News Briefs

Workshop on plant care for mamas
The Ministry of Agriculture will be holding a workshop for the Tupapa Maraerenga Mamas on marcotting, ring barking, pruning and other plant related information at the Tupapa Centre from 4-6pm this Thursday 21st of July 2011.
This is an opportunity for mamas and other interested people to come and learn how to improve the state of their fruit trees or flower based plants. The ministry of Agriculture will be conducting the workshop and will bring equipments and plants for the mama’s to work with and the mamas are also asked to bring their own fruit trees or plants that they want to work on with the Agriculture staff during this time.
This workshop recognizes that many women within the village grow their own plants and have plants that they want to improve in terms of its growth or fruit bearing capabilities and this is a start to providing information to the women on how they can work with their plants and trees to get the most out of it.
The intending outcome is for the mamas to improve their skills in caring for and improving plant growth with the aim of creating an environment where the mamas are able to organize an agriculture day for the sale of plants or other agriculture related products.

88fm disco/concert
The Princess Anne Hall will be hosting the first “Skoolz Out” dance concert this Thursday 21st July organized by radio station 88fm. The social concert is open to all school students on the island who are here take part in the Careers Expo 2011 and the public. The theme for the night will be “dress to impress” and the organizers are saying they hope to hold more of these events in the future but it will all depend on the attendance on the night.
“We really just want to do something for the kids. We want them to have fun before they leave school for their school holidays but to be safe as well,” said Michelle Williams, DJ Ms M for 88fm. There will be tight security within and surrounding the Hall by the organizers and other servicers to ensure it will remain an alcohol and smoke free event. The dance will start off at 7 pm and will end at 10pm, the tickets are currently selling at the 88fm station at $5 and if bought on the night at the door the tickets will the normal price of $7. The guest stars for that night will be NZ artists Kam B and Tyree from Smashproof who toured with legendary hip hop artist Jay-Z. The guest artists will also be attending the Careers Expo 2011 that will be held at the TSA [Telecom Sports Arena] at 12pm midday, to talk about themselves and their profession and will answer questions as well.

A taste of Cooks goes international
TV programme promotes
Cook Islander’s favourite foods
On Tuesday the Herald snuck up on our favourite food crew, at their current studio at the Mountain View lodges, to get the scoop on their latest production that will, ”hopefully be aired in September”, said Shona Pitt the producer and presenter of the popular production and Julie Taripo, the Editor and Camera person.
“That’s if Julie doesn’t have her baby before she has finished editing it”, Pitt said with a laugh.
The Herald found out that the second series will feature three top local chefs as well as other dishes that Shona [a home cook] knows local families enjoy.
Earlier on in the year, the two started their first production of “A taste of Cooks” with a six part series entitled “Our Favorite Foods” .The series has gone international, it is currently being aired in Samoa. Major television stations in New Zealand and Australia as well as other Pacific Islands will also be screening the show.
The production is entirely local. It features local Cook Islanders, it is made by locals, and features primarily locally grown food as well as local businesses and people who deal with food, Pitt said.
“It has been a lot of fun producing the series and I want to thank those people who have consented to appear on the programs and what has been just great is how they have been willing to share information and knowledge that they have acquired,” Pitt added.
To date, three of the programs for this second series have been sponsored by the Ministry of Health as co-production partners to promote their 5 plus a day message “Eat Healthy” which coincides with the program itself which tries to promote healthy eating.
With the wit and sharp flare of the Presenter/Producer and the sweet camera techniques of the Camera person/Editor and the funny yet serious guest stars cooking up a local storm, viewers can look forward to the next series. The Herald understands the first series will be available for sale shortly at Cook Islands Television in Parekura.

Escaping a fire
A fire escape was installed earlier on this term at Tereora College after years of consultation and no action. Finally the Information Technology rooms above the administration office at Tereora College have emergency exits. Hopefully this method will become helpful in the event of a fire or other emergency that makes the stairwells inside the building inaccessible. The two fire escapes were installed on either side of the two class rooms by Rarotonga Welding and Steel Construction Ltd. I still have yet to see how the fire escape structure is effective and if efficient. There are many aspects as to what comes to mind when we talk about using the fire escape structure. Is it strong and efficient for its purpose that life’s are saved? Or is it because one of Ministry of Education’s - administration guidelines for Health and Safety stipulates that “parents and caregivers should have confidence that their child is attending a school that is safe. Well, I for one think that it is a fantastic idea to have this fire escape for these two class rooms as it is better to be prepared than wait for a disaster to happen.

