Saturday 1 February by Cook Islands News

Te reo o te KUKI AIRANI

$2 Saturday, February 1, 2014

Superfund act declared unconstitutional THE LEgISLATION behind the Superannuation fund has been declared unconstitutional by the Cook Islands High Court. The finding of unconstitutionality was laid out in a 70page judgement which was released to the public yesterday morning. What began initially as criminal proceedings into the issue of non-compliance with the Cook Islands National Superannuation Fund (CINSF) Act, turned into a court hearing that saw opposing legal teams – Solicitor general Kim Saunders on behalf of the plaintiff and lawyer Tim Arnold representing seven defendants – arguing on the retirement scheme’s constitutionality. Both sides laid out those argu-

ments in a mostly empty courtroom last November during a week-long hearing. In making his judgement, Chief Justice Thomas Weston of the Cook Islands High Court upheld the defendants’ challenge to the constitutionality of the Superannuation Scheme under Article 64(1)(c) of the Constitution – “which recognises the right to own property ... and not be deprived thereof”. Central to Arnold’s defence was the right to own property, in this case fund contributions, without having it taken away without compensation. By failing to guarantee money paid by workers into the fund and needed upon retirement, arguments were made by the

lawyer that property was being taken away, making the Act unconstitutional. Additional arguments were made by Arnold that parliament – by a simple majority of 13 members – could amend the Act at any time for various purposes, which was referred to as a “lack of entrenchment”. “It seems to me that, for an individual contributor, the loss of full ownership of the contributions in exchange for an equitable interest arguably amounts to a deprivation,” wrote Chief Justice Weston in his judgement. “There is the loss of present enjoyment of the property.” “In my opinion, Mr Arnold is right to submit that the lack of a guarantee, together with the

Toa admits selling high-sulphur diesel TOA PETROLEuM has admitted to accidentally selling diesel containing sulphur levels more than 100-times higher than what is suitable for modern vehicles. Director Brett Porter issued a statement yesterday recommending that owners of modern diesel engines stop using Toa’s fuel until a new supply arrives. The problem stems from a shipment of diesel supplied by the Luen Thai ishing company in late November, which has been in pumps since early December. This fuel was primarily to meet the needs the company’s fishing vessels working in the region. Toa believed the product was suitable for all diesel motor vehicles so it was offered to its bulk users and retail customers as well, Porter said. “The determining factors to establish the sulphur content of this fuel were miscalculated by our adviser. We understood the igure would represent 57 parts

per million (ppm) but in fact it has turned out to be 5700ppm.” This means the fuel is only suitable for marine and older model diesel engines – such as ships, tractors and trucks, he said. “Marine and other diesel engines without the newer emission control devices may continue to use the higher sulphur content stock.” Porter said modern diesel engine vehicles, such as pickup trucks, should only be using diesel containing a sulphur content between 0ppm and about 50ppm. “Toa recommends that those with modern diesel engines do not use the fuel with the higher sulphur content in the meantime.” He said he has sought advice from a mechanic at the Motor Centre. “He said over a two-month period, putting that diesel in won’t have had any adverse effect (on the engine),” Porter said. The problem was picked up through an independent test

and Toa was advised on Tuesday afternoon. Porter said he did not go public on Tuesday because Toa needed time to conirm the results. The New Zealand fuel consultant, who made the initial mistake, has since conirmed the higher number is in fact correct. Porter said his Kiwi consultant has 40 years’ experience in the industry and is deeply embarrassed by the miscalculation. “Toa unreservedly apologises for this mistake. Toa has arranged to have another supply of diesel delivered from New Zealand (our previous supplier).” This diesel fuel is expected to be available for sale on February 8 and Toa will communicate with customers as soon as the low-sulphur content diesel becomes available. Porter yesterday hand-delivered letters to all Toa retailers on the island, explaining the situation and apologising for the mistake. - Ben Chapman-Smith

lack of entrenchment, is directly existing Act.” The criminal charges initially relevant to assessment of the defendants’ claim of deprivation.” laid on the defendants for non“I have little doubt that the compliance – which include absence of a government guaran- Arorangi Timberland Ltd, Andy Olah, Manea Foods, tee ... coupled with Beco Ltd, James the absence of en‘All of us think Beer, Super Brown trenchment, is a sigsuperannuation is Ltd and Raina Tradniicant law,” wrote a good idea ... this ing Ltd – still need Weston. “That was case has always to be dealt with, althe defendants’ pribeen about ixing though it is unclear mary argument and the scheme, and at the moment how I uphold it.” making it better.’ the new developAlthough the act ment will be hanhas been found to be unconstitutional, Justice Weston dled by the High Court. Other challenges made by said the defendants do not seek to overturn the entire superan- the defendants to the constitunuation scheme, and a further tionality of the scheme were not court hearing will be required to successful or have been left undetermine remedies as a result of resolved by the Court. Yesterday, Arnold described the judgement. “(Arnold) stressed that his the judgment as “the most sigclients were not seeking the nificant affirmation of the bill wholesale demolition of the of rights that was inserted in our superannuation scheme,” he constitution back in 1981”. “All of us think superannuawrote. “What he sought was to have parliament legislate to tidy tion is a good idea ... this case up what he saw as the laws in the has always been about fixing

the scheme, and making it better,” said Arnold. “All of us are pleased that the Chief Justice has given the case such careful consideration and has dealt with it in a way that will allow our country’s parliamentarians to work together to achieve the vision that brought this act to parliament back in 2000.” In a statement released by the office of Minister Mark Brown with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, the government laid out its right to appeal the judgement, and said it will respond to the court within 15 working days. “The Cook Islands National Superannuation Fund is a key pillar in the retirement income policy for all workers in the Cook Islands,” read the release. “Obviously, the judgement made by Chief Justice Weston has implications for the future of the Cook Islands National Superannuation Fund.” - Emmanuel Samoglou

Students honoured

Cook Islands Tertiary Training Institute graduate Angela Taoro lashes a hospitality-worthy smile as she receives a distinction award for her hard work in the Faculty of Hospitality and Services during 2013. Taoro was one of more than 50 students who received qualiications and were recognised for their hard work during a graduation ceremony at the National Auditorium yesterday.

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Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

worldNEWS nuti no TEIA NEI AO Robber flees on his bicycle A 16-year-old boy held up a bank in Germany but was arrested while trying to make a getaway on his bicycle. The boy went into the bank brandishing a fake gun and shouted, “this is a hold-up!”. Frightened staf handed over a four igure sum of money. The boy then raced of on his bicycle but was chased by a witness in a car. The teen was arrested by police while trying to cross the border into Austria. He admitted to robbing the bank using a toy gun.

Syria crisis unresolved Peace talks end in recriminations while the killing in Syria continues BEIRuT – Activists say that ighting on the ground in Syria has killed nearly 1900 people, including at least 430 civilians, during the week of uN hosted peace talks in Switzerland. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday it has counted 1870 dead from the day the talks started on January 22. The Observatory says those killed include at least 430 civilians who died from bombs,

world BRIEFS MISSILE OFFICERS CHEATED IN TESTS USA – The US Air Force said that 92 nuclear missile oicers are now implicated in a widening scandal over cheating on exams as oicials cited “systemic problems” in the force. In the latest setback for the troubled nuclear mission, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said she returned from a visit to missile bases believing the cheating was part of a broader morale problem among launch oicers. “As the investigation has moved forward, we can now report there is a total of 92 crew members that have been identiied as having some level of involvement,” James told a news conference. “That means either participating in the cheating or knowing something about it and not standing up and reporting it,” she said. The latest tally of 92 launch oicers ensnared by the scandal represents about half of the total 190-member oicer corps of the Montana base.

PLAN TO MAKE ARCTIC SEA ROUTE SAFER USA – As Arctic ice melts away, opening the way for greater oil development and mining, the White House outlined a plan on Thursday to promote safety and security in the region by building ports, improving forecasts of sea ice, and developing shipping rules. With warmer temperatures leaving Arctic sea passages open for longer periods of the year, billions of barrels of oil could be tapped beyond what is already being produced in the region. A loss of seasonal ice could also allow greater exploitation of precious minerals considered abundant in the Arctic. Extreme weather conditions, however, make the region a challenge to navigate and develop. The US defense department will lead an interagency efort to forecast icy conditions by launching a satellite and improving analytic methods to forecast icy conditions.

WHALE SHARK SLAUGHTER ‘STAGGERING’ CHINA – china’s Zhejiang province is home to the world’s largest slaughter house for endangered whale sharks, according to Hong Kong-based conservation group Wildlife Risk. They are used for making health supplements, face creams and lipsticks. “The factory, which operates openly, is reportedly slaughtering over 600 whale sharks annually to produce shark oil for health supplements,” Wildlife Risk said in a statement. china is a signatory to the convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which prohibits sale of products from endangered species. “We went to Pu Qi three times in the last three years, and on each occasion the scale of the slaughter was truly staggering,” the statement said.

PLANT REPORTS ELEvATED RADIATION

snipers and missiles. The rest were rebels, al-Qaida militants and forces loyal to President Bashar Assad. The conference in geneva didn’t produce any tangible results but is expected to kick off prolonged negotiations to try to resolve the conlict. The Syrian government and opposition have traded insults after the week-long peace conference in geneva ended with no irm agreement. Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said the opposition were “immature”, while the opposition’s Louay Safi said the regime had no desire to stop the bloodshed. However, uN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said he had seen some “common ground”, and scheduled more talks for February 10. The opposition has agreed to take part, but the government’s Muallem refused to commit. “We represent the concerns and interests of our people. If we ind that [another meeting] is their demand, then we will come back,” he told reporters. He railed at the opposition, saying they had tried to “implode the conference” by insisting that the government hands power over. Safi said the opposition would not sit in talks “endlessly”, and urged the government to “talk seriously about transferring power”. Opposition leader Ahmed Jarba said he and his colleagues had “stood up to the regime, a regime that only knows blood and death”. The two sides discussed humanitarian issues and possible ways to end the violence. They made some agreements on local ceaseires to allow access for humanitarian workers. uN aid chief Valerie Amos said the deals had allowed some aid to get through to a few thousand families. - BBC/AP

As peace talks lounder, a Syrian man carries a child victim out of the rubble of a destroyed building following alleged air raids by government forces on the rebel-controlled part of Aleppo. AFP

Vodka killing Russians MOSCOW – The high number of early deaths in Russia is mainly due to people drinking too much alcohol, particularly vodka, research suggests. The study, in The Lancet, says 25 per cent of Russian men die before they are 55, and most of the deaths are down to alcohol. Causes of death include liver disease and alcohol poisoning. Many also die in accidents or after getting into ights. The study is thought to be the largest of its kind in the country.

Half a litre of vodka in Russia costs around ive dollars. Heavy drinkers get through at least a litre and a half of vodka a week. Researchers from the Russian Cancer Centre in Moscow, Oxford university in the uK and the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer, in France, tracked the drinking patterns of 151,000 adults in three Russian cities over up to 10 years. During that time, 8000 of them died from drinking re-

lated illnesses or accidents. In 2011, each Russian adult drank on average 13 litres of pure alcohol every year, of which eight litres was in spirits, mainly vodka. Researcher Prof David Zaridze said: “They binge drink. That’s the main problem. “Russians have always drunk a lot. They sometimes say it’s because of the cold weather but this is just an excuse. This is the nation’s lifestyle that needs to change.” - BBC

Missing activist tortured KIEV – A leading ukrainian opposition activist who vanished for eight days has emerged bloodied and badly beaten, saying his captors cut off an ear and drove nails through his hands before dumping him in a forest. Dmytro Bulatov, a 35-yearold member of the opposition movement involved in street protests against President Viktor Yanukovych, appeared with his face swollen and caked in blood on ukrainian television

after going missing from Kiev on January 22. Speaking slowly and visibly shaken by his experience, Bulatov said his unknown captors blindfolded and abused him before dumping him in a forest outside the ukrainian capital, from where he was able to make his way to a nearby village. “They crucified me, nailed me, cut my ear off, cut my face,” Bulatov told ukraine’s Channel 5 television, still wearing

his blood-soaked clothes and pointing to holes on his palms. “Thank god I am alive.” Amnesty International said the “barbaric act” must be investigated, adding that it is only one of several cases of similar disappearances. The UN’s human rights ofice on Friday also called on ukraine to launch an independent probe into deaths, kidnappings and torture amid the raging political unrest. - AFP

Swinging city

ENGLAND – The largest nuclear site in Europe was being operated with reduced staing on Friday after monitoring found higherthan-normal levels of radiation. The nuclear reprocessing plant in northwestern England, which also includes two former nuclear power plants that are currently being decommissioned, said in a statement that elevated levels of radioactivity had been found at one of the on-site radiation monitors at the north end of the site. It added that there was “no risk to the general public or workforce.” Only essential workers are being asked to report for shifts Friday, but the station is continuing to operate normally, it said.

FIREMEN HEART DISEASE RISK HIGH AUSTRALIA – A new study suggests volunteer ireighters are at higher risk of heart disease than other emergency personnel. The study, carried out by researchers at Western Australia’s curtin University, assessed almost 3000 volunteer ireighters from Victoria for a variety of risk factors including age, sex, smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose. Volunteer ireighters’ heart disease risk was higher than their paid counterparts, seen here battling a blaze in the Blue Mountains. The report says volunteer ireighters are at a greater risk of coronary heart disease than other volunteer and paid emergency services personnel – with their extreme working conditions the likely cause.

Today’s Daily Bread Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.

Matthew 7:21-29 Read: Read: Luke 1:31-41

Text: Matthew 7:26 Text: Verse 5

Joost Luiten of the Netherlands tees of during the irst round of the 2014 Omega Dubai Desert Classic in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. AFP

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

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A cross is placed in front of riot policemen in Kiev where a bill passed by Ukraine’s parliament to provide amnesty for arrested activists provided protesters meet a 15-day deadline to leave occupied streets and administrative buildings, is seen as a crucial moment in Ukraine’s crisis and is expected to form the basis of negotiations between the authorities and the opposition. AFP

Sea border deined THE HAguE – The united Na-

tions’ highest court has deined the maritime boundary between Peru and Chile after an acrimonious dispute between the two neighbours. Judges at The Hague awarded Peru large areas of the Pacific Ocean but kept rich fishing grounds in Chilean hands. At stake were 38,000 square kilometres of ocean and some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. In 2008, Peru asked the International Court of Justice to rule on the matter, saying the border was not legally set. In its ruling, the uN court gave Peru around 20,000 square kilometres and control over a further 28,000 square kilometres of ocean currently in international waters. It also said that the maritime border should start from the same point on the coastline as

it does now. Peru wanted the boundary to extend roughly south-west, perpendicular to the point where the two countries’ land border meets the ocean. But Chile insisted it should extend from the coast parallel to the equator. It cited treaties agreed in 1952 and 1954 which it said had settled the maritime boundary on that basis. Both countries have pledged to abide by The Hague ruling. Chilean President- elect Michelle Bachelet said she “regretted” what she called a “painful loss” for her country, but promised she would work to “implement the ruling gradually”. Her Peruvian counterpart, Ollanta Humala, said “Peru is pleased with the outcome” of the court decision, and would “take the required actions and measures immediately for its

prompt implementation”. Peru’s fishing industry estimates that the disputed zone has an annual catch of uS $200 million, particularly of anchovies, which are used to make ishmeal. Chile had promised inancial help to its fishing industry in the event that the court decision affects it adversely. Correspondents say that, with intense interest in the case in both countries, there was considerable national pride at stake too. Some Peruvians saw the ruling as a chance to win back national pride and territory, after a humiliating defeat to Chile in the 19th Century. In the 1879-1883 War of the Paciic, Chile took mineral-rich land from both Peru and Bolivia. Bolivia lost its only outlet to the sea, and has also started proceedings against Chile. - AP

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DDT link to Alzheimer’s ATLANTA – Exposure to a once widely used pesticide, DDT, may increase the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease, suggest uS researchers. A study, published in JAMA Neurology, showed patients with Alzheimer’s had four times the levels of DDT lingering in the body than healthy people. Some countries still use the pesticide to control malaria. Alzheimer’s Research uK said more evidence was needed to prove DDT had a role in dementia. DDT was a massively successful pesticide, initially used to control malaria at the end of World War Two and then to protect crops in commercial agriculture. However, there were questions about its impact on human health and wider environmental concerns, particularly for predators. It was banned in the uS in 1972 and in many other countries. But the World Health Organization still recommends using DDT to keep malaria in check.

