We’re the world’s first recession free country!

Cook Island News Monday 18 May 2009

New promo campaign aims to entice visitors to our ‘oasis’
Government today announced that the Cook Islands has officially decided not to take part in the worldwide recession, making it the world’s first Recession Free Oasis.
Tourism Minister Wilkie Rasmussen is making this proclamation at a press conference attended by about 20 overseas journalists and media people.
“As industries around the world feel the weight of the current economic global recession and the international effects of slowing economies and cautious consumers, the Cook Islands is seeing local businesses grow, new businesses open and offshore investment has increased,” he says.
Tourism constitutes 67 percent of the Cook Islands GDP and its tourism industry is reporting sustained forward bookings with many areas reporting growth.
New operators are opening businesses and employing more people at a time when international reports tell of business closures and rising unemployment.
“Everyone is tired of hearing about the doom and glow that surround the economic situation. Travellers are now being given the opportunity to escape the recession by going to a country where it doesn’t exist,” says Minister Rasmussen.
The marketing campaign is a joint venture with Air New Zealand.
Air New Zealand Deputy CEO, Norm Thompson, says that tourism is a powerful stimulus for an economy and as the main airline Air New Zealand is committed to helping drive that tourism for the Cook Islands.
“We are seeing strong interest and growth in bookings for flights to the Cook Islands. It is currently Air New Zealand’s number one Pacific island destination.
“Today Air New Zealand Holidays has launched a new online feature enabling customers to see more of the Cook Islands for just $1. We have been working closely with Air Rarotonga to enable people to travel to Aitutaki for a special introductory price of $1 per person each way.”
So for Kiwis and others around the world who are feeling the stress of the recession and want to escape, unwind and not hear a peep about the “R” word, the Cook Islands is the ultimate island paradise.
Publicity tied to the Recession Free Oasis campaign says Air New Zealand’s direct flights from Auckland and Los Angeles make the Cook Islands an ideal and accessible place to escape on a sundrenched beach, hike through a jungle filled with exotic flora and fauna, or simply snorkel in an azure lagoon.- CIT
Flags and banners went up around Rarotonga at the weekend as part of the campaign to market the Cook Islands as the world’s first ‘Recession Free Oasis’.
The novel marketing campaign is a joint venture by Cook Islands Tourism and Air New Zealand. It launches this morning at a breakfast media conference at Highland Paradise. Journalists and broadcasters are attending from New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Canada and Europe.
Among the visiting media is TVNZ’s Breakfast weather presenter Tamati Coffey – star off ‘Dancing With The Stars’ – who will be broadcasting live from Rarotonga today and tomorrow. 09051706
Govt proclaims new ‘oasis’— page 4

Games organisers unite to deliver on games

Cook Island News Friday 24 April 2009

A ceremonial blessing of the 2009 Pacific Mini Games organising committee was held yesterday at the Office of the Prime Minister.
The event organised by games minister Wilkie Rasmussen was a show of unity in the body that is charged with organising the games.
Around 60 people gathered together for the function including members of the government, House of Ariki, members of the Religious Advisory Council, local business owners plus the majority of the personnel working to deliver a successful sporting event in September.
2009 Pacific Mini Games chief executive officer Mac Mokoroa told those gathered that there were 109 people on the organising committee working in their various sectors to pull together the games, and 175 registered volunteers including 30 people from New Zealand and 10 from Australia prepared to pay their own way to Rarotonga to
help with the games in anyway they can.
Mokoroa says that they hope to get between 800 and 1000 volunteers signed up for the games.
“Our doors are open to anyone who wants to contribute in anyway to the games,” says Mokoroa.
Mokoroa also acknowledged the presence of representatives of the games major sponsors Bank of the Cook Islands plus a number of local business who have put their hands up to support the games including the Computer Man and Cook’s Passenger Transport.
Speeches were also heard from Rasmussen and newly-elected Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee president Sir Geoffrey Henry.
Both expressed the need for everybody to put their differences aside and pour their energy into delivering the best mini games ever seen.
Rasmussen admitted that there have been some difficult times in trying to get the games organised especially in the area of the games budget.
He told those present -- which included Oceania Olympic Committee president Dr Robin Mitchell -- that when the going gets tough, Cook Islanders always rise to the occasion.
He explained that the day’s event organised for the purpose of introducing and blessing of members of the organising committee was a show of ‘goodwill’ and for differences to be put aside and to unite everyone for the single purpose of delivering the games.
Rasmussen even apologised for the games budget being ‘blown out’ than originally thought. “But that is to be expected when we cannot foresee the unseen circumstances,” says Rasmussen.
Sir Geoffrey echoed the words of encouragement by Rasmussen.
Henry explained the importance of understanding the ownership of the games.
He says that while the games are owned by the Pacific Games Council the Cook Islands as a nation owns the right to host the best mini games.
Some of the members of the organising committee were introduced before the ‘voice from the past’ Tui Short spoke of the challenges he faced as the director of the 1985 mini games.
Short too acknowledged the ability of Cook Islanders to get things done when times get tough. - MW

