Court blocks deal
Coral removal to Muri meeting
No cases of pig influenza
Careless driving charge withdrawn
Muri aronga mana object to coral removal
Compromise on lagoon proposal put to community
Finsec rejects claim on Juhi fuel deal
Koutu Nui to meet in Atiu
‘Stimulus’ changes course
Court decision months away
Lawyer spells out legal way to stop coral removal
High STI youth rate discussed
ON THE STREET - Solution to road deaths
70 free laptops recalled
Two complaints filed over OIA
Pin cushion starfish a record
Dad saves daughter in taro patch
Emergency operation on Mangaia
Scouts board boat
3 behind fuel farm, Norm
Tepaki says Hilton to open in 2011
Lagoon Day all go at Muri
Cooks play Wales in first game
Matter of time before pig flu reaches Cooks
HoMs advised of new policy
Police handover today
Takitumu Lagoon Day gets message across
Court blocks deal
Thursday 11: There is now a high court interim order that stops government’s purchase of the Air BP/Juhi facility.
The judgement extending the interim order on the Toa Petroleum purchase was issued by Judge Colin Nicholson on Tuesday.
“I am presently of the opinion that it is necessary for the purpose of preserving the position of Triad to prohibit the acquisition of both the Toa and the Juhi facilities by the government,” said the judgement.
In making the application for the interim order extension, Triad claimed that the decision of financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti to press ahead with the Air BP/Juhi purchase ‘must surely strike the court as wrong with the force of a five-week-old dead un-refrigerated fish’.
The fuel company made the reference after pointing out reasons why the Juhi purchase should be stopped including the claim that the purchase is a critical part of the overall fuel farm scheme.
Government is still preparing to purchase the Juhi aviation fuel depot, but it is expected to announce that it no longer has plans to buy Toa.
Another high court telephone hearing for the Triad application for declaratory judgement is due to take place today. This is a continuation of the hearing of the application by the first three respondents in the case (Sir Terepai Maoate, Sholan Ivaiti and MFEM) to set aside or vary the interim order.
It is expected counsel for the government officials in the case will announce the end of government’s pursuit of ownership of Toa at the hearing.
But the move has already been labelled by those against the fuel farm scheme as a ‘tactical retreat’ as government continues to pursue the project.
Triad has already submitted to the court that it has become increasingly clear that government is acting in a manner which is unconstitutional. It makes this claim because of the absence of legislation that would allow government to deprive Triad of its property in its alleged objective to nationalise the fuel supply industry.
Triad has put to the court that the respondents in the case appear determined ‘at all costs’ to impose the Samoan fuel model in the Cooks, without obtaining the agreement of Triad to the sale of its property and without having parliament pass the necessary legislation.
Triad has maintained that along with the Toa purchase, the Juhi purchase is the linchpin in the respondent’s whole strategy – to achieve nationalisation of the industry. On the issue of compliance with the MFEM Act, Triad claims that there is a clear and present danger that the respondents regard themselves as not bound by its provision as they move forward.
CI News recently asked the minister now heading the fuel farm scheme, Tangata Vavia, if he is worried about how the court case reflects on government.
He says he’s not worried at all. Vavia maintains government is only trying to carry out the scheme in order to pass on savings on fuel to the consumer.-Helen Greig
Proposed coral removal to be discussed tonight
Coral removal to Muri meeting
Thursday 11: The summary of an environmental impact assessment report (EIA) on the proposed removal of coral from Muri lagoon will be presented at a public meeting in Ngatangiia tonight.
The EIA report proposes that coral formations in the lagoon be removed to create an international standard oe vaka course for the Pacific Mini Games.
But the incomplete EIA content is likely to change by the time it is released f or public scrutiny next week, due to the national environment service rejecting the first draft.
The EIA has reportedly not answered many of the standard questions it must address.
Part of the EIA is the marine resources lagoon profile report which noted that up to 33 coral colonies may have to be removed, depending on the depth of the canoeing course which is approved.
The Pacific Mini Games committee has advertised the meeting at the Ngatangiia clubhouse through the office of the
deputy prime minister Sir Terepai Maoate, who is also the village MP.
