News in Brief

In-country dialysis treatment gets thumbs down
The medical referral of kidney patients to New Zealand for treatment looks set to continue – at least for the immediate future. That’s because the latest review of the needs catering for kidney ailments has clearly determined it is not feasible to conduct in-country dialysis treatment.
A New Zealand expert, Carla Wilson, was enlisted by the Ministry of Health to conduct the research and a report has been furnished to government, detailing the results. Those results point out the prohibitive factors of low numbers of patients and the costs associated with dialysis treatment including access to equipment and professional staff. Wilson looked at the costs and benefits of providing treatment in New Zealand compared with the costs, benefits and feasibility of providing dialysis services in the Cook Islands.
Although the Researcher’s report is not available publicly, Government policy analysts confirm that dialysis treatment for Cook Islanders at home is a ‘no-go’. In fact, we are not alone. Wilson is said to have pointed out that other countries have ruled out Haemodialysis (HD) treatment because of the costs and staffing requirements. Even if countries do get up and running, the problems of costs are ongoing.
In the case of the Cook Islands, Wilson considered the costs of Peritoneal dialysis (PD) treatment based on an estimated number of 10 patients. She put these costs at more than $400,000 in the first year and just under $400,000 in the out years. The Researcher however, was not certain that there would be 10 patients to sustain the service.
Over the years, many Cook Islanders have developed a preference for treatment in New Zealand – an environment of considerable comfort since there are specialists on hand in a less vulnerable healing environment. Incurring the new treatment costs at home would add to the Ministry of Health’s budget – a burden that is already being taken care of by the medical referral system.
Wilson points out that the present system allows Cook Islands sufferers - those Peritoneal dialysis patients who are stable and capable of self-managing their own treatment - to return home for holiday breaks at no cost to the Ministry.

Kiwi expert to help us with seabed mining
A man who is probably more used to the threat of IEDs rather than NCDs has been named to take over a key advisory role in establishing the new Seabed minerals sector in the country. Darryl Thorburn (pic here in Kabul), an experienced geologist who has worked extensively in Afghanistan (Afghan Ministry of Mining) under the cloud of Taliban militants, kidnappings, and suicide bombers, was identified today by Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters as our new Seabed Mineral Advisor. The New Zealand minerals specialist has also worked in South Africa and Australia and spent 25 years with the NZ Government in the department, which is now known as the Ministry of Energy and Resources.
The post is for two years and will be funded by the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. This help from CommSec follows earlier assistance in the drafting of new legislation governing seabed mining - passed last year. These efforts are part of the foundation-setting for the new sector, which will provide a framework for the exploitation of our polymetallic nodules on the seafloor. The Cook Islands has the world’s richest resource of manganese nodules, which represent a massive deposit of cobalt and other high value minerals. Problem is, the nodules sit on the ocean floor about 5 to 6 miles deep. No mining has ever been done at this depth anywhere in the world - yet.

News From Mitiaro
During the week on Mitiaro they had a few visitors that came by yacht as they called into the island for water supplies and also give the crew time to rest due to lack of sufficient wind to complete their trip to Rarotonga and New Zealand. There were 8 crew on board and those that came on land were quite impressed with the nature of the island, good hospitality of the people. According to the island Secretary Tai Topa, after referring the departure tax issue to Immigration Department and being advised that they were supposed to be charged the $55.00 departure tax, Mr Topa waived this fee as the visitors only spent about three hours on the island. If these visitors had been charged this hefty fee, will they be charged the same again after they depart Rarotonga? The tourists in fact, came on land in their own dinghy so was it necessary for Immigration to charge them Departure Tax? I find that amusing. How does this Departure Tax issue work in a situation like this with the tourist yacht calling to the island for fresh water? -Charlie Rani

Meeting House under rennovation
The Atai and Auta meeting house under renovation and work in progress in Mitiaro. The total renovation work is about $50,000 and this includes the walling, extension of the verandah, new doors and tile for the floors. Efforts of the two village’s fundraising went as far as Melbourne and Sydney Australia and also Auckland by the Mitiaro community. Free labour was provided by the island community and also with a lending hand from public servants on the island with the Outer Islands Ministry of Mitiaro. Renovation work is just about done and the Island Councilor of the village is quite impressed with the voluntary workers and also Government assistance with manpower on the island.

