News in Brief

 

MOIP Minister says Mangaia projects need boosting

The visit to Mangaia by MOIP Minister, Hon William (Smiley) Heather revealed that more work needs to be done to complete their infrastructure projects.
For instance, rock crushers are needed in order to grind the coral rock into kirikiri for the road project. Contractors for the job need to be identified so that the work can progress.
The consensus of opinion is that the road work ought to be carried out by workers in Mangaia who are quite capable of handling the projects.
The Minister agrees with the proposition and will sit down with all relevant officials at MOIP to discuss the requests.

Aitutaki business community advocate Kiwi Bank style of bank

One of the ideas floated by the Aitutaki business community to NZ Foreign Minster, Hon Murray McCully is for New Zealand assistance to explore the possibility of having a Kiwi Bank style of financial institution in the Cook Islands.
They see Aitutaki as the key to tourism in the Cook Islands in partnership with Rarotonga and want access to development funds to further their businesses and stimulate the local economy. This possibility is said to have been discussed some months with Minister McCully and they would like his assistance in talking to banking people to see if it would be a viable proposition.
The Minister is said to be interested enough in the idea as to have had people look at the format to see if there is some scope to do so.
The other idea floated was for New Zealand to look at ways of making it easier for expatriate Cook Islanders to return to their ancestral homeland, perhaps by way of easier access to the New Zealand Superannuation while living here.
At present, Cook Islanders who have lived and worked in New Zealand for a minimum of 10 years and then resident in NZ for the five year period leading up to the retirement age of 65 in Aotearoa, are then entitled to be paid superannuation and can collect it here in the Cook Islands.

Herald Issue 463 10 June
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