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HOM jobs up for grabs
Over 200 get free health check
Aitutaki Grey Power set up
Lead tutors sought for institute
Funding helps disability services dream big
Judge says law needs updating
Tree planting to celebrate nursing
Food stolen from Avarua shops
Cabinet discuss budget recommendations
Communication skills for life
New teachers get appointed
Fay hopes to find friend
Henry family history traced
Meeting to better USP quality
Opposition leader supports MP’s criticism
Crews filming this week
Giant screen shipped in
Australian vets help out
Trainees aboard for Picton Castle
$19K for Red Cross charity fundraiser
Cook Islands Police launch website
High Commissioner makes wife a Kiwi
Tahitian flight attendant gains NZ citizenship
Heavy swells warning for Cooks
Patrol boat on dental mission
Bank manager turned business mentor
Bush fire put out by residents
HOM jobs up for grabs
Thu
9 May
The top jobs at four government ministries are up for grabs – but be in quick, the deadline is tomorrow.
The secretary position at the Ministries of Marine Resources (MMR), Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI), Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP) and the chief executive of the Office of the Public Service Commissioner (OPSC) are all being advertised as the incumbents have come to the end of their two year contracts.
The incumbents may re-apply to the public service commissioner for the position, which is appointed by the prime minister and cabinet on selection panel recommendations.
Currently in the MOIP head of ministry (HOM) position is Mac Mokoroa. He was appointed as acting secretary in December after Donye Numa was suspended permanently over performance issues.
Over the next two years, the successful MOIP secretary must complete the five-year Infrastructure Master Plan 2013- 2018, and co-ordinate stakeholders to implement the waste and sanitation programme.
They must also successfully implement the water upgrade programme and propose a strategy to cabinet to address issues highlighted in the latest Audit report on the ministry.
The current MMR secretary is Ben Ponia. Over the next two years the successful secretary must develop a comprehensive set of fisheries management plans, policies for high seas fishing, designated fisheries, and auxiliary fishing vessels.
They must develop a marine strategy for supporting onshore commercial developments to extract economic benefits from offshore fisheries and other marine resources. Appropriate legislation and management plans for the country’s marine resources must be put in place.
Their role also includes implementing a communication framework that will significantly improve transparency in decision-making on marine resource matters
The MFAI current secretary is Jim Gosselin. Over the next two years, the successful candidate must review the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Act 1984 and develop and implement a national trade policy.
They must also provide policy advice to assist government in its endeavours to gain full membership with international organisations including the United Nations, Commonwealth, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
The current chief executive of the OPSM is Priscilla Maruariki. The successful applicant must develop the Public Service Strategy 2013-2023 towards achieving the public
service vision of public service excellence.
They must supporting the commissioner in reviewing the machinery of government and help develop a robust performance management and leadership framework for all departments and Crown agencies.
The term of employment for all four positions starts July 1 and runs until end of June 2015.
Over 200 get free health check
Thu
9 May
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People lined up to have their height and weight measured.
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Blood sugar levels were measured with a pinprick of blood.
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Nurses provided free health checks to more than 200 people yesterday, as part of International Nurses Week.
Around 15 staff from the Cook Islands Nurses Association volunteered their time to checking people’s height, weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels in Avarua between 8.30am and 2pm.
Those who were tested were immediately told the results of their check. If any findings were of concern, they were referred to Dr Mareta Jacobs, who also came along to the event.
Nurse Teio Kea said 215 people turned up for the health checks, and less than 15 were referred to the doctor.
She said there was a flood of people who came to the event early in the day.
“A lot of people came in before they started work.”
International Nurses Week celebrates the hard work and achievements of nurses, and the positive impact they have on the community. CINA is also holding a tree planting ceremony on Friday at the Public Health offices in honour of the week.
Aitutaki Grey Power set up
Thu
9 May
An Aitutaki branch of the Cook Islands Grey Power has been launched by a pensioner who decided “enough is enough”.
The Aitutaki movement’s new secretary Teuira Ka called a public meeting on April 26 at Ngapuariki Hall in Arutanga.
He wanted to inform the island’s pensioners about the Grey Power movement in Rarotonga, including how it is structured with the executive and representatives from different regions.
“I made it clear with the attendees that our organisation is not in any shape or form aligned with any political party – we are a stand-alone entity, an independent organisation,” said Ka through a statement.
He was encouraged by the positive turnout. The executive was elected, covering the three regions of Nga-Vaitau, Amuri-Ureia, and Are-Nikau.
Boaza Ngaro Tau was elected as the Aitutaki chairman. He will be helped by Taraota Tom, plus two delegates from each region to keep Grey Power members informed.
The pensioners discussed the issues affecting them, including the expected amount each pensioner is supposed to be paying back to the tax office and how much the NZ paid pension actually contributes to the Cook Islands economy.
They discussed whether higher paid workers should pay more tax to alleviate shortfalls.
“In fact, France is proposing 75 per cent taxing on very high income earners, so we are not naive to suggest income over $200,000 per annum here in the Cook Islands should at least pay up to 50 per cent in tax,” said Ka.
He thinks the prime minister does not have a solution to the tax problem since he blamed the Democratic Party for failing to provide information when they were in power.
“The Demo government may have loaded the tax gun, but it took a Henry Puna-led CIP government to pull the trigger.”
But he noted Grey Power is dealing directly with Finance Minister Mark Brown’s office, and so far both parties are moving forward in a positive manner.
Ka said Grey Power is here to stay.
“The Cook Islands Grey Power is focused and is more determined to consider the welfare of our papas and our mamas, and all the people of the Cook Islands. Now that we have established ourselves in Rarotonga and Aitutaki, we will soon be introducing ourselves to the other outer islands as well.”