Lucky lotto win

Cook Islands News Wednesday 25 March 2009

While studying as a student in Australia, Jeane Matenga occasionally used to buy a scratch card or two in the hope of winning a big prize.
Now the Rarotonga-based businesswoman is in charge of the country’s Tattslotto’s agency which sells ‘scratchies’.
“It was a good opportunity and it’s quite a good business – so I put my application in,” says Matenga, who oversees the island’s television station, Radio Cook Islands and two weekly newspapers.
She was told the good news at the beginning of the month by Graeme Brown, the executive director of TMS Tattersalls, who was in Rarotonga recently. Brown said that they received 24 expressions of interest to operate the lottery agency, and the decision to award the accreditation to Matenga was made at board level.
The agency is responsible for generating, on average, around $180,000 each year for the All Sports fund which is administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Cook Islands Sports & National Olympic Committee.
“Graeme has some expectations of us and it is up to us to deliver,” says Matenga. “He expects changes to the way things are done and the way it is run, and to try and inject some creativity into the marketing.”
Matenga says that her business partner Tino Vaireka will manage the operations of the agency and they will be calling on the experience of the former agent Tony Hole to help out at the shop.
Neither Brown nor Hole would comment on the reasons for the agency being taken off the latter.
With her experience in the media, Matenga says she has a few ideas about adding to the business, but adds that it will be up to Vaireka to decide how to make things work.
“Obviously we have to make it work but what I would really like to do is to help people win.” - MM

Millions of little fish are juvenile surgeonfish

Cook Islands News Wednesday 18 March 2009:

The large schools of tiny dark coloured fish seen in the lagoon around Rarotonga lately are none other than juvenile surgeonfish or maito.
Marine Resources director of inshore fisheries and aquaculture Kori Raumea says the small reef fish are just a few days to a few weeks old.
One Ngatangiia resident said they had seen the lagoon teeming with the tiny fish and that their dogs had even eaten a few. In other places they have been washed up on the beach.
“At present what people are seeing is a large aggregation of baby surgeonfish as a result of recent spawnings that probably took place a few weeks to a month ago,” says Raumea.
Marine Resources have not identified the species yet but Raumea believes they are acanthurus nigrofuscus and ctenochaetus striatus as well as other surgeonfish species.
Raumea says the spawning and new fish means a boost in the local reef fish population.
He says most of the fish will probably die from being eaten by other species. Those that survive can grow to around 20 inches in size.
Local resident Ken Kingsbury wrote to CINews saying, “During the last month the lagoon has been teeming with millions of small dark coloured fish.
During this time there has been a marked absence of predators. No marauding trevally have been seen rushing through them and usual kotuku have not been seen patrolling the beach.
One would assume these fish were poisonous or inedible but our Dalmation has been enjoying regular feeds of them with no visible ill effects.
Are there any knowledgeable naturists among your readers who can offer a possible explanation?”
Raumea says there will be predators eating the fish, even if people haven’t seen them around.
While the maito are a fish known to cause ciguatera or fish poisoning, Raumea says the juveniles are too young to be affected by it, so any dogs having a munch on them won’t get sick.
Surgeonfish, of which there are around 80 species in the world and come in a variety of patterns and colours, are named so because in times of danger their two small spines will pop out resembling small knives – or a surgeon’s scalpel.- Helen Greig

The news of the week has been dominated by the death of Papa Tom. 