The minister is expected to ask for support for the proposed changes to the lagoon floor inside the 75,000 square metre course between motu Taakoka and Koromiri.
Cook Islands News requested a copy of the EIA document yesterday from the games office, the national environment service, and the deputy prime minister’s office. None were willing to part with a copy.
According to the marine resources coral report, the choice of the water depth for the course will be critical in determining impacts on the marine ecology. It further said that the needs of coral transplanting depends on the type of corals, size and area to which it is to be moved. - HG
No cases of pig influenza
Thursday 11: No case of influenza A (H1N1) has been confirmed in Rarotonga following the laboratory testing of samples from seven suspected cases.
Test results from seven nasal swabs carried out over the past week have come back negative for the new flu strain.
Six locals had been home quarantined after being diagnosed with possible cases of influenza A H1N1 (formerly called swine flu).
Of those six, five of the test results revealed they had seasonal flu. One visitor to the island had been quarantined at the hospital this week – they were found to be negative for both the new and seasonal flu.
Ministry of health spokesperson Heather Webber-Aitu says they will now be sending 10 swab samples to Wellington each week as an extra precaution against the new flu.
Webber-Aitu says the Blackrock clinic, which receives patients with influenza symptoms, is open seven days a week from 8am-4pm.
The World Health Organization is now reporting that 74 countries have reported 27,737 cases and 141 deaths.
“The situation has really evolved over the past few days,” says Keiji Fukuda, deputy director general of the WHO reports. “We are very close to admitting that we find ourselves in a pandemic situation.”
The WHO is reportedly bracing itself to declare the first ever global pandemic after increased infection rates in Australia and in parts of Canada. - HG
Careless driving charge withdrawn
Thursday 11: An 84-year-old man is no longer accused of causing injury to a female tourist with his vehicle.
In the Cook Islands High Court yesterday, police withdrew a charge against Hedley Radford of careless driving causing injury.
Police had previously alleged Radford of hitting the British tourist with his Toyota on the main road at Kavera in April.
Prosecutor senior sergeant Tuaine Manavaroa said police could not substantiate enough evidence to support the charge. The tourist did not go to the hospital so there was no medical certificate to prove any injuries occurred.
Radford is still facing a charge of failing to stop to ascertain injuries and render assistance. This is also in relation to the April 22 incident. The case was adjourned to August 6. - Dana Kinita
Muri aronga mana object to coral removal
Friday 12: The Muri aronga mana (traditional leaders) have opposed the proposal for coral to be removed from the lagoon for the Pacific Mini Games oe vaka event.
On Wednesday games organisers and games PMG chief executive Mac Mokoroa met at the office of the prime minister with the leaders headed by Rau Nga to discuss the proposed removal of coral for the oe vaka course.
The response from the aronga mana almost led to the cancellation of last night’s public meeting at the Ngatangiia clubrooms. In the end the games committee went ahead with the public meeting to present the first draft of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report.
Mokoroa said that on Wednesday the aronga mana were strongly opposed to any removal of coral.
After looking for ways to minimise the proposed removal and taking into account new concessions approved by the International Va’a Federation, the original 500 metre long course could be reduced to 250 metres says Mokoroa.
He says this means just three large corals would obstruct the oe vaka races, instead of up to 33 corals in the original plotted course.
But the aronga mana were adamant that they disagree with government relocating coral from the lagoon area.
Mokoroa says at the meeting, games organisers came up with an alternative course which would face outward to the reef, instead of parallel to the shoreline.
Marine resources may now have to survey this alternative course area, but it looks to be relatively clear of large coral formations. - Helen Greig
Compromise on lagoon proposal put to community
Friday 12: The preliminary environmental impact assessment (EIA) report on the Muri coral proposal was released yesterday by the Pacific Mini Games chief executive.
Mac Mokoroa planned to present the report to a public meeting at Ngatangiia last night, despite already receiving strong objections to the proposal – this week from the Muri aronga mana.
The 26 page report has also received criticism that it lacks enough detail, leading to a delay in its release.
Mokoroa was well aware of the fact yesterday that many members of the Muri community plan to oppose the proposal to remove coral from the lagoon for the games’ oe vaka course.
