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$55m offer for exploration
Cancer screening for MPs
Decision ‘not ours to make’
Joint effort to remove whale carcass from lagoon
Farm stench makes House
Rasmussen takes over as opposition leader
Airline subsidy blamed for blowout
Just bee happy
Tuna label design comp
Heroes idea ‘fantastic’
Produce export problems ‘not new’
Airline subsidy rises to $12.5m
Norman George for Opposition leader?
NZ pension portability off the table
McCully reaffirms support to Cooks
Parliament expected to sit for two weeks
Silveria sets example by removing graffiti
Court to hear Tepuka claim
‘Bad export deals can be avoided’
$55m offer for exploration
Wed
22 Feb
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 offered government $25 million were true.
“There is an offer on the table, yes,” Marsters said. “But the offer is for $55 million – $15 million is up-front payment to the government and the other $40 million is an investment on the part of Endeavour to do their own research.
“...They have assured us that upon the signing of the agreement, within 30 days they will have $15 million in our bank account.”
Marsters gave a brief history of the government’s negotiations with Endeavour. He held up a coloured map of the Cook Islands’ exclusive economic zone.
“That is the very latest from the scientific world concerning the minerals in our EEZ. If I were to bring you an expanded map of the whole world you would find that nowhere else in the world is (manganese) so concentrated as our EEZ. A lot of work has been done since we took over from the previous government.
“...By the end of the month a technical adviser, co-sponsored by the Commonwealth Secretariat and ourselves, will be in place and on the ground here in Rarotonga.
“We have not changed anything that the former government has put in place because we felt when we came in that the programme they had set was a good programme.”
Marsters explained that from the beginning, Endeavour had expressed a keen interest in exploring the Cook Islands seabed. He said it is too early for him to announce with confidence that Endeavour will be awarded an exploratory licence, but nevertheless he hopes the company will “find a place within the scope of the total programme of our seabed mining”.
“Until all aspects are in place it would not be advisable for us to jump those hurdles sooner than when it should be happening,” Marsters said.
Teenui-Mapumai member of parliament Norman George raised concerns about the negotiation process.
“Don’t be too fussy about investment from the Endeavour mineral people – that could be an opportunity we could lose. Don’t waste too much time painfully going through non-existent problems. Get real, get practical but just make sure that we are not negotiating an agreement which will end up like the Toagate agreement,” George said.
“Don’t forget – opportunities don’t remain forever, when there’s opportunity there, get going. Get working. Get the right people to advise you and get money in the bank. Cure the deficit so you don’t also impose new baby and old age taxes that you have unwisely done in the last year.”
Cancer screening for MPs
Wed
22 Feb
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| Sir Terepai Maoate spoke openly and honestly about his prostate cancer at a Democratic Party meeting earlier this month.12020829 |
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 rest of the country’s male population will follow suit.
Sir Terepai Maoate, who is working with health secretary Tupou Faireka to establish a prostate cancer foundation for the Cook Islands, last year spoke to parliamentarians about prostate cancer and his vision to run an awareness programme for the country’s male population.
Sir Terepai said yesterday he was ‘glad to hear’ of Sir Frederick Goodwin’s support for his cause.
“I’m glad to hear that there’s been a call for members of parliament to be screened. When I was in government we encouraged our wives to establish the breast cancer foundation and it’s up and running well – the concept has been brought over to the (prostate cancer foundation), of leaders getting behind these organisations. That’s good for our people – good public sector support for these kinds of things. I’m glad he (Sir Frederick Goodwin) has done that.”
Sir Terepai says he and Faireka are finalising a draft constitution for a Cook Islands prostate cancer foundation this week.
Decision ‘not ours to make’
Wed
22 Feb
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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 your intention and the intention of your government to invite Fiji leader and Commodore Bainimarama to the Pacific Forum to be held in August?”
Prime Minister Henry Puna answered that should there be an invitation to Bainimarama, it will come from the Forum Secretariat and not from his government.
“Cook Islands is part of a team and that’s the Pacific Islands Forum team – there has been a team decision made by the team and Cook Islands intends to play as a team.
“It’s difficult for us to anticipate what the situation will be between now and the commencement of the forum. I can tell you the minister of foreign affairs for New Zealand (Murray McCully) was here recently, this last weekend, and I took the opportunity to discuss with him this very sensitive issue.
“In brief, as of now, nothing has changed. Let’s hope that before the forum there may be some changes,” Puna said.