DDT also lingers in the human body where it is broken down into DDE. The team at Rutgers university and Emory university tested levels of DDE in the blood of 86 people with Alzheimer’s disease and compared the results with 79 healthy people of a similar age and background. The results showed those with Alzheimer’s had 3.8 times the level of DDE. However, the picture is not clear-cut. Some healthy people had high levels of DDE while some with Alzheimer’s had low levels. Alzheimer’s also predates the use of DDT. The researchers believe the chemical is increasing the chance of Alzheimer’s and may be involved in the development of amyloid plaques in the brain, a hallmark of the disease, which contribute to the death of brain cells. Professor Allan Levey, the director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centre at Emory, said: “This is one of the first studies identifying a strong environmental risk factor for

Alzheimer’s disease. “The magnitude of the effect is strikingly large, it is comparable in size to the most common genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s.” Fellow researcher Dr Jason Richardson added: “We are still being exposed to these chemicals in the united States, both because we get food products from other countries and because DDE persists in the environment for a long time,” . Dr Simon Ridley, the head of research at the charity Alzheimer’s Research uK, said: “It’s important to note that this research relates to DDT, a pesticide that has not been used in the uK since the 1980s. “While this small study suggests a possible connection between DDT exposure and Alzheimer’s, we don’t know whether other factors may account for these results. “Much more research would be needed to conirm whether this particular pesticide may contribute to the disease.” - BBC

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Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

regionalNEWS nuti no TE PA ENuA

Man survives 16 months adrift Emaciated Mexican castaway washes up on Marshalls atoll MAJuRO – An emaciated man

whose boat washed up on a remote Pacific atoll this week claims he has survived 16 months adrift in the Paciic. The Spanish-speaking man believed to be named Jose Ivan was discovered by locals on

Thursday when his 24-foot fibreglass boat with propellerless engines drifted onto the reef at Ebon Atoll. Ivan, who has long hair and beard, claims to have floated more than 12,500 kilometres from Mexico over the course of

paciic BRIEFS FIJI EvACUATION CENTRES REMAIN OPEN FIJI – Some evacuation centres in Fiji are remaining open over the weekend as evacuees wait to hear if their homes are safe to be re-occupied, after heavy rain threatened Fiji’s Western division on Thursday. Fiji Live reports that over 1200 people took to evacuation centres as a precautionary measure, and while most have returned home, some are waiting to get clearance from survey teams. The website says the Western commissioner, Joeli cawaki, says if people still need to stay on in the schools used as evacuation centres after the weekend, they will have to be moved to town halls. He says one of the priorities is to ensure classes return to normal on Monday. The Nadi Town Council special Administrator, Robin Ali, says improved drainage and systems meant the centre of the Fiji town was spared from the heavy damage sustained in recent years.

POLICE ON ALERT FOR SHAGGY’S CONCERT SOLOMON ISLANDS – The police in the Solomon Islands have launched a major operation ahead of the arrival of reggae star Shaggy on Saturday. The Acting Police commissioner, Juanita Matanga, told the Solomon Star that the operation will purposely focus on the monitoring of public movements and activities. She says the operation will be bigger than the one during the riot tarnished Julian Marley show earlier this month. Matanga says the police are taking a zero tolerance approach to unlawful activities and alcohol during the occasion. She says police will be monitoring the areas between the Mendana Hotel entrance all the way up to the Town ground area, and all bus-stops within this area will be closed, along with the junction in front of the Heritage Park Hotel.

MINIMUM WAGE RISE SEEN AS A ‘JOKE’ FIJI – The Fiji Trade Unions congress says the national minimum wage being introduced by the government is a joke, and will make no diference to workers in poverty. Fiji’s labour ministry has set the country’s minimum wage at US$1.05 an hour, 17 cents less than the rate recommended by an independent consultant last year. The ministry says a higher minimum wage would be too expensive for small businesses. But the secretary general of the Trade Unions Congress, Felix Anthony, says the wage is insuicient and will see some workers continue to live below the poverty line. “We demand that they be more serious in their eforts to address the question of poverty in this country, to address the question of a fair wage to workers in this country, and not play a joke on the people of Fiji.”

POLICE STOP DROWNING OF ‘SORCERER’ VANUATU – Two Vanuatu police inspectors have intervened to stop village chiefs in East Efate from drowning a man they had claimed was practising witchcraft. A number of people from Matarisu and Ekipe Villages have died after complaining of stomach aches and diarrhoea and the man was blamed for their deaths. The chiefs planned to hang a rock around the man’s neck and drown him but senior inspectors Jackson Noal and John Tete stepped in. They say they warned the chiefs that taking another man’s life is against the law and a person can go to prison for it.

MEN CHARGED WITH ARMED REBELLION FRENcH POLYNESIA – Four members of French Polynesia’s selfstyled Pakumotu republic are to appear before a judge tomorrow after their arrest on Thursday for an alleged armed rebellion. The four, including their self-styled king, Athanase Teiri, are being held for attempted murder of a policeman, armed rebellion, forming of a militia and illegal possession of a weapon. Such crimes can be punished with life imprisonment. Two of those detained were armed and ired at police who tried to arrest Athanase Teiri after he had been sentenced to prison last week for making threats to senior oicials. The group has been defying the French state for years and has its own government, which last year said it would replace the Paciic franc with his Pakumotu currency, the patu.

CYCLONE RECOvERY PLAN APPROvED TONGA – The Tongan government has approved a cyclone recovery plan to deal with the category ive storm which displaced 8000 people, destroyed buildings and infrastructure and lattened food crops three weeks ago. The deputy prime minister, Samiu Vaipulu, says the plan includes immediate needs, such as ordering 200 more tents and setting up desalination plants on the outer islands. He says long-term plans are also addressed in the plan, such as rebuilding schools and housing, replacing infrastructure and longterm food security. Vaipulu says the government is discussing with the World Bank how this will be funded.

16 months until he washed up on the tiny islands. “His condition isn’t good, but he’s getting better,’ Ola Fjeldstad, a Norwegian anthropology student doing research on Ebon, the southern most outpost of the Marshalls, told AFP by telephone. Fjeldstad said Ivan, dressed only in a pair of ragged underpants, claims he left Mexico for El Salvador in September 2012 with a companion who died at sea several months ago. Details of his survival are sketchy, Fjeldstad added, as Ivan only speaks Spanish. “The boat is really scratched up and looks like it has been in the water for a long time,” she said. Ivan indicated to Fjeldstad that he survived by eating turtles, birds and ish and drinking turtle blood when there was no rain. No fishing gear was on the boat and Ivan suggested he caught turtles and birds with his bare hands. Stories of survival in the vast Pacific are not uncommon. In 2006, three Mexicans made international headlines when they were discovered drifting, also in a small fibreglass boat near the Marshall Islands, in the middle of the ocean in their stricken boat, nine months after setting out on a shark-fishing expedition. They survived on a diet of rainwater, raw ish and seabirds,

A shipwrecked man has washed ashore on remote Ebon Atoll in the Marshall islands after spending 16 months adrift, loating 12,500 kilometres across the Paciic from Mexico. GOOGLE EARTH with their hope kept alive by reading the bible. And in 1992, two ishermen from Kiribati were at sea for 177 days before coming ashore in Samoa. According to Fjeldstad, the Marshall Islanders who found Ivan took him to the main island on the atoll, which is so remote there is only one phone line at the local council house and no internet, to meet Mayor Ione de Brum, who put in a call to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Majuro. Oficials at the Foreign Min-

istry said Friday they were waiting to get more details and were arranging for the man to be brought to Majuro. The government airline’s only plane that can land at Ebon is currently down for maintenance and is not expected to return to service until Tuesday at the earliest, with oficials considering sending a boat to pick up the castaway. “He’s staying at the local council house and a family is feeding him,” said Fjeldstad, who added that the man had a basic health check and was

found to have low blood pressure. But he did not appear to have any life-threatening illness and was able to walk with the aid of men on the island. “We’ve been giving him a lot of water, and he’s gaining strength.” The Marshall Islands, in the Northern Pacific, are home to barely 60,000 people spread over 24 atolls, with most of them standing at an average of just two metres above sea level. - AFP

Off to study ‘garbage patch’ LONg BEACH – Almost three years after the tsunami which devastated Japan, much of the debris that washed off shore is expected to arrive in one of the most polluted places on earth. Computer modelling from a uS Research Institute suggests material washed out to sea during the 2011 tsunami is drifting towards what’s known as the “Great Paciic Garbage Patch”. A team of researchers will spend a month analysing the impact of the incoming garbage on the ecosystem and investigate how plastic pollution in general has affected the marine environment. The team is sailing to the the North Pacific gyre, a swirling vortex of plastic trash, spinning around in the Northern Paciic, slowly growing in size. A set of circular currents contains a high concentration of floating plastic pollution collected from all around the planet.

The persistence and increasing quantity of the plastic debris has created a new marine habitat, essentially loating plastic reefs, where sea creatures have made their homes. Algalita Marine Research Institute founder Captain Charles Moore and his team of researchers are set to spend a month in the location investigating the impact the incoming Japanese tsunami debris will have on the ecosystem. “We expect to ind quiet a bit of debris from the tsunami and it will not have broken in to the small bits yet. “We’ll be inding, we think, larger chunks of stuff carrying a lot of Japanese organisms.” Captain Moore was the irst person to discover the garbage patch in the paciic. He says it looks like a massive soup made of plastic. Since 1999, Algalita has conducted eight research expeditions and produced the longest

running data set for the region. Captain Moore hopes by living at and investigating this particular spot, he can help encourage people to become more environmentally conscious. “Our scientiic research objective is to understand the scope and impact of plastic debris in the global marine ecosystem and potential effects on human health. “We conduct research voyages to collect samples from around the world. Back in the lab, we study the distribution and fate of plastic debris in the marine environment, and are working to understand its impact on marine mammals, seabirds, and ish. “We are further concerned about the possible transference of toxic contaminants from plastic to marine life, and what, short - and long-term implications there are for human health. “The awareness of the effects

ALOFI – A no-confidence motion brought by the Niue opposition has been defeated 12 votes to seven in parliament. Prior to the vote, opposition MP Terry Coe said while the opposition did not expect to win a no-confidence vote, holding such a debate was part of a process of good governance. “The listening public have been able to hear what both

sides have said. It makes it quite transparent and open, so that’s good,” he said. The opposition brought the motion of no-confidence on Wednesday. However, the Speaker had to call a halt to proceedings after government members walked out. Coe says all government MPs turned up for the debate

Thursday morning, except for Premier Toki Talagi, who is in New Zealand for medical treatment. The opposition is using the debate to raise concerns about the government’s public servant wage increase, and the state of infrastructure on Niue. Meanwhile, a wiring blunder by the Power Corporation on Niue has blown-up the coun-

of our proligate lifestyles and the perfection of an economy based on high levels of waste is not on people’s radar screen. The conveniences that’s afforded by of our modern lifestyle seems to overshadow any possible threats the unintended consequences of this lifestyle could cause. “It’s just the beginning of the raising of awareness that will be needed in order to make a radical shift in the way use and consume much of the plastics in our modern lifestyle. The expedition will leave from it’s base in California on the irst of July. While the researchers are carrying out their investigations, they will allow thousands of students from around the world to connect virtually with the team. Through Algalita’s Ship-2Shore Program, students can communicate with the researchers in real time using satellite communication systems. - ABC/PNC

No conidence vote a izzer

try’s communications equipment. The island has spent several days without internet and mobile phone services and could remain that way until spare parts arrive from New Zealand next week. Niueans next pay may also be deferred until internet banking services are back on-line. - RNZI/ABC

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

Clean, green, Eicient, Economical Don’t let the sun set on this opportunity. Save the environment and save money bCI, in partnership with Solar bob and other local suppliers, are wanting to help Cook Islanders generate clean energy through providing competitive interest loans to house owners for the installation of solar power. These loans will be available at our

housing loan rate of 8.99%pa. Contact bCI now on ph 29341, or email cash@bci.co.ck to obtain more information on this great deal Remember – save the environment and save money – clean, green, efficient, economical

Hi there, Solar Bob here Solar Bob Ltd is proud to be partnercleaner environment in which Right from its beginnings as a ing with The Bank of the Cook Islands to bring up future generations. bank, BCI has always tried to be in providing a package to see you innovative and help the people of Furthermore, we want to ensure clean, green and saving money. the Cook Islands achieve financial that the system you get is Rather than use batteries, the solar going to do the job and will be stability. This has come in many power is fed to the grid to benefit the installed professionally. That is forms – low cost transactional local neighbourhood. A credit is rewhy we have teamed up with accounts, high rate deposit corded for this exported power and is suppliers who are experienced accounts, loan interest rate deducted from the monthly power bill reductions, industry sector loans, at what they do and have at the same tariff rate, hence its name operated here in the Cook home and personal finance loans, “Net-metering”. This is a generous and energy efficiency loans in the Islands for some time. gesture by TAU and will greatly assist household budgets. outer islands to name a few – and Take some time out to contact This also saves having to use costly always with the aim of improving us about obtaining a Renewable living standards for our people. Energy loan from BCI and look to and potentially polluting lead-acid batteries. By diverting the saved secure the savings! Talk to Ron Once again, we are leading power bill money to a Green lending and his team on 29341. Please the way forward by launching institution such as the BCI, the solar note, due to the availability of our Renewable Energy loans, panels can be purchased now and the service suppliers to install the designed to assist home owners savings kick-started. systems, these loans will only be purchase a high quality and We are allowed to install a maximum available in Rarotonga for now. We reliable source of renewable of two kW of solar panels (8-10) per hope to be able to roll the loans energy. The loans will be offered consumer’s meter and each system out to our outer islands as system at our variable home loan rate of can save $300 per month, so pay for suppliers become available. 8.99%pa and on terms designed itself in about 4 years. Panel output to be covered mainly by the warranty is for 25 years and many reduction in your electricity of our customers have already got costs. This means there will be their money back. We only use Tier little, if not no, extra outlay for 1, non-reflective panels installed to the purchase of an asset that AS/NZ 4777. We can start with 4-5 will continue to add value and panels and grow the system later as benefit to your home, your pocket, the demand increases. and the environment for years to Obviously though, the right system come. for you is best decided in consultation with Bob who will visit and advise on In providing these Renewable power wastage as well as power savEnergy loans we hope to ings. If you are building, he has many help you to have a better design tips to save you money and life through more affordable energy before you start. electricity, less cost to the Our products and services include: country for fossil fuels, and a

Energy auditing to see where the power is going, Energy Star advice, Reflective roof paint to lower temperatures, Solar powered ventilation, Solar reflective fly screens, Window treatments, LED lighting, Solar powered pool pumps, Solar battery UPS systems, Solar lighting sets with cell phone chargers, Solar electric powered water heating, SIP buildings and much, much more. Electric transport is just around the corner and we are ready with solar charging stations now! Solar Bob Ltd is Rarotonga’s first Grid-Connect solar company, operating here since 2006 after many years in NZ. (Bob’s first solar heating project was in 1971) Call on 27899/55063 and make Solar Bob your renewal energy investment partner. Email solarbob@oyster.net.ck

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

LETTERS reta

Graves ‘desecrated for tourist resort’ Dear Editor, Recently I visited Mum in Rarotonga. On my irst day I said that we needed to do up Mama’s grave. She said we couldn’t and I asked why; then as we drove she pointed and I was shocked to see that everything had been demolished for the new Nautilus Resort. My grandmother’s grave was only one of about 6-10 in that area. I asked if mum had known anything about it; was she given any options - she answered ‘no’. My grandmother was buried on her husband’s land, so perhaps the family didn’t feel any sort of responsibility towards her; but what about her husband’s grave? And yes many of the graves had degraded to the point that it was impossible to identify who’s they were; but my grandmother’s grave had a headstone displaying her name. It was hard to get to the graves as the front section was mostly well overgrown and private properties built on either side meant the overgrown section became the only way in… and I have slashed and tromped through more than once to get to my

grandmother’s grave. Mum said that if she had been informed, at the very least she would have asked for the headstone so she could set up a memorial for her mother on her own land. (If anyone did happen to save the headstone, then please tell us.) It feels sad that a woman who worked hard in life – often on her own, raised a child, loved and was loved, ¬was part of the community, and sought after for her traditional medicine knowledge, skills and awareness, no longer has a locatable resting place because someone decided tourists were more important. I guess this is the new island culture. Aue te tangi nei Name and address supplied

Nautilus Resort responds: Dear ‘Aue te tangi nei’, It is with extreme concern that we note your mother’s apparent dilemma regarding your grandmother’s grave. As an initial response, we would like to assure you and your family that in reality, the commencement of building on the new Nautilus Resort site has meant that these graves have for

the irst time in many years been the Pearson’s company. These discussions incorporated the Pearappropriately maintained. The Nautilus Resort is owned son’s offer to place a sturdy fence by Paul and Jane Pearson, who are around the grave-site prior to the also the owners of the Muri Beach start of any building, so as to preResort. Like the Muri Beach Re- vent any potential disturbance sort, the Nautilus Resort will be of the graves. Further to this, and also before solar-powered and any commencetotally off the die‘As an initial ment of building, sel-fuelled power response, we would the graves were grid, as well as belike to assure you blessed in a speing Eco-focussed. and your family cially dedicated The principles that in reality, the ceremony by a of Eco-Tourism commencement priest from the lorequire sustainof building on the cal CICC Church able development new Nautilus Resort [attended by Wilwithin the immelie Kauvai, one of diate natural envisite has meant the landowners ronment , where that these graves and also acting in reasonably possihave for the irst his capacity as repble, as well as the time in many years resentative of the incorporation of been appropriately other landowners], policies that nurmaintained.’ followed by a trature indigenous ditional Kai Kai. spiritual and culPrior to the commencement of tural beliefs. To this end, respectful discus- building, considerable effort was sions were entered into regard- put into the designated graveing the management of graves site being cleared of debris, as situated on the 4 acre Nautilus well as the removal of weeds development site and commit- plus large encroaching shrubs. ments were made by the Pearson’s This has improved the site conwith the landowners prior to the siderably, with the result that the Land-Lease being purchased by graves are now actually visible

and indeed accessible to potential visitors. Deliberate attention has been paid to ensure that the graves are undisturbed, and that the masonry remain ‘as is’ – as to attempt [without family consent] to rebuild, restore, or resituate any broken down masonry by ‘strangers’; may potentialy be deemed as insulting to family members that have blood-line connections to the graves, and wish to tend for the graves in their own personal way. Careful research on the building site identiied two grave as: the larger, a marked gravesite, which has a signiicant number of graves which has been maintained in the manner as described above; and the smaller unmarked gravesite, which at first did not present as a grave site, as it had absolutely no visible markings, was not named and was basically a plain slab of level concrete that looked like the base of a small building structure. However, after taking the trouble to investigate the origin of this structure with the local community, it was ascertained that this too was a grave-site. Once informed of this, the Pear-

son’s went to some considerable lengths to locate the relatives and to respectfully enquire as to how they would like this grave managed i.e. they offered, at no cost to the family, to relocate the grave to a more private and accessible location and to erect a memorial family headstone or alternatively, to maintain the integrity of the current state of the tomb and erect a memorial plaque in the immediate area [as there clearly was none in existence with this grave being unmarked]. Both offers were declined, although offered on two separate occasions [the most recent of which being only a matter of weeks ago]. Your mother, as well as any other family members that may have an interest, are most welcome to visit these gravesites at any time. They will no doubt be pleasantly surprised at how the development of the Nautilus Resort has facilitated easy access to same [there is now a driveway…], and how it has also provided the ability to now effectively identify all graves on the site. Erika Bult, general manager, Nautilus Resort

