News Briefs

Website gives access to information
The public can now access information relating to Ministerial travel at the government website http://www.cook-islands.gov.ck
Prime Minister Henry Puna said posting information to the website was a timely move to ensure the public had direct access to information themselves rather than relying on media sources.
Also available on the website were media statements providing greater detail about the background and purpose of any travel being taken.
He said the recent visit by biomass expert Dr Richard Zweiller from Austria was a classic example of the benefit of overseas travel.
“I got to know of Dr Zweiller and what has been achieved in the town of Gussing as a result of attending a Renewable Energy Conference in Vienna earlier this year,” he said.
“I immediately recognised the potential of utilising his expertise here to explore options for our own renewable energy policy – and subsequently extended an invitation to him to visit here to make an assessment of our biomass potential.”
Prime Minister Puna said his upcoming travel in the Pacific region aligned with Government’s priority to ensure the Cook Islands sat at the leadership table with other Heads of State and Government Ministers, “so we contribute to and influence the future development of not just our own country but that of our extended family across the Pacific region.”
“As Pacific nations we want to look at ways for our countries to work together to sustain our indigenous languages and cultures through sharing knowledge and experiences and discussing common areas of interest and topical challenges.”
“I encourage the public to use the website as their direct source in order to be fully and well informed of travel as well as many other government events and happenings.”
OPM Media Release

Te Putokotoko
Kia Orana i te aroa maata o te Atua no teia araveianga. E tama ma, e ine ma, nga mea epetoma u ate toe o teia mataiti 2011. Kua pou kua tomo tatou ki roto I te mataiti ou. Teia to tatou tumu manako no teia openga epetoma KA ANOANOIA TATOU KIA KITE I TE ATUA.
Ia Paulo I aere ki Atene okotai ona akakoroanga kia rauka te ora mutukore kit e iti tanga o Kiriki ia Paulo I Atene kua aravei mai te tai Tangata kite pakari I te au mea e tupu I teia nei ao e kua inangaro katoa aia kia akarongo I te karere o te evangelia. (Angaanga 17) E maata tei rauka I te Tangata no teia nei ao. Kare ra ratou kite I te Atua, e kare e ngarangara o te ngakau I te kimi pu tikai I te Atua.
E maata katoa te Tangata I teia tuatua nei e maata ta ratou I kite no te oraanga o teia ao e meangiti ra to ratou I kite I te Atua. Ko tatou ko te Tangata o teia tuatua nei, e mea tau kia akaanau akaou ia tatou kia kite ite Atua (Angaanga 3:19) Ko tatou kare tatou I kite akapeea e rauka mai ei te ora mutukore, mariua kia tatou tatou I te Bibilia Tapu (Roma 10:17)
Ka to tatou manako ta tatou peu e au mea puapinga kore u ate reira. Ieremia 10:23 ko te aerenga ote Tangata kare I roto iaia uorai kare e tika I te Tangata kia arataki I tona au aerenga. Kare e rauka ia tatou kia kopae I te ora o to tatou vaerua I te ariki I te apii a te tangata nei (mataio 15:9)
E mea tau kia kite e kia rauka ia tatou te kite I te Atua e kia papu ia tatou e tuatua mai mi te Atua kia tatou akamanoko meitaki e ka kore te rangi e te enua kareka tana tuatua ka vai ia e rimua (mataio 24:35) Me kore teia nei ao poiri, ka vai rai te tuatua a te Atua ka tipuia te mate e te pe, ka tapara ia te veira ka vai rai te tuatua a te Atua. E mama ma e papa ma, ka anoano ia ta tatou pure e ta tatou akara matatio kit e ariki nui ko Iesu.
Teia ta te Tata Salamo, “E lamepa taau tuatua I toku nei vaevae, e turama no toku nei arataa.” (Salamo 119:105)
Akarai te au mea e tupu nei I roto I teia nei ao te au mate rikarika e tupu neiki teia nei au manuia tikai tatou te akara ua mai ra te Atua ki raro nei ia tatou. Te kite nei tatou te maata ua atu nei te tangata I te akaruke I te basileia e te maata mai nei te au tangata no te akau roa I tea ere mai kua kite au e kua rongo I te tangi a te kereteki I te parani a te turoto I te mataiti 2020 ka taeria te tangata I teia Ipukarea kit e 25,000. Tika roa teia manako no te mea tea ere ua mai nei te Philipino, te viti, te initia ki to tatou enua. Eaa teia au mea e tupu nei. Teia te pauanga te ngere nei Te basileia I te kie I te Atua maseli 14:34 “Na te tuatua tika e rangatira ei te enua, kareka te ara e apai mai te reira I te teio.
Kia orana e kia manuia.

Police prepare for cyclone season

All Cook Islands Police personnel had reported to headquarters early Monday morning, at 2.45am, to kick off their first cyclone preparedness programme.
The preparedness exercise which will be running over the period of the cyclone season involves all personnel from the sworn police officers, to the non-sworn and the crew from the patrol boat Te Kukupa.
“We wanted to be able to test everyone on disaster preparedness, the communication and the response,” said Inspector John Strickland who was in charge of the exercise.
Mock exercises will be carried out at any time of the day to prepare all personnel to be ready for a state of emergency involving all possible natural disasters.
“The main thing that we need to accomplish here in getting right, is the communication between ourselves,” said Strickland.
He said that in case of an emergency evacuation, people must work with or alongside the police to create a safe and effective evacuation and environment.
The Police station has taken up a motto for the cyclone season and it is; ‘Be prepared.”
They would like everyone to heed the warnings for preparedness this cyclone season. -Tiare Ponini

Cook Islands runs for IMO executive council

Wednesday 2nd November 2011
The Cook Islands has decided to run for elections to the Executive Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which takes place at the end of this month. Based in London, IMO is the UN specialised agency responsible for the safety of life at sea, maritime security and the protection of the marine environment through prevention of sea pollution caused by ships. As a member of the Organization, the Cook Islands felt that it was important to bring the voice of small island developing states (SIDS) from the Pacific to the decision making table of the Executive Council. No Pacific country has ever served on the Executive Council and the Cook Islands have high hopes that it will be the voice of the SIDS will be heard at the forthcoming elections.
The Cook Islands’ vision is one of achieving genuine sustainable development that will improve the quality of life not only for the people of the Cook Islands but also for all the people of our planet. According to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Dr. James Gosselin, “We have a responsibility for the good stewardship of the ocean in which we live. That ocean is our past, present and future and the focal point in the lives of all Pacific Island peoples.”
The Cook Islands have been campaigning hard to secure the necessary support of the members of the Organization. The Cook Islands’ economy faces many of the development impediments common to other SIDS in the Pacific region: relatively limited natural resources, extreme remoteness from major trade routes and industrial centres and a dependence on maritime transport, as regulated by the IMO, for essential fuel supplies and goods. The Cook Islands pays the highest prices for fuel in the Pacific because it is at the end of the fuel supply chain and the impact of agreements developed at the IMO is a critical factor to the uninterrupted supply of what would be considered normal distribution in the developed world.
Since joining the Organization, the Cook Islands has highlighted the need to take into account the special shipping needs of SIDS and Least Developed Countries (LDC’s) and the need to assess the impact of developing agreements or proposed amendments to existing instruments on such countries prior to adoption. The Cook Islands, as a Small Island Developing State, believes its contributions to the Council debates thus far show that its presence on the Council will strengthen the representation and contribution of SIDS and LDCs within the IMO, thus enhancing the role and oversight capacity of the Council.

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