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Solar power battery repairs ‘could take up to 12 months’
15 April 2024
Police shortage leads to drop in checkpoints
9 April 2024
Sarakura declared new Penrhyn MP
16 March 2024
Govt says $1.3m invested in Lady Samoa charter
22 February 2024
Mass milkfish die-off in Penrhyn raises concerns
3 April 2024
Regulator defends Starlink users
9 April 2024
Aitutaki’s heritage preserved in new anthology
4 January 2024
Avatiu Eels retain Nines title
8 January 2024
Beddoes crowned top athlete
8 January 2024
NRL player Dargan dies in Aitutaki motorcycle crash
24 December 2023
‘Please heed the signs’: resident makes plea to tourists
20 December 2023
Cook Islands set to play in new World Series
10 October 2023
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
Corruption in the Cook Islands?
21 January 2023
Moana target 2025 World Cup
11 November 2022
National
Five months prison for Aitutaki indecent assault, other charges
A man who was convicted for 12 separate offences including indecent assault has been sentenced to five months imprisonment.
Probation for repeat offender
The fourth accused in a Nikao brawl incident on January 28 this year has been sentenced to 12 months’ probation.
'Budget fails to stimulate growth in economy'
Nukuroa MP Tangata Vavia has said the only sector the Budget actually supports is the pearl industry, and that it fails ”miserably“ to support others. ”My views are similar to (Norman George’s) as we realise there are weak points in the budget,“ Vavia said in Parliament yesterday. ”I was expecting to see policies by government […]
Budget 800 pages of 'verbal diarrhea'
Teenui-Mapumai MP Norman George says the Budget prioritises the Tourism Authority to the detriment of ”the little people“, in particular the country’s growers. ”This budget is for people on high income, for people earning $30,000 upwards. There is nothing here for the little people of this country There is nothing in this budget to cut […]
A million litres of diesel makes Aitutaki's power
The Aitutaki Power Supply is currently calling for tenders to supply diesel to the power station on Aitutaki. The contract to supply Aitutaki power station (APS) with diesel has been with Reef Bulk Fuel of Auckland for the last 12 years. Their latest three year contract is about to expire, leaving the way clear for […]
Teariki Matenga campaigns for youth
Teariki Matenga believes giving youth an alternative future in trades is the way to stop Titikaveka’s crime problem. The Cook Island Party (CIP) candidate is busy campaigning for the Titikaveka seat in the June 21 by-election. His campaign deals with a number of issues, including agriculture and social welfare, but youth is a focus. ”My […]
Village consultation meetings for NGOs
Cook Islands Civil Society Organisations are inviting members of the public to attend three village consultations this week and next. Cook Islands Civil Society Organisations (CICSO) is the national umbrella body which manages all local and regional non-government organisations (NGOs). Discussions will be held on what sort of work CICSO covers, plus a wide range […]
Obituary: Rangi Moeka'a, educator
Rangitukua Moeka’a – the first Cook Islander to hold the post of director of education – passed away in New Zealand last week after a long illness and was laid to rest on Rarotonga at the weekend. Rangitukua Moeka’a replaced former director Russell Gerard in 1972, at a time when public service positions were beginning […]
35% of expenditure on public sector salaries
Thirty-five percent of the government’s expenditures relate to employee salaries. The public service includes ministries, outer island administrations, Crown agencies (Crown Law, Parliament, Police, Office of the Ombudsman, Audit, Business and Trade Investment Board, Ministry of Environment, Cook Islands Tourism Corporation, Head of State, Financial Intelligence Unit, Cook Islands Investment Corporation, Cook Islands National Superfund, […]
Demo MPs call for pa enua job creation
Oneroa Member of Parliament Winton Pickering raised the dormant issue of outer islands agriculture project Te One Kura in Parliament yesterday. He asked whether government intends to increase funding for the project as a means of pa enua job creation. ”The people of Mangaia and Atiu are all leaving. I can tell you that todayWe […]
Budget all 'show' – Opposition
Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen has said Budget 2012 is ”for show“ and ”about appearances only, (not) substance“. He opened the Budget debate in Parliament yesterday, framing his speech as a ”right of reply“. ”The Budget that was presented by the minister of finance last Thursday with a small surplus of $98,000 I describe as an […]
Fishing exports offset pearl slump
Though the black pearl industry is under-performing, the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR) expects its revenue to increase by 4 percent this year due to increases in fisheries exports. Thereafter, fisheries exports are expected to increase by 5 percent per annum. For the 2010/11 financial year the marine sector was expected to make $4.9 million […]
Extra 20 fishing licences questioned
Minister of Marine Resources Teina Bishop says no additional exploratory fishing licences have been issued to overseas interests. Budget 2012 contains a projection that 20 ”additional“ licences – to be issued this financial year – will generate $2.4 million in revenue for the country. Cook Islands News reported the fact accordingly, as marine resources regulations […]
SOEs to make $2.1m
State-owned enterprises are due to generate $2.1 million in dividends for this financial year. This is $1 million less than the $3.1 million that were forecasted for the last financial year. It appears as a decrease because, according to Budget Book 1, of a one-off dividend paid in by Te Aponga Uira (TAU) in 2011/12. […]
Network outages not widely advertised
Planned network outages occurred around Rarotonga at the weekend, but Telecom gave only some businesses written warning. The outages, which occurred because technicians were doing maintenance work, affected mobiles in the Avarua cell site area from the Cook Islands Motor Centre to the Avarua CICC church between 2pm and 5pm on Saturday. There was also […]
First cultural competition for kids
Rarotonga school children tested their traditional skills at the first ever schools cultural competition organised and sponsored by Highland Paradise last week. More than 60 school children from three schools took on the challenge to make an umu, weaving, story telling, drumming and performing an ute. Tutu Teuira, co-owner of Highland Paradise, believes that the […]
Toa has a temporary licence
A story about Toa’s petrol shortage that ran in Cook Islands News last Wednesday mentioned that Toa does not have a licence to operate from its Nikao premises. In fact, Toa has a provisional licence to operate and an agreement with the Ministry of Internal Affairs to store its petrol in tanktainers temporarily, until such […]
Major water works planned
By 2015, all Rarotonga taps should be safe to drink from. This, at least, is the government’s goal, which it aims to achieve by undertaking a $43 million overhaul of Rarotonga’s water and sanitation systems. The full upgrade will rely on a blended finance arrangement, or loans and grants provided under a ‘Water Partnership’ scheme […]
Firearms expert heads new programme
The outdated firearms act may not have got its much-needed overhaul, but gun safety procedures are at the forefront of a new firearms programme run by police. The Police Department has recently lifted a ban on the importation of firearms into the country, but procedures surrounding imports have been tightened. In addition to usual applications […]
Firearm ban lifted
The Ministry of Police has lifted a blanket ban on importing firearms, despite no changes to firearm laws. The ban, which has been in place since the start of 2011, was on police recommendation as they wanted to review outdated legislation – the 1954 Firearms Act. At police commissioner Maara Tetava’s request the ban has […]
Pa happy with fizzy levy
New import levies on sweetened drinks are likely to increase the cost of the average soft drink by 25 cents – and Pa Marie Ariki is thrilled. For months she has been trying to promote messages of healthy eating and living, and applauds the government for taking the initiative to discourage consumption of sweetened drinks. […]
'Nagging queen' promotes chia
Pa Marie Ariki is a woman on a mission, and her ultimate goal is to transform her nation into a fit and healthy one. She has been actively promoting healthful messages, emphasising the nutritional value of locally-grown fruits and vegetables – in particular the coconut – and liaising with doctors overseas about setting up a […]
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