He said he is still confident that the Muri community and the wider public will agree to the oe vaka event being held in the lagoon if they can find a plan that will suit everyone.
Some alternatives presented in the EIA though are clearly not going to be approved.
The EIA says alternatives to the proposal are to reduce the lane width or race length, for the races to be held in the ocean and for Aitutaki to host the oe vaka event.
Efforts by the Cook Islands Canoeing Association have already resulted in a shorter course length of 250 metres being approved by the International Va’a Federation.
Having the event in Aitutaki was also a CICA proposal shot down by the games company months ago.
Mokoroa’s team has put an alternative course location proposal to the aronga mana, but it would still require the removal of about three large corals from the area.
One of the reasons government wants the course cleared at Muri is to enable the country to bid more successfully for future water sports events there – the most important right now is the international oe vaka event in 2014.
Mokoroa says if the course is approved, the games company will support a coral garden-type project, like that started by Pacific Resort and marine resources a few years ago.
The EIA report recommends that an experienced marine scientist be employed to monitor this proposed coral propagation project.
The report is set to be released next week by the environment service for a 30 day public scrutiny period. - Helen Greig
Finsec rejects claim on Juhi fuel deal
Friday 12: Financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti has distanced himself from government’s recent move to fast-track the purchase of the Air BP/Juhi facility.
Ivaiti says it was not his decision, as claimed in court recently by Triad Petroleum, to press ahead with the purchase. Ivaiti says this was actually the decision of cabinet.
His statement is in response to Cook Islands News reporting the Triad claim made in court that the second respondent’s (Ivaiti) decision to press ahead with the Air BP/Juhi purchase ‘must surely strike the court
as wrong with the force of a five-week-old dead un-refrigerated fish.’
Triad has publicly claimed that Ivaiti is one of the key proponents of the fuel farm scheme. Ivaiti no longer fronts the government project to nationalise the fuel supply industry after making several moves recently to distance himself from the scheme.
Ivaiti along with finance minister Sir Terepai Maoate, the ministry of finance, the Cook Islands Investment Corporation and its boss John Tini, are the respondents in the Triad application before the court.
And while Triad has succeeded in stopping both the Toa and Juhi purchases through an interim court order, it has asked the court to declare whether the respondents breached Cook Islands law in pursuing the fuel farm scheme. - Helen Greig
Koutu Nui to meet in Atiu
Friday 12: Members of the Koutu Nui will descend on Atiu next week for the organisation’s annual meeting and conference.
Koutu Nui president Te Tika Mataiapo Dorice Reid says traditional leaders from Mangaia, Aitutaki, Mauke, Mitiaro and Rarotonga will attend the two-day event which begins on Tuesday, June 16. A proxy member representing Manihiki will also attend.
President of the House of Ariki, Tou Travel Ariki, will deliver the keynote opening address on Tuesday morning.
Over 40 rangatira and mataiapo are expected on Atiu. - Moana Moeka’a
‘Stimulus’ changes course
Saturday 13: Financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti says government spending on the Pacific Mini Games is a form of economic stimulus for the country.
This is part of Ivaiti’s response to CINews requests for an update and explanation of the government’s $3 million economic stimulus package announced in February.
Government is also counting on the games bringing a lot of revenue to the local economy to counter the effects of the global recession, Ivaiti says.
It is still planning to spend the $3 million fund earmarked for economic stimulus in last November’s supplementary budget – just not as it initially intended.
The proposal to spend the fund on a small to medium business assistance package was scrapped soon after it was announced in February, but this was never clearly communicated.
The Bank of the Cook Islands was to hold $2 million as a loan facility for small businesses in Rarotonga, and the other million for a loan interest rate subsidy.
But this was met with opposition by banks and the business trade and investment board (BTIB).
It was back to the drawing board for a review of the package, until tourism minister Wilkie Rasmussen announced in March that government was thinking of spending the fund on marketing for tourism.
Cabinet has already decided to take $1 million of the fund to give to CI Tourism to enhance marketing efforts in Australia and the US.
The pearl authority has also been allocated the $285,000 it requested to assist with pearl industry development initiatives.