Once the pensioners have achieved their immediate goal, they ask for an increase to Cook Islands paid pensions and hope the same privilege will be applied to Australian paid pensioners as well, said Ka.
“It is not that straight forward, but it’s an attractive and interesting challenge for our organisation, and we’ll give it our best shot.
“Our people have been blind folded and mislead by a few for so long, the time has now come for us to say that enough is enough.”
Lead tutors sought for institute
Fri
10 May
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Jim Matheson, has been working in an advisory role for the Ministry of Education, including establishing the Cook Islands Tertiary Training Institute.
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The newly formed Cook Islands Tertiary Training Institute is moving ahead with the filling of the several lead roles in the institute.
Applications have closed for the role of director of the institute, with position to be announced late next week, says Ministry of Education advisor Jim Matheson.
The establishment of the CITTI was announced last month, with the institute set
to provide post-school education and training in the Cook Islands from the middle of this year.
Matheson says that they had a “very strong response” for the directors position, with applications received from Cook Islanders, and from New Zealand and Australia.
Positions for lead tutors are currently being advertised, for roles of quality assurance and new programme development, trades, and hospitality and tourism.
“Very important positions,” is how Matheson describes the roles. He says the roles are absolutely crucial looking forward to the institute opening, and he is expecting a number of strong applicants for the positions.
The hospitality and tourism role will lead the delivery of a range of tourism related courses including working with industry and employers.
Similarly the lead tutor for trades will lead the delivery of a range of trades related courses and ensure they are meeting the needs of local industry.
The quality assurance role will look to develop new programmes of learning to establish quality standards, along with accreditation and quality assurance policies and processes, and develop and manage employer based training programmes, and programmes for disengaged young people.
All the positions require teaching experience and qualifications, along with a minimum of five years experience in each specific area, including lead or head tutor roles within the appropriate industries.
Applications close on Tuesday May 21, with more information available at www.education.gov.ck.
Funding helps disability services dream big
Fri
10 May
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The National Disability Council’s Kevin Hosking (right) accepts the SIF funding from secretary of Internal Affairs Bredina Drollet (left) and SIF Board chairman Danny Vakapora.
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A fund of $495,000 will help keep disability services afloat in Rarotonga and the outer islands for the next three years.
The National Disability Council is one of five community organisations to receive long-term funding as part of the Social Impact Fund (SIF).
The organisation will receive $165,000 each year for three years.
The long-term funding will help the service grow, said National Disability Council co-ordinator Pat Farr.
“If you’ve only got funding for a year, it does limit your dreams in a way. But if you know you’ve got three years, you can do it,” said Farr.
“It means they can operate a really fantastic service. They know they can operate, and now they can focus on building the service. It just makes such a difference.”
While the original maximum allocation for the SIF was marked as $150,000 each year, the fund is contestable and the SIF board decided to award more money to the cause.
Farr said the figure is higher because it will fund six groups under the National Disability Council umbrella. These include the council itself on Rarotonga, and disability centres on Atiu, Mangaia, Mauke, Pukapuka and Aitutaki.
“There was no use in all the groups applying separately, and maybe only one would get funding. So we banded together under one proposal,” said Farr.
The money is from a part of the SIF called Programme Funding, which aims to provide core funding to organisations that provide a service to vulnerable groups.
The $165,000 fund will be put towards keeping the council and disability centres running – such as paying staff salaries, and covering expenses such as rent, electricity, phone and fuel for vehicles.
Farr said being able to pay staff helps ensure experienced workers are retained in the service.
The National Disability Council works closely with other disability service providers, such as Te Vaerua – who also received long-term funding through SIF – and the Creative Centre.
The Creative Centre received funding from the NZ Aid Programme until 2012, when the fund was replaced by the SIF. The school for adults with disabilities missed out on core funding through the SIF, in part because they receive some funding through the Ministry of Education.
Farr said she and the National Disability Council support the work of the Creative Centre.
“It’s a fantastic service. It’s good having a variety of services (for people with disabilities) because we can ensure no-one falls through the cracks,” she said.
Judge says law needs updating
Sat
11 May
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Justice Judith Potter believes Cook Islands family law needs to be updated.
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Justice Dame Judith Potter has just completed her first two-week sitting in the Cook Islands High Court and has enjoyed the experience.
It is her first visit as a judge to Rarotonga but she came for a holiday in 1994.
“I’ve been looking forward to coming back. Over the last 20 years things have moved on a lot, but it still has the charm of a small community with many interesting people as part of the community.”
“It’s wonderful that the sea and beautiful beaches are readily accessible by all. I’ve really enjoyed being warm – or too warm – these two weeks while New Zealand’s been having awful weather.”
Potter was appointed as a judge of the Cook Islands High Court in September last year after her retirement from the New Zealand High Court bench.
“It’s compulsory retirement at 70,” she says, with a shake of the head.
Potter has found the justice system largely the same as New Zealand’s, but in need of a legislation update.
“Many statutes in New Zealand have been updated but have not been changed in the Cooks. I’m going back to my experience as a young lawyer rather than 15 years as a judge on the high court bench.”
While Potter says she has not had enough experience with the Narcotics and Misuse of Drugs Act to make judgment on whether Cook Islands’ drug sentencing laws are outdated, she says there is a compelling case for family law statutes to be refreshed.
“In New Zealand, family law has moved on rapidly. In Rarotonga, the law is in a time warp.”
She noted the Internal Affairs children’s division is high quality.
“But the work of these people and lawyers who work in this area deserve updated legislation, as do members of the public who come to the courts for help.”
Potter points out the fundamental principles of honesty and integrity remain intact within the justice system.
While Potter turned 70 last August and has retired from the New Zealand courts, she is certainly not ready to slow down.