George pressed him, asking whether he was suggesting he had changed his mind.
“No, I’m not saying I’m changing my mind, honourable member. Circumstances might change which might warrant a change of mind but until the team decision has been changed, Cook Islands is very much a team player and will continue to be bound by the team rules.”
Joint effort to remove whale carcass from lagoon
Tue
21 Feb
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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.
Farm stench makes House
Tue
21 Feb
“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 nights near Scott’s Farm to collect “firsthand evidence of the problem” to assist resolving the ongoing saga of the stench from the chicken farm.
“The stink is continuing and we have not had some basic answers that we can give to our people. Could you explain to the people and to this house, is this the responsibility of the Ministry of Health or if not then some other ministry?”
Glassie explained that one of the problems was the Public Health Act of 2004 which was “an outmoded piece of legislation”.
“It is appropriate for places like the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia or New Zealand,” Glassie said. “But it doesn’t fit the Cook Islands.”
He said regulations were being written that would grant the secretary of health the authority to issue permits and restrict commercial enterprises creating offensive smells.
“The secretary would exercise that right to make sure all these nuisances would never occur again in the future.”
The minister did not provide a timeline for when these regulations would be ready nor when residents could expect a resolution to the current noxious smells.
The opposition also claimed that the minister was “playing tennis” by passing the ball to someone else when the minister suggested that as health effects from the farm were minimal it was more an environmental concern.
“The right agency to carry it out is the National Environment Service and it is also a land use issue. We are not passing the buck, this is an environmental issue and not a health issue,” said Glassie.
Rasmussen takes over as opposition leader
Tue
21 Feb
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 Islands News following the announcement in parliament.
Puna stated in his opening speech that he expected a “torrid time” from the new opposition leader.
“Let us agree to disagree but not to be disagreeable with each other,” he said.
While Rasmussen has become the leader of the opposition, Robert Wigmore is on medical leave and retains leadership of the Democratic Party.
Democratic Party President Sean Willis said the party held a caucus meeting yesterday and Wigmore suggested that Rasmussen take over the role.
“It’s a decision that the entire caucus supports,” Willis said. “Rasmussen is a seasoned politician and this gives him the opportunity to act at that higher level.”
The appointment of Rasmussen as leader of the opposition quashes rumours of a leadership challenge by Norman George.
Norman George raised eyebrows last week when he announced his desire to be considered a potential leader of the opposition. He clarified his position yesterday shortly before the announcement.
Speaking to CINews just before the announcement, George said, “I asked to be included if there were any leadership discussions but apparently there wasn’t.”
Democratic Party President Sean Willis said yesterday that George’s comments were irrelevant. “This is a party decision and is decided by our caucus.”
Airline subsidy blamed for blowout
Tue
21 Feb
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) – reflecting a variance of $6.2 million.
During the time of the budget policy statement and half-year economic and fiscal update 2011-2012, total operating revenue was pegged at $108.7 million. This is a $2.6 million increase over the estimated operating revenue at the time of the original budget – the result of ‘higher than estimated tourism growth’, minister of finance Mark Brown explained.
But total operating expenditure has increased to $111.3 million – a $5.1 million increase over the original appropriation for this financial year. Gross operational expenditure by ministries has increased by $0.121 million, from $63.8 million to $63.9 million.
The supplementary budget tabled in parliament yesterday proposes a $5.1 million increase in payments on behalf of the crown (POBOC), bringing the total POBOC appropriation to $40.2 million.
The largest POBOC variation is an additional $4.5 million for Air New Zealand to operate its Sydney and Los Angeles flights.
Other major increases include $130,000 to send a Cook Islands team to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and $60,000 for Crown Law to cover its Operation Eagle expenses.
A total of $123,000 has been appropriated to Internal Affairs for CISNOC – $30,000 for its operating costs and $93,000 to send a Cook Islands team to the Olympic Games in London.
Other variations include the appropriation of $30,000 for the Ministry of Education to run a Youth Suicide Prevention Forum and of $17,000 for the Environment Service to employ an environment officer for Manihiki.
To facilitate the government in its hosting of the Pacific Islands Forum, a total of $95,000 has been put aside for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration. Parliamentary services is set to receive $155,000 in additional funding – a $50,000 increase to the Civil List to accommodate ministerial travel, $65,000 to the House of Ariki for the first inaugural Ui Ariki Day, and support for the establishment of a Select Committee Support Services unit ($40,000).
