Local
31 homes, sections need cleaning
Thursday 15 December 2011 | Published in Local
Overgrown homes on vacant lots and empty lands have been the biggest problem identified by the Ministry of Health during the final tutaka assessments carried out for 2011. Of the 3000 properties inspected as part of the Rarotonga-wide health inspections, 31 lots were identified as in need of clearing work, including some government properties, workshops […]
OBrien calls CISNOC meeting
Thursday 15 December 2011 | Published in Local
Full disclosure of CISNOCs financial status, including up to date accounts, will be presented to members at a meeting on Monday, December 19. Dan OBrien, treasurer of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC), has called the meeting inviting the entire membership by email yesterday. OBrien says he hopes as many members can […]
Family values run deep
Thursday 15 December 2011 | Published in Local
About 50 people from the Ahkeau and Mireka family reunion put down the genealogy books yesterday and helped clean up an old relatives overrun resting place. Descendants of the Ahkeau and Mireka family came from around the Cook Islands and as far as New Zealand, Australia and the United States to gather in Rarotonga this […]
Years work finished
Wednesday 14 December 2011 | Published in Local
All outstanding government business has been dealt with in parliament. Ministers and fellow MPs adopted all existing reports on parliaments order paper yesterday afternoon, including some which date back to 2008. The session adjourned at 4.30pm and will resume at 10am on Friday, when MPs will have the opportunity to deliver their Christmas and end-of-year […]
Ngati Vaikai claiming land ahead of opening
Wednesday 14 December 2011 | Published in Local
Not everyone will be celebrating the Thursday opening of the Takitumu palace commissioned by Pa Tepaeru Teariki Upokotini Marie Ariki. A notice has been filed with the court by Tupe Takau Short on behalf of his family, who claim that Te-mata-o-te-enua section 10 A1 part and parcel of the land on which the palace has […]
Prioritising PR for spouses
Wednesday 14 December 2011 | Published in Local
More than 50 spouses of Cook Islanders, seeking permanent resident (PR) status, are in line to receive a New Year gift from government. Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters, who holds the portfolio of foreign affairs and immigration, says he hopes to stage a mass ceremony in early 2012 at which PR can be awarded to […]
New cargo service
Tuesday 13 December 2011 | Published in Local
In an effort to regularise its air freight service to the outer islands and to meet the demand for deliveries around Christmastime, Air Rarotonga is running a new cargo operation. Under the moniker JetX, the service will operate between Rarotonga and the southern group islands on Tuesdays and Thursdays from now until Christmas. The first […]
Pa Ariki talks health at palace opening
Tuesday 13 December 2011 | Published in Local
Delegations of cultural ambassadors from New Zealand and French Polynesia are trickling in this week, ahead of the highly-anticipated opening ceremony for Pa Marie Arikis Takitumu palace on Thursday. Maori king Tuheitia Paki is no longer coming to Rarotonga for the grand opening, but has sent his regards and a kapa haka team to represent […]
Government plans to double pension
Tuesday 13 December 2011 | Published in Local
Governments plan to double the elderly pension for those aged 70 years and older will start to be implemented in the next financial year. Finance minister Mark Brown says money will be allocated by government in the next fiscal years budget accordingly, although he has yet to stipulate how much. Speaking in parliament yesterday Brown […]
Tis the season of plenty
Tuesday 13 December 2011 | Published in Local
Keikilani Rea holds a 13-petalled tiare Maori, found on the back road at Turangi by Heirani Rea. Rea was making ei for the four-year anniversary of her fathers passing and noticed the flower on the same tree from which shes plucked an 11-petal and a 10-petal tiare Maori before. Its not the first unusual flower […]
Parliament breaks for palace opening
Monday 12 December 2011 | Published in Local
Parliament will resume today at 1pm but is likely to break on Thursday to give members an opportunity to attend the opening of Pa Marie Arikis palace in Takitumu. In parliament on Friday speaker of the house Sir Geoffrey Henry advised members of next weeks schedule. The last session of parliament for 2011 began on […]
Students enjoy summer holiday
Monday 12 December 2011 | Published in Local
Examinations are over, certificates have been awarded and Cook Islands school children are now on holiday. The countrys summer break from primary and secondary school lessons officially came into effect on Friday. Some northern group schools closed a little earlier, having worked through the last term holiday to make up the required number of open […]
Govt appoints honourary advisors
Monday 12 December 2011 | Published in Local
Cabinet minister Teina Bishop has appointed two honourary advisors to Asia and China for the Cook Islands, following his recent trip to the Peoples Republic. Samuel Chou and Steven Wong will give Bishop advice on the Asian region and China in particular over the next three years, in relation to his ministerial portfolios. I am […]
Magical Mangaia
Monday 12 December 2011 | Published in Local
The community on Mangaia treated tourism wholesalers from North America and staff from the Cook Islands Tourism Corporations foreign offices to a special tour of their home on Saturday. The wholesalers visited Mangaias accommodation options, toured its sights and left the island stuffed with food like these kaura, which Mangaia mayor Tere Atariki said were […]
More fishing licences approved
Saturday 10 December 2011 | Published in Local
Cabinet has approved the issuing of another seven foreign fishing licences for governments exploratory fishing programme targeting tuna and swordfish over the next three years. Already cabinet has approved the granting of 17 fishing licences for Taiwanese vessels to operate in Cook Islands waters as part of the programme. In parliament yesterday marine resources minister […]
Crane fell in slow motion
Saturday 10 December 2011 | Published in Local
Eyewitnesses at the Avatiu harbour watched on as a crane fell off the wharf in slow motion and onto the boat it was loading. New Zealand visitor Keith Christian was at the western marina yesterday morning when he heard a small bang that set off a chain of events that would end with a hefty […]
Tutaka wraps up this afternoon
Friday 9 December 2011 | Published in Local
Health inspectors and public health officers the tutaka team expect to finish inspecting Rarotonga residences by the end of today. The fourth tutaka inspection of the year commenced on Monday. Inspectors managed to visit about 3000 residences this week, and note that overgrowth seems to be the islands biggest problem area. Five teams of four […]
Memorial ride for Granny Atera
Friday 9 December 2011 | Published in Local
Motorists are asked to be mindful of cyclists taking part in a memorial ride for triathlete Pauline Atera tomorrow. Members of the Cook Islands Triathlon Association will set out from the triathlon site in Tikioki just before 3pm tomorrow. Riders will ride around Rarotonga in remembrance of Atera, who died almost two weeks ago after […]
Puna leaves parliament for Abu Dhabi
Friday 9 December 2011 | Published in Local
Prime Minister Henry Puna today leaves Rarotonga for United Arab Emirates capital and its largest city Abu Dhabi, abandoning the current Cook Islands parliamentary session. Parliament resumed on Wednesday and the session this years last could extend for two weeks. Puna is attending the Eye on Earth summit being held from December 12 to 15 […]
Kidding about at the Kia Orana market
Friday 9 December 2011 | Published in Local
There was plenty of fun to be had for families, visitors and locals at the Kia Orana Night Market held at Muri on Wednesday night, and Putere, 6, Tevaerangi, 4, Vaimearii, 5, and Ryan, 5, made sure they got their fair share. (See story Fire dance the night away at Muri)
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