News Briefs

Residents still living in tents four months later
Some residents on Aitutaki are still living in tents four months after Cyclone Pat devastated the island, with building efforts yet to begin on the most severely damaged homes according to a Radio NZ International report. Aitutaki mayor, Tai Herman, says 128 of the lesser damaged houses have been repaired, with funds from the Cook Islands government. But the work on the category three and four homes, the most damaged homes that are to be funded by New Zealand, has not begun. Tai Herman says he’s concerned that time is ticking quickly down towards the next cyclone season. He told Radio NZ International that there is a little concerned that the repair work hasn’t started and it’s getting a little frustrating as things are not being addressed. The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade say the Aitutaki reconstruction plan for category 3 and 4 homes is close to finalisation. It says once the plan has been agreed, funding can be released for the reconstruction.

Busy weekend for Police
The long weekend has been a very busy one for Police. A total of six burglaries were reported to Police – a number of these were businesses where cash and electrical goods were the main target. Police are warning individuals that if someone is selling these goods even if such goods are being sold at a cheap price, do not buy these as you could face criminal charges for receiving. To add to this, 5 unlawful takings were also reported. Police told radio news this morning that people need to be mindful of their properties at all times and home owners must ensure that their home is secure before leaving it, even if its for short periods of time.
Six minor accidents were also reported to police over the long weekend, and a number of people were arrested for drink driving. To add to this, 9 noise control incidents were also reported to the police, and police are advising to keep the noise down and be more mindful of your neighbours if you are planning a party.

Ceremony to mark contract signing
Telecom CEO Jules Maher announced last Friday that there will be a ceremony held on Monday 14 June to mark the signing of the contract with satellite company O3b Networks.
The ceremony will take place at Telecom HQ in Parekura and key industry players have been invited to attend.
According to Maher, O3b promises to deliver fast broadband to the Cook Islands in mid 2012. He said the service would radically transform the nature of telecommunications links with the rest of the world. With undersea fibre optic cable being too expensive, O3b is regarded as the next best option. Its service has been dubbed the “fibre in the sky” because it should deliver broadband speeds comparable to fibre optic cable.
According to economic experts, increasing the availability of broadband stimulates economic development. Therefore the service should benefit everyone in the Cook Islands.

Herald Issue 463 10 June
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- Budget 2010 – fiasco or disaster?