The supplementary budget provides the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management with $25,000 for a banking review, $8000 for an independent review of the CISNOC accounts and $20,000 for a review of Apex Agencies Limited. It also earmarks $28,000 for the Office of the Prime Minister to fast-track its renewable energy preparatory work in the islands of Mitiaro, Mauke, Mangaia and Manihiki.
Details Budget blowout detailed
Just bee happy
Mon
20 Feb
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Dressed in a cute bumble bee outfit, baby Lebron Anthony tumbled and rolled around in the grass at the Avatiu Swamp while his family watched the action between the Avatiu Eels and Ngatangiia-Sea Eagles unfold. When there wasn’t any action on the field out would come bumble bee Lebron to entertain the crowd encouraged by cooing mama’s on the sideline.
Tuna label design comp
Mon
20 Feb
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 the islands of the Cooks.
The entry is open to any students enrolled in a Cook Islands school.
Designs must be sent to the Ministry of Education marked ‘Cook Islands Golden Tuna Design’.
The designer of the winning label will win $200 while the second and third place designs will win their creators $100 and $50 respectively.
The education department supports local initiatives in its effort to engage all students and promote local business development in the country.
For more information contact Maria Enetama via email on maria@education.gov.ck or call 29 357.
Heroes idea ‘fantastic’
Mon
20 Feb
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 the people of the Cook Islands.
The heroes have now begun arriving in the Cook Islands almost a year after an earthquake devastated Christchurch in February 2011.
Last week the first of 100 heroes touched down in Rarotonga. The remaining people will continue to arrive over the coming two months, with travel costs, accommodation and activities donated by the public and private sector alike.
Yesterday, McCully said the people of Christchurch were left touched by the generosity of the Cook Islands and the sacrifices made by the tourism industry to host them here.
“The heroes programme is a fantastic way for the Cook Islands to contribute to the recovery. It is a very, very generous offer and it means a lot to the people who are coming,” he said.
Produce export problems ‘not new’
Mon
20 Feb
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 said there were some measures that the Aitutaki Growers Association could take in the future to better ensure they see good returns for the efforts in exporting fresh produce to foreign markets like New Zealand.
Glassie suggested that if growers wanted to go through private contacts rather than using government-linked connections, it would be a good idea to send someone from
the association to monitor business throughout the process
and put in policies that see
people pay upfront for the good they receive.
“If they are not using formal channels, there is no control there,” Glassie said.
“I think the association could send people from Aitutaki with their shipment to make sure there is no monkey businesses happening on the other end.
“If they send someone along they could work with people on the other end and closely monitor the business on the other end.”
Glassie said another problem that commonly occurred with Cook Islands goods being sent to New Zealand was that although Cook Islands communities there have a desire to buy goods from their homeland, the relatively high cost of the imports put them out of reach for people on a low income.
Calling on his experiences during similar problems in Aitu, Glassie said that while the first container of produce is eagerly snapped up, further deliveries begin to struggle as people return to cheaper sources of their food.
He also said there were often problems with money being sent back to the Cook Islands during such deals.
Glassie put that down to a number of factors, including: people with low incomes not being able to afford the goods, the struggle to find buyers for large quantities of goods, the comparative high cost of Cook Islands exports, and the absence of guarantees available in private deals.
“All I can say on this is that this is not a new problem for the Cook Islands when Cook Islands products are sent to New Zealand for sale,” Glassie said.
“From my experience in Atiu, there is no guarantee that products will be purchased and money will be sent back... It’s an ongoing problem.”
Airline subsidy rises to $12.5m
Sat
18 Feb
A $4.5 million increase in the costs needed to guarantee flights to Sydney and Los Angeles is expected to wipe out a projected $2.5 million surplus in the Cook Islands budget for 2011-12 and push it into a $2.5 million deficit instead.
Minister for Finance and Economic Management Mark Brown yesterday revealed the $8 million flight guarantee the Cook Islands government pays to Air New Zealand will cost $12.5 million for the current financial year – an extra $4.5 million on figures included in the original budget document.
If the guarantee is extended into the 2012-13 financial year it is expected to cost $13.6 million for the year.
Brown said the government would be sticking with the flight guarantee for the time being, ensuring that direct flights linking Rarotonga with Sydney and Los Angeles continue to operate.
He said it would be irresponsible to cancel the flights based on this development, especially with the high season for tourism in the Cook Islands now approaching.
