PB COOK ISLANDS HERALD4 December 2013 $2 (incl VAT) Cakes for all ocassions! Edgewater Cakes Enquiries call us on 25435 extn 7010 Sunset BarBQs at the Shipwreck Hut Saturday Seafood menu with Jake Numanga on the Ukulele 6pm Tuesday Sunset BBQ with Garth Young on Piano 6pm Thursday Sunset Cocktails with Rudy Aquino 5.30pm-7.30pm Reservations required 22 166 Aroa Beachside Inn, Betela Great Food, Great Entertainment Always the best Goldmine Model, Martin is wearing a selection, best price & best pendant, bracelet and ring from Goldmine service at Goldmine! POWERBALL RESULTS Drawn: 28/11/13 Draw num: 915 PB TATTSLOTTO RESULTS Drawn:30/11/13 Draw num: 3377 SUPP: OZLOTTO RESULTS Drawn:3/12/13 Draw num: 1033 Next draw: SUPP: Cook islands Herald 04 December 2013 news 2 Heather to be appointed Deputy Prime Minister By Charles Pitt him. The senior Cabinet member pon his return from and obvious heir apparent, Hon overseas, PM Puna is Teina Bishop, is still under a Uexpected to formally Police investigation which shows announce Hon Teariki Heather as no signs of concluding soon. the new Deputy Prime Minister. Knowing Bishop, his reaction Heather himself may have would be to say, “Watch this pre-empted the confirmation space.” somewhat by moving to occupy It was also vital that the PM Tom Marsters’ (the previous act before the result of the DPM) seat in parliament. This Murienua by election petition. If prompted the Leader of the the Demos win Murienua, it will Opposition Wilkie Rasmussen give them 11 seats with Norman to put the question as to an George included. The CIP will impending announcement. have 13 seats. All it needs then For a PM struggling to is for one disgruntled CIP MP to maintain unity within the party, walk to the Demo side on the it is interpreted as a strategic promise of a top position and move to close off any attempt by there will be a 12-12 stalemate, the Opposition to offer Heather giving the QR no option but to a sweetener to change sides. call a general election. Heather is reported as being The Demos will be gunning quite vocal within Cabinet and for an early election, possibly to the notion of MFEM taking the stave off the introduction of the lead in Infrastructure projects is new VAT rate of 15% which due Teariki Heather not a concept which sits easily to commence in April next year. with Heather who is well versed While consultations took place vessels from its current level of Unless the Grey Power demands in project work. with some of the outer islands, $60,000 to $500,000. Only 47 are placated, the CIP could find The other hopeful, Brown the reality is the increase in licenses are permitted and last large family block votes swinging lacks experience for such a VAT will cause greater hardship. year the landed value of tuna to the Demos. If the Demos gain senior position and is now (Personally this writer believes a caught in our waters was over power, it could be especially struggling to show signs of better option would be to abolish $64 million. There is ample room troubling for MFEM which may credibility as a strong leader income tax altogether, lower VAT to increase the license fee). face a politically motivated in the face of his own Ministry to 10% to stimulate spending and The CIP have a difficult and clean out of those perceived as beginning to dictate terms to raise the fees for foreign fishing bumpy road to the next election. uncooperative. Ports Authority investigating Wharf Cracks n response to the recent Port Redevelopment Beca the cracks are, as previously occur and thus the main tie- article in the Cook International Consultants Ltd thought, secondary shrinkage back reinforcing size was IIslands Herald and for have held internal reviews cracks. increased by 3mm to provide the information of the general of the data with their senior • All concrete shrinks a corrosion allowance. public; the Ports Authority structural engineers to get both in initial drying and, more Notwithstanding this, it is confirms that: additional views on the slowly, with what is known as prudent to seal the cracks. • The Ports Authority, causes, and the proposed secondary shrinkage, which This work, which has been Beca International Consultants crack sealing methodology may take several months. planned for some months, is Ltd and McConnell Dowell including the checking of That is the process we are about to commence. Constructors Ltd have been the test results to eliminate observing. Additionally; the Ports monitoring the cracking since potential issues such as Akali • Beca advised that Authority is seeking an they started to appear many Silica Reaction, for which there is no structural