There has been much written in the media and shown on the TV about this extraordinary man who was the first Cook Islander to qualify as a doctor, earned a doctorate at Harvard, was space scientist with NASA, a Prime Minister of the Cooks, a ocean sailor and boat and vaka designer and in his last years returned to open his own General Practice Medial Clinic - at the age of 90!  Just to fill in time he was also writing a newspaper series and presenting his own scientific papers to conferences on global warming.   Try a Google search to read all about his interesting life.

Cook Islands News 26 July:

The state funeral for Pa Tuterangi Ariki Sir Tom Davis will take place on Saturday after a funeral procession around Rarotonga today.
An official ceremony will be held at the national auditorium with most of the island expected to attend to pay their respects to the great leader who passed away on Monday.
Sir Tom will be laid to rest at the Avarua Cook Islands Christian Church cemetery.
At 10am today his casket will leave Rarotonga Hospital and will be received in Puaikura by Tinomana Ariki, then go on to Takitumu where Pa Ariki and the ui mataiapo will receive him before his casket travels to his home in Muri.
Ariki gathered in Rarotonga for the 40th anniversary of the House of Ariki, politicians and dignitaries are expected to follow the funeral procession in a motorcade.
At 10am tomorrow opposition leader Tom Marsters will lead a Cook Islands Party group paying their respects to Sir Tom and his family at their home in Muri.
On Saturday a family service will be held in Muri at about 8am and then the procession will move on to Ngatangiia CICC before arriving at the national auditorium at 10am.
A traditional greeting by Ita'aka Mataiapo John Tangi will welcome the procession. Deputy prime minister Sir Terepai Maoate is expected to make an address on behalf of the Cook Islands government.
The location of the funeral service to be held at around 2.30pm is yet to be announced.
Sir Tom's burial place will be in a tomb with his mother Maryanne Tepuretu Araiti.
The Cook Islands first premier Sir Albert Henry was also laid to rest at the Avarua CICC grounds.
Many overseas dignitaries are expected to attend the state funeral including former prime ministers Dr Joe Williams and Dr Robert Woonton.
Former French Polynesia president Oscar Temaru informed government this week that he and a delegation from Tahiti would be attending. President Gaston Tong Sang is also expected to arrive for the funeral. -Helen Greig

Cook Islands News online this week

Walking on hot rocks draws church fire

Cook Island News 26 July:

Plans to perform the ancient pagan ritual of walking on hot rocks at the House of Ariki 40th anniversary celebrations on Saturday have drawn stern Pentecostal church opposition.
Pastor Tutai Pere of the Cook Islands Apostolic Church has voiced concern at the ceremony which will be performed by visiting Tahitians.
Pere, who has made his views known in Maori in a letter to the editor (page 4), claims that the ritual is not a traditional Cook Islands custom and should not go ahead as he believes that it goes against the teachings of the Bible.
House of Ariki clerk Motu Kora has confirmed that the event will still go ahead despite objections from Pastor Pere.
According to Kora, members of the House of Ariki, Cook Islands Christian Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church and Catholic Church have supported the event as part of the House of Ariki programme.
However, Pastor Pere says that the practice goes against Christian principles and biblical belief.
"From a biblical point of view, this is wrong," says Pere.
He says that the ritual dates back to the days of heathens before the arrival of Christianity.
"And to think that walking on hot rocks is a highlight of the House of Ariki celebrations," says Pere.
"This has never happened before over the past 40 years, so why now?"
Pere says if he were the chairman of the Religious Advisory Council he would have called a meeting to stop the rock walking ceremony going ahead.
It is believed that the ritual of walking on hot rocks is a show of faith in a false god.
The current RAC president, Pastor Uma Katu of the SDA church says that walking on hot rocks is not what they do in church so it should be of no concern to the church.
He says he was approached by Kora to give his views on the ritual of walking on hot rocks and his view is that he would rather walk on a safe place than walk on fire.
"I'm not sure why these people do such things. Maybe they do it for fun," says Katu.
"This is not part of the Christian beliefs so the church shouldn't worry about it."
From a cultural point of view, Pastor Ngarima George of the Ministry of Cultural Development says that our forefathers stopped the practice after the missionaries arrived in the Cook Islands as it signified putting one's faith in a false idol god.
What disappoints George the most is that the land the ritual will be held on this Saturday was blessed by him in the name of Jesus Christ during last year's Mire Tarai Vaka and now it will be cursed by an ancient ritual that goes against everything Christians believe in.
George says that what people should be concentrating on is reviving the aspects of our culture that are good and creative such as our language and dancing and not a demonic and evil ritual. - Matariki Wilson

