News in Brief

Sea bed Minerals Advisory job re-advertised
Applications for the job of Natural Resource Management Technical Adviser close on 23 June 2011.
The position, which is for two years, was re-advertised and applicants who applied the first time round have been advised they need not re-apply.
An advisor is being sought to carry out a project for government which is to produce a coherent and well defined operational and corporate plan enabling the design of the Seabed Minerals Authority management structure.
The project will address the institutional and capacity constraints faced by the Government by providing an Adviser, housed at the Ministry of Marine Resources (MMR), or as directed by the Minister of Minerals and Natural Resources (MMNR), for a period of 24 months, as the Government seeks to appoint a Seabed Minerals Commissioner and establish the SMA and thereby provide for the day-to-day regulation of the seabed minerals sector. The Adviser will provide high-level advice and technical assistance to the MMNR, the Government and Seabed Minerals Taskforce in the establishment and operation of an appropriately-regulated seabed minerals sector, including institutional arrangements as provided for in the Act. Specifically, the project will focus on the enhancement of local knowledge, expertise and skills concerning the day-to-day management and regulation of the Cook Islands’ seabed minerals endowment.
The Adviser will be initially based at the MMR for the duration of the project (2 years), and will be supervised by the Chairman of the Seabed Minerals Taskforce (currently, Secretary, Marine Resources), Ministry of Marine Resources. Should a Seabed Minerals Commissioner be successfully appointed during the course of the project, then the reporting relationship will be transferred to him/her, as appropriate and as directed by the Minister of Minerals and Natural Resources.
The project will be managed by the Technical Cooperation & Strategic Response Group (TCSRG) of the Commonwealth Secretariat, with technical support provided by Economic and Legal Section (ELS), Special Advisory Services Division.
The Commonwealth Primary Contact Point (PCP) and ELS will be kept informed on project progress during implementation, and be given the opportunity to provide feedback at the mid-term evaluation.
Monitoring and Evaluation of the project will take place during the course of its implementation. The Adviser will be expected to provide an Inception Report within two months and six-monthly Progress Reports to his / her designated Project Manager, TCSRG, at the Commonwealth Secretariat. A mid-term evaluation of the project will take place after one year.
The advisor’s position is a highly specialized one and applications are being handled by the Commonwealth Secretariat.
The salary package for the position is expected to be around 49,000 English pounds which is just under NZ$150,000.

Local tomatoes back soon
The shortage of local tomatoes in Rarotonga is an organizational matter which growers must address, Associate Minister for Agriculture, Kiriau Turepu told the Times on Thursday afternoon.
Tomatoes are being imported from New Zealand and being sold for as much as $10 a kilo report shoppers. Ironic since the Cook Islands once exported tomatoes to NZ.
However, local tomatoes should hit retail outlets soon as growers already have new crops in the ground.
Turepu told the Times a problem is that local growers do not have enough land for planting. Some major growers such as himself and Robert Wigmore are renting land from others.
As to outer islands supplying Rarotonga with vegetables, Turepu said several constraints exist which need to be dealt with as they are sensitive in nature.
One is the lack of labour. The question then arises, should foreign labour be brought in and how would outer islanders react to this?
Another is the effect on already fragile environments and water tables when fertilizers and chemicals are used in greater quantities. Increased agricultural production would require higher water use and higher fuel use (machinery).
Yet another important constraint is land use. He would like to see a review of the land tenure and use rules with a view to enabling growers on Rarotonga to rent land in the outer islands and supply their own labour.
Having outer islanders growing vegetables for sale in Rarotonga would mean moving from subsistence level quantities to higher production levels. This requires capital input beyond the capacity of outer islanders to meet given current interest rates.
Turepu said current thinking is that government conduct a trial on Atiu to grow crops for supply to Rarotonga.

What’s New at Club Bana Bistro and Art Gallery
Club Bana Bistro and Art Gallery Curator Mereana Hutchinson told the Times on Thursday, that the gallery is proud to present the artwork of two local artists. Joan E Gragg’s exclusive“Cook Islands Living” Series, is a documentary of contemporary life in the Cook Islands. The prints are a wonderful reproduction of six original paintings by Joan. The prints are a very poignant depiction of authentic values of the events in Cook Island lives. The Colour and humour of the prints creates lasting impressions of te peu, te ravenga and te oraanga, of how we are visualized and sensitively recorded. Katrina Hutchinson’s artwork captures unique reproductions on canvas of photographed Cook Islands artifacts currently housed in the British Museum in England. The Cook Islands artifacts were taken off shore during the early contact of Europeans in the islands circa 19th Century. Come on down to the Gallery, relax, have a coffee at the Bistro, and check it out - all of the artwork on show at the gallery are for sale.

National Environment Week Art/Purua Competition Winners Announced
Apii Avatea took out 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes for the Westpac Years 5 & 6 art/purua competition on Friday. The competition artwork criteria was for a mixture of poem and art to portray the theme “The values and roles wetlands play in our lives and our environment”. Parau Ellis was presented with $100 for first prize, second prize of $75 went to Mereana Ratumu and third prize of $50 went to Pauline Kaimarama. Westpac Bank Representatives John Evans and Melanie Biggs presented the winners with their certificates and prizes. All winners also received a merchandise pack from Westpac Bank. Special prizes, nominated by Westpac and NES went to Tania Nganu from Apii Arorangi and Memory Tapurau from Apii Avatea.
BCI Years 1-4 competition winners were also presented with prizes and certificates this morning at BCI. First prize went to Rosalina Tuatoru from Apii Ruamanu, Manihiki. Second prize went to Martha Strickland of Apii Takitumu and third prize went to Junior Tipoki from Apii Enuamanu. Special prizes went to Te Upu Tepania from Apii Ruamanu, Manihiki and the BCI Customer Choice Award went to Juliana Tekeu. ANZ Years 7 & 8 prize giving will be presented next week.

Headlines : Times 290 02 March 2009
- Lucky $1,000 winner
- Century old palm trees and the French connection
- Koutu Nui takes part in Raui meeting in Moorea
- WOM Award Dinner for Ake Hosea-Winterflood
- Island of Atiu to host Koutu Nui AGM in June 2009