With Minister for Tourism Teina Bishop and Financial Secretary Richard Neves sitting alongside him at a press conference called yesterday, Brown said the government was urging caution on the issue and wanted to maintain those flights.
Brown and Prime Minister Henry Puna met with Air New Zealand executives on February 2 to discuss the price rise for the guarantee.
Air New Zealand is blaming the spike on the rising cost of air fuel, which it said had risen by about 35 percent in US dollars since the airline and the Cook Islands government signed on for the guarantee in April 2010.
“This cost is an external cost that we are unable to control and to this end government cannot really contain costs,” Brown said.
Brown will present a budget update to Cook Islands parliament when it sits next week – the first time parliament has been convened in 2012.
The guarantee and its accompanying impacts are expected to dominate the supplementary budget when it is tabled on Monday. Aside from this headache, Brown said government spending was in good shape.
“Taking this out and only considering the things we control, we have done quite well,” Brown said.
Also see Govt ‘not rushing out of deal’
Norman George for Opposition leader?
Sat
18 Feb
Ex-CIP Member of Parliament Norman George is making a leadership bid within the Opposition Democratic Party.
He wants to feature in leadership structure discussions within the Democratic Party given opposition leader Robert Wigmore’s extended term of medical leave.
George announced yesterday that he has re-joined the Democratic Party and renounced all affiliations with the Cook Islands Party, and said with confidence that he believes he is the right choice for opposition leader.
“It is my belief that due to the serious illness of the Honourable Robert Wigmore who is also the leader of the opposition, the position of parliamentary opposition leader will become vacant. I am not referring to his parliamentary seat of Titikaveka.
“The position of leader of the opposition is a parliamentary position and not a political party position, according to the Civil List.
“The Civil List regulations define the leader of the opposition as ‘that member of parliament who has the confidence of the majority of all members of parliament opposed to the government’.
“As a member of parliament opposed to the government, I expect to participate in the selection and appointment of the new leader of the opposition. To not include me is contrary to parliamentary procedures and the Civil List Act.
“It should be noted that the election of the leader of the opposition is different and separate to the election of the party leader.
“The leader of the opposition does not become the party leader until he is elected by the party conference. These two positions can be held by two different people, but it is the party conference that decides whether to unify it into one position, with both the leader of the opposition in parliament and the political party leader, being one and the same person ultimately.
“If I am nominated to the leader of the opposition, I will accept it. I feel I have the experience, wisdom and energy to do a good job. There has been some embarrassing, basic mistakes by the Democratic Party opposition this far in the current term of parliament.
“One was, when the opposition for the first time ever, they gave their unsolicited vote of confidence in Prime Minister Henry Puna, at the beginning of parliament in February 2011 giving the Cook Islands Party prime minister 23 votes in support with only one abstention being myself.
“The other was accepting a non-urgent 24 hour call for parliament to meet, instead of the required seven days’ notice.
“These mistakes will never happen under my watch. I have no concerns about any interference from the CIP, I have resigned and closed all affiliations with the CIP.
“Since election night on November 26, 2010, up until today, I have not been invited to any CIP caucus meetings, functions or activities.
“Personally and legally, I consider myself free and liberated of all CIP connection.
“I have been invited by the Atiu Democratic Party supporters to rejoin the Democratic Party. I have accepted it. I have conveyed my decision to the Democratic Party leader and executive in October 2011, so far I have not received a response. The Democratic Party Constitution clearly welcomes people in my situation to join.”
NZ pension portability off the table
Fri
17 Feb
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Les Priest – “I’m 81 years of age now – I’ll probably never see this happen.”
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New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands John Carter with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully in Rarotonga yesterday.
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Pensioners who have waited 19 years for a New Zealand government decision on superannuation portability will now have to wait even longer, with Foreign Minister Murray McCully yesterday saying the proposal would be off the table indefinitely.
McCully, who is currently in the Cook Islands on government business, told Cook Islands News that the superannuation proposal would not be considered until New Zealand had “digested the cost of the Christchurch earthquake”.
Rarotonga resident Les Priest, who has been campaigning on behalf of ‘the lost tribe’ of local and expat New Zealand pensioners living in the Cook Islands, said he was disappointed but not surprised by the decision.
“We’re now in the 19th year of lobbying and it looks like the New Zealand government is going to hang on until the 20th at least,” Priest said.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if this comes up again as an issue just before the next election.”