As well as sitting on the Cook Islands High Court and Court of Appeal, she sits on the Pitcairn Islands Court of Appeal, which last convened in Auckland.
She is part of a panel commissioned by the Anglican Church to look at same sex relationships.
She is also an independent assessor of Maori land claims brought under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act.
“I’m assessing evidence to see if there is a claim to be recognised. I’ll be spending lots of time on this over the next few months.”
The judge said she has enjoyed getting to know lawyers in the courtroom and the “hardworking” court staff during her two weeks in Rarotonga.
Potter presided over several high-profile cases in her 15 years at the New Zealand High Court, including the manslaughter of aspiring Maori leader Hawea Vercoe and the murder of Dunedin woman Sophie Elliot.
Last year, she also ruled police seizures of Kim Dotcom’s property illegal and awarded the internet tycoon monthly living expenses.
In 1988 she was the first woman president of the New Zealand Law Society.
She was appointed to the High Court bench in 1997 and subsequently sat on the Court of Appeal.
At the start of the year she was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year honours list for her long services to the justice system.
Tree planting to celebrate nursing
Sat
11 May
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Members of CINA celebrated in style, in keeping with the pareu wear dress code.
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A tree planting ceremony was held yesterday to celebrate the hard work and achievement of nurses.
Members of the Cook Islands Nurses Association (CINA) have been celebrating International Nurses Week since Sunday, including providing free health checks to the public on Wednesday. The tree-planting ceremony was held at the public health office for the first time – planting ceremonies have taken place at the Rarotonga Hospital in previous years.
CINA president Nga Manea said the ceremony acknowledges the contribution of nurses to the community.
“They selflessly provide care to others in a high-stress environment. It’s a day for nurses to celebrate their profession and take pride in their work.”
Minister of Health Nandi Glassie and acting secretary of Health Dr Tikaka Henry also attended the event, and planted trees to mark the occasion.
Members of the CINA will enjoy a picnic on the beach today, and a church ceremony on Sunday, as part of the close of the celebration of International Nurses’ Week.
Food stolen from Avarua shops
Mon
13 May
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Businesses in central Avarua were the target of thieves over the weekend.
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Police were kept busy this weekend attending to various incidents including burglary and excessive noise call outs, a motorbike crash in Panama and patrolling the Rarotonga roads.
Tourist accommodations and businesses in central Avarua were targeted by burglars at the weekend with electronic goods stolen from tourists and food the main items taken from the businesses.
Police are still investigating both incidents and are urging the public to maintain watch over your neighbours and their property and report any unusual or suspicious events.
A disappointed hardworking Matavera resident reported theft of his grass cutter from his home and police are asking the Matavera community to help locate this machinery and support the village watch programme.
Meanwhile on Rarotonga roads a 22-year-old woman with a 15-year-old pillion passenger crashed their motorbike in Panama while trying to dodge a coconut on the road.
Fortunately for the pair they did not sustain serious injuries and were treated at Rarotonga hospital and discharged.
A 34 year woman was arrested at the weekend after failing a breathalyzer test and spent the night in the police cells.
She is due to appear in court this Thursday to answer the charges against her.
Cabinet discuss budget recommendations
Mon
13 May
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Prime Minister Henry Puna met with his heads of ministries to get feedback on the BSG report about the upcoming budget.
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All cabinet ministers are in the Cook Islands this week in order to hold serious discussion about the 2013-2014 Budget, which is due to be tabled in parliament in June.
There was talk of Health Minister Nandi Glassie to go to the 66thWorld Health Assembly in Geneva but he has passed that up to talk about the national budget.
Over the week the ministers have focussed on the Budget Support Group recommendations – which are still under wraps.
The BSG conducted consultations with each government department, applying scrutiny to business plans, initiatives and personnel issues for this year and next. The report was put up for cabinet last Thursday morning for preliminary discussion.
Talks will continue all this week.
All heads of ministries (HOMs) will be called to the cabinet room today for the start of priority-setting talks, along with Ministry of Finance staff.
This may take two days of meetings but Prime Minister Henry Puna is confident the approach will be positive and move forward quickly.
His office says he emerged from Thursday’s cabinet discussions on next year’s budget saying that government will be following a “far more collaborative process” than in previous years. All HOMs must stay more closely engaged with their respective ministers to allow more informed discussion on future priorities, he said.
The roll-out of next year’s budget will involve a series of consultations and information releases to the public.
Communication skills for life
Mon
13 May
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Ngaria Stephenson, centre, with visiting speech language therapists Bridget McArthur and Alysia Carter, who have been working with Cook Islands children over the past three weeks.
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Communication skills that many of us take for granted, is the focus for three learning specialists that are visiting the Cook Islands.
Bridget McArthur and Alysia Cotter, both speech language therapists (SLT’s), and Debbie Williams, a SPELD assessor, are in the Cook Islands for three weeks to work on functional communication skills with a number of Cook Islands students.
The visit has been organised by Ngaria Stephenson, learning and teaching advisor at the Ministry of Education, and has been many months in the making.
Last year as part of the inclusive education policy, a register was set up of children who have been identified as having special needs, with learning difficulties in numeracy or literacy. At present there are 208 students registered as special needs and 44 teacher aides assigned to assist them. Stephenson says that only some of these students had been previously diagnosed with a formal learning difficulty.
Individual Education Programmes (IEP) were set up for each student, with some identified as having severe learning issues with low literacy levels that needed further assessment.
The skills of learning specialists was recommended to assist these students, with Stephenson sourcing the trio to make the trip to the Cook Islands and to work with urgent cases – 35 in Rarotonga and 16 in the southern group, making up around 5 per cent of all students in the country.
