A Dignified Silence

From The Cooks

From JOHN CARTER, in Suva

So the Cook Islands, the South Pacific and posterity will never read Premier Albert Henry’s reply to the allegations of dictatorship, nepotism and misgovernment levelled at him by Opposition Democratic Party leader Dr Tom Davis in the Sep tember PIM.

After a neat piece of feinting, shadow boxing and side-stepping in an interview in Suva in September, Mr Henry was seen by PlM’s man during the South Pacific Conference in Apia. Yes, he would write a reply to Dr Davis, promised Premier Henry, but he never got round to it. After several days pursuit, and on the eve of his departure for a more important engagement than the conference— celebrations on Nauru of President Hammer Deßoburt’s birthday—Mr Henry withdrew his promise.

After all, he said, there wasn’t much to reply to. It wasn’t important and anyway, Dr Davis wasn’t there any more. Dr Davis had left for the United States to sail his cutter back to Rarotonga.

Well, that was that. There would be no reply through PIM though it’s pretty sure the Premier will have something to say when he’s playing on his own home ground in parlia ment.

In his interview in Suva Mr Henry was voluble over a few things in Tom Davis’s article, but he was silent on much more—nepotism, for instance, the sacking of Democratic Party supporters from the government service, the driving of a wedge between people and traditional leaders, changing the constitution to allow political appointments to department top jobs and control of radio and the newspaper for political purposes.

Asked to comment on the allega tion that he abused his power Mr Henry replied with a lengthy’ and clear explanation of how his govern ment had responded to advice given by United Nations teams and New -ealand —on finance, harbour develop ment, pineapples and outdated financial methods left over from colonial days.

He was a little more to the point 3yer the allegation that he was a lictator.

“In what way do we dictate 9” isked the Premier. “He (Davis) says hat but the voters are not impressed because they know what a dictator

is and the result of the election doesn’t support the view that I was a dictator. The people know the difference between colonial days and now. The little man can now say the government is no good and he gets away with it, which he couldn’t do before. The press and radio are open to both parties and they are given

equal time free. The Democratic Party made more use of the radio than we did. We don’t dictate to the broadcasting station because it is semi-autonomous.”

After stressing that the people had more rights today than before and that they had village councils which made known the people’s needs to the government, Mr Henry admitted some of the islands were opposed to the government, but, he said, those islands had always opposed the government.

“Mangaia is the strongest in op position,” he said. “They still believe they are under Queen Victoria. They will not recognise Queen Elizabeth and their post office sign is still VR

and not ER. They are that kind of people.”

But, the Premier pointed out, they still helped Mangaia. They had ex tended their junior high school, built two new primary schools and built their harbour and Mangaia had had a fair share of loan money in com parison with the people of Rarotonga.

Atiu was also in opposition but the government aimed to build a harbour there because of the extension of the pineapple project.

Premier Henry discoursed at length over his request for more financial aid from New Zealand and how he had supported his case for an extra 51.2 million. To get the money, he said, he would have to make con stitutional changes and also to in crease taxes which had been stationary for many years. He intended to increase revenue by $250,000 as a result of expert advice and the increase would date from next January 1, Then Premier Henry referred to dictation by New Zealand, a state ment published in the Fiji Times and then refuted later by Mr Henry speaking at the South Pacific Con ference. ‘‘For more than 70 years,” said rn/y/J ll6 conference, “the Cook Islands have relied on some charity from New Zealand and with out any dictatorial methods. I am reported in the press as saying that New Zealand dictated to us, which 7ppi bl !i U - nfail V dldn t say that - N ew £ e /J and J S S( i far advanced in know ledge and understanding not to accept such statements.”

Which contrasts with what the Premier did say in the presence of three reporters including PlM’s man , an r, being dictated to by Wellington, he said, “but there are certain matters must accept because they are reasonable. There are certain commitments and certain of our rights are being taken away but we need this help to make m more self-sufficient. We no? actually losing our rights. They are 1 dictatmg this in matters of finance but I have made it clear that it must be a free system and better operated than what was inherited from the

colonial government.

Not being an accountant I don’t ' h l fl l ws were but I accept it and, though there is a flavour of d,c.at.o„;” wu accept it as Maybe, after all, Mr Henry would hke to reply through PIM to the a legations made by Dr Davis and also set the record straight on what he really thinks he said over New Zealand’s dictation.