Latest news with #CIIC
Scoop
28-07-2025
- General
- Scoop
Cook Islands: On-the-Ground Works Underway Across Rarotonga: Strong Community Momentum Drives Shelter Programme Forward
RAROTONGA, COOK ISLANDS, 25 July 2025. The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) together with Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) confirms that four community halls have now been approved for funding and are actively progressing under the Rarotonga Safety Shelter Programme (RSSP) — a major milestone reflecting the strength of community partnerships and coordination across government. Seven months into implementation, the RSSP continues to gain momentum across the island, with four community halls now approved by Cabinet and at various stages of upgrade. The Tutakimoa Meeting House is nearing completion, while construction is underway at the Ngatangiia Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) Sunday School Hall. Preparations are also progressing for works at Pokoinu Meeting House and Sacred Heart Parish in Matavera. All four halls are being strengthened to be compliant under the Cook Islands Building Code 2019. Mr. John Strickland, Director of EMCI says 'We are pleased with the progress to date. The Rarotonga Safety Shelter Programme is a critical part of our broader efforts to strengthen national disaster preparedness— providing safe refuge for both residents and visitors. While RSSP is currently focused on Rarotonga, EMCI continues to support a range of emergency preparedness initiatives across all islands. Together, these efforts contribute to building a safer and more resilient Cook Islands for everyone.' The RSSP was formally launched in December 2024, following detailed assessments of 19 community halls designated or identified as suitable cyclone shelters. Structured to reinforce existing community infrastructure, the RSSP aims to ensure that a significant portion of Rarotonga's population has access to reliable, safe, and inclusive shelters during a declared State of Disaster or State of Emergency. Through a coordinated approach between Government and community-led groups, the programme has quickly moved from planning, to action. Mr. Allan Jensen, CEO of CIIC says 'This programme represents a considered co-investment in durable, fit-for-purpose infrastructure. While the immediate objective is compliance with shelter standards, the long-term benefit lies in strengthening community facilities that are built to serve multiple purposes over time. Partnerships with community groups enables more efficient use of public resources, ensuring that infrastructure delivery is both practical and sustainable in the long run.' As each hall progresses, the focus now shifts toward the successful completion of renovation works and the formal certification of these buildings as compliant safety shelters. While the momentum to date is encouraging, delivering a fully functional shelter requires sustained effort, from securing materials and labor, to coordinating timelines that work around community availability. Mr. Joseph Akaruru, of Tutakimoa Meeting House says 'Securing the funding is just one part of the puzzle, we're extremely fortunate to have received financial support from our Tutakimoa Ekalesia, the India Grant Fund, and the Cook Islands Government. Our community started off strong, with many hands eager to support the project. As time has passed, a core group has remained strong, showing up after hours, on weekends, and around their own personal commitments. It's a big ask, and it reflects the dedication of those still involved in seeing this building through to completion.' The RSSP is funded by Cook Islands taxpayer funds, with each eligible community hall able to access up to NZ$100,000.00 under the RSSP framework. The framework establishes that communities have access to the fund on a first-come-first-serve basis, provided that the identified hall has been assessed by CIIC and EMCI for suitability as shelter, that all required documents are in order and any additional funding required for renovations are raised by the community and confirmed prior to progressing through the programme. All eligible community halls have been contacted by CIIC, any queries regarding the programme can be directed to
CTV News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Police hate crime unit investigating vandalism at downtown Montreal mosque
Police are investigating after a downtown Montreal mosque was vandalized with the words 'F--- Gaza' in blue spray paint. (Source: Muslim Association of Canada) Montreal police (SPVM) are investigating after a downtown mosque was vandalized on Tuesday. The Canadian Institute of Islamic Civilization (CIIC) on Belmont Street, near the intersection of René-Lévesque and Robert-Bourassa boulevards, was vandalized with graffiti, the force confirmed. The words 'F--- Gaza' were written with blue spray paint on the building in three locations. Montreal police said they were called to the building on Wednesday and that the hate crime unit is leading the investigation into the incident, which they say is linked to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. No arrests have been made. mosque montreal vandalism Police are investigating after a downtown Montreal mosque was vandalized with the words 'F--- Gaza' in blue spray paint. (Source: Muslim Association of Canada) The vandalism was condemned by the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), a national charitable organization, which called it a 'vile act' and not an isolated incident. 'It reflects a dangerous national climate in which mosques, Muslims, Palestinians and Canadians who speak out for Gaza are increasingly targeted and vilified,' the group said in a statement earlier this week. 'CIIC and other MAC mosques across the country have received a steady stream of hate in recent months — from threats to online abuse — particularly in response to the genocide in Gaza," the statement reads. 'This convergence of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism is growing, unchecked.' The association also called on provincial and federal officials to condemn the vandalism and for all levels of government to 'take urgent action to protect Muslim and pro-Palestinian communities and to recognize anti-Palestinian racism as a systemic issue.' Last week, Montreal police released their annual report for 2024, which showed that residents reported 375 hate crimes (an increase of 6.2 per cent from the previous year) and 202 hate incidents (an increase of 18.1 per cent) last year. More than half of the reports were based on ethnicity, national origin, or skin colour. Montreal police define a hate crime as a crime 'motivated or suspected of being motivated by hatred of race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression or any other similar factor.' Examples include making a Nazi symbol or threatening or physically attacking someone because of their religion. A hate incident is a non-criminal act, 'which could affect the feeling of security of a person or an identifiable group of people whom, given the context may be perceived as such because of race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression or a disability in particular.' A hate incident would include distributing offensive material targeting an ethnic group or committing 'vexatious' acts against a person due to their sexual orientation. Similar acts of vandalism, as well as violent acts like arson and shootings, have also targeted Jewish places of worship in Montreal in the last several months.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Yahoo
Legislative committee visits Lima's Cannon in prison
Feb. 25—COLUMBUS — The state's Correctional Institution Inspection Committee, a joint committee of the 136th Ohio General Assembly, earlier this month made an unannounced inspection of the Ohio State Penitentiary in Youngstown in response to queries from advocacy organizations regarding the well-being of inmate Rashawn Cannon. Cannon, of Lima, has been identified as the inmate who murdered corrections officer Andrew Lansing at Ross Correctional Institution on Christmas Day. The Ohio State Highway Patrol identified Cannon, 28, as the inmate accused of killing Lansing, but no formal charges have yet been filed in Ross County. On Feb. 13 the committee, comprised of state Sen. Al Cutrona and four CIIC staffers, conducted an unannounced inspection of the Ohio State Penitentiary. A memo issued following that inspection indicated that the purpose of the visit was, in part, to observe Cannon's condition and surroundings. According to Chris Albanese, executive director of the committee, "We had a previously scheduled inspection of OSP and due to the recent events at (Ross Correctional), questions from members and advocacy groups, we intentionally sought to confirm inmate Cannon's well-being. After we spoke to him we completed the remainder of our inspection. "I informed inmate Cannon about the CIIC and why we were there. I asked inmate Cannon to show us his arms, hands and face up close and asked him to lift his pant legs and shirt then turn around. Inmate Cannon complied with the requests. "No signs of abuse were observed," Albanese wrote in the memo. "I asked inmate Cannon if he had any concerns regarding his well-being. Inmate Cannon stated his cell was too cold, and the recreation space was too warm. The CIIC then exited the block and completed the remainder of the inspection." Featured Local Savings