Renewable energy goals ‘unrealistic’ Dear Editor, In relation to Prime Minister Henry Puna trying to justify his being away recently for almost two long weeks, can he please elaborate on how his presence, albeit as an observer at a couple of talkfests somewhere in the Middle East, will be "beneicial to the Cook Islands"? Just as important, can our globetrotting leader also please clarify why he perceives the

Cook Islands as "...leaders in the ield of renewable energy and the environment"? As we are all well aware, this country does not produce or undertake research and development in relation to state of the art renewable energy technology which is highly sought after by other countries. In actual fact, the PM would have considerable difficulty pointing out a particular re-

newable energy project that has been successfully completed in the country and is the envy of the world! Come to think of it, not one island in the Cook group is yet to be fully reliant on renewable energy. Far from it. If that is indeed the case, then what on earth makes our travel addicted PM think that the Cook Islands is recognised by the world as leaders in the ield of renewable energy? Just

because this government sets certain targets and goals – albeit unrealistic ones – towards achieving self-suficiency in renewable energy, does not make us 'world leaders'. The same goes for our environment. How can we be 'world leaders' of the environment when the health of muri lagoon is still touch and go, our waste plant in Arorangi is close to full and not a thing has been

done by this government to address the crap strewn across the old Turangi dump site. So who is kidding who? The sooner the PM and his team of highly paid spin doctors get real and stop trying to pull the wool over the heads of the people of this country by talking crap the better

chance this country would have to focus on issues that are of real importance, such as depopulation, lack of essential infrastructure services in the outer islands, woeful shipping services to the outer islands, etcetera. Time for change, Name and address supplied

Wig ‘too hot’ for the tropics Dear Editor, I feel sorry for poor beautiful Niki Rattle having to wear this stupid papaa garb in this very hot climate of ours. I am not racist, but does she have to wear such woollen stuff in the tropics? Wool is very hot and heavy. We are not in NZ. Could someone please design something local and more comfort-

able and respectable and cool for her to wear in parliament etcetera. It just looks stupid in the tropics. Such pompous and unsuitable attire in paradise. Time to change, and introduce our beautiful rito hats with pearls which is just as good. Promote our own – yes, we can change it. Name and address supplied

Driver’s licence dates questioned Dear Editor, Last June, my husband and I lined up to get the obligatory driver’s licences at the police station. Arriving here for our third visit, we decided to check the expiry dates of our licences. Mine

Cook Islands News Building Maraerenga Avarua Rarotonga PO Box 15 Rarotonga Tel (682) 22999 Fax 25303 Email: editor@cookislandsnews.com or adverts@cookislandsnews.com

www.cookislandsnews.com Daily Monday to Saturday

expires in April, the date of my birthday, my husband's expires in October, the date of his birthday. Can someone please explain why he should have a licence that goes six months longer than mine? Hello? Sue Arnold

Managing Editor John Woods john@cookislandsnews.com Financial Controller Liz Woods lizw@cookislandsnews.com General Manager Tony Fe’ao tony@cookislandsnews.com Deputy Editor Matariki Wilson matariki@cookislandsnews.com Online & Social Networking Editor Briar Douglas briar@cookislandsnews.com Reporters Emmanuel Samoglou emmanuel@cookislandsnews.com Ben Chapman-Smith ben@cookislandsnews.com Rachel Reeves rachel@cookislandsnews.com Court Reporter Merita Wi-Kaitaia merita@cookislandsnews.com Advertising adverts@cookislandsnews.com Advertising Assistant Peka Fisher peka@cookislandsnews.com Oice Manager Tere Joseph tere@cookislandsnews.com Accounts Manager Tangi Tauira tangi@cookislandsnews.com Reception Kura Tauira reception@cookislandsnews.com Oice Staf Apii Tua apii@cookislandsnews.com Graphic Design & Layout Mahai Daniel mahai@cookislandsnews.com Adam Tutuvanu adam@cookislandsnews.com Web Developer Daniel Rolls dan@cookislandsnews.com Print Manager Dan Johnston danj@cookislandsnews.com Printers Dennis Campos, Lai Gukisuva

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

‘People in Manihiki are also Cook Islanders’

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Secretary of Infrastructure Cook Islands, Mac Mokoroa.

Dear Editor, I am not sure where Disillusioned (the writer of “New Manihiki wharf is ‘money down the drain’”, CINews January 31) lives, but would kindly ask him or her to spend a year or two in Manihiki or any of the northern group islands for that matter, and see whether he or she would get the same level of service in Manihiki when compared to here in Rarotonga. Disillusioned should also know that people living in Manihiki are also Cook Islanders and there should not be any distinctions nor disparity in services. Disillusioned should not base his or her decisions on the economy of scale and the low level of population in Manihiki or any of the outer islands that are seeking or

aiming to receive the same level of services as here in Rarotonga. Ask Disillusioned as to how he or she would feel if the ship arrives in Manihiki and cannot unload because the sea is too rough. Ask Disillusioned as to how he or she would feel if he or she was to order dry goods from Rarotonga only to arrive in Manihiki all damaged, not through shipment but through poor facilities to load and unload cargo in Manihiki. Tell Disillusioned that this project became a priority for the Prime Minister because nothing has been done about it. The Prime Minister's political will and drive to have it completed is the reason why it is now progressing. For the people of Manihiki

who have waited for over 17 years to get this particular harbour rehabilitated, it is a sigh of relief. Tell Disillusioned that I don’t need to grow any balls to tell the PM to progress this

project. I have lived and worked in Manihiki. I have families and good friends in Manihiki. I have worked in many Cyclone Recovery projects such as Cyclone Martin to know the impact on our people. And if Disillsioned

is still keen, the Heads of Ministries post will be advertised in June next year 2015. Step up to the plate. Mac Mokoroa Secretary, Infrastructure Cook Islands

Celebrating independence Dear Editor, This is an open letter to my Mum. Dear Mum, as you will be keenly aware I turn 50 soon. This would be the time for me to celebrate by independence from you; in fact, I want to make it a 12-month celebration. Here's the problem Mum; 50 years on I am still getting that yearly aid injection from you. And it's actu-

ally gotten worse over the years, I am now dependent on handouts from my Chinese friends – independence sure is expensive. Well Mum, as you taught me, appearance is everything and I am wondering if you might be willing to up the annual allowance this year by a million or two so that I can really show the world, with parties and fireworks, just how independ-

ent I am. I know you'll come through for me Mum just like you have every year for the last 50 years. I only hope you will still be around for my 100th independence celebration. Thanks for everything Mum and please send me an email when you put the cash in my account. Love and kisses. Junior, Name and address supplied

Police minister, ‘the buck stops with you’ “WITH POLICE minister Teariki Heather’s comment in the newspaper regarding the effectiveness of the police force the other day, he’s got to be reminded that the buck stops at him and his CEO,” a smoke signaller writes. “It is uncommon for a minister to run to the media and rubbish one of his ministerial portfolios. Minister, you point your inger at the police force without realising there are four other ingers pointing at you and asking what are you doing about it other than running them down? Why use the media to air your grievance rather than sorting out this mess that you are a part of with those in the police force. The deputy prime minister is under pressure, perhaps?”

DEEPER IN DEBT A SMOKE signaller responds to a recent newspaper advertisement from the Chamber of Commerce: “Thank you to the Chamber of Commerce for complaining about Te Mato Vai project and the value added tax increase. government will be putting us all deeper and deeper into debt and increasing VAT will only increase the cost of living. This is crazy economics.” Another signaller texts: “Just wondering about how much we are going to spend on this water project. Will it be us who beneit? Why not put water ilters in each household? I’m sure it won’t cost $70 million!”

RARO’S DOG PROBLEM “ARE THE police shooting pets?” a smoke signaller asks. “A

Titikaveka police officer told us police can pick and destroy any dog they see along the road, even if it's got a collar and policeissued license. Lucky for us the officer liked our dog and took her home with him rather than shooting her. The island has a stray dog problem, not a pet problem.” Another signaller addresses the island’s dog problem: “I blame the police – we need them to get back into the elimination of stray dogs that were owned by someone or families, and which have now been left to roam everywhere. What happened to the saying from the good old days for dogs that are not useful: ‘The umu solves the problem’?”

TODAY’S YOUTH ‘SELFISH’ RESPONDINg TO recent CINews articles and a recent Street

Poll about whether Rarotonga remains a safe place to live, a smoke signaller texts: “Our paradise is no longer a safe place to live. I am 21 years of age and can’t believe that the youth today are being selfish. We should be taking care of our tourists, not threatening them. If I were these tourists, I wouldn’t come back, and that’s for sure.”

‘FIX IT’ TELECOM “STEP uP your game Telecom,” a smoke signaller texts to 188. “What the hell is going on with this service we suckers pay top dollar for? This past weekend alone your service was so intermittent it caused a huge strain on at least one relationship due to undelivered texts and a missed opportunity with a client about meeting times and places. You should be paying uS for the inconvenience. Sort it out!!”

KEYNOTE SPEECH “THE PRIME Minister explains his observer status in Abu Dhabi, but makes no mention of the 'keynote speech' he was to have given in Fiji,” a smoke signaller writes. “Is this because Fiji is too close that if he tells a whopper it's much easier to ind out because Fiji is a close neighbour? There may not be ‘fat allowances’ but there will be allowances, and let us not forget that on top of those allowances he's still collecting a PM's salary.”

IN WAITING A SMOKE signaller writes: “For big projects such as Te Mato Vai,

outer islands projects and the 2015 50th anniversary celebrations, aw we are heading towards the general elections the government should at least have a senior member of the Opposition on its committee. After all, by the way government is running the country it looks like the Cook Islands Party is on the way out. Sorry, you had your chance and you blew it, big time.”

TAX AND THE BIBLE RESPONDINg TO some recent letters to the editor and smoke

signals criticising grey Power for its stance on tax, a smoke signaller leaves a note outside our ofice that reads: “Stop quoting the Bible and declaring Rarotonga as a Christian island if you are continually turning a blind eye to the devilish actions of the Cook Islands Party government. Romans says pay tax, it does not say backdate it two years. Richard Neves [inancial secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management] Exodus says ‘Thou shall not steal’, especially from the bank accounts of elderly people. god is watching you and you will be judged under His law!” Another signaller texts to 188: “To the person who said they have been a taxpayer for 40 years, two wrongs don't make a right. It’s wrong to not pay your tax, and wrong to go in someone's account without the person's permission.”

TRIPAHOLIC PM A SMOKE signaller writes: “The Prime Minister saying ‘we are recognized as leaders in the ield of renewable energy and the environment’ is a joke and a pikika’a [false]. Having a few solar panels and projects does not make us a leader in renewable energy. I would say the PM has the maki pa’i rere [jet airline illness] as he is always travelling for any excuse and he has lost the plot and forgotten about his responsibilities to his people.”

DEMO BOSS ‘SMACKDOWN’ “HOW ExCITINg to see that the demos have a great lineup of potential leaders that will take them into this up and coming general election,” a smoke signaller writes. “Although Wilkie Rasmussen is currently the front runner, followed by Smiley, Normy is waiting in the wings and is picking up momentum and generating support within the ranks. Not to be outdone, whispers in the valley also bear the name of Cassey as another potential contender probably for deputy leader if she beats Dolly, but within the home-brew circles, good ol’ Jimmy is still a favourite. Exciting times for the Demos: voters and supporters will be spoiled for choice. Wilkie, Smiley, Normey, Cassey and Jimmy. great lineup, strong team of leaders. Bring on the gE…Cant wait!”

KNOCKING GREY POWER A SMOKE signaller writes: “It was interesting to see the government writers in force a few days ago with three smoke signals against grey Power. If the government spent as much time and attention on reading their contracts and policies as they spend on letters to the editor and smoke signals, they wouldn’t have a Colagate or Toagate!”

TMv WORKERS’ PERMITS A SMOKE signaller asks: “Prime Minister! As minister for Foreign

Affairs and Immigration, do the Chinese workers here for the Te Mato Vai project have their necessary health police and work permits issued in accordance with immigration regulations, or is this a case of do what we say not what we do?”

ON THE STREET

- Staf Reporters

What would you like included for next year’s 50th anniversary celebrations?

Rae Tupa

Tony Jamieson

Angeline Tini

Kura Happ

MP Sel Napa

Tepora Tou

Nga Tangimataiti Tina Roriki

It’s a big deal but a week of celebrations is long enough. One year is too long and will cost too much. I think we should all have a ive-day holiday.

I think we should have an Elvis look-alike and singing competition and if Henry Puna wins he can have his year of celebrations. It’s a big deal but I don’t think it should go on for longer than a week.

I’d like to have sports, dancing, music and lots of eating. I think maybe a month of celebrations would be good.

I think we should have something like annual Te Maeva Nui celebrations. They should just do one big week of music and dancing.

I reckon we should invite Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and husband Prince William for the celebrations in August next year.

They should include the outer islands in these celebrations, so it’s not just Rarotonga’s 50th anniversary.

They should give teach- It’s important to invite ers and students an extra all the people of the Cook week off. Islands. The 50th anniversary is an important day.

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

localNEWS nuti no roto i te IPuKAREA

Chinese construction irm faces $25,000 ine

THE CHINESE construction

firm contracted to carry out work as part of the $60 million Te Mato Vai water infrastructure project could be hit with a $25,000 ine if they commence construction work without proper foreign enterprise registration. Earlier this week, Business Trade Investment Board (BTIB) chairman george Pitt said the Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CC ECC) – which has been tasked to replace the ring mains encircling the island – had yet to receive official approval to operate in the Cook Islands. Pitt said a letter was sent to the company by the BTIB, stating that without registration, “they are not to do any work”. Cabinet Minister Kiriau Turepu – responsible for the BTI B – corresponded with agency officials, requesting a way to keep the project moving forward. At the agency’s monthly

meeting on Thursday the board decided to separate CCECC’s preparatory work from actual project work, said Pitt. Crews have been seen at the former Kia Orana Foods site in Avarua this week constructing accommodation for roughly 40 Chinese workers to be employed by CCECC. Pitt said this is being treated as preparatory work. under normal circumstances, Pitt said registration applicants must apply by the 15th of every month, giving BTIB staff the opportunity to seek legal opinion and conduct “due process” before their monthly meeting, which occurs on the inal Thursday of every month. Te Mato Vai officials have said construction is expected to begin February 21. With the current BTIB timelines, that proposed start date could be in jeopardy. “You can’t expect the board to rubber stamp things,” said Pitt.

