<< More about the Community Lifelines Programme

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• Past Interventions
• Current Issues for the Cook Islands
• Programme Response

The effective social and economic development of Pacific Communities depends on three essential inputs: energy, water, and information and communication technologies. The Community Lifelines Programme aims to improve the Pacific Communities’ access to these inputs.

To achieve this in the Cook Islands, SOPAC has provided assistance in response to specific requests and through a number of general regional initiatives. A summary of these activities and initiatives is provided below:

Past Interventions

Initiatives completed for the Cook Islands that relate to the Community Lifelines Programme involved assistance in the development of the water, energy, and information and communication technology sectors.

Regarding the supply of freshwater, the Cook Islands are adequately meeting the needs of it’s population through the utilisation of surface water, groundwater and the collection of rainwater. However it’s demand and conservation management was addressed through a national workshop in 1998, whereby discussions centred on the development of a water resources policy and strategy to ensure the sustainable development of this particular resource for future generations (Burke, 1998). Further assistance to the Cook Islands’ Water sector, involved the exploration of using groundwater to supplement the existing surface water resources (Ricci & Scott, 1998). Additional assistance was in the provision of hydraulic and appropriate software for water network modelling to relevant staff of the Cook Islands Water Sector, while a demand Management and Conservation Project was implemented, aimed at reducing wastage of freshwater through good demand management and conservation practices.

The Cook Islands government’s status of ‘free association’ with the New Zealand government provides them the privilege of having most of their energy needs met by New Zealand. However, assistance to the Energy Sector is on an ongoing basis with other development partners. Previously, assistance metered through SOPAC involved the energy audit of Aitutaki to determine the energy consumption of the population there , public awareness on electrical safety throughout the Cook Islands. The public awareness was conducted through the media and various publications as well as through the school curricula . Other assistance included a cost analysis of the PV diesel hybrid power system proposed for Rakahunga Island . Assistance was also provided in the drafting of the National Energy Policy of the Cook Islands, which was submitted and approved by their Cabinet in 2003 and the National Energy supply/demand Database to improve the availability of improved energy data and efficiency.

Other interventions include the development of a Global Positioning System GPS for the Ministry of Water, Energy, and Physical Planning . The system was designed to facilitate water catchment delineation by the Lands and Survey department. A geographic information system GIS was created for the Water utility to improve planning, and asset and demand management . Other means of ITC assistance that was provided for the Cook Islands included the set-up and provision of Intranet and Internet services for the Ministry of Marine Resources . Capacity of Cook Island nationals was also built up through a GIS and Remote Sensing workshop, and a MapInfo? training sessions. The GIS and Remote Sensing workshop was conducted to present the data collected from a survey conducted of the Manihiki Lagoon as well as to train relevant stakeholders in the use of GIS and Remote Sensing tools

Current Issues for the Cook Islands

There are a number of critical issues that have been identified by the Cook Islands through national and regional mechanisms. Many of these issues fall within the work programme of the Community Lifelines Programme. The relevant identified issues and concerns are summarised below:

• Insufficient human resources nor adequately trained human resource in water supply
• Lack of positive Policy (Government) directive
• Lack of technological development
• Insufficient human resource development
• Dependence on diesel-powered electric generators at great expense in terms of foreign exchange.
• Need to investigate potential for use of renewable energy sources.
• Lack of community awareness about energy and water conservation technologies.

Programme Response

SOPAC’s Community Lifelines programme is designed to address the sustainable development of the Cook Islands’ energy, water and information and communication technologies sectors. Components of the programme pragmatically address the same sectors right across the Pacific Region. These components as regional projects are:

• The continual assessment of wind development and energy resources, the provision of technical assistance and training of Cook Island Nationals in this area, and the provision and maintenance of a database which will assist the decision making and capacity building of concerned and relevant human resources .
• The development of energy resources that incorporate new and related technologies, the improvement of community access to and awareness of these energy resources, in order to ensure sustainable management .
• The development of cost effective and suitable technology such as Geographic Information Systems GIS and Remote Sensing on spatial data for the region that is accessible for relevant stakeholders, regionally and internationally; the development of intranet and internet technologies; relevant support to the government departments concerned, and ensuring the accuracy of available data .
• The provision of technical advice on water and sanitation in the region, its proper management and awareness of wastewater management; the development of strategies that will reduce member islands’ vulnerability to drought .
• The review of existing policy and legislation in water, energy and relevant information and communication technologies that relate to SOPAC work programmes; representation of Pacific concerns at global forums, and the coordination of regional action plans in these areas .

These components are implemented locally at national level and in response to requests from the local government concerned. In the Cook Islands, the response to meet the sustainable development needs of these three sectors include:

• The review of the Electricity Utility in the outer islands [all islands other than Rarotonga] and the development of Electrification Guidelines .
• Development of the energy sector through an awareness raising School Energy Education Programme; an audit of energy consumption in Rarotonga; the development of a reliable, accurate and compatible database for the Energy Department to enable efficient management and planning of the national energy sector, and a survey of the energy usage in households of the Cook Islands .
• Assistance to the government of the Cook Islands in the evaluation of alternative power generation options, particularly the development of wind power .
• Review of the Te Aponga Power Utility System, which led to recommendations on acceptable tariff guidelines and regulatory mechanisms for implementation .
• The development of a Water Monitoring System for Rarotonga and hydraulic models for their water distribution system .
• Support to the Cook Islands’ government in Information System Development such as GIS and Remote Sensing, Intranet and Internet development and other relevant information technology solutions to enhance effective and efficient resource management .