McCully said he would indeed like to revisit the proposal at a later date – although he did not give a clear timetable – and that it would have to wait for the time being as New Zealand dealt with the affects of natural disaster.
“All spending proposals large and small are on hold in New Zealand. Until we can digest the cost of the Christchurch earthquakes we are putting a freeze on all spending proposals,” he said.
Priest has been unofficially elected as the spokesman for pensioners, of both Cook Islander and New Zealand descent, who wish to access their New Zealand pension while living full time in the Cook Islands.
Each time McCully visits the Cook Islands, Priest takes the time to write on behalf of those pensioners to Cook Islands ministers and CINews to seek an update on the issue.
But Priest says that time is something he may soon not have.
“I’m 81 years of age now – I’ll probably never see this happen,” Priest said in frustration yesterday.
As well as engaging local media on the issue, Priest has previously made his plight known to New Zealand news agencies including Radio New Zealand International.
New Zealand’s government has said pension portability issues are complex and discussions to change criteria are likely to take some time.
Under existing criteria, an application for superannuation has to be lodged in New Zealand by a person who has lived in the country for five years after turning 50.
McCully will be interviewed live on Matariki FM today at 7.15am. Topics he will address include superannuation portability and depopulation in the Cook Islands compared with the ‘brain drain’ bugging New Zealand.
McCully reaffirms support to Cooks
Fri
17 Feb
Renewables, sanitation, depopulation and the Pacific Islands Forum were all open for discussion yesterday when New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully met with Prime Minister Henry Puna and other ministers of the Cook Islands government.
McCully is currently in the Cook Islands on his first visit since the National Party was re-elected into government in November last year.
Today he will travel to Aitutaki to meet with the island’s leaders and carry out site inspections ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum which will be held in the Cook Islands between August 13 and 17 this year.
Pacific leaders will visit Aitutaki during their stay here and include a retreat at One Foot Island while on the island.
Yesterday, McCully said the Cook Islands government hadn’t disclosed full details of his itinerary in Aitutaki but added that the main purpose for the trip would be to tour and inspect the areas that would be used in the forum retreat.
He will also take time to meet with Aitutaki mayor John Baxter and the Aitutaki Island Council during his visit.
Yesterday in Rarotonga, the forum also featured in talks between McCully and Cook Islands cabinet ministers.
McCully said the New Zealand government would be offering its assistance to the Cook Islands in hosting the forum – what he described as a challenging responsibility.
“New Zealand found managing the Pacific Forum last year to be a challenging and the Cook Islands government is willing to learn from our experiences,” McCully said. “It’s a very large undertaking.”
McCully went on to say that while the New Zealand government would assist the Cook Islands in carrying out the logistics of the event, it would in no way be trying to dictate the planning or running of the forum.
McCully used the remainder of his visit in Rarotonga to touch on a number of projects being carried out with funding under the New Zealand Aid Programme, including renewable energy projects, waste, water and sanitation projects, and the Arorangi jetty construction.
McCully said he had a keen interest in the lagoon sanitation projects, saying they would have a wide impact on the Cook Islands community, tourism industry and economy.
Parliament expected to sit for two weeks
Fri
17 Feb
One paper and one bill will be tabled in Parliament from Monday.
Parliament clerk Nga Valoa says the session is likely to last about two weeks, and starts at 1pm on February 20.
Just two items occupy the agenda and order paper.
The supplementary budget will be the focus of the sitting, as Parliament considers submissions from all government ministries.
Ministries have been preparing their budgets in conjunction with the Public Service Commissioner’s Office staff and staff of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management.
Acting on advice contained within the Asian Development Bank (ADB) functional review report, the Public Service Commissioner has been encouraging heads of ministries to prepare their budgets using a template that looks three years into the future.
As such they have been planning their budget submissions in accordance with a longer-term vision.
The paper to be tabled is income tax (exemption of non-resident aircraft operators) 2012, 2012-01. It is the only paper on the agenda.
Silveria sets example by removing graffiti
Thu
16 Feb
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Nukutere College deputy head girl Silveria Wulf has turned a bad story into a good one and earned the admiration of acting principal George Rasmussen for her attitude.
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A student leader from Nukutere College has turned a bad piece of news into a good story and, in turn, is providing a source of inspiration not just to her fellow-students but also to leaders of all levels across the country.