The board chairman said an option exists for CCECC to pay for the BTIB to convene a special meeting in Rarotonga at a cost of roughly $2000 – which includes travel expenses for a board member in the outer islands to attend. The ring mains replacement work contracted out to the CCECC is estimated to cost $23.1 million, and is expected to require the longest construction time. Without registration, Pitt said CCECC could be slapped with a $25,000 ine imposed by the Cook Islands High Court for breach of registration, along with a $1000 charge every day thereafter if the company continues operations. “We would like the project to start on time, but they have to move quickly to get their foreign enterprise registration,” he said. “In the meantime we are in the process of helping them put together their application.” - Emmanuel Samoglou

Crews have been busy at work this week building accommodation facilities for Chinese workers employed by the CCECC and coming to the Cook Islands to work on the Te Mato Vai water infrastructure project. 14012823

Maltreatment of foreign workers could harm country: PM PRIME MINISTER Henry Puna

says reports of foreign workers having their human rights violated could tarnish the international reputation of the Cook Islands. “It could have the potential to harm our image as a country,” said the Prime Minister. Puna’s comments echo those of Cook Islands Worker’s Association president Anthony Turua, who said there has been an increase in the number of “discrimination, harassment and abuses of foreign workers”. Turua also said the issue could cast a negative spotlight on the nation. Both the PM’s and Turua’s comments follow the recent story of Realyn Hervera, a foreign worker from the Philippines who was sent home earlier this month while authorities were addressing allegations that her contract was violated repeatedly by her employer. While employed at Highland Paradise Cultural Centre,

Hervera – hired to work in accounts – said she was forced to accept an un-negotiated pay decrease and was asked to perform duties not listed in her job description, such as cleaning toilets. Those allegations have not been proven in court, and her former boss – Highland Paradise director Tutu Pirangi – did not respond to earlier requests for comment. Local lawyer Mark Short – who has since been working for Hervera on a pro-bono basis – believes the worker was ired late last year. under current immigration rules, when a contract between an employer and foreign worker ceases, that worker must return to their place of origin unless the employer consents to the transfer of contract to an alternative employer. Before leaving the Cook Islands, Hervera said Pirangi would not provide that consent. Short, along with Filipino

community advocate ura Tangaroa, have since been campaigning to allow her to return to the Cook Islands to re-join her husband and take up another accounting job offer made by a different employer. Earlier this week, the Prime Minister – who holds foreign affairs as part of his cabinet portfolio – said he has requested a report on the incident from the ministry. “It’s always important for me as minister to get the full picture,” he said. “If there are some issues to follow up on, I will deinitely do that.” - Emmanuel Samoglou

Prime Minister Henry Puna is concerned with reports of human rights violations against foreign workers, and believes the issue could cast a negative light on the nation. 14012739

Oz couple say seabed mining is a bad idea AN AuSTRALIAN couple that

has visited the Cook Islands on multiple occasions says seabed mining in Cook Islands waters is a bad idea. Former Australian Senator Norm Sanders and chief executive Sue Arnold of Australians for Animals Inc. (AFA) met with leader of the Opposition Wilkie Rasmussen recently to discuss deep seabed mining (DSM). Arnold has recently visited with international legal experts in Hawaii who are examining the legal implications of DSM. She told Rasmussen that the Law of the Sea now deines underwater noise as marine pollution, which is illegal under the international convention.

"underwater noise generated by DSM has the potential to kill ish, cause temporary or permanent deafness in cetaceans, interfere with communication, inhibit the ability of marine creatures to locate prey, create stress which inhibits reproduction as well as a multiplicity of other problems," she said. "At the recent meeting of SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme) in Fiji, the issue of underwater noise created by DSM was not raised,” she said. “This is pretty concerning as SPREP is apparently attempting to bring Paciic Island nations into a co-operative agreement over DSM." Both Arnold and Sanders

agreed with Rasmussen that the Cook Islands must protect its marine environment from DSM. "There is almost nothing known about the ramifications of DSM" said Sanders. "The Cook Islands should not be part of an irresponsible experiment." - Release

Former Australian Senator Norm Sanders and chief executive Sue Arnold – frequent visitors to the Cook Islands – say seabed mining in the Cook Islands is a bad idea. 14012825.

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

‘King hit’ on tourist outside night club A YOuNg Australian visitor was

assaulted outside a popular bar in Rarotonga on Wednesday night, less than a week after being robbed on the island. C a l l u m We l l s, 2 0 , w a s punched in the side of the face just after midnight as revellers were leaving Rehab Bar in Avarua at closing time. The punch knocked one tooth out and chipped another in half. “It was a king hit and then the guy ran. As soon as I was hit I fell back and my friend caught me. If he didn’t catch me my head would have hit the ground,” he said. Wells said he had been dancing with a girl when “a local” started pushing him, accusing him of dancing with his girlfriend. “I walked away and pretty much straight after that the lights came on and everyone walked outside. The guy approached me and I asked why he

was pushing me. Before I could say anything another guy hit me straight from the side.” Dazed, Wells went straight to the police station where he spent two hours making a statement. Oficer Kris Goodwin said police do not have a suspect at the moment and still need to speak to some witnesses and the person alleged to have pushed Wells on the dance loor. The incident comes after someone broke into Wells’ room at Rarotongan Back Packers last weekend, stealing $150 in cash. “I’m here for another couple of weeks and I don’t want anything else to happen.” The young Tasmanian is in Rarotonga on a bodyboarding trip with six friends and said he is just here “to surf and have fun”, not cause any trouble. He went back to Rehab Bar to try and get video footage of the person that hit him, only to find the venue has no security

cameras. “It’s ridiculous that they don’t have CCTV or police surveillance when these clubs close. When everyone walks out at the end of the night, that’s when violence happens. Police would know exactly who it was if they had cameras.” He believes alcohol-fuelled violence is a problem in Rarotonga; he witnessed three males “destroy a guy” outside Hidies only a few days earlier. Wells hopes police will catch the person who assaulted him so he can press charges. He was told by the owner of Rehab that the person who pushed him on the dance loor had been banned from the venue and was not supposed to be there. Anyone who has information about the incidents can phone the conidential Crime Stoppers line on 0800 222 00. - Ben Chapman-Smith

Australian tourist Callum Wells lost a tooth when he was assaulted in Rarotonga this week and believes alcohol-fuelled violence is a problem on the island. 14013114

Tonga gets payout from Paciic insurance pilot CYCLONE Ian’s devastation in Tonga has triggered the irst payout made under a new World Bank insurance scheme, which the Cook Islands signed up to last year. Tonga will be receiving an immediate payment of US$1.27 million ($NZD1.54 million), making it the irst country to beneit from the Paciic Catastrophe Risk Insurance Pilot. Category ive Ian slammed Tonga’s Ha’apai island group on January 11 and 12, leaving one dead, thousands homeless, and crops and infrastructure severely damaged. “Cyclone Ian has affected hundreds of families in several communities, destroying people’s homes and critical infrastructure such as health centres and schools,” said Franz Dreesgross, World Bank country director for the Paciic Islands. “Funds received under the scheme will allow the government to meet some of those urgent needs as they look to repair and rebuild in the days and weeks ahead.” The Cook Islands joined ive other countries – Tonga, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu – when it signed up for the insurance pilot last year. Cabinet approved a u S D$100,000 (NZD$119,474) premium payment to insure the country in the event of disaster through to October 31. Minister of Finance Mark Brown recently said the coverage is worth about $15 million and can be accessed quickly in the aftermath of a disaster to provide relief against emergency losses. “It provides the country with a little bit of resilience in terms of immediate response for recovery, clean up and also rebuild.” The insurance is mainly targeted at major infrastructure such as airports, harbours and roads, but it can also extend to the private sector. Launched in January last year, the Paciic Catastrophe Risk Insurance Pilot uses ‘parametric triggers’ such as cyclone intensity or earthquake magnitude to determine payouts, which allows for quick disbursements. The World Bank acts as an intermediary between Paciic Island countries and a group of reinsurance companies. The government of Japan currently coinances the insurance premiums of Tonga, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The Cook Islands fully funds its insurance premium from its own sources. Previously, the Cook Islands had no cyclone insurance cover and the only option was to ask for help from New Zealand and Australia. - Ben Chapman-Smith

To prepare for a battering like the one received from Cyclone Sally in 1987, the Cook Islands has joined a new catastrophe insurance pilot. 14011426

Houses standing in ruin after Cyclone Pat hit Aitutaki in 2010. 14011428

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

Grey power iasco ‘dreadfully humiliating’ TROPICAL

CHRONICLES

A weekly opinion piece by Opposition Leader

Wilkie Rasmussen PRIME MINISTER Henry Puna

and fnance secretary Richard Neves must be seething with anger over their defeat at the hands of elderly foes. Both men were

resolute and were unshakeable in their stance not to be trampled by Dennis Tunui and his unlikely warriors. Not only were they stumped and trodden over but these two men (partners against the simple plight of pensioners) have been shamed publicly and professionally. It must be dreadfully humiliating. Well, don’t say they have not been warned. I have through my columns and the media on many occasions pleaded to the PM, his Cabinet, the Minister of Finance, the Secretary of Finance and the Collector of Revenue Andrew Haigh to consider favourably the requests of grey Power. Other members of the public have also called on the government to facilitate these elderly Cook Islanders. But everything fell on deaf ears. In fact, not content with their opposition to what I understand to be quite reasonable demands, the PM and Neves actually hit back

at grey Power with the thrust of Christmas time. It was plainly a the Income Tax Act and with the stupid thing to do. Of course we all know what sweeping powers of the Collector of Revenue. It was all rather happened afterwards. Legal ghastly and irrelevant in many opinions flew in and out and most were condemways. ‘Clearly, the nations of the exerBut, as if they were cise of such powers. not told, the PM et al PM and his eventually realised government had Most regarded the actions as illegal. that they have picked shot themselves The political heat the wrong group to in the foot also rose to unacceptfight against. They and the legal able heights and the might no longer procedures have public was outraged, have the muscle now entered the a feeling shared and power, nor have loud fray otherwise, vented by the famibooming voices but handing back lies of those elders they certainly have money just whose accounts perseverance and the like that will were raided. From will to get justice. the eyes of political Perhaps because of be illegal.’ observers, the govgrey Power persistence, the Collector of Revenue ernment is committing political felt the need to teach these people suicide and may never turn their a lesson and show once and for all fortunes around from impendthat he is the law. He instructed ing doom. So next minute, the the raiding of accounts by sev- PM announces that Cabinet has eral grey Power members during approved the reimbursement

of such monies and of course he looked a jolly fool as he layered his message with the “we care for you elderly people” line. Come again, that’s not what he said not so long ago. In all of this I felt sorry for the Collector of Revenue because he allowed himself to be the scapegoat in all of this. He published an article saying this problem had nothing to do with the government. He had further denials in other media outlets. In other words he is excusing the culpability of the PM, Minister of Finance and the Secretary of Finance. Are we to believe that there was no intention of government to collect taxes here no matter what? In other words the Cabinet, PM and his co-horts do not care what anyone says; all must pay tax and money must be recovered from those that owe tax, old or young. That really is the driving force and the PM was

neglectful of the negative effects of it. When it bubbled into danger, he said it was someone else that created the problem. Come on, “man up” as they say in rugby league circles. Now, a couple of nights ago the Secretary of Finance announced that the reimbursement can only be done by creating a supplementary budget to be put to parliament at the next sitting, probably at the end of next month. By March, the monies taken will be back in the accounts they were in before they were raided. That of course was not good enough for some people. Well, the law requires that an expenditure appropriation be passed by parliament. Clearly, the PM and his government had shot themselves in the foot and the legal procedures have now entered the fray otherwise, handing back money just like that will be illegal. Again, isn’t it humiliating?

Shift towards local knowledge in development ONE AIM of a major donor partners meeting in the Cook Islands next month is to get more people involved in setting the country’s development agenda. The fourth annual Development Partners Meeting will run from February 10-14, in Rarotonga and Atiu. It will include government representatives from Australia, New Zealand, China, plus oficials from development agencies such as the united Nations, European union and Asian Development Bank. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MFEM) said an important focus of this year’s meeting is improving the ability of the private sector and non-government organisations to take part in setting the development agenda. “Inluence over public policy development is now shared across govern-

ment, civil society organisations and interest groups, the business sector and the community,” said development co-ordination division manager Peter Tierney. The meeting’s theme is ‘pirianga taokotai’ (inclusive partnerships), which reflects the shift towards local knowledge, ownership and leadership in development. Tierney said the meetings will facilitate better understanding of different viewpoints and more trust between partners, both nationally and internationally. He said there is no ‘magic bullet’ for development but 60 years of development assistance has provided many lessons. “Each country has a unique history and cultural experience. global research indicates that it's only by working with this context and strengthening local

institutions that sustainable positive impact has been achieved anywhere in the world.” He said the international development scene is changing, with active donor countries like Brazil, China, India, and Indonesia having different perspectives on how development is carried out. “This makes inclusiveness and partnerships all the more important to address today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. Diversity is the key to creativity and we need to learn our way forward. Our partners want to help, but it’s really up to us to set our development agenda.” Tierney said the Cook Islands can expect donors to want to reduce grants in the future. “This will increase the importance of using our own resources and forging new partnerships based on shared goals.” - BCS/MFEM

Peter Tierney from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management addresses health oicers at a rainwater harvesting workshop in November. 13112277

Cooks presents concerns on seabed minerals work A LACK of resources and lack of

capacity are the main obstacles for the Cooks in planning how to manage the environmental impact of deep sea minerals activity, according to a report on a workshop in Fiji. These broad areas of concern were identiied by the National Environment Service (NES), and were shared by other Paciic countries. The fourth regional training workshop on the ‘Environment perspectives of Deep Sea Minerals activities’ was co-organised by the Secretariat of the Paciic Community (SPC) and the Secretariat of the Paciic Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and took place in Nadi from December 9-13. The Cook Islands was represented at this Deep Sea Minerals (DSM) training workshop by Liz Koteka (Ofice of the Prime Minister), Teherii Koteka (winner of the recent youth debate on seabed minerals), Vavia Tangatataia (NES), Teina MacKenzie (Te Ipukaria Society) and Paul Lynch and Alex Herman (Seabed Minerals Authority), with funding from the DSM Project. Tangatataia from NES gave a presentation on the existing process of Environmental Im-

pact Assessments (EIAs) in the Cook Islands, which he said can be adapted for DSM. The workshop also gave participants a draft template EIA form for consideration. It was also discussed that an ‘Environmental Mining Management System’ will ideally address three components: environmental risk, environmental impact and an environmental management plan. The report states that, at the end of the workshop, “it was agreed by the participants that

there needed to be a co-ordinated regional effort towards the environmental management of DSM activities, and not just at the national level. “This is particularly (the case) when considering the potential for transboundary and cumulative effects. Furthermore such regional efforts will ensure a minimum level of environmental standards for DSM throughout the Paciic”. No DSM mining activities are occurring yet. The report on the workshop

states that it is important “to address potential environmental concerns now before any DSM mining activity actually takes place. This is a wise approach and will allow for steps to be taken in line with the ‘precautionary approach’ under the 1992 Rio declaration”. This approach is outlined under ‘principal 15’ of the declaration, and reads: “In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities.

Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority staf, pictured last year, including workshop attendees legal oicer Alex Herman (second from left) and commissioner Paul Lynch (right). 13030818

Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientiic certainty shall not be used as a reason for post-

poning cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.” - SBMA/BD

Expressions of Interest! Newspaper Delivery Contract An opportunity exists for a team to work handling folding, collating and delivery of Cook Islands News. This is a night time job that follows printing of the daily newspaper. It ranges from two to four hours per night. Ideally, this contract would suit a family or team to work without supervision, to handle of-site folding and collating of the newspaper, then delivery to shops and homes around Rarotonga. The successful applicant(s) will start with supervised training for several weeks from February 2014. Collation can be done in your own home. Two company vehicles are available for deliveries however a team that will have their own means of transport is an advantage. Applicant(s) families or teams must have mature and experienced drivers with good clean driving records and be of sober habits. For more information about duties and remuneration, phone Tere Joseph on 22999 or visit our oices at Maraerenga to convey expressions of interest. Applicants who are selected for an interview will be required to provide character references. Please contact Tony Fe’ao, General Manager Email tony@cookislandsnews.com or Oice Manager Tere Joseph on 22999.

www.cookislandsnews.com

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

WEEKEND

Library and Museum celebrates 50th anniversary of recording and preserving culture and heritage

The Cook Islands Library and Museum Society building as it stands today in Tutakimoa on gifted land. 14013101 The Cook Islands Library and Museum Society will hold a special ceremony on Monday to celebrate the society’s 50th anniversary. Traditional, religious and political leaders will be among the guests at the special ceremony, with all three main pillers of the community having contributed to the establishment of the library and museum. A special plaque will be unveiled on the day, and through the year a number of unique events will be staged at the society building at Takamoa including ilm showings, photo exhibitions and lectures by local and overseas lecturers. Through the years, the society has not only had some remarkable people visit, or serve on its council, it also has had and continues to have many sponsors and benefactors – all dedicated to the cause of creating, maintaining and improving a library and museum that records and preserves the nation’s heritage and culture. Cook Islands Library and Museum Society manager/curator Jean Mason shares the history of the society.