Ministers overseas
Prime Minister Henry Puna is away on Travel Duty from the 18th to the 23rd July 2011 to a meeting in Samoa for Environment. He has delegated the portfolio of the (Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Justice, Office of the Head of State, National Environment Services, Energy and Renewable Energy, Parliament, Ombudsman Office, Office of the Public Service Commissioner, Emergency Management Cook Islands and Police) as well as Acting Prime Minister of the Cook Islands to DPM HonTom Marsters. Minister Hon Teina Bishop is also in Samoa for Fisheries meeting from the 19th – 27th July 2011 and Finance Minister Hon Mark Brown for Financial Meeting from the 17th July – 4th of August. They have delegated their portfolio’s to Hon. Teariki Heather (MFEM, BTIB, CIIC, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Commerce Commission, FIU, Financial Unit Development Authority, Financial Supervisory Commission, National Superannuation, PERCA, Telecommunications, Tourism, Education, Marine Resources, Natural Human Resources and Pearl Authority).- DPM Office media release

Potatoes by Moonlight
Gordon “Spud” Murray, Tupapa’s Potato Man has just harvested his latest crop of new potatoes.
This is the variety known as “Moonlight.”
These have taken 6 weeks to grow and over the next few weeks he will be harvesting continually. In his latest crop a good percentage of the potatoes are of a size comparable to their New Zealand new potato counterpart. The potatoes are two small to make chips but are ideal for wedges or eating whole-baked/roasted or mashing.
From one seed potato he retrieves about 7-8 potatos.
Murray is also producing a good crop of long, string beans. One flower will produce 2 beans in less than 6 weeks says Murray and the more the beans are picked, the more flowers the plant will produce. He is picking his bean crop every day.
Murray has a small plot and does not grow for sale but for personal use. He is happy to give advice to others in how to grow potatoes successfully.

Work experience at PMG
Villiama George is the Deputy Head Girl of Enuamanu School in Atiu. She’s on Rarotonga for the Careers Expo. The 16 year old is undertaking work experience at CITV with the Pitt Media Group. She started her work experience at the CITV on the 18th of July and she is finishing on the 20th of July.
Villiama has had great experience and joy working in this area. She’s been working closely with the staff here at the CITV. She’s also been writing stories for the Herald newspaper, announcing radio news on Radio Cook Islands, and interviewing people.
This young student from Enuamanu School wanted to work at the Ministry of Justice but after experiencing the work here at the CITV she’s having second thoughts about her future career.
She likes working here at CITV because she is interested in filming and writing stories. She is hoping to get qualifications so she can come back to join the Pitt Media Group. She has really enjoyed working at CITV and she encourages young people like herself to dream big for a better future.
- By Kuraiti Rasmussen

Kuraiti Rasmussen is a 17 year old young lady and Head Girl at Atiu’s Enuamanu School.
She arrived on Rarotonga last Thursday the 14th of July to attend the Careers Expo programme. With Pitt Media Group (PMG) for three days work experience, she is fulfilling her dream of being a news reporter, writing stories for the Herald newspaper, interviewing outsiders and also talking on the radio and appearing on CITV.
She has worked around the island and communicated with people. All the staff at PMG have been helpful in ensuring she experiences as much as possible in just three days.
Kuraiti is well known for her behavior towards others and she is expecting a good report from the PMG boss, so that the people of her homeland Atiu will be proud of what’s she’s experienced these past three days.
Hopefully this will be the beginning of her dream to express the life of Cook Islands and their culture to others.
She is looking forward to further experiences in the media field as three days is not enough. She is now familiar with a wide range of media work and has the confidence to help others. –Villiama George

Herald Issue 554 09 March
- Norm exposes Trio of Doom
- Briefs from PM’s media conference Tuesday
- Tourism Industry ponders $5 million draft strategy
- Norman George resigns from Cook Islands Party
- Letter of Resignation from CIP
- Norman selfish says Prime Minister