Local
Muri sanitation works to be explained
Monday 27 February 2012 | Published in Local
The Muri water quality issue is about to become bigger. A meeting will be held on Thursday to discuss plans for improving waste water disposal in the settlement. WATSAN project director Ken McDonald said: “there are 242 houses in Muri, of these 239 require improvements to their sanitation systems to bring them in line with […]
Nice and cheeky
Monday 27 February 2012 | Published in Local
Ezekiel Tatuava-Enjoy (5), Zachariah Turepu-Gukisuva (5) and 4-year-old Paerangi Tatuava-Taripo. 12022603 First cousins picture perfect in their pareu shirts as they hammed it up for the camera. The trio were part of a large gathering in Muri for the wedding of Krystina Kauvai and Eugine Tatuava on Saturday. While most cameras and eyes were trained […]
Super fund tops $50m
Saturday 25 February 2012 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands National Superannuation Fund has exceeded $50 million in managed funds, CINSF management have reported. The fund has slowly grown since 2001 when it managed $67,000 for just 463 members through an investment portfolio managed by Frank Russell Investments in New Zealand. Today, the fund includes more than 6600 registered members. Chief executive […]
Workers association decries budget
Saturday 25 February 2012 | Published in Local
The Cook Islands Workers Association (CIWA) has denounced government’s supplementary budget. CIWA president Anthony Turua yesterday issued a statement decrying the budget’s prioritisation of airline subsidies, CISNOC and the Civil List. In it he challenges government to consider the implications of its deficit budget on the ‘little people’, or the Cook Islands’ workers. “How about […]
60.5kg yellowfin makes them smile!
Saturday 25 February 2012 | Published in Local
Fishing charter Marlin Queen became Tuna Queen yesterday after reeling in a beasty 60.5kg yellowfin tuna. Captain Junior Ioaba and crewman Pauro Arnold were out on a morning fishing excursion with five Canadian anglers. What they originally thought was a marlin on their line turned out to be the granddad of all yellow fin tuna […]
Airline subsidy 'necessary'
Friday 24 February 2012 | Published in Local
The flights linking Rarotonga with Los Angeles and Sydney are key to ensuring the Cook Islands receives an inflow of tourists across the year while making sure it does not solely rely on New Zealand as its only market. And by underwriting the Air New Zealand flights that travel those routes weekly, the Cook Islands […]
New national post office proposed
Friday 24 February 2012 | Published in Local
Cook Islands Post is considering opening a new post office and headquarters alongside the Telecom headquarters in Parekura, but first the company is trying to gauge the level of community support it would receive. The new location would contain more post boxes than is at the current office and at a larger size. They would […]
PM defends CISNOC
Thursday 23 February 2012 | Published in Local
Prime Minister Henry Puna yesterday defended CISNOC from allegations made by Norman George that the sports organisation was mismanaged. “What we are talking about is our athletes,” Puna said in an interview with CINews. “These men and women have trained hard and deserve to be rewarded for their hard work.” Puna said that his aim […]
Finance minister defends CISNOC funding
Thursday 23 February 2012 | Published in Local
Finance minister Mark Brown justified the allocation to CISNOC in the supplementary budget in Parliament yesterday. He noted that $8000 was appropriated for a review of the sports body’s accounts, and that the $30,000 allocated for its operating costs covers salaries of those workers who have been labouring without pay. “This money is to pay […]
Hero takes time out
Thursday 23 February 2012 | Published in Local
Chris Sharman has spent his days on Rarotonga avoiding any news of the one-year commemoration of the Christchurch earthquake. Instead he has spent his time reflecting on the tragic events of February 22 and enjoying the relaxed pace of the island. Sharman is one of 82 people from quake stricken Christchurch selected to take up […]
Decision 'not ours to make'
Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in Local
Prime Minister Henry Puna says the important decision of whether to invite Fiji’s leader, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama to the August Pacific Leaders Forum in Rarotonga is not the Cook Islands government’s to make. He was responding to a question from Teenui-Mapumai member of parliament Norman George in the House yesterday. George had asked: “Is it […]
Cancer screening for MPs
Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in Local
Queen’s Representative Sir Frederick Goodwin is encouraging members of parliament to be screened for prostate cancer. In a written notice, which was read in Parliament on Monday, Sir Frederick Goodwin announced he has asked Minister of Health Nandi Glassie to organise screenings for each member of the government and opposition in the hope that the […]
$55m offer for exploration
Wednesday 22 February 2012 | Published in Local
Canadian company Endeavour has offered government $55 million for a licence to explore the Cook Islands seabed to determine its mining potential. Minister of deep-sea mining Tom Marsters confirmed in parliament yesterday that the offer is on the table, as he responded to a question from opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen about whether rumours Endeavour had […]
Airline subsidy blamed for blowout
Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Local
The appropriation amendment bill reveals that the country will face a $2.5 million deficit by the end of June – not a $0.03 million surplus as projected last July, when the original Budget was passed. The original Budget appropriated a total of $172,097,116, but the supplementary budget appropriates $178,337,447 for the current financial year (2011-2012) […]
Rasmussen takes over as opposition leader
Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Local
Former finance minister Wilkie Rasmussen has been unanimously elected as the leader of the opposition. His promotion was announced yesterday on the 2012 opening day of parliament by Prime Minister Henry Puna. “I am very honoured that the party took a unanimous decision. We will be moving forward and be more proactive,” Rasmussen told Cook […]
Farm stench makes House
Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Local
“Take a face mask,” suggested Opposition Leader Wilkie Rasmussen as Health Minister Nandi Glassie tried in parliament yesterday to explain the government’s inactivity over Scott’s Farm. Teenui-Mapumai MP Norman George suggested that a bottle of whisky might also help. The banter followed a proposal from Mitiaro MP Tangata Vavia that the minister should camp three […]
Joint effort to remove whale carcass from lagoon
Tuesday 21 February 2012 | Published in Local
The grandchildren of Mike and Kuraono Henry get up close to the sperm whale carcass in Aitutaki’s lagoon. A marine team will today attempt to move the carcass from the lagoon, four days after it washed over the reef and became stuck on some coral.
Produce export problems 'not new'
Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Local
Payment issues confronting the Aitutaki Growers Association are all too common and represent an ongoing problem for producers across the Cook Islands, Minister for Agriculture Nandi Glassie says. When growers go outside official channels of trade, there is very little government can do to help protect their interests and enforce guarantees, Glassie said. But he […]
Heroes idea 'fantastic'
Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Local
New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully has thanked the people of the Cook Islands along with the government for hosting victims of the Christchurch earthquake as part of the Christchurch heroes initiative. McCully yesterday thanked Prime Minister Henry Puna for the government’s contribution to the scheme and asked that he pass on the gratitude to […]
Tuna label design comp
Monday 20 February 2012 | Published in Local
Design a label for the soon to be launched Cook Islands Golden Tuna and win cash. Schools across the Cook Islands are invited to take part in the competition and enter a design for the label before February 29. All designs must include the brand name ‘Cook Islands Golden Tuna’ plus 15 golden stars representing […]
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