shown by the amount of times he has breached his conditions of probation.
He was last sentenced to an 18 months’ probation term for burglary in August last year. During April, Dean breached this probation sentence and failed to show up to community service three times. Probation Services recommended he be put in prison for six months.
Dean’s lawyer Wilkie Rasmussen agreed the man had a long history of offending and hoped the man will receive rehabilitation in prison to help him break the cycle. He said the man has an unfortunate background, “turning up” in Rarotonga in 2005 without any sort of parental support.
Rasmussen said the man is a good rugby league player which he should put his efforts into instead of offending.
He said a number of people in the community, including a prison officer, have tried to help turn him around, but it does not seem to have worked.
The early guilty plea and his youth were mitigating factors. Rasmussen said many young men only seem to mature around the age of 35. “One in particular burnt down important buildings in the centre of town and now of course he’s a member of parliament,” he said, referring to George Maggie’s infamous courthouse arson.
“A meteoric rise,” said Justice Judith Potter. “I’ll come across when Mr Dean is sworn into parliament.”
She noted this is Dean’s 11th time being sentenced by the courts. “This is a sad background. No judge wants to send someone to jail, but there is nothing else I can do for you.”
She told him to reflect on his life while in prison as he still had a chance to turn it around. There was support for him within the community but he must not reject that help, she said.
“You can’t just continue being difficult and not respecting the law of this country and the assistance of those that want to help you.”
On the receiving charge Dean received eight months in prison, for the drugs two months, and for each breach of probation four months. All sentences are to be served at the same time, meaning eight months is the maximum he will stay in prison.
TCI ‘most affordable’ in Pacific
Tue
14 May
|
|
Telecom staff react positively to a report showing Cook Islands leads Pacific nations in telecommunications affordability. 5
130513115
|
The Cook Islands has the most affordable telecommunication services among Pacific nations, according to a report released Monday by Telecom Cook Islands.
“Today we’ve achieved a milestone in price affordability,” said Jules Maher, Telecom Cook Islands chief executive officer.
The study was undertaken by New Zealand-based telecommunications consultancy, Network Strategies.
“We are now the most affordable amongst broadband and mobile pricing among the 12 other pacific nations that are compared in this study,” he said.
At an event at Telecom headquarters, Maher highlighted mobile services, SMS use, prepaid use, high-level use, light-level data, low-level data, and mobile data as categories where the Cook Islands is leading in affordability.
“We’re over the moon, because this hasn’t come about from chance,” said Maher, who arrived at Telecom in late 2009.
“It’s something we’ve been working on for a number of years to compare ourselves to other Pacific island nations and to get ourselves improved with our pricing, with the value were giving our customers, and giving better services.”
According to an earlier 2010 Network Strategies report, the Cook Islands previously ranked sixth for most affordable for low-volume mobile use and fifth for high volume mobile use among 12 Pacific island nations compared.
Improving telecommunications is vital to economic growth, said Maher. He cited a study by the UK-based GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communication) that found increasing mobile penetration by 10 per cent “increases productivity by 4.2 percentage points in developing countries.”
Comparisons to Australia and New Zealand aren’t particularly fair, said Maher, as the Cooks are geographically isolated and the populations are quite different. But the company vows to continue to strive towards greater telecommunications affordability.
“We’re not resting on our laurels with this. We want to get better again.”
New equipment called O3b which is designed to deliver faster broadband, should be operational by October, said Maher, with additional service announcements to come at a later date.
Truck cost?
Tue
14 May
Concerns that taxpayers have forked out for a new ministerial vehicle worth nearly $100,000 are incorrect, says the minister’s chief executive.
Infrastructure Minister Teariki Heather was granted a new Ford Ranger pick-up truck for work purposes at the start of the year. Members of the public recently contacted CI News concerned it may have cost around $98,000.
Heather’s chief executive Ben Mose says this is incorrect. He cannot remember the exact figure but said the vehicle cost around $50,000.
Mose said he followed process and had to submit quotes “just like any other government vehicle” to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM). It approved the spending and he referred CI News there to get confirmation on the price.
But MFEM would not release the figure unless the Official Information Act was cited. A request under the act has subsequently been made to the financial secretary.
Prices of a new Ford Ranger in New Zealand sit at around $65,000.
Mose said the minister needs a four-wheel drive to get around to off-road infrastructure projects.
“Before that he was riding his motorbike for the last year and a half. He was the only cabinet member on a motorbike. It was getting a bit ridiculous.”
Heather also has a leg disability and needs an automatic vehicle, he said.
Fruit fly fear
Tue
14 May
|
|
13051032
|
Hundreds of traps have been set to catch and stop the spread of a new fruit fly to Rarotonga, the Oriental fruit fly, discovered by agriculture officers last Wednesday.
Secretary of Agriculture Mat Purea holds up samples of the fruit flies discovered in traps in the village of Tupapa when agriculture officers conducted their monthly trap checks across the island. The fruit fly is very destructive to fruit and attacks ripe pawpaw, avocado and bananas.
It also attacks fruit such as coffee, passionfruit, pineapples and tomatoes -- the pests are currently found in Tahiti, Hawaii, the Marianas and many countries through South East Asia.
The female Oriental fruit fly can lay up to 3000 eggs which take 16 days to develop from eggs to adult.