The BTIB will still get a stimulus fund for small businesses – $550,000 it will spend on concessional loans for small to medium businesses. That fund will be for businesses in the outer islands.
Ivaiti has not said what the remaining $1 million from the fund might be spent on, but says the funding earmarked for the tourism, pearl and business industry will assist with economic stimulus. - HG
Court decision months away
Saturday 13: It could be months yet until the High Court can issue a declaratory judgement on government’s actions in the fuel farm scheme.
Triad Petroleum made the application asking for the court’s judgement on whether five government respondents breached Cook Islands law in January.
But the hearing for the application probably will not happen until well after wrap up later in the year of the high profile ‘Operation Slush’ trial, due to re-start next month.
Timing of the Triad case still has to be set down, discovery sought for evidence purposes and other preparations made.
While the respondents in the case have filed hundreds of pages of documents in exhibits to the court, discovery of all information relating to the fuel farm scheme has yet to be sought.
On Thursday the third telephone hearing with Judge Colin Nicholson was held to deal with the Crown’s application to set aside the interim order that now halts the Toa and Juhi
purchase.
Just two days ago, Nicholson extended the interim order imposed in February to cover the Juhi purchase – his decision coming just days after government announced it is ready to buy the aviation fuel facility.
The Crown now has the right of reply on its application to set aside the order before a decision is made on it.
This week’s developments in the case include Nicholson’s request for more information.
Most importantly, Nicholson wants to know what policy government has followed in its fuel farm scheme. He has also notified the respondent’s counsel that he intends to issue a list of his own questions to them.
The respondents in the case are finance minister Sir Terepai Maoate, financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti, MFEM, Cook Islands Investment Corporation and its CEO John Tini.
Nicholson has also requested that a copy of parliament’s Hansard from the 1996 passing of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) Act, be made available to the court.
It is understood most of the case will now be dealt with through written submissions until the court calls on the parties to meet again to set a time line for the hearing. - Helen Greig
Lawyer spells out legal way to stop coral removal
Saturday 13: Local lawyer Paul Lynch has spelled out the legal way in which Muri residents could stop the proposed coral removal in their lagoon.
Speaking at Thursday evening’s public meeting, Lynch said the Environment Act ensures the protection of the environment and it could be used in a legal challenge.
With many Muri residents and members of the public against the proposal that would allow an international standard oe vaka course for the Pacific Mini Games, there’s still no guarantee that it will be stopped.
Lynch said the national environment service (NES) should be taking the matter forward to protect and conserve the lagoon. He said the removal would surely have a ‘significant environmental impact’ and therefore raise the question of whether the authorities would allow it to go ahead without good reason.
He pointed to the landmark judgement of 2007 in which landowners won their argument against the approval of rock wall structures to be built at The Rarotongan Resort & Spa foreshore area.
At the time, Lynch had been representing NES in the case that questioned the permits given for the work that extended into the lagoon.
Lynch told the meeting that a small group could win a case against the games organisers to stop the removal of coral – if they felt legal action was necessary.
“I don’t know of any judge that would allow a live coral from the lagoon, that’s probably older than any of us, to be taken out.” - HG
High STI youth rate discussed
Saturday 13: About 75 people have been gaining a greater understanding of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases this week.
Ministry of Health workers, nurses, doctors, youth peer educators and members of the National Aids Committee have been taking part in a mini-conference at Crown Beach Resort.
Conference spokeswoman Debi Futter-Puati says the four-day seminar was relevant as 45 percent of young people are contacting STIs.
“This is a direct correlation between condom and STIs statistics,” she says.
Among the issues discussed were condom social marketing and distribution and ways to make condoms more accessible.
“At the moment people have to go to an agency and that can be a barrier for young people.”
Futter-Puati suggested ideas such as filling PVC pipes with condoms or hanging baskets from trees as a way for condoms to become more freely available. - Dana Kinita
ON THE STREET - Solution to road deaths
Saturday 13: People keep dying on our roads. What’s the problem? What’s the solution?
Taua Benioni
‘Alcohol is the biggest problem. The solution? Education.’
