News in Brief

More warning sirens needed
Before the middle of 2012 the Emergency Management Cook Islands (EMCI) team will be undertaking another siren test of the sirens.
Te Aponga Uira through their Social Responsibility Funding has offered $200,000 to help put up warning signs all around the Cook Islands.
The project to install the new sirens has started first in the Northern group. “Some islands have the single headed sirens and some have the double, it just depends on the size of the island,” William Tuivaga of EMCI told the Times.
The sirens in the outer islands will have siren operators who will be contacted by the EMCI office in case of emergency.
“In the recent warning exercise on Rarotonga we identified some blank spots on the island. So another 7 sirens need to be installed. There will be 13 sirens overall on the island,” said Tuivaga
The new sirens will be set up in all the blank spots on the island.
“We had blank spots in Tikioki, Titikaveka therefore we will be setting up a siren in that area.”
Another siren will be set up on top of the Tupapa Maraerenga hall, the Red Cross, the Matavera Packing shed and the Muri meeting house which are all blank spots that were discovered during the warning exercise which took place across parts of Rarotonga three weeks ago
“When all the new sirens are in place we will test them. We would like to be able to control the sirens from one main switch, but at the moment we will be having operators near the sirens,” said Tuivaga.
The EMCI team would like to send out a message to the public that if you do hear the sirens please contact and alert your neighbours and family about the warning, do not assume they have heard the siren. -Tiare Ponini

Santa’s coming to the Staircase
Sisi Short is proud to announce that Santa himself has agreed to make a brief stop-over over in Rarotonga.
In honour of the visit, the Staircase Restaurant is planning a family gathering on Christmas Eve, Saturday 24th December which will be full of excitement for kids and adults alike.
“Santa’s going to be at the Staircase!” Sisi Short told the Times on Friday morning.
“There will be a special Santa area for the kids,” said Sisi,” there will be games, Carol singing and Karaoke.” Staircase’s own entertainer Mann Short will organize the musical side of the evening.
The Staircase will be fitted out with loads of Christmas decorations and a Christmas tree. Sisi asks parents to contribute a “secret” gift, valued at say no more than $5. When Santa arrives he will distribute the gifts.
While the kids will enjoy complimentary nibbles, grownups will have a set menu Christmas meal. There will be no cover charge said Sisi.
Kids may come dressed in Santa outfits or as Christmas characters like Elves, Santa’s helpers.
The event will start at 7pm and run for no more than about two hours said Sisi.
The special event follows on from the highly successful Halloween event staged earlier.
Many parents suggested a Christmas event said Sisi. -Charles Pitt

Headlines : Times 290 02 March 2009
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