News Brief

The handover of Medical equipment
Friday the 24th was the day for the handover at the Tupapa Meeting house of the Recycle Medical equipment from New Zealand to the Cook Island Hospital. To accept the equipment from Matthew Rima was the Secretary of Health Tupou Faireka,” I would like to thank Angai Rima and his family, who work at the Middlemore Hospital in Auckland for securing these crutches. This medical equipment is very important to us, because this equipment is also very expensive. Our collection here is very limited to the budget that we have.” Say’s Tupou. Angai Rima who works as an engineer at the Middlemore Hospital, had got a group together in New Zealand and started looking for crutches that were going to be put for recycling. The equipment was brought over with financial help from George Maggi MP for Tupapa and Raro Freight.” We have a very high rate of gout and Arthritis here in the Cook Islands therefore we are relieved to have been given these gifts as it will help a lot of people to be able to get around a lot more comfortably and less painfully.” Said Tupou. - Tiare Ponini

Primary schools Maori speech Competition
Thursday was a big day for our young whiz kids, who blew the judges and the public away with their awesome Maori speeches. 50 students turned out at Avatea School Hall to participate in the event and were supported on by their fellow school mates and members of their family, the judges for the day were Tiraa Antuna, Pae Tuteru and Mauri Toa. With the competition being hard and numerous, the three judges were just able to pick out three winners for each grade, from Grade six to form two.
Grade 6
1st Nikao Maori: Hannah Williams
2nd St Joseph: Terina Aberaina
3rd Avatea Nay Tmho Miu.
Form 1
1st Avatea: Sinano Vaeau
2nd Titikaveka: Maggie Nanai
3rd Nukutere: Maneu Tupa.
Form 2
1st Titikaveka : Benjamin Patia
2nd Titikaveka Matilda Patia
3rd Nikao Maori Taitua Naea.

Headlines : Times 290 02 March 2009
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