Abel Tuarae
It’s mainly the young people. Have a strict licence system. Give them a learner licence for a year or two and a full licence after five years.
Tuwunga Mataora
People are not adhering to the warnings and not listening to what has been put in the media. The solution is simply obey.
Paddy Lynch
It’s irresponsible people. More police on the roads and if people see bad driving take their number down and report it to the police.
Maria Metuangaro
People are speeding and drink driving. They need to slow down.
Tangimama Vavia
People are just not taking police awareness programmes seriously – especially young people. There needs to be more awareness in schools and youth groups.
70 free laptops recalled
Monday 15: Dilly-dallying has spoiled an opportunity to put 70 free laptop computers in the hands of outer islands school children.
The wait for a consultant’s report on ‘information communications technology’ has stop-
ped the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project for Mitiaro from going ahead.
The plan had been for Mitiaro school students to receive ab-
out 70 of the colourful laptops last year.
Now the Ministry of Education is being asked by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community in New Caledonia to return the laptops after it failed to distribute them.
Secretary John Herrmann is tight-lipped on what happened to the project, other than that the ministry is waiting for the recommendations of an ICT policy report before doing anything with the computers.
Last December Herrmann told CINews the Mitiaro project had been put on hold pending a cost benefit analysis of the plan.
Herrmann confirmed last week he had received a letter from the SPC over the fact the laptops were never sent to Mitiaro.
The worldwide initiative for the special laptops – which cost around US$100 each –was developed by the American-based OLPC social welfare organisation.
The computers were designed specially for distribution to children in developing countries around the world to provide them with access to knowledge.
About 100,000 of them were purchased for the Pacific region by a financier and given to the SPC to distribute to poor communities in the region. Some went to Papua New Guinea and Kiribati.
The rugged, low-power computers contain flash memory instead of a hard drive. They use only five watts of power, run for about four hours, take one-and-a-half hours to charge off power mains or by solar, and connect with other laptops through a wireless system which is set up in the classroom.
Laptop users can also connect up to the internet once a Rural Internet Connectivity satellite is installed nearby. - HG
Two complaints filed over OIA
Monday 15: The ombudsman’s office has dealt with two complaints relating to requests made under the Official Information Act.
These are the first two complaints since the act was implemented in February, involving the Police and the Public Service Commissioner.
Complaints to Cook Islands ombudsman Janet Maki are the last option for people who are not satisfied with decisions made in not releasing requested information
Both issues have been resolved.
Maki says she upheld the decision police made in refusing an application as the requester was not a ‘qualified person’ as defined under the OIA.
“However, after holding discussions with the Deputy Police Commissioner in terms of discussing any potential harm in releasing the information, and after advising him that just because a person does not qualify to receive information under the OIA doesn’t mean the information can’t be made available if the department has no difficulty in releasing it, he has agreed to release the information,” Maki says.
She says the complaint against the Public Service Commissioner was for refusal to release the latest draft of the Public Service Bill.
“After holding discussions with the Public Service Commissioner, he agreed to release the latest draft to the requester and to other entities who subsequently requested the draft bill.”
Fifteen ministries and government businesses have come under the OIA since February 11. Because of limited funding, departments have been grouped and are on a staggered phase in. All ministries will be under the act by May 11, 2010.
The next lot of ministries to apply the act, from August 11, include the ministry of education, national library, office of the minister for island administrations, transport, waste management, parliamentary services and ministry of infrastructure and planning. - DK
Pin cushion starfish a record
Monday 15: Teariki Charles Rongo is a holding a pin cushion starfish, Culcita novaeguineae – a new record for the southern Cook Islands, according to the Cook Islands Biodiversity database. The corner picture shows the underside of the starfish.
These pictures were taken by marine ecologist Teina Rongo on June 8 at Avarua Boiler at a 6m depth during the coral reef survey carried out for the National Environment Service to examine the state of Rarotonga’s reefs.
For the Cook Islands, this starfish has only been recorded in Penrhyn and Pukapuka.
The pin cushion starfish feed on detritus and sessile invertebrates including corals. However, unlike the taramea, they are not considered a threat to coral reefs.
Like many marine organisms, the pin cushion starfish is planktonic early in their development, where they drift in the ocean for a period before settling.
