Cook Islands temporarily suspended imports of poultry products from New Zealand following a bird flu outbreak on a single farm, but has resumed imports from unaffected regions with additional safety measures.
The New Zealand High Commission in Cook Islands held a signing ceremony earlier this month with the successful recipients of the 2024/2025 Round of the New Zealand High Commission Fund.
Wednesday 1: The Creative Centre in Tupapa has received a brand new mobile phone, thanks to Telecom Cook Islands. TCI has donated a Nokia C118 phone with a prepaid SIM card and $20 credit. The mobile will be mainly used by the bus driver to remain in constant contact with centre management. Creative centre coordinator […]
Saturday 28 March: A national thanksgiving prayer service planned for tomorrow to coincide with the end of the cyclone season will now be handed over to all the local churches and denominations. This is because of the unavailability of the National Auditorium which is being set up for the Miss Cook Islands Pageant next week. […]
Wednesday 1: Locals involved in the production of a Shortland Street episode being shot here were kept busy yesterday as they tackled some of the 22 scenes for the show this week. South Pacific Pictures’ Shortland Street publicist Rachel Keereweer took Cook Islands News on a bit of a tour of the set for one […]
Saturday 28 March: A $50,000 initiative by CI Tourism to promote Aitutaki and get 500 extra people on the island from March to June is working so well that it is likely to bring many more visitors. Island Hopper’s Stephen Doherty addressed yesterday’s meeting between the Aitutaki tourism industry and tourism minister Wilkie Rasmussen, saying […]
Wednesday 1: Four northern islands were unable to receive or make phone calls on Monday. In a media statement released yesterday, Telecom Cook Islands says the problem occurred during the changeover from the NSS-5 satellite to the new NSS-9 satellite that took place on Monday afternoon. “Unfortunately with the islands of Pukapuka, Nassau, Palmerston and […]
Friday 27 March: Manarangi Tutai Ariki says she is all for Sunday flights to Aitutaki continuing, without the need for a referendum. Queen Manarangi, as she is known, is an ex-officio member of the island council and the woman who runs Gina’s Garden Lodges and Gina’s Akaiami Beach Lodge. She expressed her views at the […]
Wednesday 1: The petition to the high court for the wind-up of Aitutaki MP and associate finance minister Terepai Maoate Jnr’s business Maina Traders is set to be withdrawn following payment of the amount owing to one of its creditors. The petition was filed by Raro Aircon Ltd on March 19 and was due to […]
Friday 27 March: Aitutaki DemocraticParty executives who met with minister Wilkie Rasmussen welcomed his friendly approach yesterday. The minister, who is also the deputy leader of the Democratic Party, met with the executives who have been raising concerns about Sunday flights. Some of them are also proudly protesting the flights eight months from when they […]
Wednesday 1: The Opposition Cook Islands Party has released its position on the new $50 million China loan and says government has been reactive instead of proactive in addressing infrastructure needs. Opposition spokesperson for finance and economics Norman George says while the CIP agrees in principle that the loan be spent on road and water […]
Friday 27 March: The Cook Islands bank named in money laundering investigations is connected to a New Zealand company seeking a listing on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. The National Business Review in New Zealand this week reports that developments in the Cook Islands will have a bearing on the stock exchange listing. WSBC Bank, […]
Wednesday 1: Government officials, organisations and community members gained greater understanding of the Official Information Act last week through several meetings and workshops. Organised by the Cook Islands Ombudsman’s Office, consultation meetings were held with the vaka areas in Rarotonga and with special interest groups. Visiting experts Angie Heffernan of the Pacific Centre for Public […]
Thursday 26: Inspiring women tonight is an environmentalist, former school principal, mother and a proud Maukean. June Hosking will be the guest speaker at Pan Pacific South East Asia Women’s Association meeting held at the Beachcomber. Held monthly, the PPSEAWA gatherings host a wide range of “outstanding” Cook Islands women to inspire fellow women to […]
Tuesday 31: As its name suggests, La Bon Vivant is providing all the “good things in life” under one roof. The newly opened Deli Foods store in Avarua is offering the same fresh product and high quality food and wine that has become synonymous with their parent company in Muri. Store manager Tim Tierney says […]
Thursday 26: Cabinet minister Wilkie Rasmussen will begin two days of meetings in Aitutaki today on the subject of Sunday flights. On arrival at about 9am this morning, Rasmussen will be welcomed by the island council. He will meet with the council at their chambers at 10.30am before meeting with the Aitutaki Democratic Party executive […]
Tuesday 31: Whoever wins on Friday night will not only be handed the illustrious title of Miss Cook Islands, but will also take home a brand new motorcycle. The Motor Centre in Panama donated a red Daelim City yesterday to be given to the winner. The $3600 motorcycle joins the growing booty of prizes which […]
Thursday 26: Emails are doing the rounds in search of answers to questions relating to recent shipping problems being experienced by some of the country’s importers. Importer John Scott has put forward 36 questions to the transport ministry which issues shipping licences. His questions range from the structure of the entities currently running the service […]
Tuesday 31: Financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti says government is still looking into how the proposed $3 million stimulus package for small businesses will be spent. Last week tourism minister Wilkie Rasmussen announced that government is now looking at scrapping the original plan and putting the funds directly into tourism. Ivaiti says from discussions with finance […]