out in the Cooks

It looks as if the knives are out in the Cooks

Heads have begun to roll in the Cook Islands following the success of Premier Albert Henry’s Cook Islands Party at the polls, and the “Night of the Long Knives” seems to be here. But, it’s all a question of how you look at it.

If you support the CIP you view the dismissal of 44 Public Works Department wage workers and 15 salaried workers in the PWD as a legitimate exercise to cut expenses— surely a praiseworthy act when you have to correct overspending! If you support the Democratic Party of Dr.

Tom Davis and remember that the Premier had already hinted that civil servants who had worked against the return to power of the CIP would live to regret it, then you see the sackings as an official act of revenge. And that’s the way the Public Servants’ Association sees it.

The PSA has decided to challenge the legality of the sackings in the High Court. It accuses the Public Service Commission of not acting independently and impartially, and says that the usual procedure, when there are dismissals on redundancy grounds, of “last on first off”, was not followed. All those dismissed, PSA members point out, were Democratic Party supporters.

The government denies the impli cation and recalls that 12 months ago 70 wage workers were put off by the Housing Authority. There had been no election then and no threats of reprisals.

But Dr. Davis doesn’t see it that way. He accuses the government of victimisation, not only of in dividuals, but also of islands, those islands which stood four-square for the Democratic Party.

“Such victimisation has already started, as of this date by the firing of 44 workers from the Public Works, all of whom were Democratic Party supporters,” he accuses. “Lists of individuals from other departments have already been made out for further wholesale firing of Demo cratic supporters.”

Premier Henry, somewhat timidly, has preferred something which re motely resembles an olive branch, complaining that Dr. Davis hasn’t been around for a chat since the CIP won the elections.

“This attitude leads to a feeling

of separatism,” the Premier points out. Dr. Davis isn’t unbending.

“This feeling of separatism exists and will continue to grow,” he replies. . A™ thats not the only worry tor Mr. Henry. His banana exports to New Zealand are nil, thanks to

the hurricanes, and he has to cut his administrative expenditure more than drastically. His budget spending, he told the Legislative Assembly, will be the highest on record, coming to $5,573,572 for ordinary administra tive purposes. The capital works budget is $898,000 of which New Zealand will contribute $500,000.

The Cook , s wants a loan badly but 80 * ar there’s been little sign of one.

Increased taxes seems to be the only answer, which is something Premier Henry has promised he’ll never sup port.