The team has been undertaking informal assessments of the urgent cases, forming a case history on each child in conjunction with their family.
This has involved gaining information on the children’s level of communications, in Maori and English, and a “diagnosis of what level their language is at” says McArthur.
From this they can make parallels with each child’s behaviour within the classroom, and set up a specific plan to assist with their learning. For many it may be looking at increasing attention span, working on comprehension skills and following instructions related to time, which they say will assist them with “following routines in school.”
The team have been providing some resources and sharing learning techniques with teachers. These include programmes such as the One Hand Approach, which McArthur originated from the Ministry of Education in New Zealand. The very simple learning technique looks at the teacher making four comments followed by one question for the student, and can be used as part of story book reading and learning play. McArthur says this will help students learn “how to model language.”
Another simple method involves using visual strategies that are used to back up their language skills. Visual boards can be used to assist students who have trouble processing time frames, for example with pictures of a book and food to show that reading followed by kaikai is the daily class routine.
“Language and learning are the same thing,” says McArthur, with the team clearly passionate about their work. These functional communication skills, which they describe as “skills for life” have been recognised as being essential in students accessing the curriculum, successful learning and finding employment later in life.
Stephenson is hoping this visit will be the first step to “providing a sustainable service,” adding that previously there have been visits from SLT’s but that none of their work had been nationally co-ordinated.
The learning specialists work has also been recommended as part of the Cook Islands National Disabilities Review, with Stephenson saying that the Ministry of Education is working to meet the objectives required. This has included providing 12 students with technology to assist their learning, such as iPads with apps specific to their learning needs.
Teachers will be provided with professional development over the coming months, followed by the teacher aides, and to continue involving parents with further assessments. For now Stephenson will be following up progress with individual students, which she describes as a huge workload and asks for patience from those involved.
She is very clear that the visit has been a team effort, thanks to support from the manager of learning and teaching Ina Herrmann, and also her learning support team.
Work is in progress on a stage two proposal which will look at bringing the team back later in the year, in order to formulate the next steps for those who have already been seen, and to assess the many remaining non urgent cases.
The specialists will be visiting Atiu, Mangaia and Aitutaki next week, and describe their time in the Cook Islands as an amazing learning experience. “The kids have been really fun,” says Cotter.
New teachers get appointed
Mon
13 May
The new school term has brought with it a number of changes in teaching roles across the island.
Nikao Maori School welcomes new principal Elizabeth Kapi, says Tere Utanga, director of Human Resources Management Division at the ministry. Kapi was previously deputy principal at Avarua School, and as such there is currently a vacancy for a senior teacher at Avarua.
Utanga says there have also been a number of other placements, with interviews for a teacher aide to work with special needs students at Avarua School, taking place at present.
Takitumu School, which has had a vacancy open since the beginning of the year, will have their position filled through a teacher transfer from another school, says Utanga. The position will be announced later in the term.
Tereora College had two teachers depart last term, head of department Art and Hospitality and Tourism. Charlotte Cousins is returning to Rarotonga and to the HOD Art position, a role that she previously held a few years back, and the Hospitality role is being filled by long term reliever Sarah Tonorio.
The ministry will be advertising more teaching positions in August, in anticipation of contracts finishing at the end of the year.
October will see members of the Ministry of Education travel to New Zealand for their annual recruitment.
Among other things, they will be looking for teachers who specialise in mathematics, science, food technology and tourism.
Fay hopes to find friend
Mon
13 May
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Fay (right) and her twin sister Gay have spent years wondering what happened to their friend Tai.
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An old clipping from The Dominion Post in Wellington shows Tai at centre.
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Kiwi woman Fay Aitken (nee Riley) is on a mission to find her college friend – a Cook Island woman she knew as Tai Are.
She contacted CI News last week in the hopes she might trace Tai’s whereabouts through an article.
Aitken does not know what became of her friend, but has wanted to reconnect with her for many years.
The 66 year old North Shore resident says she and Tai had a close friendship during their college days together at Wairarapa College in Masterton from 1960-1962.
Tai was then an ‘island territory’ pupil along with others from the Pacific Islands.
“Tai will remember that there were ‘two of us’, as I have a twin sister called Gay. At the beginning of our second year of college, our mother died tragically, and during this time Tai was a ‘true’ supportive friend,” says Aitken.
She says the pair made the senior B netball team together, and travelled with other college sports teams.
“We also joined the college choir. Tai came to our home in Carterton often, for weekends away from the boarding establishment called Purnell. Initially when Tai went home to Rarotonga we were in contact. Some years later, our father cut a photo out of The Dominion of Tai as an island territory hostess at a ball.”
Aitken says she believes the singer Tony Williams may be a cousin to Tai and that Tai may have married into the Henry family.
Henry family history traced
Mon
13 May
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Howard Henry with the third revised edition of his self-published book of the Cook Islands’ Henry family history.
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Howard Henry’s genealogy book has been a work in progress since the early nineties.
‘The Book of Tetaura-Raru’ was first published by his own Sovereign Pacific Publishing Company in 2000. A revised edition was published in 2003.
The latest edition has just reached bookshop shelves and Henry estimates about 50 per cent of the book is new material.
While it is a chronicle of the Henry family of the Cook Islands, the author says anyone with a connection to Aitutaki will enjoy it. There are close connections to other islands and the rest of the world as well. The book also makes a good present for Cook Islanders living overseas who want to trace their roots, he says.
“A lot of people will be able to connect with this, not just our family. Aitutaki genealogy is like a big bell... it’s like a spider web.”
The genealogy is traced back 1000 years and Henry says he has been meticulous with cross-referencing genealogy charts his great-grandfather started to compile in 1891 with other charts.
