jetstrip in the Cooks

Everything hinges on the new jetstrip in the Cooks

From W. H. PERCIVAL, in Rarotonga It’s expected that at least one hotel will be ready for visitors to Rarotonga when the new international jetport is opened in two years time.

The first construction work on the jetport started on June 11 when Premier of the Cook Islands, Mr.

Albert Henry, turned the first sod during a public ceremony. Material surplus to airport construction re quirements is being used for land reclamation on the northern coast near Avatiu harbour.

Ancillary works for the jetport have included the construction of a new radio receiving station in Arorangi and a telecommunications centre in Avarua. In addition, a former backroad, the ancient Ara Metua, is being upgraded into a main highway in the vicinity of the airport.

Many families have had to be moved from their homes close to the airport, and rehoused in a new settlement in Nikao and elsewhere.

Work on 10 transit accommodation units in Aitutaki has commenced.

These are for passengers arriving by air from New Zealand during the period when Rarotonga’s airport is being reconstructed.

Development of telecommunica tions is proceeding, but demand for overseas circuits is expected to in crease rapidly with the influx of airport contractors. Plans are in hand to upgrade telecommunication within the Cook Islands in readiness for an inter-Cook Islands air service.

The government has investigated the possibility of an airstrip in the Southern Cooks, and will be partners with Air New Zealand in an internal air service.

The airport was mentioned by the High Commissioner, Mr, J. Davis, at the opening of the 14th session of the Legislative Assembly in July. He said its completion would mean the real beginning of the visitor industry.

The government planned to meet this major change with a determina tion to retain Cook Islands’ culture and traditions while at the same time reaping the benefits to the economy the visitor industry would bring.

Mr. G. Labeau, an advisor on the training of hotel staff, arrived at Rarotonga on July 11, to start more :ourses for waitresses, housemaids md barmen.

The three-months courses entail Doth classroom and practical work,

and tuition is free. Successful students receive diplomas and are registered by the tourist authority.

The first licences for the building of hotels in Rarotonga are expected to be issued by the authority in August.

Mr. Labeau, in Rarotonga to assess the needs for hotel training for the coming visitor industry, was sent by the ILO, a UN agency. This first visit was part of an overall assess ment of the South Pacific. After Rarotonga he was to spend a week each in Honiara, Tarawa, Tonga, Western Samoa, and Fiji.

The High Commissioner in the July Assembly reported these other developments in the Cooks: • A new 40 bed hospital for Aitutaki should be started in Sep tember. Improved clinical facilities have been established in Rarotonga. • A housing authority was set up last October, and cabinet approved an additional SNZIOO,OOO for housing loans. Last year 193 houses were built under the housing loan scheme, including some built at the new housing settlement at Te Puka, near Rarotonga’s airstrip. The government plans to acquire more land for a new housing estate. • Two amendments to the con stitution were to be placed before the current session of the Assembly.

The first limits the appointment of “special” posts to departmental heads, and not more than one senior post on each of the outer islands. The second increases the maximum number of cabinet ministers to the Premier and six ministers (formerly there were five). • A Companies Bill was to be introduced, providing for the registra tion and control of companies in the Cook Islands. Closely linked with this bill is a bill amending the Cook Islands Co-operative Societies Regula tions 1953, also to be placed before the Assembly.

This provides for the registration of. special societies which are mainly interested in investment in companies carrying on business exclusively in the Cook Islands. The bill allows large numbers of small investors to unite in their investments.