According to Teina Rongo, it is possible that this starfish accidentally drifted our way from French Polynesia as it has been reported in that region. However, it could also have come from ballast water in ships, especially as it was found in close proximity to Avatiu Harbour.
Ballast water discharging has been a global concern, identified as a vector for introducing alien species to different regions and potentially becoming invasive and affecting the native flora and fauna of that region. – TR
Dad saves daughter in taro patch
Monday 15: A father saved the life of his daughter last Tuesday by using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
A three-year-old in Mangaia had stopped breathing after being found lying in water in a taro patch.
Dr Dawn Pasina says the father had turned to talk to someone and noticed the girl had wandered off.
“When he found her, she wasn’t breathing, she was just lying in the river.
“He gave her mouth to mouth for around five minutes and managed to get her breathing again.”
Pasina says parents need to be mindful of their children but believes the quick actions of the dad saved her life.
“It takes a while to get out of the village to the hospital so if she hadn’t been breathing the whole time – she wouldn’t of made it.”
The girl was flown to the Rarotonga hospital as a precaution. Pasina says she has made a full recovery and is now back home in Mangaia. - DK
Emergency operation on Mangaia
Monday 15: A doctor was flown from Rarotonga to Mangaia last Friday to perform an emergency caesarean section operation.
Dr May Aung flew to the island as the pregnant woman was unable to give birth naturally because of the baby’s position. The child was born in Mangaia and was later flown to Rarotonga.
Both mother and child are recovering in the hospital. - DK
Scouts board boat
Monday 15: The newly formed Avarua Harbour Sea Scouts will go on board Te Kukupa today.
Since reforming in February this year, the group has been learning seamanship and water safety skills such as wearing a life jacket correctly and pulling someone ashore.
Parents of kids aged five to 18 are invited to see the benefit of Sea Scouts at today’s boarding of Te Kupupa from 5.15pm.
3 behind fuel farm, Norm
Tuesday 16: Opposition finance spokesperson Norman George won’t be silenced on his views on government’s fuel farm scheme.
In his latest statement he refers to minister Tangata Vavia as the deputy prime minister’s ‘suicide bomber’ for taking on the ‘ill-fated fuel farm adventure’.
George has also raised the question of what is really motivating three closely-linked men to drive the scheme.
He refers to Sir Terepai, his son and associate finance minister Terepai Maoate Jnr and Vavia, who is married to Maoate Jnr’s wife’s mother.
“The sad part of all of this is that it is not in the Democratic Party’s election manifesto. The majority of the public is dead against it and here is minister Vavia still hopelessly trying to justify it against all sensibilities while seeking the heroic flavour of claiming that it is all being done for the good of the people. Bull drops, I say to you my honourable friend.”
George asks Vavia to remember the Rarotongan hotel and Aitutaki’s Rapae hotel, and how they never made money.
“Incidentally minister Vavia, your DPM puppet master is the only finance minister in the world to purchase and pay the landowners twice for the same piece of land viz the Rapae landowners. Guess whose family made up a large portion of these same landowners?” asks George.
“The next question to be asked is, does the same conflict of interest arise relating to family land interest in the Toa fuel farm purchase?”
“Why is this obsession with purchasing the fuel farms confined to three people who have close relationship with each other as minister Vavia is associate minister of finance Junior Maoate’s father-in-law and of course the DPM being Junior’s daddy.”
“As much as I try to avoid raising the question for fear of being accused of being personal, which I have avoided in the past but because of the resilience of their stupidity, I have to do so in the public interest,” claims George. - HG
Norm’s full statement on page 3
Tepaki says Hilton to open in 2011
Tuesday 16: Hilton Rarotonga developer Tim Tepaki has told Radio New Zealand International he’s hoping construction will start in a few weeks at the Vaimaanga site.
Tepaki now claims that the resort will be completed by 2011.
Landowner Pa Marie Ariki says she hasn’t heard anything recently about construction starting up.
Even government officials tasked with issuing project permits and monitoring works on the site have heard nothing from the developer.
At least one official said for construction to start, Tepaki would have to give them more than three week’s notice.