When students and teachers returned to the college on Monday this week, they were greeted with freshly laid and somewhat offensive graffiti on the side of its canteen.
Nukutere deputy head girl Silveria Wulf felt offended enough on her own behalf and for her classmates that she decided to take some action and right a wrong carried out by another youth.
On Monday afternoon, Wulf returned to the school with the watchful eye of a family member, the blessings of acting principal George Rasmussen and a tin of paint to remove the graffiti.
The next day, the scrawl was gone and Rasmussen was left with nothing but admiration for the teen.
He said all the prefects of Nukutere joined a retreat to learn what it was to be a leader.
One of those lessons introduced the idea to the prefects that a leader should also be a servant to the people they represent.
Rasmussen said that Wulf had represented that idea perfectly.
“The second story is definitely better than the first story,” Rasmussen said.
“I have nothing but admiration for Silveria, but at the same time we aren’t forgetting about the person who did this. I wish there was something we could do for him. While we have admiration for Silveria, we also have compassion for him.”
For her part, Wulf said she knew the instant she saw the graffiti she wanted to do something about it.
She said she wanted to see the graffiti removed as soon as possible, so the person it was aimed at and the school as a whole would not have to look at it any longer than need be.
Rasmussen said the initiative shown by Wulf should act as an inspiration to the school and the wider Cook Islands community.
Court to hear Tepuka claim
Thu
16 Feb
Next month the kopu ariki of Ngati Makea will have its say in the Tepuka saga before Chief Justice Tom Weston.
The kopu ariki believe the Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) should no longer hold the title on Tepuka land, which comprises 23.67 hectares (58.48 acres) of land adjacent to the CICC Nikao.
It encompasses over 30 blocks and is home to over 200 people, most of whom have migrated from outer islands.
On behalf of the kopu, Ellena Tavioni filed an application to have the land – gifted by Makea to the London Missionary Society (LMS) – returned to the family.
The family says the section was given via vesting order to the London Missionary Society (LMS) “as a piece of land for missionaries for a time” in 1904. It was not a freehold order but a title, subject to conditions and restrictions as per the 1864 grant which gifted the land to the LMS. Years later CICC inherited the title.
But the kopu ariki of Makea believe that the land is not being used “for the purpose for which it was intended”, and on their behalf Tavioni is seeking the cancellation of the 1904 vesting order.
Acting on Tavioni’s behalf is land agent Tere Carr. Lawyer Tina Browne is representing CICC, and Iaveta Short is advising the church. The case is set down before Weston for March 28.
‘Bad export deals can be avoided’
Thu
16 Feb
Aitutaki growers disappointed with the fate of exports sent to New Zealand can use Cook Islands government contacts to help ensure similar plans in the future see a better outcome, says secretary for agriculture Anthony Brown.
According to Brown, growers from across the Cook Islands can call on a number of government agencies, including the ministry of agriculture, the Business Trade Investment Board and the ministry of foreign affairs, to help them plan and execute exports through agencies such as Pacific Islands Trade and Invest, an arm of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
He said the Cook Islands government has long-established relationships with such bodies that exist to work with Pacific businesses and groups, promote their products and use established buyer networks to sell on their goods.
Brown said the ministry was open and available to help the Aitutaki Growers Association and similar bodies in making contact with this international group to perhaps remove the risks associated with dealing exclusively with family members or private contacts to handle exports.
The Aitutaki Growers Association has sent three containers of produce and frozen goods to New Zealand since August last year, using private contacts in New Zealand to handle the goods.
The island was expected to receive about $26,000 back from each container sent. Instead, just one payment of $9000 has reached the island so far.
The people tasked with handling the produce in New Zealand said they faced a number of challenges in having the goods sold – including one incident where paperwork locked in a container caused a three-week delay in its delivery, enough time for about half of its contents to rot.
Aitutaki mayor John Baxter said the whole affair was disappointing for the island and its producers.
But it is not the first time where one of the outer islands has hit trouble over exports.
Atiu has also experienced similar troubles in the past, when money promised for its exports also failed to appear.
For Brown, the incidents are something that could be avoided if bodies like Pacific Islands Trade and Invest are called on to supervise exports.
“There are risks involved when people choose to deal with personal contacts or families,” he said.
“They’d be better off dealing with a receiver who has a capacity to take care of the produce and trade and marketing as what was agreed...
“We would advise them (the Aitutaki Growers Association) to go through the Pacific Islands Trade and Invest office.”
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