PB COOK ISLANDS HERALD20 January 2016 $2 (incl VAT) Congratulations to Woman of the Month Jolene Bosanquet, featured here wearing a pearl strand from Cakes for Goldmine all ocassions! Edgewater Cakes Enquiries call us on 25435 extn 7010 Always the best selection, best price & best service at Goldmine! POWERBALL RESULTS Drawn:14/1/16 Draw num: 1026 PB TATTSLOTTO RESULTS Drawn:16/1/16 Draw num: 3599 SUPP: OZLOTTO RESULTS Drawn: 19/1/16 Draw num: 1144 Next draw: SUPP: Cook islands Herald 20 January 2016 NEWS 2 Is Mike Henry’s Tiare Taporo a death ship? Potential passengers on the Tiare Taporo are being warned not to risk their lives until the vessel has proven it is engine troubles are well and truly resolved umours are rife the TT is not safe due to the Rextensive rust in its hull as well as the exterior. More worrying is the extent of rust within and the concern the hull in certain places is fatigued. The 52 year old vessel has a 52 year old engine that is plagued with mechanical problems further hampered by the scarcity of replacement parts. There is talk one of the departed disgruntled unpaid crew warned people the boat was a death risk for passengers, he is reported to have said the condition of the TT was not up to a safety level to carry more than the amount of passengers it was designed to. Another story doing the rounds is an overseas engineer responding to a job offer took one look at the Mike Henry at the crane controls while visiting Canada to check out the Tiare Taporo engine and the condition of the interior rust then immediately and it had to be turned off for Claims Mike Henry made Henry claimed the assistance declined the offer and flew back cooling. While the engine had about his dream boat the from government in the form of to New Zealand. to be turned off the TT was Tiare Taporo (TT) to score a a tailor crafted contract for PSL While it is still fresh in our vulnerable to drifting giving grave lucrative shipping contract was justified because most of memories is the unexpected concern it was at risk of ending up and a secret over generous the 23 people who invested $1.6 recent sinking of Malcolm on the reef. $200,000 advance from the million in this venture were Cook Sword’s barge off Mauke and The Ministry of Transport must Cook Islands Party government Islanders. the mechanical impairment due not risk people’s lives and give the four months before the contract Without the consideration of to fishing equipment getting TT a variation to carry any more commencement continues due diligence Government took entangled in the propeller of a passengers than the international to be shrouded in malicious Mike Henry’s claims in good Taio Shipping vessel up north approval till it has proven revelations that continue to cast faith and proceeded to pander that had to be towed back to reliability carrying just cargo. One criticism, allegations of high to his whims and fancies, even Rarotonga, inter island travel is a observer predicts the Mike Henry level corruption and scandalous the Prime Minister Henry Puna risky business. fantasy venture is a monumental embarrassment on his friends in who is Mike Henry’s wife’s uncle The repaired engine of the disaster waiting to happen, any government. heralded the news the outer Tiare Taporo was prematurely overloading of passengers will put It seems there is no end to the islands shipping woes were about celebrated last Friday, by Monday them at risk with a repeat of the compounding misinformation to be resolved. Unknown by the 1 January 2016 after being at Tonga ferry disaster that resulted that has become the focus of public at the time Puna’s the sea due to the pending cyclone in 74 passengers perishing at a criminal investigation by the announcement of a $1.5 million requiring ships to vacate the sea when the Princess Ashika Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) shipping subsidy was secretly Avatiu harbour the TT began to sunk on 19 August 2009. Six days who is being assisted by the Police intended for PSL. experience more engine trouble after later the Tongan Minister of and New Zealand fraud expertise. Mike Henry who was with water getting into the Shipping resigned and a resulting In September 2015 minor canvassing local investors used engine. A source said on Monday Court trial convicted five people shareholding Director of Pacific this confidential information to night the engine was overheating of manslaughter and jailed. Schooners Limited director Mike continued next page PB Cook islands Herald 20 January 2016 NEWS 3 From page 2 being intentionally misleading to now a sceptical public