It’s been over 20 years since the project first began, and three years since Tepaki and now bankrupt developer Dan McEwan leased the 11 hectare property in a joint venture called JVCI.
Tepaki also told RNZI that McEwan’s bankruptcy left him to finish the project alone. He said he’s in the process of finalising a refinancing agreement with a US finance company.
For the past year, refinancing has been touted by Tepaki as the number one reason for the project stalling.
In January the second environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project was approved in part with extra information required before developers could proceed with the second and third stages of the project.
Instead of redeveloping the aging buildings on the site, the new plan is to demolish half of them and put in 105 beachfront villas.
The revised project is expected to cost around $50 million.
The demolition of three blocks is stage one of the project – a nine month job according to the EIA.
The EIA said JVCI anticipated that the three-stage project would be completed within two years of being approved, putting the opening date somewhere around January 2011. - Helen Greig
Lagoon Day all go at Muri
Tuesday 16: Takitumu Lagoon Day begins today at 10am – it’s a free two day event for schools and the community.
The field day event is being held at the Nukupure sports field in Ngatangiia. Tomorrow the day will kick off earlier at 8am as all the primary school student groups have to make their way around the booths.
Today Titikaveka and Tereora College students will begin their tour of the exhibits and booths at lagoon day. They will get the chance to go on a lagoon tour, thanks to Pacific Resort providing a glass bottom boat for the day.
There will be lots of prizes up for grabs for both students and adults at lagoon day.
If you are keen to get your hands on some great prizes – including a dinner voucher or two – then set sail for Muri as fast as you can today.
If you want to know more about building on hillsides, then you can get free advice at the hillside erosion site at lagoon day. And for those who want to know more about septic tanks and the options available there will be public health officers and local plumbers to take your questions.
Or if you are concerned about your household’s contribution to lagoon pollution, lagoon day has tips and low cost solutions for greener living.
For a great family day out you can take the kids down in the afternoon – there’s even plenty of food stalls on site to keep the troupes fed.- Helen Greig
Cooks play Wales in first game
Tuesday 16: A total of 70 games will be played during the World Youth Netball Championships in Rarotonga next month.
The WYNC opening ceremony will be held on Monday
August 10 starting at 1pm followed by the opening game between the Cook Islands and Wales at 2.30pm.
Between Tuesday August 11 and Saturday August 15, pool games will be played throughout the day.
Monday August 17 will see the quarter finals played out with the semi finals to follow on Tuesday August 18. There will be a rest day on Sunday, August 16.
Final play off for placings 9-12 will be held on Wednesday August 20 while the final matches for placings 1-8 including the grand final and closing ceremony will be held on Thursday August 20.
Twenty teams have confirmed their places in the championships and includes (pool A) New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, (pool B) England, Cook Islands, Malaysia, Wales, Vanuatu, (pool C) Australia,
Fiji, Botswana, Samoa, South Africa, (pool D) Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Malawi, Singapore and the United States
of America. - Matariki Wilson
Matter of time before pig flu reaches Cooks
Wednesday 17: Samoa has confirmed its first case of Influenza A (H1N1) and it’s only a matter of time before it arrives in the Cook Islands.
Director of public health services Dr Josephine Aumea Herman says with the global pandemic reaching 35,000 cases to date, there’s little doubt that cases will soon be confirmed on our own shores.
“It’s only a matter of time,” she says.
On Monday Samoa confirmed that it had confirmed one case from a group of suspected cases quarantined at a local hotel there last week.
Here in Rarotonga the ministry of health has not had to provide this kind of advice. But officials are preparing for the event it may have to warn people against cultural norms like kissing in greetings.
As of yesterday there were no confirmed cases of the new flu in the country. Results are due out today from Wellington where a laboratory is testing more samples from Rarotonga.
Herman says there is an in
Samoa has confirmed its first case of Influenza A (H1N1) and it’s only a matter of time before it arrives in the Cook Islands.
Director of public health services Dr Josephine Aumea Herman says with the global pandemic reaching 35,000 cases to date, there’s little doubt that cases will soon be confirmed on our own shores.
“It’s only a matter of time,” she says.