50 years of lending books and preserving artifacts THE FORMATION of a library

and a museum in the Cook Islands had many stops and starts. As far back as 1918, the thenResident Commissioner, Frederick Platts, wrote to the parliamentary librarian in Wellington asking for assistance to set up a library on Rarotonga. Platts said that the minister responsible for the Cook Islands, Dr Maui Pomare, was favourable to the idea and added that Judge Ayson would call on the librarian in Wellington to discuss the matter. Records are scant on what transpired after that meeting, if indeed it took place. Stephen Savage, oficial interpreter and author of the Maori Language of Rarotonga Dictionary published posthumously in 1962, was for a time voluntary librarian at a library on Rarotonga in the 1920s, but little is known about that library. In the 1930s Joe Stubbs and his wife Esther started a lending library with books they were able to borrow through the Country Library Service of New Zealand. Volunteers for the lending library operated with books in boxes in the courthouse but then the library shifted to the home of the head of nurses at the hospital, Matron Hawke. By 1942 Judge Jack Morgan and Lionel Trenn, court registrar, had formed what could be called the forerunner of this society today, called the Cook Islands Society, which had its own rules adopted at a general meeting held on October 22, 1942. The Resident Commissioner, Judge Hugh Ayson, became its irst patron. A room in the old Legislative Council building in Avarua was its irst premises but a hurricane in March 1943 badly damaged a

schoolroom. The premises were and Kati Heather, he set up a required for use by the school, separate Cook Islands Museum and the newly-founded society Society with the backing of the Cook Islands Progressive Assohad to relocate. When William Tailby suc- ciation. They raised some money, and ceeded Ayson as Resident Commissioner, the offer of premises after having dificulty inding a site on which to build, finally was withdrawn. However, artefacts were still selected a piece of land belongbeing collected and stored in the ing to Raitia Tepuretu. Princess Te Puea of New Zeacourtroom. These artefacts were handed over to the Library and land visited in June 1947 to lay the foundation stone which Museum many years later. By 1947, the lending library had been obtained from Marae was again housed at the Legisla- Araitetonga. The stone still stands at tive Council buildings, and by 1952 it had shifted again, this Ngatipa. Davis went overseas again for time to Rev William Murphy’s study at Takamoa Theological postgraduate studies in tropical medicine and the ledgling asCollege. The library then had a stint sociation collapsed. The balance of money colat the NAC (National Airways Corporation) building in lected was later paid into the Ngaruretu, Takuvaine, before new society’s account. Things really got moving being moved into a building on the Public Works site (where the when a meeting called by the Ministry of Justice building then-Resident Commissioner, Albert Oliver now stands). ‘People who become (Ollie) Dare, Finally, the members of the was held in the library comlibrary, or who pay courtroom in mittee raised to visit the museum, Avarua on Febenough funds are contributing ruary 17, 1961. for the library’s to the institution’s Those asf i r s t ‘p e r m a sembled at that nent’ home and inancial survival and meeting reerected a buildits daily liveliness.’ solved to build ing next to the a museum and a library. bowling green in Tutakimoa. After looking over a number Interest in a museum was revived when Roger Duff, then di- of potential sites, the action rector of Canterbury Museum in committee accepted Makea Nui New Zealand, visited the Cook Teremoana Ariki’s donation of 2 Islands on his way to Pitcairn roods 27 perches from a section of land, the traditional name Island. Duff gave a lecture on Polyne- of which is Tukitea (or Tu ki te sian migration at a room in the Atea, meaning ‘independent’), located in Avarua. ‘men’s club’. This is the land upon which Meanwhile, Dr Thomas Davis, who had completed his the society conducts its operamedical studies in New Zealand, tions today. Fundraising for the building returned to Rarotonga in 1946. With Tautu Aneru, ua Turua, began in 1962.

Former Cook Islands Prime Minister and lifetime supporter of the Cook Islands Library and Museum Society sir Tom Davis with Pa Terito Ariki. The Legislative Assembly approved a pound-for-pound subsidy to a maximum of 2000 pounds sterling per annum over three years. Donations came from individuals, firms, and Cook Islanders living in New Zealand, as well as youth clubs, schools, government departments and others in Rarotonga. A penny trail through Avarua township was one of the highlights of fundraising. All of the inhabited islands in the Cooks contributed to making the library and museum a reality. In return, the society had the interests of those living in the outer islands at heart. “We hope that every island of the group will produce something of interest and that visitors to the museum will see the past not only of Rarotonga but of all the Cook Islands,” noted the society’s irst newsletter, put out in March 1964. The late Ken Mills, a New Zealand architect and long-time resident of the Cook Islands, designed the building and by September 30, 1963, building

had begun. Theological students from the Takamoa mission helped with the initial clearing of the land. By February 1964, the foundations were laid and the steel frames for the building had been erected. By August the roof was added, the cement loor poured and windows framed. By September that year the linotiles were laid and the inner walls were plastered. The society was formed on April 24, 1963. Rev Bernard Thorogood, LM S minister, proposed rules be accepted and steps taken to incorporate the society, that a meeting be called the following week to elect the officers of the society and its council. Members elected Judge Morgan as the society’s inaugural chairman, Bill Coppell as honorary secretary, Ken Mills as honorary curator, William Estall as treasurer, Resident Commissioner Ollie Dare as patron, David Stone as librarian, and scientist, Stuart Kingan as editor. Council members were Makea Nui Teremoana Ariki, Raitia Tepuretu, Ringiao Man-

arangi and Nooroa Tangaroa. Legislative Assembly members represented on the council were Tangaroa Tangaroa and Julian Dashwood. Cook Islands Library and Museum Society (CILAMS) was inally incorporated on February 3 1964, the delay being due to the time it took to appoint a court registrar. The Library and Museum building was oficially opened on December 22, 1964. The opening was low-key. Tupapa elder, Raitia Tepuretu, said a prayer and Makea Nui Teremoana Ariki opened the door. Subscribing that day were 55 adults and 12 juniors. Bernice Hynes (now Davies) was formally appointed on August 31 and brought from New Zealand to run the library. Staff and students at the Teacher’s College helped out Mrs Hynes before the opening of the library in December 1964. Tereu Raitia (now urirau) was appointed assistant librarian and commenced duties on December 21, 1964. In 1964 the library had 2850

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

books lent to it by New Zealand’s National Library Service, and 1500 books were acquired from the library in Tutakimoa. The legislative assembly voted to assist financially by way of an annual grant to help pay the salary of a librarian and an assistant librarian. By contrast today, there are about 40,000 books in the library’s collection, most of which it owns. The Society also houses the library of the university of the South Paciic, Cook Islands branch and is also a depository library for the World Health Organisation. The society has been selffunded since 1991 and two staff and eight volunteers continue to take care of the facility on a daily basis while a council of nine oversees its administration. Ms Hynes left Rarotonga in September 1966, at the end of her two year contract, and Miss Smallwood looked after the library for nearly 15 months. In July 1967, Cook Islander Carmen Temata returned from training in New Zealand and took over. She held the position of chief librarian from 1967-1991. By 1970 the building was already deemed too small for carrying out its business. The building was being increasingly used for public meetings and lectures. Alex Bowman of Nelson, New Zealand, helped prepare a plan of proposed extensions to the building. The society engaged architects in Auckland, New Zealand to draft design plans for an extension to the library. Although the council expressed admiration for the design, it was less impressed by the $180,000 price tag – thus the project, which would have involved tearing down much of

the existing premises less than a decade old, was canned.

Visitors, donors and benefactors A number of prominent visitors include New Zealand’s governor general Sir Bernard Fergusson, Prime Minister Mr Keith Holyoake, and the leader of the opposition, Mr Arnold Nordmeyer who came for the Cook Islands self-government celebrations in September 1965. They were accompanied to the premises by premier Albert Henry and his wife. In February 1971, H R H Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, along with Admiral Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Lord and Lady Brabourne and other members of the Royal Party toured the library and museum during their visit to Rarotonga. In 1972, governor general Sir Arthur and Lady Porritt visited. In a separate visit, Dame Annabelle Rankin, career politician and Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand, paid a visit following an AuD10,000 donation to the library and museum from the Australian government for equipment and furniture. Professor Peter Bellwood gave a talk entitled Early Settlements of the Cook Islands, and a former captain of the brigantine, Yankee (which ran aground in 1964 on the reef at Avarua), Captain James Bercaw, gave a slideshow in 1972 and in 2003, professor of human genetics at Oxford university, Bryan Sykes, presented a public lecture about DNA and the origins of people of the Paciic, which was one of the most popular lectures in the history of the Society (the museum was full to capacity). Through the years, the society has not only had some remarkable people come to visit, or serve on its council, it also has had, and continues to

have, many sponsors and benefactors – all dedicated to the cause of creating, maintaining and improving a library and museum that records and preserves the nation’s heritage and culture. Many of these people have passed on but their legacy remains. In addition to these individuals the society has enjoyed the generous support of businesses over the years.

The people’s Library and Museum Many Cook Islanders today appear to be showing a declining interest in our country’s rich, historical and cultural heritage. The library and museum, however, remains an important player in the Cook Islands community. It has gone through some dificult periods, but its continuation has never been in doubt, and this year we celebrate its golden anniversary. The Cook Islands Library and Museum Society Inc has survived as a non-proit organisation for 50 years, thanks to government, businesses, international bodies, the governments of other nations, voluntary organisations, and hundreds of donors, benefactors and volunteers – including those from overseas – and the enthusiasm of those who have served on successive councils. People who become members of the library, or who pay to visit the museum, are contributing to the institution’s inancial survival and its daily liveliness. The staff, volunteers and supporters of the Cook Islands Library and Museum Society remain as dedicated in the pursuit of the Society’s objectives as were the idealists who incorporated the Society on 3 February 1964 to express their collective vision by creating the Society we have today.

Judge Jack Morgan (sitting right), Les Warren (standing in the truck), Joe Empen (sitting left) and an unknown visitor at the horse races in Muri in July 1937.

Rev Bernard Thorogood (pictured second from right) being hosted to morning tea by the Library and Museum Society and volunteers in 2008. Thorogood served the London Missionary Society in the Cook Islands between 1953 and 1970. He is pictured above with, from left, Mathilda Tairea, the late Ron Crocombe, Sally Voss, Jean Mason and the late Gordon Sawtell. 14010727

Maria Henderson and Here Allan modelling mu’umu’u garments that were exhibitied at the Cook Islands Library and Museum in 2008. 14013105

Carmen Temata, the irst trained Cook Islands librarian, dedicated over 20 years of her service with the society.

Tahiarii Pariente blesses the restored vaka Toku Mina in the Oraua Vaka (canoe house) at the Cook Islands Library and Museum in 2011. 14013103

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Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

Asbestos removal: Into the red zone This week, the Cook Islands Investment Corporation has been co-ordinating the large-scale removal of soil from Avarua School, after it was found to be contaminated with asbestos. The truckloads of soil were taken to a site in Arorangi, to be disposed of in a hole dug especially for this purpose. CI News reporter Briar Douglas went on site at the school on Wednesday, to see how contract workers from T&M Heather have been progressing with the project. FOR SOMETHINg so tiny, asbes-

tos ibres can cause a lot of fuss. Its recent discovery in the soil at Avarua School prompted the school to be shut down and has led to extensive excavation of the grounds, with the area offlimits to anyone not decked out in safety gear. Once a popular building material, asbestos is safe if it stays undisturbed. But this naturallyoccurring ibre that is not visible to the human eye is now known to be dangerous if it becomes airborne and is breathed in – and prolonged exposure can cause respiratory illnesses further down the track. Asbestos is serious business. Even so, when I asked to enter the so-named ‘red zone’ during the removal of truckloads of contaminated soil at Avarua School, I hadn’t anticipated such a lengthy process. The way into the red zone – the main grounds of the school – is past an ofice that has been turned into a makeshift testing station by Stuart Keer-Keer – a quality and technician manager for New Zealand-based K2 Environmental Ltd, a company that specialises in air quality testing and advice. Keer-Keer, who also has his hands full with post-earthquake work in Christchurch, is currently in the Cooks investigating the extent of asbestos in the grounds around government buildings after inding the ibres in the air at Avarua School during a previous visit late last year. It took a week to create the ‘red zone’ at Avarua – with black plastic sheets shielding classroom windows in the area as well as covering the fence around the school’s boundary, encircled with yellow ‘caution’ tape and a sign asking the public to keep out. Everyone who enters the red zone needs to wear a mask that prevents dust – and asbestos ibres – from being breathed in. But one size definitely does not it all. Keer-Keer conducts a ‘it test’ on each person who goes on the site – with some T&M Heather workers sent home to shave their faces smooth before the mask will it snugly enough against their skin. The test uses a piece of equipment – called a ‘portacount’ – that counts the particles in the air both outside and inside the mask, and compares the two. To pass, the particle count inside the mask needs to be 100 times lower than outside the mask. “It’s like a seatbelt,” says KeerKeer, in an analogy he must have recited hundreds of times. “You want to make sure it’s working before you need it.” Keer-Keer connects a tube from the portacount to a mask, and has me strap the mask to my face. The ‘fit test’ is really a series of tests, to check the mask works under different conditions – normal breathing, deep breathing to simulate physical activity, moving the head from side to side and up and down, and reaching down to touch the ground. With the irst two masks, I fail

the tests miserably. Is my face too small? “Basically, yes,” says Keer-Keer with a hint of a smile – I’m a fair bit smaller than your average T&M Heather worker. “Small masks aren’t really something I budget for,” he adds. I float the idea of sending along a reporter with a bigger face. But Keer-Keer seems unconcerned, and with the third mask – a smaller model – strapped a little too snugly against my face in what feels like a vacuum-sealed it, I ly through the tests. After climbing into some ‘extra-large’ overalls – which unlike the masks can safely be deemed ‘one size its all’ – to keep the dust off my clothes, Keer-Keer leads the way into the red zone. Several times while wandering through the site – the sound of my own breath magniied in my ears by the mask on my face – I lose track of Keer-Keer among the other workers, unable to tell one person from another when at a distance; we’re all dressed in the same white overalls with our faces mostly eclipsed by the masks. Having begun the work the afternoon before, the contractors have already dug trenches 300mm deep and 2 metres wide around the affected buildings – areas where you’d expect asbestos to be, says Keer-Keer, with the miniscule ibres washing off the old roof and onto the soil with rain over time, as the material around it gradually degraded. In the Cook Islands though, it’s not as simple as that. “Here, it rains a lot and the soil moves around,” says Keer Keer. He explains that rain gradually pushes soil from place to place – such as from the front to the back of a building. Over the years, people have dug up that soil and moved it back to where it was, or elsewhere, to keep the ground level. This has left quite a jigsaw puzzle for Keer-Keer to solve – with some areas away from the buildings also testing positive for asbestos. “It helps a lot talking to peo-

Before moving the asbestos-contaminated soil, workers sprayed it with water so as to prevent dust – which can lead to asbestos ibres becoming airborne. 14012910

ple, to find out what they’ve done,” he says. For instance, T&M Heather’s Jojo Heather shed light on one large asbestos-contaminated area well away from buildings, saying soil had been moved to that spot in the past. To remove the soil from the site, contractors have been instructed to spray the soil with water before it is moved, to prevent dust. Once dug up, the dampened soil is loaded onto a truck bound for a disposal site at Arorangi, and covered with a tarpaulin. No need to bag it up? “I suggested they don’t use bags,” says Keer-Keer. “It means more handling, and it takes more time – they wouldn’t get it done in a week.” The deadline for the work is the students being due back in class on Monday – one week later than the other schools opened on the island, to allow time for the work to be done. The Cook Islands, like New Zealand and other countries, used asbestos in many older buildings – including in a type of roofing called Super 6. This material still exists on some buildings in the Cooks, but was removed from schools between seven and twenty years ago, with the exception of a school in Mangaia where removal of the material is still to be done. The reason the asbestos at Avarua School – one of 11 areas where the air was tested last year by Keer-Keer – is a more urgent situation than other places is that the grounds have a lot of exposed dirt that is easily kicked up into the air, and being a primary school, the young students likely play in the dirt and dig it up. Keer-Keer notes that people visiting the dental clinic in Tupapa (where air samples showed higher-than-normal, but not hazardous, levels of asbestos) probably don’t spend much time playing outside the building and disturbing the soil. Keer-Keer accompanies me back out of the red zone, and we both unclip our masks. He tells me to keep mine.

“It’s good for any time there’s dust,” he says – though I can’t see myself pulling it out while vacuuming my house. Keer-Keer isn’t sure how long he’ll be in the Cooks at this stage, with other schools – including those in Aitutaki, and perhaps other outer islands – on his list to be checked out during this visit. All islands in the Cooks had Super 6 on government buildings at some point. While the testing is “not an exact science”, Keer-Keer says a very small amount of asbestos ibres can be found pretty much anywhere – but if there’s more than that, investigation is needed. “Anything over background levels (of asbestos) means there’s a source of it somewhere,” he says, his mask still dangling around his neck. “It’s a logistically big exercise, but we need to ind out why it’s there.”

CINews reporter Briar Douglas tries a mask on for size, before entering the ‘red zone’ at Avarua School. 14012923

Stuart Keer-Keer, quality and technician manager for K2 Environmental, has been overseeing the work at Avatea School after he took soil samples from the grounds that tested positive for asbestos. 14012913

Soil from around classrooms at Avarua School is loaded onto a truck using a digger. 14012905

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

French classes, culture in the Cook Islands THE COOK ISLANDS is about

to be infused with some extra French culture, thanks to the new offerings by local group Alliance Française. Teacher Lauriane Botella has been busy organising and teaching a curriculum for French language instruction with the Ministry of Education, with classes to be held at Nukutere College and Apii Te uki Ou primary school. Botella said the French language and culture feature prominently in the region, with heavy inluences in French Polynesia and New Caledonia – her former home before coming to the Cook Islands with her partner. “The project is to promote French as a language of the Paciic,” said Botella. “That is the long-term challenge.” Separate programmes she has been busy organising through Alliance Française (AF) include adult courses to be held in Ngatangiia at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced level, a ‘French for fun’ class for youth to be held in Tupapa, and monthly conversational courses at Le Bon Vivant in Muri.