“The last thing I want is for someone to turn around and say I’ve got something wrong. So far that hasn’t happened.”
It is important to know aspects of your genealogy to give yourself dignity and self-worth, says Henry.
“Each person living today is nothing more than a biological product of their ancestors. We are therefore a living expression of our heritage.
“Our ancestors or tupuna may be dead, but we are alive and so they are alive in each and every one of us as well. Any DNA test will prove that. It is they who give each of us our vaerua or inner spirit.”
Henry says he decided to revise the book as he had much more material and the first two editions have been big sellers. In recent times he has noticed a surge in people interested in family history. “Not a week goes by that people don’t stop me on the street and ask if there are any left to buy.”
The first section of the new edition contains pre-European legends. The second documents the arrival of Christianity to Aitutaki. “Our family played a significant part in this.”
Henry says the missionaries brought in the concept of a surname – ‘Henry’ is an adopted name rather than a blood name from a European.
The third section is the manuscript of Tetaura-Raru, written in Aitutaki Maori.
The final section is after European colonisation. Henry says he did not focus too much on politics – the family has produced two prime ministers, with the author the grandson of the premier – but rather on human relationships.
“These stories help bring these ancestors alive because they were real human beings who achieved things during their lifetimes. They are not just a list of names on sheets of paper... They helped create and mould this country into what it is today.”
The Book of Tetaura-Raru is now on sale for $29.90 at Bounty Bookshop.
Meeting to better USP quality
Tue
14 May
The education ministry has sent a delegation to Tonga this week to help get better opportunities for in-country university students.
Education Minister Teina Bishop and secretary Sharyn Paio are attending the 76th meeting of the University of South Pacific (USP) Council. The Cook Islands is one of the 12 regional member countries of USP and was elected to the executive committee last November. The meetings are held twice-yearly.
USP Cook Islands director Rod Dixon remained in Rarotonga as the council is made up of the educational minister or chief executive of the member country.
The council meeting will be officially opened today by the Tonga prime minister Lord Tu’ivakano.
Discussions will include security at regional campuses, donor funding for the university, and six monthly updates on financial, audit and risk matters.
The USP 2012 annual report and a new strategic plan will be presented. Support and development of regional campuses, including the Cook Islands, will be a hot topic.
The quality of academic study, including approval for new courses, approval of the Disability Inclusiveness Policy and university research development, will also be discussed.
These meetings are an opportunity for the Cook Islands to ensure that we maximise opportunities for our in-country students, says Paio.
“Input for this meeting has been obtained from both our local campus director and the Cook Islands USP Student Association.”
Paio says there will be some other educational developments for the Cooks which she and Bishop hope to have confirmed at this meeting. An update will be given after their return in the weekend.
As part of this meeting there will also be a workshop for education ministers on the Fiji Crimes Decree – and possible liabilities for council members.
Opposition leader supports MP’s criticism
Tue
14 May
The leader of the opposition has supported Titikaveka MP Selina Napa’s recent criticism of government.
Cook Islands News published a diatribe by Napa on Friday in which she took Prime Minister Henry Puna’s government to task, saying “... this government has chopped and changed priorities to suit what looks to be its ultimate goal of racking up titanium status airpoints.”
“She’s spreading her wings,” said Wilkie Rasmussen. “I’m encouraged my team of MPs are speaking out.”
The MP for Tongareva says the contents of Napa’s letter support the Democratic Party’s position on government.
The current government’s alleged mismanagement of priorities outlined in the previous administration’s Te Kaveinga Nui (The National Sustainable Development Strategy), and the recent pension tax issue, were some of the points raised by Napa.
Regarding the present problems of fiscal imbalance, Napa had strong words for the ruling party, writing: “The Democratic government will solve this issue by reducing spending on unnecessary and lavishly hosted functions and overseas trips to get the current government’s voracious appetite for the people’s cash under control.”
“The issues she raised are part of the opposition’s policies,” said Rasmussen.
When asked, the opposition leader also elaborated his vision for the role of women in Cook Islands politics.
“I’ve got the track record for [the number of] women in politics,” said Rasmussen.
Parliament’s only other women MPs – Nikao MP Aunty Mau Munokoa and Mangaia MP Tetangi Matapo are also opposition members.
“I’ve been talking to a couple others. Don’t be surprised if there are a couple more women MPs [to come].”
The Prime Minister’s office has pointed out that Napa’s reference in her letter to the Tax Information Agreement signed in 2009 was not the same agreement that the PM referred to in his earlier comments – that was the Taxing Right Agreement (TRA). These were two separate documents signed by the previous government.
Crews filming this week
Tue
14 May
The six international Film Raro crews are all here by Thursday ready to film over the next week – but their local actors and production teams have been raring to go for weeks.
The casting has been done and around 60 locals will make their acting debut in the short films, all between 8 to 15 minutes long. They will be screened at the inaugural Film Raro International Film Festival on May 25.
The budding actors of all ages have been rehearsing three times a week for the past month doing basic acting training. This includes blocking scenes, going over to scripts and learning how to laugh and cry on camera.
“We’re turning them into actors,” says executive producer Stann Wolfgramm. “There’s quite a few kids and they’re all working hard.”
They have been helped by around 40 trainee film producers who are taking a 12 week Film Raro course. These trainees will assist the six teams of four who have been selected to take part in the film challenge.
They have been locking down locations, localising scripts, and liasing with their assigned teams over Skype during past months.
An Australian crew, who are making a film called ‘Dog Save the Queen’ arrived and started filming in the weekend.
An American crew, made up of brothers Robert and Webster Stone, Hagoth Aiono and Eric Heimbold, started filming early yesterday [Monday] morning. They are making the film ‘Offshore Pirates’, based on a F. Scott Fitzgerald novel.
