In recent weeks, the Cook Islands declared a rā‘ui toroa — a national whale sanctuary — expanding protection across vast swathes of our moana and Ocean, Thomas Wynne writes.
As Oceans Week draws to a close, we celebrate that nearly 40 countries are now calling for a moratorium on Deep-sea Mining (DSM).
Dear Editor, I want to talk about the Cook Islands National Superannuation Fund. I am 63-year-old Cook Islands pensioner.
With the announcement in the Cook Islands News that a freight hike is set to drive up Cook Islands prices possibly by 30 per cent, there has never been a better time to legalise the personal cultivation of medicinal pakalolo by patients in order to treat their illnesses and save them heaps of money.
So, Police are “investigating” alleged after hours liquor sales at the Golf Club? Why waste ink and newsprint on telling the sober public of this allegation?
Dear Editor, I write in response to a social media post on 9 June 2025 by the Cook Islands Police Service, noting that five individuals were taken off the road and remanded into prison for failing breathalyser tests.
Kia Orana Editor, As Cook Islands Māori, our traditional leadership system—consisting of Ariki, Mataiapo, and Rangatira titles—is not just a cultural institution; it is the foundation of our identity, unity, and genealogical history.
Te Tuhi Kelly, Leader of the Progressive Party states, I'm on a roll as a friend of mine said recently, the pacemaker you have, certainly hasn't stopped the mouth from opening.
I am a hard core local proud atheist. With this failed Christian Nation attempt, we as a nation are lucky, we dodged a bullet, and we should all be grateful to all the people that recognised a Christian nation is a mistake, they stood up and spoke out to say no.
Dear Editor, This morning (yesterday) my wife and I journeyed up the hill to the hospital for a blood test.
Men want to leave something behind, they think having children means leaving a legacy, instead they are often an extension of their ego,” writes Ruta Mave.
It would appear that Zeenia Dastur of the Green Climate Fund lives on a different island, perhaps planet, than most of us.
Dear Editor, The 11 people that travelled to Australia to promote a one-sided and biased consultation for the development of seabed mining may have cost Cook Islands taxpayers over $80,000. Probably the only person in the group, who knows and has a fair bit of knowledge of what the positive and negative implications, significances and destructions are, of seabed mining, is John Parianos.
According to an Auckland Star article published on 26 May 1911, Makea Takau, died at midnight on the 1st of May 1911, aged 72, surrounded by loved ones and family.
To help protect the ocean and its marine life, Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) recently teamed up with GROW Aitutaki to teach local youth about marine conservation through a turtle tracking project.
Does anyone hold oversight, in regards to Government department leadership, because there are some really obvious conflicts of interest happening at the moment.
Dear Editor, It was interesting to read the Public Accounts Committee’s recommendation that Police get a subsidy so they can reduce their power bill. No, they shouldn't; that’s what it costs.
Dear Editor, Once again, the Cook Islands has gone cap in hand to its traditional partners for economic support. (Cook Islands waits on traditional partners as China shows interest, Cook Islands News, May 31, 2025)
Dear Editor, I worry that a minor contributor to the Cook Islands economy is going to precipitate a major collapse of tourism in the Cook Islands. Tourism is fickle. SARS, MERS, Covid, Letters of Guarantee, sub-prime mortgages, Dengue and the Wine Box have all collapsed our tourism economy by hundreds of millions of dollars.
Budget for one-week national party – $4.1 million. Budget for one-year for Police - $7.58 million.
Arthritis, a common ailment among aging humans, also plagues our beloved canine companions.
Dear Editor, The increase to the weekly wage expense will always be passed on to the customer.