Cook Islands News online this week

Traditional feast, a dream come true

Cook Islands Herald 7 July:

The Avarua CICC Vaine Tini wound up their week long show with a humungous feast that would have put the annual food festival to shame. The variety and amount of local food was staggering. Dishes on offer ranged from Mitiaro eels, free range chickens, octopus, sea grapes, crabs and taro cooked in different ways. Each district was asked to select an island and prepare food that was traditional to that particular island. Papaa food was not allowed right down to the utensils and eating plates. Coconut shells were used to eat from and tongs and serving spoons were made from the stem of the coconut leaf. Drinks were made from coconuts and bananas and there was plenty of nu to choose from. The women out did themselves with the planning and organisation of the feast and invited guests had a difficult time choosing what to eat. Mama Orometua thanked all those who attended and those who prepared the food. She said that it was a dream come true for her to see such a feast prepared in the local way using local ingredients and serving the food in the traditional manner.

Wind Project off to good start

Cook Islands Herald 7 July

Two readings have been taken to date from measuring devices fitted to the 30 metre tall mast on a hill in Tupapa by the Ministry of Energy.
It is part of an 18 month project to record wind speed data to determine the feasibility of setting up electricity producing wind turbines.
Late in May, Ministry staff erected the mast under the supervision of specialist Jan Tang from the Denmark company “Alpha Wind.”
At that time the Herald reported Ministry Project Officer Tangi Tereapii as saying three wind measuring devices, Anemometers, were fitted at three different levels-10 metres, 20 metres and 30 metres. The mast sits on a hill 146 metres high. A computer micro-chip recorded the wind strength. The chip could store up to 650 days of data. Tereapii said for the first three months, the chip would be removed each week, inserted into a lap top computer and the data down loaded. Thereafter, readings would be taken every fortnight.
Tereapii told the Herald then that this was the initial phase of the project and that after one year, by May 2008, the Ministry would have a fair idea of the potential for a wind turbine. Negotiations would then commence with landowners.
As the winds are predominantly from the north -east and south- east, Tereapii said the Anemometers were set to 105 degrees which is north- east.
The site was selected due to clearance of obstacles that could affect wind flow.
Tereapii said the readings to date revealed one particularly windy day in June when the average wind speed was recorded at 11m per second. The minimum speed that day was 9m per second.
Other measuring devices fitted to the mast are; a Byramoneter at 10 metres which measures solar output, a device to measure air pressure and a Thermometer to measure temperature.
Readings are taken every ten minutes and recorded on a micro – chip.
Tereapii said he would produce a quarterly report on the readings at the end of August.