On Monday Samoa confirmed that it had confirmed one case from a group of suspected cases quarantined at a local hotel there last week.
And Samoa’s ministry of health is warning people against attending public gatherings.
Here in Rarotonga the ministry of health has not had to provide this kind of advice. But officials are preparing for the event it may have to warn people against cultural norms like kissing in greetings.
As of yesterday there were no confirmed cases of the new flu in the country. Results are due out today from Wellington where a laboratory is testing more samples from Rarotonga.
Herman says there is an influenza A virus here now, but it is not the new strain. At a time of the year when seasonal flu is affecting more people, the main concern with the swine flu strain is that it is affecting people all over the world all at once.
Herman says the H1N1 strain has the ability to mutate and become more aggressive so the ministry has made as many preparations as possible to deal with the pandemic when it reaches Rarotonga.
She says the flu is highly contagious so it’s important to protect others by coughing into clothing, and for those that are not sick to keep a good distance when people cough and sneeze.
The ministry’s new influenza clinic in Arorangi has seen about 30 patients a day since opening early this month. This is one of the ways the ministry can protect others in the community and at the hospital from getting influenza A (H1N1).
Border surveillance measures have been scaled back and the ministry is concentrating on ways to address the growing threat of the new flu.
Herman says the big question is how big the impact of the flu will be on Rarotonga by the time the mini games begin in September.
The ministry will be working hard to prevent the spread of H1N1 before then, so that any cases here can be contained.- Helen Greig
HoMs advised of new policy
Wednesday 17: Heads of ministries who have served three consecutive terms in their posts are no longer eligible to reapply for their jobs.
Just four days out from the close of HoM applications for the next three year period, current HoMs have been informed of this decision by the office of the public service commissioner.
OPSC chief executive Russell Thomas emailed HoMs on Monday to tell them that the new government policy was created by cabinet last Tuesday.
The policy is that all HoM, island secretary and CEO appointments are to be restricted to no more than three consecutive terms. The cabinet minute further states that any HoM and island secretary that has already served three consecutive terms by this month will not be considered for the same post.
These people can apply for HOM positions in other ministries but can no longer reapply for their jobs. Applications close for all positions on Friday, June 19.
Cook Islands News contacted Thomas yesterday but he had no explanation for the new policy.
It is understood that at least one current HoM – justice secretary Terry Hagan -- will be affected by the policy, and may now be unable to apply for a new contract.
Public service commissioner Navy Epati was not available for comment yesterday.- HG
Police handover today
Wednesday 17: Acting prime minister Tangata Vavia will oversee the police command handover ceremony today.
Vavia will attend on behalf of the deputy prime minister and the prime minister who are both currently overseas.
From 9.30am roads will be closed as the police march from ministry of justice building to the police headquarters in Avarua. Traffic will also be diverted from the front of the station while the ceremony takes place. - DK
Takitumu Lagoon Day gets message across
Wednesday 17: The first day of the Takitumu Lagoon Day event proved a great way to get the message about lagoon pollution and other issues out to the leaders of tomorrow.
National Environment Service director Vaitoti Tupa said he was happy that students are now getting to take part in the event after it was postponed this month.
“Our main aim is to get the young people aware of these issues because they are the leaders of tomorrow and they will pass these issues onto their families too,” he said.
Mii Kauvai of the Muri Environment Care Group, key hosts of this year’s event, said she believes that the community can solve lagoon problems by starting to work on the solutions now.
Her group has just received a $5 million European Union grant for the Muri Lagoon project. The first stage of this project is to survey homes in the area on what kind of septic system they have as well as the type of soil around their homes.
The grant will cover a lot of work by the group in the area of sanitation and water says Kauvai. Her group is promoting the new project to those who visit Lagoon Day as they hope to raise even more awareness about lagoon issues in the coming months.
Titikaveka and Tereora College students enjoyed not only some great interactive displays at lagoon day but some great food too. Hotdogs, burgers, nachos, steak rolls, and curry chicken are all being sold at Lagoon Day – using biodegradable starch based food containers.
Today primary school students – making up the bulk of the 1300 student visitors to the event – will descend on Nukupure park for the last day of the 2009 event. - HG
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