Teams are being put up at the Edgewater Resort & Spa, with headquarters based at the Aitutaki Hostel.
Wolfgramm decided to set up a film festival here to develop the Cooks as New Zealand’s tropical film location partner.
The experienced director, producer and actor has signed memorandums of understanding with New Zealand government agency Film New Zealand. It will promote Cook Islands to the international film industry as a tropical destination in partnership with New Zealand – as long as Cook Islands can prove it has the capacity. Film Raro was set up partly to be a catalyst for this.
Giant screen shipped in
Tue
14 May
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A large movie screen has arrived in Rarotonga ahead of the Film Raro Film Festival screening at the end of this month.
The blow up screen was made in China and was set up for a test-run at the BCI Stadium on Friday evening.
Film Raro executive producer Stan Wolfgramm funded the screen and its transport costs, and will leave it in Rarotonga for the second film festival he hopes will happen next year.
Six international crews are arriving in the country this week and start filming. Their short films will be shown at the screening on May 25, along with a short film of 200 school students answering a question on what it is like to be a Cook Islands kid.
Australian vets help out
Tue
14 May
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Experienced vets Cathy O’Neil (left) and Tracy Kloos have been helping out at Esther Honey, including performing free de-sexing operations. They have also been helping care for animals such as Ella (left) and Shredder, who are part of a group of six dogs and six cats who need homes in the community. 5
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The Esther Honey Foundation has been making use of two experienced vets as demand for de-sexing services has increased.
Australian vets Tracy Kloos and Cathy O’Neil from Newcastle’s Macquarie Road Vetz came to the Cooks to help out at Esther Honey for two weeks, and are flying back home this Saturday.
The demand for de-sexing services for dogs has recently increased, in part because of a police crack-down on dog registrations, beginning in Arorangi.
Esther Honey’s practice manager Carl Hartnett said he hopes to book more surgeries for the two vets before they leave, to make the most of their combined experience of more than 45 years.
The de-sexing services are performed for free, with Esther Honey asking only for a donation – in the form of funds or services – in return.
Hartnett said de-sexing is beneficial for the animals and the community.
“It eliminates problem behaviours and breaks the cycle of having more and more puppies.”
Kloos and O’Neil fundraised and secured donations for $15,500 worth of supplies for Esther Honey, which they brought over with them on the plane.
The pair said Esther Honey could use some local volunteers to help care for the animals.
“At the moment the vets are not really getting as much done as they could (if they had extra help),” said Kloos.
Volunteers could help with feeding, walking or cleaning the animals, to leave vets with more time for diagnosis and surgeries.
“It’d be great to get a few school students in,” said O’Neil, “and it teaches them about caring for animals. Then they take that knowledge back to the community.”
The vets want to continue their relationship with the Esther Honey Foundation after they fly back to Australia, including looking at implementing educational programmes.
Kloos said education can lead to increased community involvement, which can improve how the centre operates.
“If Esther Honey never educates, then in another 20 years we’ll be doing the same thing.”
O’Neil said volunteering at Esther Honey is a rewarding experience.
“To watch the animals get better is a delight,” she said.
Those interested in volunteering, getting their animals de-sexed or providing homes for animals can contact the Esther Honey Foundation on 22336.
Trainees aboard for Picton Castle
Tue
14 May
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The Picton Castle will be taking trainee crew members. 1
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The Cook Islands flagged sailing ship Picton Castle is back in Avatiu Harbour, and will be taking on trainee crew members.
The ship, captained by Dan Moreland, currently has 30 crew members and will be looking for around 30 trainees and apprentices to come on board for its next voyage to the northern group.
Trainees are those with no experience, while apprentices will have some background knowledge to bring to the table. Chief mate of the ship Sam Sikkema said trainees and apprentices will come on board the ship before it sets sail on June 1 to deliver cargo to the northern group islands.
After the ship returns to Rarotonga, there will be a second voyage to the northern group in July, where new trainees and apprentices will be taken on.
The voyages have been organised in partnership with Pacific Schooners, as part of what is now a regular freight run to the outer islands.
The vessel, which can carry a maximum of 52 people, previously left Rarotonga for Palmerston on April 1 carrying about 10 tonnes of cargo including freezers, a water tank, food and dry goods.
August will see the Picton Castle set sail for Australia and New Zealand, to take part in the 2013 Tall Ship Festival.
For those who want to experience the ship without signing on as crew, Pacific Schooners is currently taking bookings for two day trips this weekend, to take place on Saturday and Sunday between 1pm and 5pm. Tickets for the day trips are $150 for adults and $75 for children 12 years and under.
$19K for Red Cross charity fundraiser
Tue
14 May
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Olympian Mahe Drysdale was the keynote speaker at the charity event.
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Cook Islands Red Cross (CIRC) raised $19,000 at its fundraiser on May 8.
The funds were raised through ticket sales, a raffle, and an auction.
The purpose of the fundraiser is to support the organisation in its core operations, such as disaster management, emergency response, blood donor recruitment, HIV and STI counselling, first aid training and health programmes.
New Zealand’s Olympic champion and five-time world champion in the single sculls, Mahe Drysdale, was invited by the CIRC to be the keynote speaker at its Island Night Charity Fundraiser.
Drysdale, 34, won gold at the London Olympics last year. He has been taking a break from training, travelling the world with his fianc Juliette Haigh – who won a bronze medal for rowing at the London Olympics.
The event also featured Prime Minister Henry Puna and an address by the head of the Pacific Regional Office for the International Federation of Red Cross.
Cook Islands Police launch website
Tue
14 May
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Cook Islands Police IT manager Aporo Kirikava demonstrates the new website at the April 25 launch. 9
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Cook Islands Police launched its own comprehensive website on April 26, which aims to inform the public about its services and support its role in keeping the Cook Islands safe.