14 independent Te Maeva Nui judges this year

Cook Islands News  7July:

A total of 14 people will judge this year's Te Maeva Nui cultural competition - they will be known as Te Maeva Nui judges and they will not be representing any individual team.
Ministry of Cultural Development's Mauri Toa says that the judging line up for this year will be different to how things ran last year. In 2006, each team had their own appointed judge who would judge on every other team's items except his or her own.
This year, the groups put forward names of judges, as did the organisers. Those names went into a pool and it was from that pool that the judges have been selected. For the main competition, there will be three judges who will judge the costume component, five separate judges judging the pe'e and ute performances, and five separate judges judging the ura pau and kapa rima items.
It is also from the pool that three judges have been selected for the choir event and three for the imene tuki (both events are not judged as part of the main competition), and three judges each for the float parade, tangi kaara (drumming) competition for the juniors and intermediate, with five selected for the senior drumming competition.
Judges will have their first official meeting next Thursday at 4.30pm at the Ministry of Culture. The convenor for this year is Ngatuaine Maui who will be working closely with the judges.
Toa says that judges in the main competition should not have any involvement with teams. There are 12 teams confirmed to compete - Manihiki, Penrhyn, Atiu, Mauke, Mitiaro, Mangaia, Aitutaki, Takitumu, Nikao Oire, Te Au-o-Tonga, Puaikura and Auckland.
On Wednesday next week at 3pm a takai marae (traditional welcome) will be held at the national auditorium for the group leaders before the rehearsals at the auditorium start that evening.
After two workshops this year, both the team leaders and the organisers have an equal understanding of the criteria for the competition and how it will be run.
The criteria for the four main competition categories - ura pau (drum dance), kapa rima (action song), pe'e and the ute - have been finalised.
Tickets for the cultural competition will go on sale on Monday (9 July). Tickets will cost $20 for best view seating and $10 for the terrace seats each night. The tickets are for reserved seating and to ensure you get the best seats on the nights, you are advised to get into the ministry as soon as possible. - Tara Carr

500 turn out for Olympic fun run

Cook Islands News 23 June:

The Olympic Day fun run held on Thursday drew a record crowd of about 500 walkers and runners.
Proof that public health's health and fitness campaign is working, the event included more than 100 people from workplace teams in the Vaevae Challenge.
The fun run was hosted by the Cook Islands Sports & National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) and Athletics Cook Islands (ACI) and started from the Punanga Nui market.
ACI president Ina Marsters says they issued 460 certificates to those taking part in the fun run, but some did miss out and they can request theirs from CISNOC.
"It was the best turnout for an Olympic fun run. Most of Team Cook Islands came for the first time and a lot of people from the Vaevae Challenge were there. It was good fun," says Marsters.
CISNOC and ACI extend their thanks to all SPG squads who took part in the event.
Some Vaevae teams doing the 8km course crossed the finish line at around 7pm - two hours after starting.
All the southern group islands as well as Penrhyn and Manihiki held fun runs and their progress was heard live on radio.
Marsters says while they didn't have the usual sausage sizzle, most people enjoyed the chocolate bars and healthy oranges provided for those returning after their fun run. - Helen Greig

Cook Islands News online this week

Divers spot rare minke

Cook Islands News 2 June 2007

Pacific Divers dived with a seven metre long minke whale off the northern coast of Rarotonga on Thursday.
"The whale, which resembles a dolphin when it surfaces to breathe, may have been in the area for a few days as another one of our divers had previously reported seeing it," says Pacific Divers owner Stephen Lyon.
He says Glenn Palmer and Kenny Monaghan were out on a dive trip with Pacific Divers dive master Charles Henderson when Glen spotted what he thought was a dolphin.
"Once they reached the dive site and rolled in they were surprised to find themselves in the water with a 7m Minke whale," says Lyon.
The whale swam around the divers, then slowly moved away, leaving Glenn, Kenny and Charles awestruck.
"I've been diving for 20 years, and this is the first whale I've seen in the water," said a beaming Glenn Palmer.
Diving with a whale is certainly an experience never to forget and Lyons says the divers were fortunate to see the whale up close as although common in the Pacific, they are seldom seen around coastal waters. -PD