All classes being in early February. For her lessons, Botella said she will be using a variety of teaching aides, including books, audio, DVDs, CDs, along with person-to-person conversations, and writing. “The idea is to provide a great variety of materials to keep people motivated,” she said. Extra helpings of French culture will be available through AF’s cinema night – a monthly event beginning February 27 featuring screenings of French ilms – to be held in Matavera. The organisation will also be organising a monthly ‘Petanque Club’ event, starting March 1 in Muri and monthly pub night beginning in April. “A promotion of French culture with a modern twist and added Paciic lavour,” said Botella, describing the offerings. To enrol in the classes, contact the Alliance Française via email at afrarotonga@gmail.com, or by phone at 76 556 or 26 556. Additionally, a ‘French for Travellers’ course is being run by Botello – which has been codeveloped by the Cook Islands

Tertiary Training Institute (CITTI) and the Alliance Française. The course – which looks to provide language instruction for those travelling between French-speaking nations in the Paciic – starts on February 17, held on Thursdays for 10 weeks between 5pm and 6.30pm. This will be followed by a ‘French for Tourism and Hospitality’ course, starting May 1, also Thursdays from 5pm to 6.30pm for 10 weeks. The French hospitality course has been designed to respond to requests from the tourism industry and for outreach efforts to French-speaking tourists. Registration for both courses can be done through CITTI by visiting its Ngatangiia or Arorongi campus, or by calling 22 628 or 21 471. Botella is here on a two-year program, working with Alliance Française – along with the support of the Ministry of Education, the government of New Caledonia, the French embassy in New Zealand, and French non-government organisation France Voluntaire. - Emmanuel Samoglou

Teacher Lauriane Botella (center front) with French language students (L-R) Andrew Logan, Bishop Tutai Pere, Patricia Pere, , Miimetua Tupa and Tinirau Tupa. 14012743

Cook Islands scores bulb eater machine AN OFFICIAL says with the recent acquisition of a new piece of equipment, burned out light bulbs will no longer be posing a significant environmental hazard. using funds allocated through the Asian Development Bank’s “Promoting Energy Eficiency in the Paciic” (PEEP 2) programme, the Cook Islands was able to purchase a ‘bulb eater’, which allows for the safe disposal of old bulbs. The oficial handover for the equipment was made last Friday, during a separate event which marked the rebranding of the infrastructure ministry, which is now oficially known as Infra-

structure Cook Islands (ICI). “This machine will help dispose the light bulbs, which have mercury content, according to international standards,” said Terekino Vaireka, an energy efficiency expert with the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Deputy PM and ICI minister Teariki Heather was on hand to accept the equipment on behalf of the government. Vaireka said the machine will be used to crush light bulbs replaced in a government-run programme that has contractors visiting households on Rarotonga to replace old incandescent bulbs with compact luorescent light (CFL) bulbs – which are

more energy eficient. The energy eficiency expert also expressed thanks to the government as well as the ADB for support of the PEEP2 programme. The machine is currently located at the ICI waste management site in Arorongi and will begin operating soon, said oficials. The PEEP2 programme – which aims to promote and implement energy eficiency – is a partnership with ADB and the Cook Islands government, in conjunction with the SPC’s global Environment Facility and the government of Australia. - Emmanuel Samoglou

Fighting corruption on agenda THE COOK ISLANDS will be hosting a two-day conference that aims to focus on the role of parliament in fighting corruption. Along with local oficials, the global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (gOPAC) has organised the Oceania Regional Meeting 2014, to be held in Rarotonga between February 5-6. The meeting will bring together legislators from parliaments throughout the Oceania region to develop the capacity of parliamentarians to support anti-corruption programmes

both in their countries and in the region, say organisers. All members of the Cook Islands parliament have been invited, along with President of the House of Ariki Tou Travel Ariki and Koutu Nui President Maria Henderson. Prime Minister Henry Puna has been asked to deliver the keynote address. Participants at the conference will be attending various workshops, including information sessions on the united Nations Convention Against Corruption (uNCAC), developing the oversight capacity of parliamentari-

ans, and strengthening regional efforts in ighting corruption. gOPAC describes itself as “... a worldwide alliance of parliamentarians working together to combat corruption, strengthen good government, and uphold the rule of law”. Based in Ottawa, Canada, GOPAC has 47 national chapters on six continents. gOPAC supports its members’ efforts through original research, global anti-corruption capacity building, and international peer support. - Emmanuel Samoglou

Deputy PM and head of Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) Teariki Heather with the ADB’s energy eiciency expert Terekino Vaireka at last week’s event. 14012447

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Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

VIRTUES the gifts within

US students on ield trip to Raro AN EAgER team of budding

Self-Discipline Tu Mako “Discipline, to be sure, is never pleasant, at times it seems painful, but afterwards those who have been trained by it reap the harvest of a peaceful and upright life.” – Hebrews 12:11

American scientists has been clambering around the Rarotongan coastline this week learning about the local environment. The 13 students are all on six-month exchanges to either Auckland university or Canterbury university, where they are studying Earth Systems Science. Part of that exchange involves a week-long ield trip in Rarotonga under the leadership of Kiwi geologist Dr Dan Hikuroa. Hikuroa, who is research director at Nga Pae o te Marama-

tanga/NZ's Indigenous Centre of Research Excellence, said the students are here learning about sustainability and earth systems science. “This is a wonderful place to come and carry out research. I love it because you can try and teach out of text books but actually talking about it while you’re standing in the water with the waves washing at your feet is my ideal teaching place,” he said. The students have been working with locals like whale researcher Nan Hauser and marine ecologist Teina Rongo.

Mary Madden, from the state of Maryland, said the group has been looking at variations in the island’s coastline. “The reef ends very close to the shore in some places and right now we’re doing comparisons of where it’s closer or further away.” The 19 year old said she is impressed with the level of scientiic research taking place in Rarotonga. “It’s a tiny island but there’s a lot of diversity with the research going on here, through people like Nan Hauser. We’re getting

brand new research from this island.” Earth systems science is all about combining various ields of academic study, such as chemistry, physics and biology, to understand the Earth as a system, Hikuroa said. “Combining different approaches is the only way we’re going to make great leaps forward.” He said the Cook Islands’ renewable energy and Marine Park ambitions make it a world leader. “That’s sustainable leadership and for these uS students,

Discipline means control. Self-discipline is self-control. It means getting yourself to do what is important to do, rather than being a leaf in the wind of your thoughts or feelings. With self-discipline you can be moderate. You don’t lose control of yourself when you feel hurt or angry, but decide how you are going to talk and what you are going to do. With self-discipline, you take charge of yourself. I am practicing self-discipline when I … • • • • • •

Use detachment so my emotions won’t control me Speak and act calmly when I am hurt or angry Get things done in an orderly and eicient way Cre ate routines for myself Do what is expected without people having to remind me Do things on time

I have self- discipline. I use my time well and get things done. I choose my actions with detachment. virtuescookislands@gmail.com

A group of 13 American students, with professors and teaching assistants, is in Rarotonga on a ield research trip this week. 14013015

who are pretty Americo-centric, we’re just opening their eyes to different ways of doing things.” In the future, Hikuroa wants to get local high school students and returning university students involved in the ield trips. “I think the uS students would learn a lot from these people who have grown up looking at this coast. And the locals would learn from the overseas students in turn.” The group is here until the end of the week, before returning to continue their studies in New Zealand. - BCS

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

Player movements revealed today TODAY’S highly anticipated

first game of the 2014 club rugby league season will give fans their first look at the make-up of their club teams. Leading up to the season start there has been much chatter about player movement and club transfers and today will be a day to set the records straight and see who’s who, especially in the premier men’s grade. The Takuvaine, Tupapa and Ngatangiia fields will be the battle grounds for today’s firstup games, with the Titikaveka Bulldogs heading to the Happy Valley to take on the Warriors while the Avatiu Eels battle with the defending champions the Tupapa Panthers. The Arorangi Bears will rumble with the Ngatangiia Sea Eagles. get your club colours on, stretch your vocal cords and get out and support your club

not just at the premier level but right across the board starting with the stars of tomorrow in the junior grades. - Matariki Wilson

– 11.30pm under 14, Ref-Pio Mitchell, Touch Judges-Club Officials, 12.20pm under 16, Ref-Johnny Hosking, Touch

Judges-Dawn Crummer /Club Officials, 1.20pm under 19, Ref-Bishop Bishop, Touch Judges-Pio Mitchell / Johnny

Hosking, 2.40pm Snr Reserve, Ref-Tangi Taomia, Touch Judges-Club Official, 4pm Premier, Ref-Arthur Emile, Touch

Judges-Bishop Bishop / Tangi Taomia, Sub Official-Simiona Teiotu.

Today’s draw: Takuvaine Warriors vs Titikaveka Bulldogs at Takuvaine –3.30pm junior grade, Ref-Robert Matapo and club officials, 4pm Premier, RefTuaitu Ngaputa, Touches Judges-Poto Ngaroi /Jeffery Muarry, Sub Official-Tua Dyer.

Ngatangiia Sea Eagles vs Arorangi Bears at Ngatangiia – 12.30pm under 14, RefPaul Peyroux, Touches JudgesClub Officials, 1.25pm under 19, Ref-Tutai Taurarii,Touches Judges-Club Officials, 2.45pm Snr Reserve, Ref-Nga Takaiti, Touch Judges-Club Officials, 4pm Premier, Ref-Ngavavia Tou, Touch Judges-Paul Peyroux/Tutai Taurarii, Sub Official-Taua benioni.

Tupapa Panthers vs Avatiu Nikao Eels at Tupapa

The Ngatangiia Sea Eagles will host the Arorangi Bears, Tupapa Panthers host the Avatiu Eels and the Titikaveka Bulldogs head to the Happy Valley to meet the Warriors. Aitutaki has the irst week of. 13030369

Baseball coaching set for national cricketers COACH Crawford is one of these ‘modern era’ coaches who is constantly look for inspiration from various sports in the development of his cricketers. At just 22, Mark Crawford is soon becoming a highly regarded cricket coach throughout Northern Districts with his baseball philosophy to ielding and groundwork. Crawford not only has a Level 2 New Zealand Cricket Coaching qualification but has also gained his Silver Coaching Accreditation from the American Baseball Coaches Association. In addition to coaching cricket through the Bay of Plenty youth pathway, coach Crawford also works with New Zealand Baseball assisting in fielding

and throwing coaching of age group baseballers in Auckland. He firmly establishes that cricketers have a lot to learn from baseballers in gaining an edge in their ielding. “100’s of millions of dollars has been poured into the science of baseball over the years and as cricket coaches we can gain a lot of information from the biomechanics of these concepts to improve the accuracy and power of our cricketers throwing ability,” says Crawford. Crawford adds that while the baseball skills are relatively simple to adopt he has been impressed by the Cook Islands national squad’s improvements in such a short period of time.

“I have been impressed by the instant success the Cooks squad has had in their throwing, the entire group have had signiicant gains in throwing accuracy and velocity and players like Ngametua Tariau, Shane Munokoa, Toala Teinaki and Tina Mato have quadrupled their power and accuracy within a week.” Cook Islands Cricket has a busy international calendar ahead for 2015 including the East Asia Women’s Twenty20 Trophy (Japan), East Asia Men’s Trophy (Australia), International Invitational Cup (Cook Islands), Womens Twenty20 Paradise League (Cook Islands) and the World Indigenous Twenty20 Series (Cook Islands).

Cricket coach Mark Crawford putting the Cooks’ national players through their paces using his baseball philosophy. 14013148 With a smaller population, smaller player pool and less funding than their competition the national association is always looking for ways to gain

a competitive edge over their opponents. Coach Crawford will be departing the Cooks in the next couple of days, however he has

plans to return to bring more baseball coaching philosophy and a team to participate in January’s 2015 Festival of Cricket. - CIC

New Zealand’s top female cricketer on Raro SINCE DEBuTINg in 2002 at the tender age of just 22, Sara Mcglashan has had an illustrious cricket career with the Whiteferns. Mcglashan has played 115 One Day Internationals (ODI) and 51 Twenty20’s for the New Zealand women’s cricket team spanning a career of 13 years at the top of women’s international cricket.

A wicket keeper/batter, Mcglashan has been in electric form with the bat this season including an unbeaten century (131 not out) against Northern Districts, 90 against Otago and match winning 62 not out in the inal of the New Zealand Domestic Twenty20 Cup win over Canterbury. Mcglashan is set to take on the West Indies in New Zealand in

two weeks and then depart with the New Zealand team for Bangladesh for the Twenty20 World Cup. But not before the talented right hander assists Cook Islands Cricket in marketing the proile of Cook Islands Cricket’s 2015 Women’s Twenty20 Festival of Cricket. Cricket’s Alister Stevic says that to have a world cricketing personality promoting the event

Sara McGlashan has had an illustrious cricket career and is on the island sharing her skills and expertise in the game. 14013147

is exciting. “We have had great momentum with registrations into our 2015 Festival of Cricket, and with the cricket season underway in New Zealand and Australia and the biggest world cricket tournament about to play out in Bangladesh next month we feel that Sara’s global notoriety and popularity will add tremendous value to our marketing efforts.”

It’s something Mcglashan is excited to be a part of. “This is my first visit to the Cook Islands; I have heard lots of wonderful things about the Cook Islands and the people. I think the Festival of Cricket initiative from Cook Islands Cricket is a fantastic concept for the Cook Islands and with the right lead up time it is going to be an easy sell to encourage cricketers to

come enjoy the sun, sand and unique style of Cook Islands cricketers.” Passionate about the development of cricket globally, Mcglashan has also been spending her evenings imparting her years of experience and batting and wicket keeping expertise, working with the national women’s and men’s national teams. - Matariki Wilson

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

classiieds pupu kite ngai okotai EMAiL

PHONE

adverts@cookislandsnews.com

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DEADLiNES Deadline for next day’s classiieds is

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PUBLIC NOTICES

Written Submissions on Draft Master Plan

The Draft Master Plan can be downloaded at http://watsan.gov.ck/water-partnership

Kia Orana Rarotonga, We the St Joseph’s Boy Scouts will be recommencing our evening lessons for this year on Monday 3 February 2014 at 5pm to 6.30pm at the St Joseph’s Primary School Tutakimoa. The St Joseph Boy Scouts has been involved in helping young boys in Rarotonga to become better young men, to be independent and be able to be more responsible for their own actions. Our scout members are trained to understand the risk and safety measures of mountain outdoor hiking. The Scouting movement has beneited a lot of young men in the Cook Islands. Scouting is all about self-discipline, respect, preparing young boys with basic survival skills, helpful and able to help themselves and others in the community. If you are interested in joining our organisation please feel free to contact us; John Paul Wilson Group Leader Mobile: 54267 Email: jpwilson@ westpac.com.au

Benjamin Maxwell Scout Leader Mobile: 71704 Email: ben.maxwell@ cookislands.gov.ck

Yours in Scouting, “Be Prepared”

76720

casual ads must be prepaid. cancellation fee $6.40 incl. VAT. Quotations on request.

PUBLIC NOTICES

St Joseph’s Scout Troop

The public is advised that anyone wishing to make a written submission regarding the Te Mato Vai Draft Master Plan has until Friday 7 February 2014 to do so. Recordings of the public consultations are being transcribed and any verbal submissions made at the meetings along with the written submissions received will be provided to AECOM, the authors of the draft master plan for their consideration. The questions raised will also be added to the project’s questions and answers document and will be published in the near future. The project team expects there will be changes made to the draft master plan before it is submitted to the Cabinet for inal approval. Written submissions can be sent to: Te Mato Vai project PO Box 3286 Rarotonga Cook Islands Or emailed to Jaewynn@wovenpaciic.com Phone queries to Te Mato Vai project oice 28851.

RATES Minimum $5.80 incl. VAT for 1-15 words.

69221

Sea Scouts The Avarua Harbour Sea Scouts will be resuming operations in February after the school holiday break. Past and present members together with parents of prospective new members are invited to a meeting to be held at the Band Rotunda at Punanganui Market on Monday 3 February 2014 from 5pm-6pm. come along and enrol your youngster and learn more about our water and safe boating programme items Which are in addition to the scout programme ofered. 76697 / /2144

PUBLIC NOTICES

Ministry of Transport Boat Master Certiicate Course A cook Islands Boatmaster certiicate Course will be held over two weeks from 10 February to 20 February. Hours are 5pm to 8.30 pm Monday to Thursday each week. All boat operators and interested parties, male or female, over 18 years of age are encouraged to attend. Numbers strictly limited so enrol early. Payment of course Fee of $50 will secure a place. Application forms may be obtained from the Ministry of Transport in Avatiu. Phone Steve Simpson on 28810 or Mobile 55605 for details. 76703 / /1764

Notice is hereby given that Ngakau Toa Vaka Canoeing Club will be holding it’s AGM on Wednesday 12 February, 5.30pm at the CISNOC oices in Nikao. All new, returning and current paddlers are welcome. Enquiries to ngakautoavaka@ gmail.com 76705 /36207 /1783

Cook islands Whale & Wildlife centre is closed over February. Reopens Monday 2 March. Thank you for your support. 76702 /36203 /2560

Landowners meeting Tuesday 4 Feb 2014 Akaoa meeting house 6pm Agenda Request for extension of leases by Pati & Denis Hogan on the land Aretuna Section 94A2B2, Arorangi. 76671 /36190 /1931

PUBLIC NOTICES

Annual licencing of Motor Vehicles 2014-2015 year Please be advised that BCI is now accepting payment of annual licence fees. Please note the following schedule of times and methods for paying for your licence. Method of payment

Available to

Online

WBC and ANZ clients

Direct Debit

Non government or fleet vehicle owners

Cash/ Cheque

Personal vehicle owners

Cash/ Cheque

Non personal vehicle owners

Location for payment www.anz.com www.westpac.co.ck Please enter plate and phone number in reference ield.

Annual licencing of Motor Vehicles 2014-2015 year

BUSiNESS, NON PERSONAL AND RENTAL FLEET OWNERS

Date

Time

Anytime

Please be advised that BCI is now accepting payment of annual licence fees. Please note the following schedule of times and methods for paying for your licence.