problem, Independent Civil Engineer’s months ago and a mapping the aggregate was tested either now or in the future. opinion on the wharf cracks out survey of the cracks has at the commencement The cracking that is evident for additional assurance. been completed. of the McConnell Dowell does not affect their function. Bim Tou • Ports Project Constructors Ltd contract. This The design approach adopted General Manager Manager to the Avatiu review has concluded that allowed that cracking may Ports Authority PB Cook islands Herald 04 December 2013 Political View 3 Grey Power threats should be taken seriously by government By Wilkie Rasmussen, Leader of the fact that here were a television and written in the the Opposition group of people standing in newspapers; that is, when The Government of the the hot sun, wanting to be we get into Government Cook Islands needs to have taken seriously in their cause we will wipe away the back lessons in how to respect and yet the Government taxes and create exemptions the elderly people of our did not even invite them to to prevent pensioners country. As a young person come inside the lunch room paying tax. I heard several growing up in Tongareva to discuss what they had in cheers when I said those and in Matavera, one of the mind. Furthermore some of words and I’m sure I also basic rules in our household those people were people I heard Grey Power members was respect for your personally know and respect chanting, “Wilkie, Wilkie….” elders. I am sure the Prime and yet they had to resort Please correct if I’m wrong Minister Henry Puna and to “protesting” to be heard. because by then I was about his colleagues in Cabinet In fact that is the very thing to sit down and have lunch. and the Cook Islands Party they said repeatedly; “we I’m not sure how the were taught those very have no choice but to do Government perceived it, values. But that seems not this”. I noted that several of but I thrust my hand into to be the case over the my fellow Democratic Party the air in jubilation because last few months and most MP colleagues were close Grey Power had a board particularly when Grey to tears as they listened to with a box at the right vote. I know it is coming to Power marched down to the determined voices of lower side that said “Vote”. the Demo’s because they Parliament to present their our elders. All the speakers threatened told me so and I believe issues to the Government. I clearly heard Mama Ringi the Government with their them, my elders. When the Prime Minister Pitt, a much loved matriarch flew out of the country on of extended relatives call Sunday, the most immediate out a number of times for SWITCH ON WITH thing that came to my mind the Government to listen was that he was deliberately to their plights. Tamaiva Te Aponga Uira dodging meeting with the Mataiapo a.k.a. Papa Teariki Grey Power on Monday Simiona was also vocal IMAGINE … afternoon. The Grey and many others, some … After the cyclone there is no power Power leaders have been expatriates and some local announcing over the past Maori Cook Islanders. They week that they will meet came prepared with sun near Parliament grounds visors, broad brimmed at 2 pm and march onto hats, baseball caps and to the grounds at 2.30 pm loose wear as if they were to coincide with the lunch ready to rumble in case break of the Members of the Government gets nasty Parliament. They did so but and have them arrested to their disappointment, and carted away by police. the PM was not there and Imagine George Pitt’s mum of course the explanations being manhandled off the by the Acting PM Mark Parliamentary grounds; all Brown (Minister of Finance) hell will break loose, I tell were met with jeers and you. calls for the Minister to I of course took my wipe their back taxes. The Did you notice the recent battery-operated radios opportunity to speak and hurricane in the Philippines for news, and candles and Minister appeared numb, address the 60 or so Grey took out power in many areas torches for lighting in case disconcerted and yet stoic in for a long time? there is a ‘post cyclone’ Power members there. I told Well, it could happen here too. period without power. his stance not to agree with of them of the immovable Therefore in your cyclone And include lots of dry food the Grey Power mama’s and position of the Democratic preparations make sure you because frozen food won’t last papa’s. Party which had been include gas for cooking, when there is no electricity! What was unpleasant was broadcast on air, spoken on www.teaponga.com Cook islands Herald 04 December 2013 news 4 PB Cook islands Herald 04 December 2013 news 5 v.