Cook Islands News online this week

US bodyboarders check out waves

Cook Islands News 30 May 2007

Five American friends and their bodyboards are in Rarotonga to hit the waves at high tide.
The local waves may feature in a forthcoming bodyboarding video being shot by Juan Farfan.
Farfan and his friends Chris Schlegel, Tyler Wiemann, Brandon Dunn and Kalen Foley who are from California and New Jersey, came to Rarotonga a week ago after hearing about the waves.
The guys are in their 20s and have traveled all over the world to try out different surfing locations.
Their latest bodyboarding trip includes touring the South Island of New Zealand for two weeks when they leave our shores tomorrow.
Farfan has recently released a video he made using a collection of footage of his bodyboarding friends in action called Happy Days (Chula Vista Media). He plans to make another one that will feature the group's visit to the Cooks.
Foley is the group's photographer and has his own website featuring lots of photos at www.kalenfoley.com.
Schlegel, an East Coast bodyboarder, says they have met some of the local bodyboarders who have helped them get the best out of the waves.
Schlegel is sponsored by Custom X Bodyboards, No Friends Clothing, Churchill Swimfins, and the Arizona Beverage Co.
He says they have been bodyboarding all around the island and reckons the waves are good.
"It's good for bodyboarding because they are nice hollow waves," says Schlegel.
Wiemann says they have found that the waves can't hold a lot because the passages are so narrow, but apart from that they have had a great time. Because Foley and Farfan have to sit out in the water close to the action, strong currents around the passages and some rain have proved to be a setback for getting video footage and photographs.
Going out on the reef most mornings to take advantage of the waves at high tide, these friends have also done a little fishing and hiked up to the Needle on Monday.
"We've had a blast. We have been amazed by the island and by the friendly people here," says Schlegel. - Helen Greig

Cook Islands News online this week

Song and dance at the hospital
The Rarotonga Hospital patients and staff were entertained last week with a concert by famous Cook Islands singer T'Angelo. The area behind the outpatients’ clinic was temporarily transformed into a concert venue as T'Angelo, joined by musicians Henry Tupou and Jarome, put on a lively show. The mamas from Are Pa Metua were also on hand and had a great time dancing along to the music. One of the ladies got extra attention as T'Angelo pulled her up to the 'stage' and serenaded her. It was a great day out for some of the patients and even the staff on their lunch breaks.

T'Angelo has been in the country to promote his fifth album Tamaka-Spike.
Hospital director of clinical services Dr Tikaka Henry welcomed T'Angelo and the boys and thanked them for providing a show for the patients and Are Pa Metua, before he settled down to enjoy it. The audience also got a glimpse at the ukelele talents of Jarome.

Survivor filmed in Aitutaki
The world famous reality TV series “Survivor” filmed a complete season in Aitutaki. It has already aired in the United States and is airing at different times in other countries around the world. The response for the Cook Islands has been a definite increase in Tourism and interest specifically in Aitutaki. We are certainly happy to hear about any positive news and promotions concerning our island and we always welcome visitors who want to experience the thrill and beauty of our magnificent natural resources.

Krystina wins regional pageant
Cook Islands national beauty title holder, Krystina Kauvai, recently won the Miss South Pacific beauty pageant in Samoa. Krystina, who also previously won the Miss Tiare title in 2002, will represent one and all at the upcoming South Pacific Games in Apia in six months. The competition included other island contestants from Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, New Caledonia and Wallis & Futuna.

Brewery to launch new flavours
The Matutu Bewing Company is about to launch two new beers early next year. The brewery, located in Tikioki, is a premium quality brew that is intended on capturing both the local and tourist pallets with their distinct and bitter flavors. Look for it soon at a restaurant or pub near you.

Cooks true to paradise tag
Some of our South Pacific neighboring countries have suffered from ongoing political crisis...while in the Cook Islands, we just continue to lay back and enjoy life. We invite one and all to experience what “true paradise” is all about here in Rarotonga…where the sun rises on aquamarine lagoons and the people smile with bright and cheery faces and life blesses us with living a tropical dream.