Anytime

Method of Available to payment

Please contact BCI on cash@bci. Anytime co.ck for direct debit form

BCI banking area

1.Mon – Fri 2. 15 Feb, 8 and 22 March

1. 9am to 3pm 2. 9am to 12pm

BCI front oice

Mon – Fri

9am to 3pm

COST FOR FULL YEAR 14.00 26.00 62.00 38.00 47.00 44.00 82.00 26.00 38.00

Date

Time

Anytime

Online

WBC and ANZ clients

www.anz.com www.westpac.co.ck Please enter plate and phone number in reference ield. Use one payment per vehicle (Maximum 5 vehicles)

Direct Debit

All

Please contact BCI on cash@ bci.co.ck for direct debit form

Anytime

Business, Non Personal and Rental Fleet owners

BCI front oice or by post to P.O. Box 113, Avarua. Please present or post in a schedule listing the plate numbers of the vehicles you wish to licence. We will then calculate the amount due and call or email you to advise the payment required.

Mon – Fri

9am to 3pm

For those paying by online banking or direct debit, please note your sticker will be available for collection from the front oice at BCI in three working days from payment. Private Vehicle Fees only (please contact BCi on 29341 for non personal rates) POWER CYCLE MOTOR CYCLE UP TO 100cc MOTOR CYCLE OVER 100cc CARS, STATION WAGONS UP TO 2600cc CARS, STATION WAGONS UP OVER 2600cc VANS OR PICK UPS UNDER 2.25 TONNES VANS OR PICK UPS OVER 2.25 TONNES TRAILERS TRACTORS

Location for payment

Cash/ Cheque

For those paying by online banking or direct debit, please note your sticker will be available in three working days from payment for collection from the front oice at BCI or posted to a valid postal address. You will be called to see which option you prefer. For those paying by cash or cheque and presenting a schedule, your stickers will be available in three working days from payment for collection from the front oice at BCI or posted to a valid postal address. You will be called to see which option you prefer.

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

PUBLIC NOTICES

SERVICES

VEhICLES FOR SALE

Peyroux Motor Services Friendly, Local, Professional & Honest Repairs to string trimmers, chainsaws, mowers, marine & stationary engines, Vaimaanga. Phone 52414.

Mitsubishi Chariot 7Seater car, 150,000kms, Recent WOF, REGO, $7000 Negotiable. PH:72726

76680 /36062 /1931

Public Consultation on the Biosecurity Draft Regulation 2014. The Ministry of Agriculture will be conducting a Public consultation Meeting on the Draft Biosecurity Regulations 2014 in each district on Rarotonga. The regulation covers New Quarantine Requirements for Plant and Animals on Import, Export, Fines, Fees and charges. The meeting is open to the General Public. Please make every efort to attend as this is very important for us to know and protecting our Nation at all times. Ka rave atu Te Tipatimani o te Pae Tanu I tetai uipaanga no runga ite Ture ou koia oki ko te Draft Biosecurity Regulations 2014. Tei roto I teia Ture nei tetai au akatuke anga ou no runga ite turanga o te apai ua rakau mai mei vao ake ite Basileia, mei te ua kai, atava tiare e te vai atura. No reira te pati akaaka ia atu nei ki te katoatoa rava kia tae mai tatou kia akarongo ite au tumu manako puapinga no runga I teia Ture te ka riro ite tauturu ito tatou Ipukarea. Days and Venue of the meeting. Monday 3 February 2014, 6pm, Puaikura - calvary Hall Tuesday 4 February 2014, 6pm, Avarua - Sinai Hall Wednesday 5 February 2014, 6pm, Takitumu - Avana Meeting House Dr Matairangi Purea Secretary of Agriculture. 76719 / /1792

Opening of Avarua Primary School Due to grounds maintenance work at Avarua Primary School, the opening of the school for the 2014 school year has been delayed until Monday 3 February 2014 at 8am. This notice is from the Ministry of Education. 777

Uipaanga Atu Enua Arevai 129A1, Tupapa Kite Are Uipaanga Tupapa Nui ra 7 o Peperuare nei 2014, 5.30 ite aiai. Au akakoroanga: - Patianga Turanga are - Turanga o te Marae - Taoanga komono o Te Ariki Taraare Mataiapo - Manako keke Landowners meeting at Tupapa Nui Meeting house, 7 February 2014 at 5.30pm. Agenda: - Request for Occupation Right - Reserve for Marae - Power of Attorney for Te Ariki Taraare Mataiapo - Other matters Meitaki maata. 76673 /36189 /1931

Crusher Bar presents ‘’Aitutaki idol competition’’ When: February 13 2014 Open to anyone residing in Rarotonga, 3 Weeks of talent. $10 to register, Great prizes. contact Alan Nanai on 51192. 76600 /36118 /1931

Palmerston Meeting The AGM of the Marsters Family will be held Wednesday 12 February, 7pm, Pukapuka Hall to select the Board of Trustees for the Palmerston Meeting House. Nomination forms are available from Nane Holmes @ USP or Email naneholmes@gmail.com 76724 /36213 /1931

HULANESiAN FiTNESS! WiTH Lily 30+ Saturday 4.30pm Topshape Awesome workout.Info 72996. 76722 /36216 /1931

AGM NCI will be holding its AGM on Monday, 24 February 2014, 6pm at NCI’s oice, Nikao. Agenda: 1.Annual Report 2.Financial Report 3.Election of Elected Board members 4.Remits Enquiries to Admin Manager, NCI on 22840 or 54243, Email: admin@netball.co.ck 76682 /36192 /2113

Hulanesian Fitness Now on the Rock! Saturdays - 8am Muri Meeting House Tuesdays - 5pm Top Shape An hour of awesome fun workout. 76544 /36103 /1931

Daniel Maitoe’s Massage Today’s Specials *Sports Massage $30.00 *Full body $40.00 per hour. Phone 28691. 76727 /36215 /1931

Term 1 Tennis Coaching Starting Monday 3 February For enrolments & enquiries phone 22033 or 75614. 76652 /36172 /2506

Grounds Maintenance Services Need your lawns and hedge trimmed and/or maintained? No job is too big or too small for us to handle. Give us a call at T&S Ltd on 29069 or 70716/52914 for a free quote. 76707 /36208 /1931

Pool Doctor * Water testing * chlorine * P.H down * Bufer Discounted rates FREE DELIVERY Phone Tony 56599. 76290 / /1708

FOR RENT French up your life in 2014! classes for Adults, Students and children 11 weeks term 1 - starts February 3 General Adult courses 5pm to 6.30pm $100 / Ngatangia *Beginner on Monday - starts Feb 3 * Beginner++ on Wednesday starts Feb 5 conversations Adult 1st Saturdays of month 10 am to 12 / $50 / LBV *Inter/ Advanced on - starts Feb 8 children - French for fun from 7 to 10 y.old 2:30 to 4:30 pm /$100 /Tupapa *every Thursday - Starts Feb 6 Place limited, Booking is essential by phone Lauriane (76 556) or by e-mail (afrarotonga@gmail.com) 76604 / /1626

Personal Man looking for girl born 1982, 1986 or 1988 to settle down in Tahiti. Please write to Van Arii, PO Box 11882, Mahina, Tahiti.

1 bedroom Villa for rent right on Muri beach. Available for 4 months starting Feb. Ph 55271

GARAGE SALE Saturday at cocoputt,8.30am 2nd hand clear lite rooing, Kitchen ware, 2 group cofee machine and grinder and lots more. 76691 /36193 /2484

Garage Sale today at 8-11am Band Equipment USA Fender strat Bass Guitar Yamaha P.A with speakers 1600 watts Twin conga set Bric brac etc.. Going overseas Enquires phone 79244 John. Place: club Raro car park, tennis court on the side.

2 bedroom house, single person, Ngatangiia. Phone 76779. 76669 /36188 /1931

2 bedroom partly furnished house in town for $150 per week. Phone 56379. 76709 /36209 /1931

FOR SALE LEAViNG SALE - Singlebed$50 (SOLD), Stove$400, Carseat$30, Portacot$80, Babyrocker$30, F&Pfridge$900, Mitsubishi 7Seatercar $7000 ONO. PH:72726. 76644 /36169 /1931

Bag’s of Tiare Taina (gardenia) $10 a bag Matapuku $12 a bag. Phone 51661. 76587 / /1931

Available Now Palmerston Parrot ish illets $20/kg. Minimum order 5kg. Phone 58046.

Small Suzuki van , best ofer phone 76104.

LEAViNG iSLAND - Fill a bag $3 - Women, Men, Kids, Baby clothing, Toys, Kitchenware, computer cables all sorts 20c each, Tables $35, Kettle $15, Fisher Paykel Fridge $850 Playstation2 + 2 controllers $100, PS2 games $5 each - 8AM Avatiu, Atupa Back Road, Opposite Hori Signs. PH:72726 76711 /36169 /1931

SITUATIONS VACANT The Ministry of Health has the following vacancies: 1.Laboratory technician (Phlebotomist), Rarotonga Hospital 2.Dental trainee An application form and job description is available upon request. Address applications or queries to Human Resources Manager, PO Box 109, Ministry of Health, Rarotonga, cook Islands, Phone (00 682) 29664 or email m.anguna@health.gov.ck Date for inal receipt of applications: 7 February 2014. Paciic Village Salon We are a boutique salon specializing in hairdressing, Weddings, Spray tanning and other beauty services. If you are creative, self motivated and have previous experience in this industry or are willing to learn this position could be for you! Full or part-time. Phone Kim 58144. 76692 /36198 /1931

Second Hand Motorbikes 1 only 50cc Typhoon motorbike $800 1 only 50cc Typhoon motobike $850 1 only 125cc Typhoon motorbike $900 To view please phone Wayne on 22060 or call in at Rarocars, Avatiu. 76698 / /1902

MTS L300 Petrol Van, Includes new tyre, $3000.Phone 50554. 76726 /36220 /1931

76700

Job Opportunities Kia Orana! - The Edgewater Resort & Spa are currently seeking full time and part time staf. If you are a team player and have the ability to work under pressure and multitask - then we are looking for you! All applicants must have: Good communication skills, be honest and reliable, conidence and personality - full training will be provided for the right applicants. The positions available are: • Restaurant cleaner (6-12midday) • Waitress / waiter (full & part time) • Demi chefs • Kitchen hand • Housekeeping Supervisor • Housemaids For further queries, please contact the HR & Training Manager Jef TIKITAU on ph 58008 or Lynn MATAIO on ph 55469. Application forms are also available from Reception. Look forward to meeting you! 76629

TENDERS

76638 / /1720

Answers to crossword on page 21

76677 /36191 /1931

Manage the Finance and Administrative duties of the Authority, meeting MFEM inancial reporting requirements, and the administering of correspondence and marketing materials. For more details on the position, please email jdavis@ fsda.gov.ck This may be a Part-Time or Full-Time position depending on the skills of the successful candidate. Conidential applications should be made in writing and include a CV and sent by e-mail to: jdavis@fsda.gov.ck. Applications close Friday, February 14, 2014.

76696 /36194 /1931

76718 /36210 /1931

VEhICLES FOR SALE

76715 / /1632

OFFiCE AND FiNANCE MANAGER

76679 / /2079

76631 /36125 /1780

76622 /36135 /1931

Sunday 2 February 2014 ‘One life yielded to God is worth thousands only touched by God’ - Oswald chambers 9.30am - Updating church news on Radio Matariki by Intern Tangaroa Uea 10am - Sunday School for all ages ‘Hear and Do the Word’ James 1:22. 11am - Worship - Bishop Tutai Pere, BA, LTh. - fellowship luncheon - Alive for Jesus radio ministry with Minister Verokura Andrew 2.30pm - fellowship with fellow inmates 4pm - Nothing but the Truth TV ministry -’ He-Motion’ DVD by Bishop T.D. Jakes 7pm - Holy communion and Footwashing 7.30pm - Power Point Teaching Presentation by Bishop Pere Aere mai te katoatoa rava! Everyone most welcome! contact: Bishop Pere 23778/55177 Dial-A-Prayer 26777 Email: tpere@oyster.net.ck

Regal Reptor motorbike 125cc, excellent cond, $1500 ono. Ph 78755.

One fully furnished studio unit in quiet, peaceful surroundings in good area, Matavera $200 pw. Short term rates available. call charles on 21619 or 71744.

76330 /35030 /1931

ChURCh NOTICES

76712 /36169 /1931

Mens assorted clothes, polos, jeans, T shirts, womens clothing, assorted household items , books, motorbike, dvd etc etc. Kiikii next to Rau Nga’s veges with white pebbles in drive. Start at 8am.

76681 / /1871

SITUATIONS VACANT

RECYCLE

SITUATIONS VACANT

HEAVY DiESEL ENGiNEER To maintain 36 tonne excavators, trucks, generators, water pumps, hydraulic systems etc. Top Rates of Pay. Must be able to start work mid- March 2014. Send CV to Landholdings Ltd landholdings@oyster.net.ck or drop of to oice in Panama. 76562

OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINSTER

SUPPLY OF WATER TANKS AND CONSTRUCTiON MATERiALS FOR THE iSLANDS OF AiTUTAKi, ATiU AND PALMERSTON CONTRACT NO. SRiCCC C01/13 Strengthening the Resilience of our islands and our Communities to Climate Change (SRiC - CC) The Oice of the Prime Minister through the Climate Change Coordination Unit wishes to seek tender proposals from Suppliers for the Supply of Water Tanks and Construction Materials for the Islands of Aitutaki, Atiu and Palmerston. Tender documents including speciications can be collected during work hours from the Oice of the Prime Minister in Parekura. Tenders close 12pm, 7 February 2014 and must be submitted to the Oice of the Prime Minister in a sealed envelope and clearly marked “Supply of Water Tanks and Construction Materials for the islands of Aitutaki, Atiu and Palmerston Contract No. SRiC-CC C01/13” and addressed to: Chief of Staf Oice of the Prime Minister Private Bag Avarua Rarotonga A non-refundable payment of $150 will be required for a copy of the Tender Document All enquiries to Daryl Rairi, SRIC-CC Technical Assistant, Telephone 55064, or email daramide@oyster.net.ck 76488

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

Master navigator to share traditional knowledge SECRETS of the ancient art of navigating by the stars and currents will be shared with the community next month. Traditional master navigator Tua Pittman will be sharing his knowledge during a community education course, named ‘Wayfinding: Star navigation’, taught through the Cook Islands Tertiary Training Institute (CITTI). Tua Pittman is the vicepresident of Paciic Voyagers and navigator on the Marumaru Atua, the traditional sailing vaka of the Cook Islands.

Aimed at Cook Islanders interested in their heritage or anyone interested in the ancient art of wayfinding, the course will be taught primarily in Reo Maori, with English as needed depending on the students. The content of the course will include some class teaching about the history of wayinding, the resurgence of interest in Polynesian navigation, and the history of the vaka. The course will also include ield trips out to look at the stars and currents and learn the different star formations. CITTI’s Amelia Borof-

sky – who planned and developed the community education programme – said the course was developed in response to interest from members of the community. “The community was surveyed to see what kind of courses might be fun and star navigation came up as an area of interest. I approached Tua Pittman and although he is very busy, he – and other community education tutors – are willing to take time to offer some of their knowledge to the larger community.” She said the course contributes to sharing knowl-

edge of traditional Cook Islands culture. “One of the goals of community education is to share Cook Islands and Oceanic culture and heritage and star navigation offers that.” The ‘inal’ for the course will likely be a sail on the Marumaru Atua. Marumaru Atua is looking for crew members, funding and additional support so this is a good way to get involved and learn more about the night sky, said Borofsky. Pittman will be teaching using his own knowledge as well as drawing from the

uNESCO ‘Our canoe is our people’ curriculum, which he was also involved with. The four-week course will begin on February 18 and classes will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9pm. Held at CITTI’s Ngatangiia campus, the course costs $50 which includes light refreshments. To enrol in the course, call CITTI on 22628, come by and pick up an enrolment form or email community education co-ordinator Violet Tisam on violet.tisam@ citti.edu.ck or Amelia Borofsky on aborofsky@gmail. com - BD

Master navigator Tua Pittman scouting the conditions on the Marumaru Atua. 14012407

Sizzling hot prize “2 MINUTES DRIvE FROM THE AIRPORT”

WeekendSpecials AvAILAbLE 1-2 FEbRUARY

Eggs Trays

$13.90

14013140

EACH

bars bacon 454g

$8.90

EACH

Watties Spaghetti 420g

CHRISTOPHER Castillo (on

truck) and Anika Hunter (in black), holding her 10-monthold daughter Tearea-Moana, were thrilled to win a new Kiwi Sizzler barbeque each on Friday. There for the presentation were Muri Outlet Store manager Tina Maoate (front) - holding

John-Afa Hunter, 2 - and Duane gukisuva (rear), from Toa gas. Two winners are announced each week, and this week’s lucky recipients were Castillo and Hunter, who picked up their prize from the Muri Outlet Store at midday on Friday. Hunter said she already had a BBQ at home but the old one

would be going in the shed. “I’m so happy. Now I’ve seen this one, it’s way better than the one at home.” Her entry into the competition was actually in the name of daughter Tearea-Moana. “My uncle put her name in the draw,” Hunter said. Meanwhile, Castillo said he

is looking forward to cooking up a nice dinner for his wife and son. Store manager Tina Maoate and Duane gukisuva, from Toa gas, were on hand for the presentation. Maoate said three of the winners so far have come from her store.

