News in Brief

Solo rower nears Penrhyn
Serge Jandaud is rowing solo across the Pacific in a row boat from Lima Peru and is about half way.
Serge is on an 8 month quest rowing from Lima to Brisbane Australia and is doing about 100km a day. As of Wednesday, he is some 500km off the island of Penrhyn-that’s about 5-6 days away.
Through his website www.ramepacifique.com Serge has requested Penrhyn provide him with fresh vegetables and other supplies. The Herald understands the island secretary and Council have been asked to provide the supplies and to keep an eye out for Serge. It is not known if he will stop over at the island.
By Charles Pitt

Cost of passports goes up
The costs of passports as of Friday 1st October, have taken a price increase due to New Zealand increasing their goods and services tax or GST as of the 1st October to 15%. Radio CI understands, the children’s passport, for those under the age of 16 has increased because of this from $80 to $81.70, and the Adults have increased from $150 to $153.30.
The New Zealand High Commission had received the notification of the price increase yesterday, when New Zealand had officially increased their GST. The effects of this is unlikely to have an effect on the Cook Islands, as goods purchased in New Zealand and on-sold here in the Cook Islands, is GST exempt. Radio CI was also told, that it is very unlikely that the CI will increase its VAT to 15%.
By Moana Tetauru

Greenpeace supports closure of ocean pockets
Greenpeace is calling on Governments which are part of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission ( WCPFC ) to support the Cook Islands plan to close off a large area of international waters to all fishing in order to restore Pacific tuna fisheries, protect biodiversity and eliminate pirate fishing. The meeting was held in the Federated States of Micronesia and ended on Tuesday. The Cook Islands’ proposal to ban all fishing from a pocket of high seas bordering the waters of Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Kiribati, follows repeated incidents of illegal fishing over the past years. If approved at the annual meeting, in December, it would be the first area of international waters in the Pacific to be closed to all fishing, which is an important step towards creating a much needed network of fully protected marine reserves in the region and to restoring tuna populations and marine biodiversity.

Better performance against Barbados
The Cook Islands national netball squad at the Commonwealth Games went down to Barbados last night 60 goals to 46. The Cook Islands lost their first match to the Silver Ferns on Monday night, 87 goals to 24. The team has a bye on Wednesday then will take on England, Papua New Guinea and then South Africa.
Unloading vessel a priority
Details surrounding how the shipping vessel Te Kou Maru had run-a-ground on the reef in Mauke late Monday night are still a bit sketchy. Attempts were made to contact Mauke for more information surrounding this, but it’s understood people are still assisting with unloading the ship’s cargo by hand.

Tennis player drops game two
The Cook Islands sole tennis player at the Commonwealth Games Brittany Teei went down to India’s ace tennis star in yesterday women’s singles quarterfinals with India winning the game 6-0, 6-2. Teei who won a number of gold medals during last year’s Pacific Mini Games on Rarotonga and had won her first match on Monday over the Maldives.

Herald Issue 463 10 June
- World famous activist assisting residents
- Budget will decide if residents prosecute Government over landfill
- Forestry project sucking Mangaia dry
- Budget 2010 – fiasco or disaster?