News Briefs

Generous gift to Creative Centre
The Brisbane Probus Club of Taringa has donated a walker and wheelchair tubes to the Creative Centre
On Wednesday, Vice President of the Creative Centre, Temu Okotai, received a walker and five wheelchair inner tubes from Brisbane Probus Club Members, Howard Briggs and Joy and David Allen.
Joy told the Times they were all overwhelmed with the passion the Creative Centre Staff had. The Probus Organisation is for retired people and has over 138,000 members nationwide in Australia. Every club is sponsored by the Rotary Group.
After their first visit to Rarotonga, David and Joy realised there was a need for more wheelchairs on the island, so David approached the Rotary Group about donating some wheelchairs for Rarotonga and Rotary agreed. The Rotary Club then set about finding the funds through donations and were able to purchase two chairs. The chairs were air freighted over to Rarotonga free of charge on Air New Zealand a couple of months ago.
This trip, they have bought over a group of thirteen with them to enjoy the island. All three are part of the Probus Walking Group where the group walks once a month for about 6 kilometres. Earlier in the week, the group thoroughly enjoyed a walk with Pa on his Nature Walk.

Prime Minister visiting NZ
Prime Minister Hon Henry Puna is traveling to New Zealand on Sunday for 3-4 days. He announced his trip on Radio Cook Islands on Friday morning.
In NZ the PM will meet with NZ Prime Minister John Key. This visit makes up for the one planned earlier which was called off due to the earthquake in Christchurch.
While in NZ the PM will also meet Auckland Super City mayor Len Brown to thank him personally for his support with the water project in Mauke.
It has not been confirmed whether the PM will take the opportunity while in NZ to discuss with the Chinese the possibility of using part of the $12 million Chinese grant for capital expenditure thereby easing pressure on the Budget.
In other news concerning Ministerial travel, Infrastructure Minister Teariki heather announced on Friday he is off to Manihiki on Tuesday to look into the work associated with upgrading the two harbours and also other infrastructure. He will be accompanied by his support office CEO Ben Mose. Also traveling to Manihiki is the Queen’s Representative Sir Fredrick Goodwin and his party of two. On the trip also is renewable energy adviser Tangi Tereapii who is based at the OPM.

Avarua CICC to hold Zumba session
The Avarua CICC will be holding a 2-hr Zumbathon next Monday at the national auditorium. The fitness craze is to help raise funds for their participation at Te Maeva Nui Cultural Competition at the end of next month. Tickets and entry is $10 and starts from 8am.

Kumete Sports on Monday at BCI Stadium
The annual kumete sports competition will be held on Monday at the BCI Stadium from 9am. The villages of Avatiu, Takuvaine and Tupapa have agreed to combine the three villages and will enter the competition as a Vaka. This was decided upon by the three coordinators at last years Kumete Sports due to the lack of participation by each of the 3 villages. However, Titikaveka has advised they will be putting in a village team as too is Arorangi, Ngatangiia and Matavera will this year again be combining the villages to make one team. Athletics CI’s Ina Marsters says, the competition is open to all ages and is encouraging parents to bring their children down to take part and will receive an award afterwards. Kumete Sports Day is to start at 9am and the coordinators for each team is, for Te Au o Tonga, George Matutu and Luv Inangaro for Tupapa, Avatiu is Albert Nicholas and Takuvaine is Soko, for Ngatangiia and Matavera is Kevin Henderson and Arorangi is Robert Heather. And also, a Walk the Talk will be held next Wednesday followed by the Olympic Fun Run on the 23rd of June. This Saturday will start off the Kumete Sports Day with the cycle round the island starting from 330pm from Raviz Restaurant.

Men’s Support Centre Officially Opens
The Men’s Support Centre was officially opened on Friday morning at Papa Ken’s (deceased) residence in Tupapa. It was a dream of Papa Ken’s, and a dream that has taken two years in the making.
The Prime Minister Hon Henry Puna was in attendance along with the president of the House of Ariki Travel Tou Ariki. Pastor Eliu Eliu said prays.
Founder, Patrick Lynch, said it was a special day to have a Support Centre where men are able to come, have their problems identified, be mentored by the Men’s Support Group team and feel comfortable and secure. These men try and tackle their problems on their own and are often unable to, and that is where the Men’s Support Centre can help.
One of the Aims of the Centre is to change the heart and minds of the men. Men are the route of many problems in society says Lynch with their drinking and smoking and lack of family inclusion. We want to build these men up, because once the men have changed their heart and minds, and they get both, they will be revolutionised and begin to give up their old habits and ways and begin providing for their children, nurturing and caring for them and spending more time with them.
The Centre also reaches out to men in prison who need help.

Father Paul P Donoghue SM (Bishop-Elect)
Born: 18 January 1949 in Hamilton, NZ. Educated: Secondary schooling; a boarder at St Patrick’s College, Silverstream. Professe as a Marist: 7 Jan 1969. Priesthood: Studied at Mount St Mary’s Seminary, Greenmeadows, Hawkes Bay, NZ.
Ordained priest: 29 June 1975. 1st Appointment: Teaching at St Bede’s College, Christchurch, NZ in 1976.
1977-1979: Teacher at Chanel College, Samoa, (On Bishop S O’Connell’s Staff). 1980: Transferred to Vanuatu to lead formation training of indigenous Brothers. Later, he became Novice Master for the Marist students at Taveuni, Fiji.
2006: Appointed Provincial of Oceania Province of the Society of Mary (Marists) on 1 Jan. 2006 11 April 2011: Appointed Bishop of Rarotonga by Pope Benedict XVI.
Further details: His uncle, Fr Noel Donoghue, A very senior priest of the Archdiocese of Wellington, was Administrator of our Cathedral of St Joseph’s between 3 August 1998 and 13 January 1999. He was also an Assistant at the Cathedral from November 1999 until March 2000 when He returned to NZ.
The Bishop-elect arrives in Rarotonga on the 10th July, 2011 in time for his ordination on the 16th at the catholic Cathedral in Avarua. According to Chairman of the organizing Committee and Parish Council Mr George Paniani about twenty Catholic Bishops from around the Pacific will be attending this ordination and they will all be accommodated at the Edgewater Resort.
The Apostolic Delegate, who represents Pope Benedict XVI based in New Zealand is also arriving for the ordination.

Headlines : Times 290 02 March 2009
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