Rutaki blesses new computers
On Friday the 16th of September, Rutaki Primary School had a blessing on the 13 new computers donated by Dr Joe Williams through the Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters and the Rutaki Sharks rugby team.
Principal of Rutaki Primary School Mrs Nooroa Ingaua, proudly told the Times that, the whole school feels very blessed. “ We never thought that this would happen, especially being given this many computers since we are a small school, so we are very happy to say that we can now provide our children with the IT skills that other children receive in bigger Primary Schools.”
The ceremony started off with a tuoro, welcoming invited guests into the library room, which has been refurnished to fit the computers. “We actually got the computers on the 22nd of July, but we really wanted it to be properly blessed, by a government representative and a representative from the Rutaki Sharks,”said Mrs Ingaua.
Minister for Education and Tourism Teina Bishop was given the honor of switching on the main power point for all the computers while most guests were given a ‘fun time’ opportunity of experiencing a modern time class on the new computers.
“This is a milestone for our school, and soon we will also reach another milestone by installing the library with air conditioning to maintain these precious gifts,”said Mrs Ingaua.
There are also plans for fundraising by the school to upgrade their school playground.
“ Because we want our children to be safe, we try to keep the place that they love the most to play in safe, so we would like to encourage the Rarotonga community to come down to the Arorangi night markets as the teachers and I always set up a food stall to help as part of our fundraising.” - Tiare Ponini

Mrs Q’s Hut
In 2000 Mii Upu Quarter arrived back to Rarotonga to open up a crafts store in the Punanga Nui Market which kicked off making and selling head ei’s to a wide range of assorted garments, jewelry, artificial and fresh ei’s and tie dye pareus.
“I started just making head ei’s because they were very popular and then I started adding and working with different materials to make different crafts to sell, but even now the head eis are still the most popular,” says Quarter.
Mrs Quarter known by many as “Mrs Q” has been traveling back and forth to Pasifika in New Zealand every March to sell and show case her crafts. “Ever since I started my business I have been traveling most years to attend it, not only do I get a chance to show case my stuff but I also get to see crafts from different countries which gives me the encouragement to try making something new to sell.”
Mrs Q sells her products in a brown hut behind the popular Reefside Coffee trailer alongside her daughter who creates baby quilt pareu blankets. “I am very happy that both of my daughters are interested in making crafts as an income because then they can carry on my trade,” said Mrs Q.
Mrs Q creates and sells tie dye pareus, head eis, neck eis, women dresses, necklaces, bracelets, rings and many more.
You will also be able to find Mrs Q at the Takuvaine Market that is set up across from the Banana Court every end of the month for one day only. -Tiare Ponini

UN to consult on new development assistance framework
Government along with the United Nations Systems Office based in Samoa, has invited key stakeholders and partners to a consultation in support of the development of the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for the period 2013-2017 to be held at the AOG Hall in Takuvaine on Tuesday 20 September 2011.
The UNDAF is the strategic programme framework which guides the work of the UN as a whole in the Pacific. Its objective is to support countries seeking to attain internationally agreed development goals including the Millennium Development Goals.
UNDAF says it is keen to ensure that the new programmes fully reflect national priorities and retain linkages to the Pacific Plan hence the “bottom up” consultative approach.
UNDAF plans to roll out the programmes between August and December 2011.
The consultations will be led by Dr Baoping of the World Health Organisation on behalf of the UN System. -Charles Pitt