Manager of Information and Communications Technology and temporary constable Aporo Kirikava has spent the better part of two years developing the site.
The site contains contact information, the police structure, a staff portal, news, and information on cyber-safety.
Several pages of the site have been dedicated to information on services provided including community policing, general and traffic policing and maritime policing.
Details on how to obtain a Cook Islands driver’s licence are on the website, including
a downloadable application form for residents and non-residents.
Key legislation is also available to view and download on the new website.
Police received support from the Australian Federal Police in the construction of the website and several local officers contributed to compiling the content. Recently AFP media advisor Mick Spinks visited to assist police with communications, including the final touches to the website.
Kirikava, who is a Microsoft certified IT professional, says one of the challenges of creating content was translating police terminology into information for the general public.
Police hope the site will also contribute to the plan to launch Crime Stoppers in the Cook Islands. The website also includes emergency numbers.
“For us it’s been great because the commissioner really supported this project. Now anyone can access information about police services through the website,” says Kirikava.
The official launch included a ceremony which Police Minister Teariki Heather attended.
Police also have their own Facebook page ‘Cook Islands Police Service’ which has been active for 12 months and provides another way for police to engage with the community. So far the page has 56 likes.
High Commissioner makes wife a Kiwi
Wed
15 May
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After officially handing over Leonie Carter’s citizenship papers, John Carter switched roles from High Commissioner to husband and gave his wife flowers to mark the occasion.
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For Leonie Carter, applying for New Zealand citizenship wasn’t about practical reasons.
The Australian-born wife of New Zealand High Commissioner John Carter received her New Zealand citizenship yesterday, which she will hold in conjunction with her Australian citizenship.
Leonie Carter said she chose to become a New Zealand citizen because she has spent a large chunk of her life living there.
“I had a very long apprenticeship to become a New Zealander. I lived in New Zealand for 30 years. I got married there, I had my children there. I’ve lived longer in New Zealand than in Australia.”
However she said on a practical level citizenship “makes absolutely no difference – I could still vote, I could still buy property (in New Zealand without citizenship)”.
John Cater said bestowing citizenship on his wife Leonie made the ceremony “a little bit different, a little bit special”.
After officially presenting the citizenship papers to Leonie Carter, he then sat down briefly with the audience, announced he was now acting as her husband, and stood to bring her flowers to mark the occasion.
Leonie Carter says ‘home’ is 90-Mile beach in New Zealand’s northland, where she and her husband are heading back to in July after being in the Cook Islands for two years.
While not all nations allow dual citizenship, Australia allows Leonie Carter to hold citizenship for both her home country and New Zealand.
“One of the things that occurred to me is, the Australian flag has five stars, and the New Zealand flag has four stars,” she said. “I don’t feel as if I’ve lost a star – I feel I now have nine stars.”
Tahitian flight attendant gains NZ citizenship
Wed
15 May
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Rainui Marsters (front, second from right) with his family members Poko Marsters (front left), Joel Marere Marsters (back centre), Serena Cowan (back right) and Linda Cowan (front right) and NZ High Commissioner John Carter.
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Tahitian-born Rainui John Marsters received New Zealand citizenship at the NZ High Commissioner’s residence yesterday.
Marsters, who now lives in Arorangi with family members, has been travelling in and out of New Zealand for 12 years as part of his job as a flight attendant for Air Tahiti.
He applied for New Zealand citizenship last year, which will make it easier for him to move between countries when he travels.
“We’re standing on a little bit of New Zealand,” said Carter as he handed the citizenship documents to Marsters, “though it’s a big stretch to get to the rest of it.”
The ceremony was held to acknowledge the decision to take on new citizenship and to add a new place to their place of birth, he said.
“The wonderful thing is they’re doing it by choice. It’s a ceremony that gives me great pride as High Commissioner.”
He said it is also important to remember and acknowledge the person’s place of birth when they take on new citizenship.
“Your place of birth is also important. We urge you not to forget your own culture but to bring those things with you to enrich our culture here.”
Marsters said he moved from Tahiti to be with family in the Cooks, and travels back to Tahiti intermittently.
His first trip to New Zealand was for three months, where he went to study English.
As part of the ceremony, John Carter read out a letter from New Zealand’s minister of Internal Affairs, Chris Tremain, before those who attended sang the New Zealand national anthem.
Heavy swells warning for Cooks
Wed
15 May
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The Mangaia coastline on a normal day (left) compared to the Mangaia coastline on Monday during heavy sea swells. (left) (right)
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A high seas warning is in place for the Cook Islands as a storm approaches from the southwest.
The Cook Islands Meteorological Service issued the warning about damaging heavy swells for low lying coastal areas in both the southern and northern Cooks.
An intense high pressure system is approaching from the southwest of the country, causing heavy southerly sea swells. This could cause flooding over low lying coastal areas.
Rain is forecast for the southern group today, with thunderstorms for Aitutaki. The northern group is forecast to remain fine with brief showers, but with moderate east to northeast winds.
Metservice operations manager Maara Vaiimene is currently in Mangaia and sent in photos of the heavy seas hitting Mangaia’s southern coast.
He is staying around 9km from the coast, but started hearing the waves pounding on Sunday night.
The next morning he went down to have a look.
“I could not believe how far the seas had come right up the rugged makatea coast some 5 to 10 metres above the reef. In sloping areas the seas had come up to at least some 3 metres from the road that runs along the coast... I had to watch my step as waves were coming in high,” he said.
“It is fortunate that the village of Tamarua is some distance away from the coast and a height of more than 20 metres above mean sea level, because if it had been in a low lying coastal area the outcome would have been different.”