who have here about the silly attempt to give weight to the new venture soften the sceptical public. smelt the rat and are annoyingly claim the critics are on the wrong and solicit funds. Even when “In her normal trading irritated and increasingly track, Tavioni and Smith are PSL was not event a legitimate configuration we expect we will intolerant of Mike Henry’s definitely not even on the track. company the Office of the Prime carry nine crew and 30 passengers politically supported antics. Any more public relations Minister’s CEO Liz Wright Koteka in bunks with the aft area air- For Tavioni to parrot Smith’s stunts by Mike Henry’s PSL must prematurely announced that PSL conditioned and the forward ‘Tere misleading technical clap trap be taken with a grain of salt, no were eligible to be recipients cabin’, naturally cooled. In special to justify the over abundance longer can the public take PSL of the subsidy, this sent a soft operations such as that required of rust that grows by the day is and Mike Henry in good faith, message even though PSL was for Te Maeva Nui, she can hideous and totally misleading he has yet to earn that privilege, unregistered and the TT had not accommodate up to 75 people in designed to gag the critics, sorry even the burnt former Finance been sighted in Cook Islands Secretary Richard Neves will waters the controversial Mike It seems not only has Mike adhere to that. Henry had the confidence of the Should the TT eventually be government. Henry duped government given the stamp of approval Despite the TT not being a by the Ministry of Transport to passenger carrying vessel Mike but also those who parted conduct a domestic shipping Henry convinced his government service all potential customers it was equipped to carry 130 with hard earned cash they must be warned to demand passengers which was a key invested in the TT. evidence or statutory proof they factor in PSL being awarded the are insured for full refunding in tailor made contract of $7,500 a bunks and has the deck space to Tavioni but you are making a fool the event cargo is lost at sea due day. According to Maritime Cook carry a considerable number of of yourself. Tavioni talks about to sinking. Islands Ltd who conducted the additional deck passengers safely a voyage last year when it hit a Without a single day of working survey of the vessel in Canada and in relative comfort. “ submerged iceberg at six knots history PSL must do the hard in June 2013 the Tiare Taporo is It seems not only has Mike that only caused a small dent. Yet yards as Taio Shipping has had approved to carry 12 passengers. Henry duped government but Broadbent wrote the TT had been to over more than 20 years in As it turns out the Ministry also those who parted with hard in dry dock for three years before shipping before they can earn the of Transport says that’s the earned cash they invested in the it sailed for Rarotonga. stamp of “in good faith.” international approval, domestic TT. No more space will be made - George Pitt shipping can have a different Looking like a rust bucket the approval. 52 year old TT’s appearance in Ever since the TT left Lunenburg, itself is a contradiction of the SWITCH ON WITH Canada on the 9 July 2014 it has lavish claims Mike Henry and been hampered and dogged with Broadbent have propagated. The engine troubles. Built in 1963 new captain Kim Smith recruited Te Aponga Uira in Canada it underwent a three the assistance of a gullible Mike Taking stock after Victor... year long refit before it set sail for Tavioni to conduct a public the Cook Islands. Director Garth relations promotion of the virtues Broadbent penned an article that of the TT on behalf of Mike Henry was published in the CI News and the owners. on Tuesday 14 July 2015 while In an all out effort to silence the he claimed the following, after Schoonergate critics they both sighting the TT in dock at Avatiu embarrassed themselves by the wharf one has to wonder if he was continuation of misinforming a An extract from the internet “Tiare Taporo” has been conceived to be the ideal supply / passenger ship for the Cook Islands; to establish the best and most practical elements to serve the particular requirements demanded to provide for our nation of islands. In addition the ship will provide a training ground for trainee seafarers, both Cook Islanders and those from abroad. Fortunately, Cyclone Victor sidestepped the Cook “Tiare Taporo” is, first of all, supremely seaworthy. Not an Islands except Palmerston. obsolete coasting vessel designed for simple freight service It is a timely reminder to us not to be complacent.