Te Putokotoko
Tumu manako maata – To Iesu tu Atua
E maata te au tangata kite I roto I teia nei ao te Ariki kore ratou I to Iesu tu Atua, Te karanga nei tetai pae e tangata ua a Iesu e kare aia I te tamaiti na te Atua.
E au apiianga pikikaa teia kia vare tatou. E maata teia au akonoanga e tupu nei I teia tuatau nei. Tei Rarotonga nei tetai pae ia ratou.
I roto I te Putokotoko o teia epetoma ka akakite atu au I to Iesu au tu. Atua e te au irava ei pange I te reira. Teia nga tuanga e 6, kia akara tatou.
1. Kua vaiana a Iesu I muatangana e kua noo aia ki mua I te aroaro o tona Metua Atua
2. Kua papu meitaki ia Iesu teia turanga iaia I mua I te Atua
3. Kua vai aia e, e Atua aia.
4. Aiteite a Iesu e te Atua
5. Ko Iesu tei anga I te au mea katoatoa
6. Kua riro mai aia mei te tangata nei te tu
Kua noo a Iesu ki mua I te Atua I mua ake ka aere mai ei aia ki teia ao. Kua akakite te Peroveta a Mika e kua aere mai te Mesia mei tupua roa mai mei muatangana mai rai. (Akara Mika 5:2) E meangiti rai koe e Betelehema Eupharata, kia kapiti katoa ki roto I te au tausani I Iuda ra, e tae maira aia kiaku nei mei roto mai iakoe ra, ko te ka riro ei tutara I Iseraela ei akatupu I ta Mika I totou na teia totouanga I akakite mai e mei tupua roa mai aia.
I roto I ta Mataio tataanga kua uiui a Heroda e noea mai teia Mesia e ka anau ki Betelehema akara (Mataio 2:3-6) teia ta Isaia I tata “Kare e mutu te tupuanga o tona ra Basileia ei akatinamou, e ei akamatutu I te reira, ma te tuatua tau e te tuatua tika I teia nei e tuatau ua atu na te maroiroi o Iehova Sabaote e rave I te reira. Akara ki te irava 5 o Isaia pene 9.
“Kua anau mai oki tetai tama na tatou, kua orongaia mai tetai tamaroa na tatou ei runga I tona ra pakuivi te au vai ei, e tapaia tona ingoa ia umere Tumu Korero, te Atua mana te Metua no te tuatau mutu kore te Ariki no te au”
Akara meitaki eaa ta te tuatua e apii mai nei. Ko Iesu te Atua mana, te Metua no te tuatau mutu kore, te ui nei e akapeea tatou I te kiteanga e ko Iesu teia e tuatua ia nei?
Kua papu iaku e ko teia pene tatau o Isaia tei akakite katoa ia e Mataio 4:12-16 e pera I roto I te Mataio 1:23. E ko te Angela a te Atua te akakite nei ko Iesu te Imanuela te Atua ki o tatou nei.
Ka kite katoa tatou I roto I te Koreromotu Ou. Kua tata Ioane pipi e Paulo e ko Iesu te Mesia I vai aia I muatangana I mua ake ka aere mai ei aia ki teia ao. Akara Ioane 1:1-3, 14
I roto I teia pene tatau e 4 tuanga tei apii mai no Iesu.
1. Ko Iesu te tuatua logo tei vai ana I muatangana
2. Kua noo a Iseu ki mua I te aroaro o te Atua
3. Kua vai aia I muatangana I te mana o te Atua e ko te Atua oki aia
4. Na Iesu I anga I te au mea katoatoa
Kua riro mai ai ei tangata.
Kia Orana e Kia Manuia.

OtakuGirl
Hi there and welcome back to another issue of Otaku{ Comic Lovers ] Page. From a week of working, sight seeing, paving the Queen St walkways in my 2 inch bright red Rubi heels and SHOPPING ( of course ) in New Zealand, made me truly realize that I am not alone in the world of MANGA outside of Japan ( Manga’s birth place ). Seeing College students queing outside of public Libraries in Auckland City after schools just to get a copy of their favourite Manga Series.eg. Naruto or Fruit Basket.
And catching other’s surfing the net in Cyber Cafes reading their favourite Manga strips made me realize that we are definetly not alone!! Yes I am talking to the people here in the islands who do actually spend a lot of time on reading Mangas, IT IS HAPPENING!! Lol
Manga reading is the new faze in Auckland among the young and old, and here is a short biography of a young boy who lives in Auckland.
Books and DVDs line the shelves of the Graphic Novel Cafe. Bright posters of different manga characters are pinned on the walls, and cabinets are filled with different collectibles, from giant Transformer action figures to statuettes of lesser-known names.
It is in this cafe where manga (Japanese-style comic) artists come to draw and grab a coffee. And it’s where Jeremiah Wayne has helped design the artwork for Overload, a New Zealand comic and manga convention.
“I used to draw just for fun and I exhibited my work at the festival in 2008,” Jeremiah says. “I decided that I wanted to do this for work, too.”
His detailed digital art is the basis for the festival’s promotional material and website.
Jeremiah studied character animation and is working on a fine arts degree. He says the festival is the place for upcoming artists to show work and meet new people.
“It was fun to get to know people who share the same interests. And it’s great when people buy your art - it does make you feel good as an artist.”
And there you have it!! Now on with this week’s Manga it’s Genre and Summary.
Taking it back old school to an old time favourite of mine, we have Naruto Shippuuden.
Genre – Action, Drama, Fantasy, Martial Arts, Shounen, Super Power, and Supernatural.
SUMMARY
After spending two years away from the Hidden Leaf Village training with Master Jariah, Naruto Uzumaki will now face the strongest ninja’s that he has ever gone up against, for world peace.

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