Since the discovery of the destructive pests – an action plan to stop it spreading across the island was put into place which included hundreds of traps being laid in the area the fruit fly was discovered on Friday.
The Ministry of Agriculture is asking the public to co-operate with their efforts to contain the spread of the oriental fruit fly by allowing officers on your property to lay traps and to report if you discover the invasive pests on your fruit trees.
Becoming Kiwis
Wed
15 May
|
|
Leonie Carter (left) and Rainui Marsters were beaming with joy when they gained New Zealand citizenship yesterday. The ceremony saw New Zealand High Commissioner John Carter present his Australian-born wife Leonie with her citizenship papers – followed by a bouquet of flowers. Masters was also thrilled to receive citizenship, which he celebrated with family members who live in the Cooks. Turn to page 7 and 8 for more on the happy occasion.
13051416
|
Leonie Carter (left) and Rainui Marsters were beaming with joy when they gained New Zealand citizenship yesterday. The ceremony saw New Zealand High Commissioner John Carter present his Australian-born wife Leonie with her citizenship papers – followed by a bouquet of flowers. Masters was also thrilled to receive citizenship, which he celebrated with family members who live in the Cooks. Turn to page 7 and 8 for more on the happy occasion. 13051416
Related article(s):
High Commissioner makes wife a Kiwi
World superpowers investigate Cooks
Wed
15 May
The United Kingdom, the United States and Australia are working together to investigate tax data, including the files leaked to an international body of investigative journalists.
The three countries hope to reveal details of tax evaders using offshore tax jurisdictions such as the Cook Islands.
Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in the UK is working with the US Internal Revenue Service and the Australian Tax Authority to analyse 400GB of data.
This includes the 260 GB of data brought to light by an International Consortium of Journalists (ICIJ) investigation – more than 160 times larger than the leak of US State Department documents by Wikileaks three years ago.
HMRC said it has gathered even more data – which may take some time to sift through – but has issued a statement warning UK residents who use offshore structure to review their taxation arrangements.
So far more than 100 UK residents have been identified as using companies and trusts in a number of global territories including the Cooks, Singapore, and the British Virgin Islands – and HMRC said a number of those individuals are already under investigation for offshore tax evasion. The British tax office statement also said the data exposes information that may be shared with other tax administrations “as part of the global fight against tax evasion”.
While the use of trusts and companies are a legitimate and legal way of organising financial and business affairs, a criticism of the industry is that it too easily allows secrecy.
NZ investigative journalist Nicky Hager was part of the initial ICIJ investigation, and has said to Cook Islands News that one importance of the information coming to light is to allow ordinary Cook Islanders to check for themselves who the tax haven clients are, and
what they are doing with their Cook Islands trusts and companies.
“The difficulty for Cook Islanders is that they usually only ever hear about the tax haven issues from the people who have a vested interest in defending the industry. This isn’t surprising. It is hard for anyone else to discuss it for the simple reason that it is all so secret.”
Financial Services Development Authority Jenner Davis has said the idea of secrecy in today’s world is not the case and while the Cook Islands aims to protect privacy there are still regulatory bodies that oversee accounts.
There are two bodies that oversee the six trustee companies in the Cook Islands – the Financial Supervisory Commission and the Financial Investigation Unit.
No conflict, says board chairman
Wed
15 May
|
|
Tourism board members, standing left to right, are Robert Skews, Teura Pirangi, Stephen Doherty, Tourism minister Teina Bishop, chairman Ewan Smith, Teresa Manarangi-Trott, Emile Kairua and Ben Bergman. Seated are Tourism CEO Halatoa Fua and former member Thomas Koteka.
13050709
|
There is no conflict of interest in a new tourism board member being the mother-in-law of the tourism corporation’s chief executive, says the board’s chairman Ewan Smith.
Newly-appointed Tourism Board of Directors member Teura ‘Tutu’ Pirangi is the mother of Tourism Corporation chief executive Halatoa Fua’s wife Anne Herman-Fua.
She was appointed to the position last week by Tourism Minister Teina Bishop, who is in Tonga and cannot be reached for comment.
Smith says Pirangi was appointed not as Fua’s relative, but as an experienced businesswoman who has done a lot for the tourism industry here.
Pirangi owns popular Arorangi tourist venture Highland Paradise.
The Cook Islands is a small community and many people are related to each other, says Smith. “If you look at it that way, there are conflicts of interest everywhere.”
Fua is in Fiji for a South Pacific Tourism Organisation board meeting. He replied by email to questions about whether he saw any conflict of interest apparent in the appointment.
“The board strictly follows a board manual and guideline that clearly stipulates their roles and responsibilities. The corporation has a broad management structure that leverages private sector market intelligence and provides management oversight through its respective committees.”
Other board members are Edgewater Resort & Spa director of sales and marketing Emile Kairua, Chamber of Commerce president Teresa Manarangi-Trott, Ben Bergman of Bergman & Sons, Turama Pacific Travel Group director Robert Skews, Island Hopper Vacations sales and marketing manager Stephen Doherty. Smith says it does not matter that Skews and Doherty are from the same parent company. The role of the board is not to represent companies, but the tourism interests of the country as a whole, he says.
Doherty sits on the board to represent Aitutaki and Atiu.
|