As he drove back to Oneroa he saw the harbour was also inundated by high seas.
“The sea had come up to the sand areas past the harbour concrete pad and retreating carried the sand and rocks to cover the concrete area.
“Cautious fisherman had moved their outrigger canoes to high grounds for safety and probably days of no fishing. With the state of the sea like this, well, I guess it’s tin fish for dinner.”
Patrol boat on dental mission
Wed
15 May
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Police patrol boat Te Kukupa left Rarotonga harbour on Friday for a Ministry of Health mission.
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Cook Islands police patrol boat Te Kukupa, carrying health officials, left Rarotonga Friday on an unprecedented mission to examine the oral health of the north group population.
“It’s the first one to be done on a national scale,” said Danny Areai, chief dental officer and acting director for community health.
“What we are doing now, on each island, is collecting data and doing our survey.”
Areai added this is the first comprehensive health survey to be completed on such a large scale since 1975.
An earlier health survey which compiled research on non-communicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes was completed in 2004.
The boat is being chartered by the health department for a broad health surveying mission of the northern group islands.
The patrol boat is scheduled to return on Tuesday May 21.
Nine health officials are aboard Te Kukupa, including five nurses, one doctor, and three dentists, said inspector Tepaki Baxter of Cook Islands Police maritime division.
As Nassau and Palmerston contain no airports, Baxter said the boat was required for the mission.
In addition to the health officials, Aporo Kirikava, an information technology worker with Cook Islands Police, is also on board Te Kukupa and undertaking computer maintenance work on selected islands.
Bank manager turned business mentor
Wed
15 May
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Business coach Gayle Stapleton is in Rarotonga to start mentoring 10 people who have signed up to her programme.
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A Pacific business coach with connections to the Cooks is back on Rarotonga to help 10 people become better leaders.
Gayle Stapleton was the general manager of the Cook Islands branch of ANZ Bank for three years before becoming the bank’s chief executive for the Southeast Pacific while working in Vanuatu.
She is now based between Vanuatu and her homeland of Australia and runs Stapleton Solutions, a finance consulting and coaching business.
So far she has run seven ‘coaching skills for leaders’ programmes in Port Vila, with 85 people completing the workshop
This is the first time Stapleton has branched out the mentoring to the Cooks but hopes to return later this year and run two programmes a year after that.
“The Cook Islands was my first entry on my Pacific journey. I have continuing affection for Rarotonga,” she says.
Ten people have signed up to the three-month programme, which costs $1500 per person. Stapleton says this is the ideal class size as it allows for one-on-one time.
Participants include those from the tourism, finance, retail and state-owned enterprise sectors. Seven members of the group are Cook Islanders.
It kicks off today with a two-day coaching and leadership skills workshop, held at Pacific Resort Rarotonga.
During the second and third months of the course, Stapleton will give two one-hour individual executive coaching sessions by Skype, and send monthly motivating newsletters. After that, participants can give updates of their progress by email.
“This follow-up stage is important for retention of learning. People are fired up at the start but go back to the office and reality and lose motivation,” she says.
The workshop helps guide participants to become better team leaders, and in turn coach their business, sporting or community team to more success.
“It’s taking people on a journey of coaching to help others. I’m coaching future coaches.”
Stapleton certainly has the experience necessary to coach business leaders, having spent over 25 years at ANZ, many of those in top management positions.
She worked in Rarotonga between 2003 and 2006, and is a well-known figure on the island – not least due to an unfortunate kidnapping experience in October 2004.
She was abducted from her Blackrock home at night by three masked men who wanted the access codes to bank safes. They botched the break-in and no one was ever caught.
Stapleton has been back to Rarotonga twice since leaving and says while she still thinks about the terrifying incident it does not hold her back.
“It’s always there in my mind, but it didn’t worry me in coming back,” she says. Stapleton does not believe the three men are still on the island. She suspects they were Auckland-based Polynesians who left immediately after committing the crime on the 2.30am flight.
Stapleton said while the experience left her shaken for some time, community support pulled her through.
“For me, it was about not letting them beat me. In the first few weeks after it happened, I thought ‘I can’t stay here’. But then why let them win? The community was very supportive and I stayed another 18 months.”
Stapleton’s coaching sessions can help people overcome fear in their own life. “I’ve heard some wonderful stories of personal life... it gives people a lot of confidence,” she says.
Her own business aspiration is to branch out her business to encompass the whole of the Pacific.
Bush fire put out by residents
Wed
15 May
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Rescue Crash Fire senior officer George Nicholls hoses down hot spots in a banana grove where a previous rubbish fire spread in April.
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A small bush fire had fire officials rushing to the scene on Saturday morning.
Fire chief Nga Jessie said the fire, which began as a rubbish fire on the back road in the Tupapa area, was put out by those on the scene by the time the fire fighters arrived.
The incident follows a recent rubbish fire that got out of hand in Tutakimoa, which the Rescue Crash Fire service quickly put out.
Jessie said it is important to monitor any fires, including rubbish fires or those used for cooking. He said people should stay with fires at all times, and take extra care with outdoor fires when it is windy because this can more easily cause the flames to get out of hand.
Electrical appliances such as kettles and toasters also need to be monitored, and switched off at the wall after use, said Jessie.
“Any electrical appliances over time will wear and tear, and may malfunction.”
Mosquito coils also need to be monitored, and Jessie said people should be careful where the coils are positioned.
“Put it in a proper container, and don’t put it under the bed or under the couch.”
Jessie advises people to turn all appliances off at the wall before they head out of the house, and to consult an electrician if they notice light bulbs in their home are repeatedly blown as there may be a problem with the electrical system in the home.
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