MEMORIAM

BIRThDAy

In Loving Memory of our beloved Mom

William george Poaru

RimaNicholas-White 7 July 1926 – 1 February 2000

Happy happy 40th birthday

EACH

Purchase any Tip Top vanilla/ Neapolitan or French vanilla & Watties Peaches 410g for

$7.99 OPEN 24/7

FOR YOUR CONvENIENCE

14 long years absence, Treasured Memories hold sweet essence. Close to our Hearts You are always kept, Tis never a day we ever forget. LovinglyrememberedAlwaysbyAll YourChildren,grandchildren,great grandchildren,Families&Friends

To the best Dad in the world Thank you Lord for giving us a wonderful and loving Dad who spoils us a lot. Always providing our needs no matter what we ask him Thank you Dad for everything you have done for us Please Lord watch over our Dad, give him strength and guidance so he can accomplish in what he is striving for. Although we are an ocean apart, let the waves carry our kisses to you our Dad, to cheer you up while working. We love and miss you Dad but always a joy to hear your voice when you call us. Have a wonderful day Dad and god bless. Love and teddy bear kisses always, from your 2 princesses

Tu-te-Maeva and Mele Eteta.

www.cookislandsnews.com

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

SITUATIONS VACANT

Ministry of Education Applications are invited from qualiied, motivated and experienced professionals for the following curriculum advisory and administration positions: 1) Director of Planning and Development Responsible for supporting the development of mid-term and annual business planning, policy development, school reviews, compliance and annual reporting. 2) Planning and Policy Oicer Policy review, research and development, including consultation with stakeholders. 3) Learning and Teaching curriculum Advisors (2 positions) Provide advice on current pedagogical practice aimed at improving student achievement preferable at the secondary level, state major and supporting subject areas. An application pack is available from the Ministry website at: www.education.gov.ck Please send completed application forms with CV and references to: Director - Human Resources Management Ministry of Education P O Box 97 Rarotonga cook Islands Ph (682) 29357, fax (682) 28357 or email vacancy@education. gov.ck Applications close on Friday 14 February 2014. 76700 /36205 /1931

Childcare/Tutor with at least 3 yrs work exp., knowledgeable in child care, fond of playing with kids, love to read educational books and tutorial job, must be honest, reliable, friendly,non-smoker and nondrinker. Please email your CV to ciral09@yahoo.com and application closes 19 February 2014.

• Phone 22999 • adverts@cookislandsnews.com

Classiieds

Need a little

76650 / /1933

Classiieds • Phone 22999

• adverts@cookislandsnews.com

SITUATIONS VACANT Skipper & Deckhand Required 2 fulltime positions available on a busy charter boat For keen, hardworking person’s who loves ishing! Good wages & working conditions for the right person. Phone or text 55202. 76583 /36116 /1931

Ministry of Marine Resources FiSHERiES OFFiCER (Part-time, Mauke, Mitiaro) The MMR has two vacancies for a part time oicer based on Mauke and Mitiaro. Applicants should be familiar with local isheries and able to work closely with traditional leaders, Island Council and the ishing community. Qualiications and skills are required. For further information contact Uirangi Bishop on telephone 28730. Please provide a letter of application and CV addressed to the Secretary, P.O Box 85, Avarua or by email (rar@mmr.gov. ck). Application closes 4pm on Monday 3 February 2014. 76366 / /1971

30-40hr a week oice position available at TNM Ltd in Aitutaki... Experience & sound knowledge of computers, emails and Excel essential. Position entails: stock control & orders, data entry The understanding and previous use of QuickBooks would be beneicial Flexible hours We need you to be honest, trustworthy & reliable Please email application or CV to bishopcruz@aitutaki.net.ck Or write to TNM Ltd PO Box 53 Aitutaki. 76596 / /2408

We are currently seeking the following: 1. Assistant chef/cook 2. Pastry chef 3. Professional Bartender/ Supervisor All positions require skilled, experienced, matured and hands on person. To apply: Email CV to beachbar@waterline.co.ck or call 56214.

Local ilm makes TropFest 2014 inalists MOTONE Productions associate producers with Ngapuhi Filmworks are thrilled to announce that local film “Kia Orana” has been selected as a inalist in the coveted short ilm festival TROPFEST NZ 2014. With over 1000 entries this is a brilliant result for local ilm, said glenda Tuaine of Motone Productions. ‘Kia Orana’, which was ilmed in Rarotonga and directed by Lennie Hill and Tiairani Drollet le Caill features local stars Katu Teiti, Teina Tapurau, Elder Ropati, Nga Miriau and Matangaro Aratangi and will screen on the big screen at the TSB Bowl of Brooklands, New Plymouth, on Sunday February 16 with the other 15 inalists. The ilm was made over two days on Titikaveka beach and was supported by many local businesses and organisations. “We just could not have made this without the support of Air Raro supplying aerial footage, National Council of Women providing editing space for us, Tourism and Paciic Resort, so we are keen to make the film available to be shown in the Cooks and overseas without delay,” said cameraman and director Lennie Hill. The script was written by Rob Mokoraka who was in the Cook Islands to present the

Maori TV sports special about our rugby tournament “Sevens in Heaven”. While here Rob also ran a small writers’ course for locals to support the rising talent here in the Cook Islands. Motone and Ngapuhi are keen to see the film available for screening after the TROPFEST event and hope to get it

on CITV, in-flight films and other festivals. “The awards ceremony acknowledges not only the Best Film, but Best Director, Actor and Best Maori Director. “So ‘Kia Orana’ is a good contender,” said Hill. “We have the Cook Islands High Commission coming and joining us on the night so it is a

real celebration of what can be achieved with a skeleton crew and a small budget.” If you want to see more o f t h e ‘ K i a O r a n a’ v i s i t http: //www.tropfest.co.nz/ tropfest/2014nz-finalists/ kia-orana/ - and plans are in the pipeline to bring the film home. - Motone

Short ilm ‘Kia Orana’ crew and actors on the beach in Titikaveka where the ilm was shot over two days. 14013106

Quiz night support for the BIG BANG tamariki ACTINg up Creative Collective

will be holding a quiz night on Monday February 3 at the Rarotonga golf Club to raise funds for the tamariki to go to the New Zealand Festival for the Arts event, THE BIg BANg. Executive committee member Janette Olliver said, “We are part of making this project happen alongside Motone. This is what the Acting up Creative

Collective is all about – making creative opportunities a reality for our young people and community”. The Acting up Creative Collective was established in May 2013 and operates as an incorporated society that aims to establish professional platforms for youth and the community to develop arts and creative projects.

The collective also focuses on education programmes and arts for youth, elderly and people living with disabilities with a view to incorporating arts projects into festivals and tours. Executive members are glenda Tuaine, Maurice Newport, Janette Olliver, Nikki Delaney, Samantha Puati, Karl Payne and Shane Andrew. “We really hope you come and

support the BIg BANg Quiz night which has a great array of prizes from local businesses who have donated generously a sausage sizzle and a featured performance from the tamariki who are travelling to Wellington for the New Zealand Festival,” said Shane Andrew. To register a team contact Janette Olliver on 76111. - Motone

BIRThDAy

76571 / /2247

ThE OSCARS

The WeekEnd Crossword

ACROSS Payroll Oicer The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) is seeking a suitable person to ill the position of ‘Payroll Oicer’. The position will assist the Payroll Supervisor in managing and co-ordinating the payroll function of the Ministry and for the whole of Government. Personal Speciication: - Good oral and written communication skills - Ability to work productively in a team environment - computer literate with knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel - Experience in Finance/IcT related ield The position has been sized by the PSc at band ‘F’ (between $16,860 and $22,811). An electronic copy of the job description can be emailed to you upon request or download from www.mfem.gov.ck Please apply in writing to the Treasury Operations Manager, MFEM, PO Box 120, Rarotonga or email vacancy@cookislands.gov.ck by Friday 7 February 2014.

Good quality 20 foot shipping container wanted for storage. Please call Rohan 55686 with your price.

76529 / /1843

777

BIG 21 st! Aramoana

Te Aroa o Terangi Mataroa Our ancestors journey thru the Ocean, The love of the heavens, Visionary Eyes When people say your name, they say your great heritage, your awesome family history your royal Geneology and your connection to God Happy Birthday Girl! From mum, dad, Joshua, Kamoe’au n da rest of the tribes n friends

WANTED

1. Equitable (11) 5. Obese (3) 8. Make happy (6) 10. Above the ground (8) 11. Child (3) 13. Feeling hard done by (9) 14. US tennis star, Arthur _ (4) 16. Barracking for (10) 19. When there are 29 days in February (4,4) 21. Hit hard (5) 23. Extremely (4) 25. See 24 Down (6) 26. Steering aids for boats (7) 27. Possessions (7)

DOWN

2. Foreign press ilm award (6,5) 3. Playhouse (7) 4. Performer (5) 6. Number of 24 hour persons in February (6,5,4) 7. Movie house (6) 9. Change (5) 12. Skilful (5)

15. Snow runner (3) 17. Go over again (5) 18. Agile (4) 19. Sweetheart (5)

anSwerS On Page 19

20. Baby eel (5) 22. Of the eye (5) 24D & 23A. Academy Award welcome mat (3,6)

* Maori-English: English-Maori

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

f SUMMER Memorieso

HOLIDAY PHOTO COMPETITION 2014

The Tumuora CrossFit family and friends emerge from their centre to soak up the sun and celebrate 500 likes on their Facebook page. 14013126

Little akavaine Tupuna Treasure Kairua showing her aunty Tearoa Mataitirangi Kairua and mum Ani Kairua how to surf. 14013128

Pastor Jonathan Cargill sent in this photo of Judah Watkinson living like Christ! 14013115

Marouna Mita sent in this photo of himself and friend Denne Bourke enjoying a paddle in the three-man vaka, accompanied by their third mate Tupuna Amo. 14013122

Heinarii and Vainemoeroa take a bicycle ride Raro safety styles. 14013123

This weeks

SPECIALS AvAILAbLETILLWEDNESDAY 5 FEbRUARY $85.00ctn or$9.00/kg

$24.20kg

$6.60kg bEST FOODS 128Oz

gOAT MEAT 10kg

T-bONE STEAk

PORk bONES

SPEC IAL

$29.50ea

AMERICAN bEEF PATTIES 1.13kg

$10.00pkt

PLAIN FLOUR 2kg

CRAz Y SPE CIAL! CHILLED bEEF RUMP STEAk

SPEC IAL

$4.00pkt NEW INSTO RE! PRAWN MEAT

COOkED 500g

$11.60pkt

RICE MEDIUM gRAIN 2Lb (907g)

$13.90kg SPEC IAL

$2.00pkt

JUST JUICE 3L (ASST FLAvOURS)

SPEC IAL

$9.50ea

great for kids lunches! MINI CHEESE SLICES

Tasty 72g $2.50pkt Tasty w/Cracker 50g $2.60pkt Smoked Cheddar 72g $2.70pkt

OPENINg HOURS

Mondays to Thursdays 8am - 5.30pm Fridays 8am-6pm Saturdays 8am-3pm Check us out on ST JOSEPH RD, AvARUA. Ph 22259.

• Apples • MAndArins • GrApes • Kiwifruit

WEALSODOSEA/AIRFREIgHT FOR OUTER ISLANDS, SO PLACE YOUR ORDERS NOW!!!

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

Flight Times | Voyage details FLiGHT

FROM

ARRiVES

DEPARTS

AKL LAx PPT

6.40AM 11.59PM 3.50PM

AKL

5.25PM

AKL AKL

1.05AM 8.15AM

NZ60/47 NZ18 VT33

SYD AKL PPT

5.30AM 10.30PM 2.50PM

air Rarotonga

International Flights

SATuRdAy FebRuARy 1

SundAy FebRuARy 2 NZ46/45

AKL

4.10PM

MondAy FebRuARy 3 VA163/162 NZ19

AKL LAx

11.55PM 7.00AM

RARO TO ARR SATuRdAy FebRuARy 1 0800 AITUTAKI 0850 1030 AITUTAKI 1120 1530 AITUTAKI 1620 1800 AITUTAKI 1850 1100 ATIU 1145 SundAy FebRuARy 2 1230 1730

1320 1820

AITUTAKI AITUTAKI

DEP

ARR

0910 1140 1640 1910 1205

RARO RARO RARO RARO RARO

1000 1230 1730 2000 1250

1340 1840

RARO RARO

1420 1930

DEP

ARR

LILOA 21 - ETD AUCK 20/01, ETA RARO 02/02, ETA AITUTAKI 04/02 TIARE MOANA 20 - ETD AUCK 07/02, ETA RARO 20/02, ETA AITUTAKI 23/02

Shipping LILOA 22 - ETD AUCK 15/02, ETA RARO 28/02

GOT A STORY? text us on

or call us at Cook Islands News

Su-Do-Ku MEDiUM

Su-Do-Ku HARD

Crossword

instructions

Place the numbers 1 to 9 in the blank squares so that no digit is repeated in each row, each column or each 3 x 3 square.

Answer to Friday’s puzzle

HÄgAR the Horrible

by Dik browne

THE PHANTOM

by Lee Falk & Sy barry

DOMESTIC vIOLENCE

IS NEvER Ok MAN UP AND gET HELP.

A COOK ISLANDS NEWS PuBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE

rotaianga Men’s support Centre 74687 • Alcoholics Anonymus 71744

Weather Forecast to Midnight Issued at 2pm at Rarotonga Situation: An easterly wind low prevails over Southern Cooks. A moist northeast wind low prevails over Northern Cooks. Forecast to midnight for the Southern Cooks: Fine apart from brief showers. Moderate easterly. Moderate seas. Further outlook: Fine apart from brief showers. For Rarotonga: Fine Further outlook: Fine apart from brief showers. For the Northern Cooks: Occasional showers and few thunderstorms. Moderate northeast winds. Moderate seas. Further outlook: Some showers.

SaT High 10.49AM 1.06M 11.10PM 1.09M

Low

Sun High 11.40AM 1.08M

Sun

0.9m SW

4.41AM 0.23M 5.01PM 0.23M -

0.9m nW n

Low 5.30AM 0.22M 5.52PM 0.21M

28°

Sun, Moon & arapo

NE 08kts New Moon Feb 28 10.00PM

First Quarter Feb 6 9.22AM

Full Moon Feb 14 1.53PM

Sunshine hours

Third Quarter Feb 22 7.16AM

10.1

ARApo - TiRoe sat 2 tanu (Planting) Tanu i te meika. Plant bananas.

tautai (Fishing) Po ika. Tautai i te nia ava. Fishing night. Fish at harbour mouth.

Humidity SaT

Rarotonga Saturday, February 1, 2014

Forecast Map 2pm Saturday

Tides

0.9m SW Front Key:

Cold

Warm

Occluded

0.9m SW

Swell direction and size

Stationary

Outer Islands Weather Outlook Saturday, February 1, 2014

Morning

69%

Night

73%

Morning

72%

Night

73%

Forecast thanks to Cook Islands Meteorological Service.

SaT

Sun

Sun rise

6.22AM

Sun Set 7.24PM

Moon rise 8.22AM Moon Set 8.58PM Sun rise

6.22AM

Sun Set

7.23PM

Moon rise 9.23AM Moon Set 9.42PM

Aitutaki

28° sE 12kts

Mangaia

26° sE 08kts

Mitiaro

28° sE 12kts

Atiu

Penrhyn

28° sE 12kts

29° NE 09kts

Mauke

28° sE 12kts

Saturday, February 1, 2014 cook Islands News

f s SUMMER o i e r o m Me HOLIDAYPHOTOCOMPETITION2014

Images of local children having fun and cooling down dominated week four of the Memories of Summer photo competition this week. This is the inal week of the annual photo competition so get snapping and send us your best photos! Photos should capture the essence of summer fun and a festive feel in the islands. You can send in as many photos as you like and must include a caption for each image that describes what’s going on, where the photo is taken and the full names of the people in the photo. We will select the best photos for publication weekly, and a weekly winner will be picked and receive a blown up image of their winning photo. All weekly winners will go in the inal draw for the ultimate prize in a jazzy new Nikon Coolpix digital camera. Send your entries to editor@cookislandsnews. com

Simon Bounsall sent this photo of Vienna Bounsall and Samson Ngamata cooling down the fun way – under the sprinkler at home in Matavera. 14013120

Too hot to eat? So Joanna Manuela, Ngariki Kairua, Rose Kairua, Jessie Jessie, Ria Kairua, papa Pat, and Table designer Emile Kairua built a loating hut made out of foam to enjoy lunch on the beautiful lagoon in Nikao. 14013129

Four-year-old Ahliyah Ataera takes the plunge underwater.

Alice Hof sent in this jumping jack shot of Jackson George and Irene Clyde enjoying the freedom on Motu Rakau in Aitutaki.

14013127

14013125

Peter French sent in this photo of the Boyd, Silk, Lennox, Hoking and Whitta family enjoying a day sailing in the lagoon and stopping at the Titikaveka marker buoy which the Rarotonga Sailing Club re-named the ‘Silk and Boyd’ marker after the late Bob Boyd and Don Silk. 14013116