More Top Stories
‘Budget prioritises vulnerable’
16 May 2024
Alleged rapist in remand
27 April 2024
Rarotonga residents push back on water tariff plan
12 April 2024
High hopes for chronic patients
4 May 2024
Solar power battery repairs ‘could take up to 12 months’
15 April 2024
Cook Islands poised for highest Pacific growth
29 April 2024
Ex-DPM appeals ‘excessive sentence’, hearing date set
26 April 2024
Mass milkfish die-off in Penrhyn raises concerns
3 April 2024
Regulator defends Starlink users
9 April 2024
Cook Islands set to play in new World Series
10 October 2023
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
Moana target 2025 World Cup
11 November 2022
National
Graham appointed new Secretary of Cook Islands Ministry of Justice
Peter William Graham has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), effective June 4, 2024, for a term of three years, replacing Tamatoa Jonassen.
Cook Islands passes Health Bill to improve health outcomes
The Cook Islands Public Health Bill 2024 that aims to protect and promote the health of all people of the Cook Islands by reducing the incidence of disease and ill-health was passed on Thursday.
New airport terminal nears completion
Passengers could be using the departure area in the new airport terminal by the middle of next month. Hawkins project manager Russell Smith says the toilet areas are complete, all the framework for the roof is up, and there are still some finishing touches needed on the two VIP lounges. Windows and doors are being […]
Cabinet embraces reform
Cabinet ministers are being briefed on political reform proposals in the build-up to the newly promised referendum. On Tuesday prime minister Jim Marurai announced a referendum will be run on the issue this year and stated that he needs public to support to press ahead with changing the political system. Yesterday political reform advocates Tata […]
Smiley gets stuck in
New cabinet minister William ‘Smiley’ Heather is vowing to tackle basic infrastructure such as water supply and roads head-on this year. As he settles into his new office in Nikao, the minister for infrastructure and planning (MOIP) has already been filling his days with briefings from the ministry’s secretary Taukea Raui and is planning a […]
Cabinet of 5 not serving national interest claims George
Opposition MP Norman George claims the new five-member cabinet should be called ‘the save Jimmy’s job’ government. “Or is it a ‘SOJ – Save Our Jobs government’ – for a temporary period of six months that is…” snipes George. The MP has also accused Marurai of ‘latching on to political reform to cushion his overstaying […]
PM to release legal opinion
Prime minister Jim Marurai says he will soon release the six-page legal opinion received from NZ constitutional lawyer Dr Alex Frame that will prove that his cabinet is abiding by the Constitution. The legal opinion was prompted by the now rejected petition by 19 MPs to the Queen’s Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin to call parliament […]
Cyclone story was mistaken
Last week’s report on a cyclone in the Cook Islands was wrong, the Fiji Meteorological Service confirms. Director Rajendra Prasad said the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Limited (FBCL) website misquoted him as saying a tropical cyclone had developed in the southern Cooks. The mistaken report was picked up by internet search engine Google in their alerts […]
Overgrown sections a problem
The last round of Tutaka inspections show an improvement on last year’s figures, according to the Ministry of Health. The ministry inspected 3966 sites and found a total of 59 problems. The major problems were 23 overgrown vacant sections and 12 overgrown vacant houses. Two of the sections and one of the vacant houses were […]
Barton not on seabed authority short-list
New mineral and natural resources minister Robert Wigmore says he will now move swiftly to set up the seabed minerals authority but has shot down rumours that he is considering businessman Richard Barton (above) to head the new body. The deputy prime minister said the rumour may be interesting but Barton’s name had not occurred […]
Political parties hold off statement
A second joint statement from the Democratic Party and the Cook Islands Party has been put on hold this week as the parties take in the rejection of their request for parliament to be called to sit. It is understood the parties may now hold off on issuing any statement in regards to the recent […]
Growers study climate communications
Making best use of the available climate data and communicating that information properly will go a long way in assisting growers in the country. A three-day workshop, aimed at improving the communication of climate information to growers during the current weak El Nino cycle, wrapped up at the Kent Hall yesterday. Horticultural scientist Jane Adams […]
Political reform petition the best way to be heard now
The Mou Piri group for political reform says the promise of a referendum in no way takes away from the importance of all Cook Islands voters to sign the current petition. The new pledge by prime minister Jim Marurai for a referendum to be held before or on the date of the next election has […]
People in place
Senior constable Taruia Ringiao will be making sure all is well in his neighbourhood. The Takitumu resident has been appointed the Vaka Ngatangiia constable in a reshuffle of community officers. Ringiao replaces constable Tungane Lockington who will be serving in the Te Au o Tonga area while constable Allan Rua remains with the Puiakura vaka. […]
Office request denied
Former deputy prime minister Sir Terepai Maoate, who was sacked over the $2 million Toagate scandal just before Christmas, had his request for an MP office and car turned down this week. Prime minister Jim Marurai has confirmed that the request was made during his meeting with the Ngatangiia MP and leader of the Democratic […]
Chopper me up
It was up and away for Hoani Gibson when dad Brett suggested a HeliRaro chopper ride. It was the younger Gibson’s first ride in a helicopter. The 10-year-old Avatea school student said she was a bit nervous at first, but by the end of the ride she couldn’t chose a favourite part. “My favourite thing […]
Family law up for discussion
Punanga Tauturu will hold a family law consultation in mid-February. The NGO established a fund for non-molestation orders late last year and legal representative Kairangi Samuela says the organisation receive a large number of inquiries from women seeking the orders. PTI are holding the consultation as part of the effort to streamline what is happening […]
PM – finance still main concern
A proposal to purchase $174,000 worth of new government cars and office computers was turned down by cabinet yesterday in the face of growing concern over finances. Prime minister Jim Marurai said he and cabinet turned down the proposal to spend capital expenditure funds because they have placed a freeze on new spending pending the […]
Visitors hit 100,000-plus
Last year was the first time visitor numbers exceeded 100,000 – a growth of 7 percent over 2008 arrivals. Cook Islands Tourism chief executive officer John Dean has welcomed the official numbers for the year to December 2009. According to the monthly Statistics office bulletin for December, the 2009 year saw a total of 101,110 […]
New minister sets up office
Cabinet minister Apii Piho was one of the first to move into his new ministerial office yesterday. While other ministers are taking their time to move, amid office asset auditing and renovations, Piho was keen to get down to work in his office behind Public Health. Piho says while he’s kept on CEO Ken Buchanan, […]
Visitor numbers up 7%
The bi-annual Cook Islands tourism industry forum will begin next week on a high note following news of a 7 percent increase in visitor numbers in 2009. The country is bucking the regional trend for recording losses in visitor numbers and the forum will cover marketing plans that aim to help continue the upward growth […]
Political situation distracting: businessman
Businessman James Beer is coy about commenting on the political situation as it stands now and what impact it may have on the country. But he is quick to point out that the situation has been brought about not entirely but mostly by the events of the proposed TOA fuel farm purchase. “I don’t want […]
« Previous 1 … 722 723 724 725 726 727 728 729 730 … 742 Next »